ECHL South Carolina Stingrays

Checkers playoff push slowed by South Carolina in 6-2 loss

Published on March 8, 2007 under ECHL (ECHL)
South Carolina Stingrays News Release


(Charlotte, North Carolina - Thursday, March 8) The South Carolina Stingrays came into Charlotte Bobcats Arena Thursday night, desperate for a win so they could keep their playoff hopes alive. With only one win in their last ten games, the Stingrays fought off two, one-goal deficits and scored five-unanswered goals to beat the Charlotte Checkers 6-2.

Chris Chaput had a pair of goals for South Carolina (28-23-3-4), and Peter Szabo added three assists in the victory. After yielding two first-period goals, Stingrays goalie, Davis Parley, slammed the door on the Checkers in the final two periods by holding them scoreless while making 29 saves. Parley finished the game with 36 saves overall.

Blake Bellefeuille scored both Charlotte goals, and Chris Holt took the loss with 23 saves. The loss snapped a five-game Checkers winning streak over South Carolina, but Charlotte still leads the 11-game season series seven games to three.

The win pulled the Stingrays to within two points of fifth place Charlotte (31-22-1-2) in the ECHL's South Division. The Checkers still hold two game in hand on South Carolina. The top five teams in the division qualify for the post season.

"We gave up some bad goals as there were three or four goals Holty (Chris Holt) would like to have had back," remarked Charlotte Coach Derek Wilkinson. "On the other end Parley made some great saves and we couldn't capitalize on a couple of our chances, and that was the end of the hockey game. It was the first tough night for Holty in a long time. I thought we out-chanced them but they out-scored us."

The Checkers got on the board first as Bellefeuille's power-play goal from the right circle off a pretty helper from Mark Lee at 6 minutes, 27 seconds of the first period gave Charlotte a 1-0 advantage. Less than a minute later the Stingrays tied the game on Chaput's tip in right in front of Holt.

Bellefeuille got his second goal of the night at 8:33, once gain from with a nice assist from Lee as Charlotte regained the lead 2-1. Once again the Stingrays tied it up as Chaput struck again at 16:06. The two teams went to the locker room after the first period tied at 2-2, with the shots even at 11.

The Stingrays scored three goals in the second period, starting with T.J. McElroys' strike five minutes into the frame. McElroy's shot at the five hole got by Holt for a 3-2 Stingrays advantage. Two more goals by South Carolina in the period, including a lamp-lighter credited to Nate Kaiser on an unlucky bounce for the Checkers, gave the Stingrays a 5-2 lead through 40 minutes.

In the final period the Checkers couldn't muster any goals, as Parley stopped all ten Charlotte shots. The Stingrays netted an insurance goal by Cam McCaffrey five minutes into the period, and South Carolina cruised to the 6-2 final. To their credit, the Checkers were unlucky hitting three posts on the night.

This Sunday, March 11 the Checkers will host the Gwinnett Gladiators at Bobcats Arena at 4:00 p.m. as Charlotte's five-game homestand continues. This Sunday's game will be the Checkers annual "Salute to Heroes Game." Join the Checkers and the CFD, MEDIC 911, MCSO and CMPD in this exciting salute. The game will feature: special opening ceremonies, Hero's Game and Jersey Auction and Post-Game Skate with Hero's and Checkers players. Team Posters for the first 2,000 fans courtesy of Colonial Grand at Beverly Crest and North Carolina Zoo. Family Four Packs w/ 4 tickets, 4 hot dogs, 4 sodas for $49. Post-Game Autograph Session & Post-Game Skate.

CHECKERS THURSDAY NIGHT SCRATCHES: Dusty Jamieson, Rick Kozak, Lee Falardeau, and Adam Nightingale.

ON RECALL TO (AHL) HARTFORD: Alex Westlund, Corey Potter, Bruce Graham and Ryan Constant.

REASSIGNED FROM CHARLOTTE TO (AHL) HARTFORD BY (NHL) NEW YORK: Hugh Jessiman

ON LOAN FROM CHARLOTTE TO (AHL) PROVIDENCE: Ryan Glenn

FOR BOX SCORE CLICK: http://echl.leaguestat.com/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=1706

Tickets for all Checkers home games can be purchased on the official team web site at www.gocheckers.com, on the telephone by using a credit card and calling 1-800-495-2295, or by visiting the Charlotte Bobcats Arena box office.

Check out the South Carolina Stingrays Statistics

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ECHL Stories from March 8, 2007


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