ECHL Charlotte Checkers

Checkers prevail in shootout 3-2 at Reading

January 21, 2007 - ECHL (ECHL)
Charlotte Checkers News Release


(Reading, Pennsylvania - Saturday, January 20) The Charlotte Checkers dominated Saturday night's game with the Reading Royals, but had to go to a shootout to pull out a 3-2 victory. After outshooting Reading 41-18 in regulation and four to two in overtime, the Checkers (22-14-3 for 47 points) got shootout goals from Dan Murphy and Adam Nightingale to edge the Royals for the win. Charlotte goalie Chris Holt stopped seven of eight Royals' shooters in the shootout to snare the win and raise his personal record to 12-10-2.

Bruce Graham and Zdenek Bahensky scored the Charlotte goals in regulation, with Malcolm MacMillan and Dany Roussin tallying for the Royals. Reading goalie Jeff Pietrasiak was spectacular with 39 saves, and continually frustrated numerous Charlotte scoring opportunities.

The victory was the Checkers fifth straight, and extended their unbeaten streak to seven games at (5-0-2). The win also allowed Charlotte to climb to within a point of third place Florida in the Southern Division of the ECHL's American Conference.

"Even though we were down 2-0 we stuck to the game plan, waited for our breaks and finally got on the board," remarked Murphy. "I was a little nervous being selected to take the first shot in the shootout, but at the same time I was confident. I told myself that this was my opportunity to help the team get a "W" and it felt good to come through."

The Royals (17-18-5 for 39 points) scored first when Macmillan knocked home a rebound that Holt could not control at 4 minutes, 28 seconds of the first period for a 1-0 advantage. Charlotte had the best of the play in the first stanza, outshooting Reading 12-6.

The Royals converted a two-on-one break early in the second period to assume a 2-0 lead. The Checkers finally got on the board with a pair of goals in a two-minute span. Graham's power-play goal with Charlotte on a two-man advantage at 6:21 brought the Checkers to within a goal at 2-1.

Two minutes later Charlotte's hard work along the boards eventually led to the tying goal. Bahensky took Mike Ouellette's pass and beat Pietrasiak from in close to tie the game at 2-2.

In the final period the Checkers outshot the Royals 13 to five, but could not get the go-ahead goal as the two teams headed to the five-minute, sudden-death overtime session. After a scoreless overtime, the Checkers prevailed in an eight-round shootout.

Charlotte will return to Reading next Friday night for their lone game of week when they'll once again meet the Royals at 7:05 p.m. at the Sovereign Center. The Checkers next home game is Friday, February 2 when they'll host the Florida Everblades at Charlotte Bobcats Arena at 7:30 p.m. The first 2,000 fans entering the arena on February 2 will receive a free Checkers T-Shirt compliments of Corporate Xposure.

CHECKERS SATURDAY NIGHT SCRATCHES: Dusty Jamieson, John Donnelly, Jan Vodrazka, Kirk DeWaele, and Rick Kozak.

FOR BOX SCORE CLICK: http://echl.leaguestat.com/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=1362

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 January 21, 2007


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