Checkers Rally to Earn Point in Eventual Overtime Loss to Springfield
March 31, 2023 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Charlotte Checkers News Release
The Checkers battled back to secure a point in the standings, but a late overtime tally from Springfield earned the visitors the victory.
Mired in a three-game losing skid, the Checkers found themselves in a 2-0 hole midway through regulation. Connor Bunnaman was able to spark the home side, however, when he collected a rebound and deposited around the Springfield netminder to put Charlotte on the board. Minutes later Anthony Bitetto threaded a seeing-eye point shot through traffic and in to even the score heading into the second intermission.
The two sides traded chances in the third, but neither team could get the upper hand and the contest moved on to overtime. The extra frame also featured a run of back-and-forth action, but with under a minute to go Springfield poked the puck away from a Charlotte rush, busted out on a breakaway and pushed the puck across the goal line to steal the two points.
QUOTES
Coach Geordie Kinnear on the game
I thought we looked more like a team. Maybe not play-wise, but we were more of a team by sticking up for one another and playing tougher in tough areas. It took us a little bit. When we scored we started getting in sync a little bit and then you start seeing how we want to play as a group. It was a good point. Down 2-0 and come back. Good effort for sure.
Kinnear on his team's goals
You have to get the puck to the blue paint, obviously. A really good goaltender and you've got to have guys there. Bunnaman starts us off with a blue paint goal. After we settled into it, it was a real good hockey game.
Kinnear on building momentum from this game
We don't look behind us, we just continue to get better. We had pockets of really good hockey and our best hockey is yet to come. We're learning lessons along the way. We're focused on how we play. We saw pockets of it tonight and trended the right way for sure.
NOTES
The Checkers' four-game winless streak (0-3-1) is their second-longest of the season, trailing only an 0-5-0 slide from Dec. 6-17 ... Charlotte is now 1-3-1 against Springfield this season. The teams are now level on points for third place in the Atlantic Division ... This was the Checkers' 18th overtime game of the season. They are now 7-4 in games decided during the three-on-three session ... This was the Checkers' third consecutive game giving up at least five power-play opportunities. They only received one opportunity of their own tonight ... Henry Bowlby led the Checkers with six shots on goal ... Bitetto recorded his third multi-point game of the season and first since Dec. 31 ... Forward Riley Bezeau served a one-game suspension for accumulating 10 fights over the course of the season ... Checkers scratches included forwards Josh Davies, Logan Hutsko, Ethan Keppen and Justin Sourdif, and defenseman Calle Sjalin.
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