ECHL Charlotte Checkers

Checkers play two games this week including home opener Saturday

October 25, 2004 - ECHL (ECHL)
Charlotte Checkers News Release


(Charlotte, NC - Monday, October 25) The Charlotte Checkers enter the second week of the 2004-05 ECHL season in first place in the Eastern Division of the American Conference after starting the campaign a perfect 2-0-0 for 4 points. The Checkers beat the Greenville Grrrowl 3-1 to open the regular season last Friday on the road, and then captured their second win of the season the following night on the road in Charleston with a 3-2 overtime conquest over the Stingrays. This week the Checkers play a home-and-home series with the Columbia Inferno. Charlotte travels to Columbia Friday before returning to Cricket Arena Saturday night at 7:00 p.m. to stage its' home opener against the Inferno.

OVERALL: 2-0-0 = 4 POINTS
HOME: 0-0-0 = 0 POINTS
ROAD: 2-0-0 = 4 POINTS
STREAK: 2-0
LAST 10: 2-0-0

STANDINGS: TIED FOR FIRST PLACE IN THE EASTERN DIVISION OF THE AMERICAN CONFERENCE THIS WEEK:

** All Checkers road games can be heard through the Internet and on the telephone through TEAMLINE. To access the game through the Internet, log on to the Checkers web site at _www.gocheckers.com_ (http://www.gocheckers.com/) , and click on the multimedia link and then the TEAMLINE logo. To listen over the telephone, dial 1-800-846-4700 (toll-free in the United States and Canada) and enter 2820 when asked for your team code.

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Friday, October 29: Charlotte @ Columbia - 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, October 30: COLUMBIA @ CHECKERS - 7:00 P.M. (Home Opener)

The Checkers (2-0-0 for 4 points) will close out their three-game, season opening road trip Friday night when they'll take on the Columbia Inferno (0-0-2 for 2 points) at the Carolina Coliseum at 7:30 p.m. Saturday night Charlotte will stage its' home opener at Cricket Arena when the Inferno come to the Queen City. The Checkers will play Columbia ten times this season, with five games at home and five games on the road. The Inferno dropped an overtime game and a shootout game last week in its two games, both at home. Alex Burrows leads the Inferno in scoring with a goal and two assists for three points. Rob McVicar and Mike Minard are Columbia's netminders.

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CHECKERS LAST WEEK:

Friday October 22, 2004 AWAY Greenville W 3-1

Saturday October 23, 2004 AWAY South Carolina W 3-2 OT

Charlotte never trailed in a 301 victory at Greenville in their regular season opener last Friday night. Mike Harder, Dan Preston and Kenton Smith scored for then Checkers while goalie Alex Westlund made 27 saves to get the win. Saturday night the Checkers rallied from a 2-1 first-period deficit to defeat South Carolina 3-2 in sudden-death overtime. Jason Dawe score with 30 seconds left in OT for the game-winner, while Eddie Pershin and Matt Chandler had the other Checkers goals. Westlund notched his second straight win in goal making 22 saves.

CHECKERS NEWS & NOTES:

· Checkers went 2-0-0 last week to open the 2004-05 season, the first time Charlotte started the season with two wins since the 1996-97 season when the club won its' first three games.

· The Checkers are now 5-6-1 in regular season openers after a 3-1 victory in Greenville to open its' 2004-05 season this past Friday night.

AWAY - 2-2-0

HOME – 3-4-1

· Checkers goalie Alex Westlund was in goal for both Checkers wins last week and is fifth on the ECHL's netminder parade with a record of 2-0-0, 1.45 GAA and .942 save percentage.

· Charlotte is tied for first in short-handed goals after the first week of the season with one. The Checkers first goal of the season was a "shortie " scored by Mike Harder in their 3-1 victory over Greenville.

· After the first week of the season, Checkers defenseman Rory Rawlyk is fifth in the ECHL in penalty minutes with 19.

· After the first week of the season, the Checkers are tied with five other teams for first in penalty kill. Charlotte did not yield a power-play goal in 10 penalty-kill opportunities.

· Charlotte is 0-5 on the power play in its' first two games.

· After the first week, the Checkers are tied with Gwinnett for first in the ECHL in road wins with two.

· The Checkers are 5-6 in home openers. After starting the season with three road games, Charlotte will stage its' 2004-05 home opener this Saturday, October 30 hosting the Columbia Inferno.

· The Checkers are tied for first place in the ECHL with four other teams for goals against per game at 1.50.

· Checkers leading scorer Eddie Pershin (1-2-3) and Mike Harder (1-1-0) have two-game point streaks.

TEAM LEADERS:

POINTS: EDDIE PERSHIN (3)

GOALS: (SIX TIED) MIKE HARDER, DAN PRESTON, KENTON SMITH, EDDIE PERSHIN, MATT CHANDLER, JASON DAWE (1)

ASSISTS: EDDIE PERSHIN (2)

PLUS / MINUS: (THREE TIED) EDDIE PERSHIN, RORY RAWLYK AND JAKE TAYLOR (+3)

PENALTY MINUTES: RORY RAWLYK (19)

Charlotte will stage its home opener on Saturday, October 30 at Cricket Arena at 7:00 p.m. when they'll host the Columbia Inferno.Tickets are available now at the Cricket Arena Box Office, Charlotte Coliseum Box Office, at all TicketMaster locations, or on line through _www.TicketMaster.com_ (http://www.ticketmaster.com/) .

Season and group tickets can be purchased through the Charlotte Checkers office by calling (704) 342-4ICE.

Check out the Charlotte Checkers Statistics



ECHL Stories from October 25, 2004


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