ECHL Charlotte Checkers

Checkers prevail in overtime 4-3 at South Carolina

March 25, 2007 - ECHL (ECHL)
Charlotte Checkers News Release


(Charleston, South Carolina - Sunday, March 25) The Charlotte Checkers and South Carolina Stingrays played what amounted to an early playoff game Sunday afternoon at the North Charleston Coliseum. With both teams fighting for one of the final playoff berths in the ECHL's South division, the Checkers prevailed after the smoke cleared with a 4-3 overtime win.

Steve Slonina scored his second goal of the game with just 37 seconds left in the five-minute, sudden death overtime period, giving the Checkers two much needed points. Charlotte (36-25-1-2) was dominant in the overtime with numerous scoring opportunities while outshooting the Stingrays 10-2. For the game Charlotte outshot South Carolina 45-33.

Blake Bellefeuille and Jan Vodrazka scored the other Charlotte goals while goalie Alex Westlund made 30 saves in notching his fourth victory in his last six starts since returning from the American Hockey League. The Checkers finished the eleven-game season series against the Stingrays (34-24-4-5) with an 8-3 record, including a perfect 5-0 mark at the North Charleston Coliseum.

Charlotte now trails both Augusta and South Carolina by only two points. The Lynx and the Stingrays are tied for fourth place with 77 points. The Checkers, with 75 points, have three games in hand on South Carolina and hold two games on Augusta. (For current ECHL standings click here http://echl.leaguestat.com/stats/statdisplay.php?type=standings )

The Stingrays scorers Sunday included Matt Reid, Chris Chaput and Brendan Bernakevitch. South Carolina goalie Darren Machesney was solid in goal as he faced 45 shots and was credited with 41 saves.

"It was a playoff-type atmosphere today," said Charlotte Coach Derek Wilkinson. "Both teams seemed nervous at the start, realizing the importance of the game today. We played great in the overtime and we've been good playing four-on-four all season."

The Checkers drew first blood at 2 minutes, 57 seconds of the opening period. With the face-off in the Stingrays zone, Mike Ouellette drew the puck back to Vodrazka at the point. Vodrazka's shot was partially stopped by Machesney, but the puck trickled in behind him and over the line and the Checkers led 1- 0.

Both teams had good chances the rest of the period, but both goalies came up with big saves. Late in the first with Charlotte on the power play, South Carolina tied the game on Reid's short-handed breakaway at 18:40.

The teams traded goals in the second period and were tied 2-2 after two frames. Slonina rammed home a rebound of a Ryan Constant shot from the point at 7:07 of the stanza to give Charlotte its second lead of the game at 2-1. But Chaput struck back for the Stingrays with five minutes to go in the period to tie the contest again at 2-2.

In the final period South Carolina took its first lead of the game at 7:41, as Bernakevitch finished off a solo effort with an unassisted goal for a 3-2 Stingrays lead. But this time it was the Checkers who would rally, as Bellefeuille scored after taking Mark Lee's pass at 13:25 to knot the contest at 3-3. Slonina's goal late in the overtime ended the game as the Checkers prevailed 4-3.

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

ON RECALL TO (AHL) HARTFORD: Chris Holt, and Hannu Pikkarainen FOR BOX SCORE CLICK: http://echl.leaguestat.com/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=1719

NEXT GAME: The Checkers next game is at home this Tuesday when they'll begin a four-game homestand by entertaining the Pensacola Ice Pilots at Charlotte Bobcats Arena at 7:00 p.m.

Can't make the game? Watch it on B2 https://www.b2livetv.com/hockey/echl/charlotte/billnow.asp )

UPCOMING PROMOTIONS:

Thursday, March 29 - Pensacola @ Charlotte ("Checkers 'Limited Edition' Trading Card Night" with the first 3,000 fans on Thursday receiving set two of the Checkers "Limited Edition" Trading Cards presented by LastMinuteGolfer.com.)

Saturday, March 31 - Columbia @ Charlotte ("Pucks & Prayers Night" - Steve Smith of the Carolina Panthers, Adam Nightingale of the Charlotte Checkers, and Dr. Norman Geisler from Southern Evangelical Seminary will speak after the game. Saturday's game will also be "Dusty Jamieson Bobblehead Doll Night" with the first 2,000 fans receiving the dolls presented by Presbyterian Hospital and team dentist Dr. Larry Seitlin.)

Sunday, April 1 - Augusta @ Charlotte (Ronald McDonald House Day - A portion of every ticket purchased with the promotional code RMH, will benefit the Ronald McDonald House of Charlotte. The first 2,000 fans on Sunday will also receive Team Posters presented by the North Carolina Zoo, Colonial Properties Trust and K104.7 FM. Free public skate and autograph session will follow the game on the Charlotte Bobcats Arena ice. Sunday's game is also "Family Four Pack" day. Fans receive four tickets, four hot dogs, and four sodas for only $49.00/

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 Charlotte Checkers Statistics



ECHL Stories from March 25, 2007


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