
Checkers rally in dramatic fashion for 7-4 win over Gwinnett
March 13, 2007 - ECHL (ECHL)
Charlotte Checkers News Release
(Charlotte, North Carolina - Tuesday, March 13) The Checkers playoff push was given a huge boost Tuesday night. Down 3-0 and 4-2, Charlotte rallied with five, unanswered goals in a 7-4 dramatic win over the Gwinnett Gladiators at Charlotte Bobcats Arena. Mike Ouellette had a hat trick, while Mark Lee added three assists to pace the Checkers. Other Charlotte goals came from Blake Bellefeuille, Daymen Rycroft, Nathan Gillies and Dan Murphy. The Checkers also scored seven of the game's last eight goals.
Charlotte goalie Chris Holt snapped a personal two-game losing streak making 31 saves while earning his 21st victory. The victory gave the Checkers a 3-2 record for their just completed, five-game homestand. The game was a power-play fest, with six of the game's goals scored with the extra man.
The Checkers (32-23-1-2) remained two points in back of South Carolina for the fifth and final playoff spot in the ECHL South. The Stingrays rallied for a 7-6 victory Tuesday over the Florida Everblades. Charlotte still holds three games in hand on South Carolina with 14 regular-season games remaining.
"We were playing well despite being down a pair of goals at the end of the second period and not getting many good bounces," remarked Ouellette. "We were playing with a lot of confidence and just wanted to carry it over to the third period."
The Checkers played a pretty even first period against the Gladiators, but went to the locker room trailing 1-0. Vigilante scored a power-play goal 13 minutes, 39 seconds for the period's lone goal. Gwinnett had a 13-10 shots advantage in the first 20 minutes.
The Checkers got into penalty trouble midway through the second period and the Gladiators (35-19-5-2) took advantage. Matt York got credit for a power-play goal that just dribbled over the goal line at 9:06, as Gwinnett took a 2-0 advantage. Another Charlotte penalty resulted in a third Gladiators power-play goal just two minutes later. A shot from center point by Flasche eluded Holt and Gwinnett led 3-0.
Late in the period the tide turned, and the Gladiators started to march to the penalty box. It was now Charlotte's turn to take advantage and they did. Bellefeuille's power-play goal got the Checkers on the board at 17:10. Two minutes later Ouellette scored another power-play goal, his first of three tallies on the night, and pulled Charlotte to within at goal 3-2.
A late second-period goal by Gwinnett temporality halted the Checkers momentum. With just six seconds left in the period, Vigilante scored his second of the game after Holt wandered from his crease and scrambled to get back in. The goal allowed Gwinnett to take a 4-2 lead after 40 minutes.
The entire third period belonged to the Checkers. They outscored the Gladiators 5-0 and outshot the visitors 22-10. Two goals in a 43-second span early in third period allowed Charlotte to finally tie the game at 4-4. Ten minutes later the Checkers took their first lead of the game at 5-4 on Gillies' 16th goal of the season. At 14:42 Murphy connected to give Charlotte a two-goal cushion at 6-4. Late in the period Gwinnett pulled goalie Dan Turple for a sixth attacker. The Checkers put the game away with 1:44 left, as Ouellette scored a short-handed, empty net goal to complete his hat trick and give Charlotte the 7-4 triumph.
"We got rewarded in the third period for what we did in the first two periods tonight and what we did the last three periods on Sunday." commented Charlotte Coach Derek Wilkinson. "We came out with that same determination and finally it turned, and boy when it did it got exciting and guys got confidence."
CHECKERS SUNDAY TUESDAY NIGHT SCRATCHES: Dusty Jamieson, Rick Kozak, Lee Falardeau, and Adam Nightingale.
ON RECALL TO (AHL) HARTFORD: Alex Westlund and Corey Potter.
REASSIGNED FROM CHARLOTTE TO (AHL) HARTFORD BY (NHL) NEW YORK: Hugh Jessiman
FOR BOX SCORE CLICK: http://echl.leaguestat.com/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=1597
The Checkers will play five of their next six games on the road, beginning this Friday, March 16 when Charlotte will travel to meet Columbia at 7:00 p.m. Broadcast on (TEAMLINE http://www.teamline.cc/sportpages.html?teamcode=2820&eventcode=0036) and B2 https://www.b2livetv.com/hockey/echl/charlotte/billnow.asp )
NEXT HOME GAME: The Checkers next home game is Saturday, March 17 at 7:30 p.m. at Charlotte Bobcats Arena against the Florida Everblades.
Upcoming Promotions: Saturday, March 17 - Florida @ Checkers @ 7:30 p.m.
Hockey 101 - Charlotte Checkers will be offering a Hockey 101 session with head coach Derek Wilkinson and players. Hockey 101 will begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 17. Each participant will join the staff and players for a private player demonstration, interactive classroom lecture of hockey and lunch will be provided during the event. The event will be held at the Charlotte Bobcats Arena and the cost is $40 per person. Each participant will receive a t-shirt and a ticket for the Checkers game beginning at 7:30 p.m. that night. Season ticket holders who participate in Hockey 101 will receive a free buddy pass to utilize at that game night or at a future game. For more information about this event contact Danielle Adkins at 704-444-1876 or dadkins@gocheckers.com.
Time Warner Cable Customer Appreciation Night - TWC customers that show their bill or bill insert at the box office receive two-for-one Attack Zone Seats). Checkers logo caps for the first 2,000 fans courtesy of RoadRunner High Speed Online Service. St. Patrick's Day Specialty Jerseys presented by Connolly's on 5th. On-line jersey auction to follow the game.
Charity Case Post Game Concert The Checkers are proud to welcome back Charity Case for a post game concert. Charity Case will play following the Checkers game
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.
ECHL Stories from March 13, 2007
- Falcons Gain Point in Shootout Loss at Las Vegas - Fresno Falcons
- Royals Drop See-Saw Affair In Dayton, 4-3 - Reading Royals
- Condors Dismantle RoadRunners 6-0 - Phoenix RoadRunners
- Checkers rally in dramatic fashion for 7-4 win over Gwinnett - Charlotte Checkers
- 'Blades lose wild-west shootout 7-6 to Stingrays - Florida Everblades
- Bombers move into first place with 4-3 win over Royals - Dayton Bombers
- Stingrays Rally Past Everblades 7-6 In Shootout - South Carolina Stingrays
- Gladiators Lose to Checkers 7-4 - Atlanta Gladiators
- Galbraith loaned to AHL team - Idaho Steelheads
- ECHL Transactions - ECHL
- Thunder's Melanson Named In Glas Co Player Of The Week - ECHL
- 2007-08 season tickets now on sale - Johnstown Chiefs
- Guinness Jersey Auction Saturday Night - Wheeling Nailers
- Melanson Awarded ECHL Player of the Week Honors - Stockton Thunder
- Storm Sign A Pair From College - Toledo Walleye
- RoadRunners Make A Trio Of Moves - Phoenix RoadRunners
- SpongeBob Squarepants and St. Patrick's Day Jersey Raffle and Auction This Saturday - Bakersfield Condors
- Wildcatters' Yeats Named Rbk Hockey Goalie Of The Week - Texas Wildcatters
- Grover Returns to the Rays - South Carolina Stingrays
- Royals Sign Defenseman Pat Oliveto - Reading Royals
- Coulombe called back to the AHL - Victoria Salmon Kings
- Kelly Cup Tour Visits Phoenix, Long Beach - ECHL
- Wildcatters Weekly - Texas Wildcatters
- Bombers add depth in goal, sign Gratz - Dayton Bombers
- ECHL Today - ECHL
- Trenton tied for third with match-up against division leader on horizon - Trenton Devils
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.
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