Checkers Pummel Penguins 6-3 for Sixth Straight Win
January 8, 2020 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Charlotte Checkers News Release
WILKES-BARRE, PA - The Checkers took care of business Wednesday night, walloping Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 6-3 to run their winning streak to six games.
The two sides were exchanging blows to start the contest, trading goals back and forth until Adam Johnson gave the home side a 3-2 lead midway through regulation. Steven Lorentz would draw things even again minutes later with a highlight-reel goal, firing an off-balance, no-look backhander past Penguins goalie Casey DeSmith, and the reinvigorated Checkers would take off from there.
Morgan Geekie picked up a rebound goal on the power-play to give Charlotte a lead heading into the final frame, then the unstoppable Julien Gauthier continued his reign of goals with a tally in the third to give the visitors some breathing room.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton gambled by delpoying an extra attacker early and Steven Lorentz would make them pay, capping his three-point with an empty-net goal to send the fans to the exits and clinch Charlotte a convincing 6-3 win.
Facing his former coach, Alex Nedeljkovic was strong between the pipes. The netminder made 27 saves on the night, including shutting down a late push from the Penguins - who fired 12 shots in the third period alone - and came away with his second win over Wilkes-Barre/Scranton this season.
Notes
The Checkers have won six games in a row, the longest active streak in the AHL and one shy of tying the franchise record ... The win moved the Checkers into sole possession of fifth place in the Atlantic, one point behind Springfield for the final playoff spot ... Steven Lorentz scored three points for the second time in his last three games and has multi-point outings in four of his last six ... Julien Gauthier extended his point streak to eight games, the longest such streak by a Checker this season ... Gauthier now ranks sixth in the AHL in goals ... Tonight was Janne Kuokkanen's sixth multi-point game of the season ... Tonight was Dave Gust's second multi-point game of the season, giving him 11 points in his last 11 games ... Alex Nedeljkovic extended his win streak to three games and has victories in five of his last six appearances ... Morgan Geekie's goal was his first since Dec. 13 ... Clark Bishop's shorthanded goal was the third of his career, moving him into a tie for fifth on the franchise's all-time list, and his eighth shorthanded point, moving him into fourth all time ... Dave Gust's goal 40 seconds in was the fastest goal by a Checker to start a game this season ... Tonight was the second time this season the Checkers have given up multiple power-play goals and the first since Nov. 27 ... The Checkers' power-play goal snapped a three-game drought, their longest of the season ... Terry Broadhurst played in his first game since Dec. 14 ... Eetu Luostarinen missed the game due to injury ... Stelio Mattheos and Kerby Rychel missed the game due to injury ... Derek Sheppard and Cavan Fitzgerald were healthy extras
Up Next
The road trip rolls on for the Checkers, who will visit the Hartford Wolf Pack on Friday for a 7:15 p.m. puck drop.
American Hockey League Stories from January 8, 2020
- Admirals Lose at Home to Grand Rapids - Milwaukee Admirals
- Devils Prevail over Rochester in a Shootout - Binghamton Devils
- Sens Fall as Utica Stages Comeback - Belleville Senators
- Penguins Thwarted by Checkers - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Checkers Pummel Penguins 6-3 for Sixth Straight Win - Charlotte Checkers
- Wolf Pack Score Late, Down Bears 2-1 - Hershey Bears
- Wolf Pack Outlasts Hershey, 2-1 - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Comets Come from Behind for Divisional Win in Belleville - Utica Comets
- Drake Rymsha Reassigned to Fort Wayne - Ontario Reign
- Sound Tigers Partner with Guardian Pet Food Co. to Support Animals in Need - Bridgeport Islanders
- Crunch Weekly - Syracuse Crunch
- Cree, Inc. and Comets, Utica City Give Back to Johnson Park Center - Utica Comets
- Coyotes Recall Barrett Hayton - Tucson Roadrunners
- Flyers Loan Andreoff to Phantoms; Recall Friedman - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Smereck, Howedeshell Join Rapid City Rush - Tucson Roadrunners
- Heat Close Homestand Wednesday against Bakersfield - Stockton Heat
- Dallas Stars Loan Defenseman Stephen Johns to Texas on Conditioning Assignment - Texas Stars
- Iowa Wild Recalls Goaltender Dereck Baribeau from Allen - Iowa Wild
- Bowl with the Hogs at the 11th Annual Bowl-A-Thon - Rockford IceHogs
- Game Preview: Bears vs. Wolf Pack, 7 PM - Hershey Bears
- Game Day Build-Up: Senators vs. Comets, January 8 - Belleville Senators
- Rochester Americans Game Preview: Wednesday, January 8, 2020 vs. Binghamton Devils - Rochester Americans
- Sound Tigers to Honor United States Military this Weekend - Bridgeport Islanders
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
