Checkers Remain Undefeated Against Stingrays
January 4, 2006 - ECHL (ECHL)
Charlotte Checkers News Release
(Charleston, South Carolina - Tuesday, January 3, 2005) The Charlotte Checkers are short on numbers, beat up, and have been playing more of a baseball schedule than a hockey schedule the past month. They don't seem to mind however, as they continue to dig down deep and pull out wins. Starting with only 16 skaters Tuesday night and finishing with only 13, the Checkers pulled off a 5-2 victory over the South Carolina Stingrays in Charleston.
Mike Bayrack scored a pair of goals and added an assist, and Ryan Fultz, Dusty Jamieson and Juris Stals added single tallies in the Charlotte victory. Checkers goalie Chris Holt made 30 saves in notching his fourth win of the season, and helped Charlotte to its third win straight. The Checkers have also beaten the Stingrays in all six meetings this season.
"I've been in hockey a while and I haven't seen an effort too many times like the one I saw tonight," remarked Checkers coach Derek Wilkinson. "I'm really proud of the guys and the way they've been playing so short, and with all the games they've had to play. To get two wins to start this week in our current situation is fantastic."
The Checkers took a 1-0 lead at 9:14 of the first period when Fultz scooted around Matt Reid and beat South Carolina goalie Maxime Daigneault with his own rebound. Steve MacIntyre was tossed out of the game in the first period when he got into an altercation with the Stingrays Cam McCaffrey. MacIntyre was given a five-minute spearing penalty and a game misconduct. Charlotte defenseman Rory Rawlyk was shaken up late in the period and did not return.
In the second period Charlotte increased its lead to 2-0 on Jamieson's one-timer on a power play at 2:15. Jake Ortmeyer and Bayrack assisted on the goal.
A minute later Luke Stauffacher was cross checked from behind by Craig Olynick. Walker McDonald retaliated, fighting Olynick and received two minutes for instigating and five minutes for fighting. Olynick was only given two minutes for roughing and five minutes by referee Tyler Johnson. The Checkers bench argued and Charlotte was assessed a bench minor for unsportsmanlike conduct.
South Carolina took advantage, converting with a power-play goal by Ryan Finnerty as he knocked home a rebound by Holt to cut the Checkers lead to 2-1 at 4:34. Charlotte continued to create good scoring opportunities, and regained their two-goal lead at 11:50. Bayrack ripped a shot from deep in the right wing circle over Daigneault's shoulder to give Charlotte its two-goal lead right back.
In the third period Bayrack scored his second goal of the game at 3:07 as the Checkers increased their lead to 4-1. South Carolina came back to cut the Charlotte lead back to 4-2 on a power-play goal by Evan Schwabe. In the last two minutes of the game the Stingrays pulled their goaltender for a sixth attacker in an attempt to get back in the game. Charlotte held off the Stingrays and got some insurance with an empty-net goal by Stals with just nine seconds left for the 5-2 final. Fultz left the game midway through the final period and did not return.
The win improved Charlotte's record to 17-12-3 for 37 points and sole possession of third place in the ECHL's Southern Division of the American Conference. The Stingrays record dropped to 12-13-7.
The Checkers continue their grueling stretch of nine games in 13 days and five games in six days Wednesday night with a home game at Charlotte Bobcats Arena at 7:00 p.m. against the Columbia Inferno.
ECHL Stories from January 4, 2006
- Alaska Doubles-Up Gulls, 4-2 - San Diego Gulls
- Aces win in San Diego, 4-2 - Alaska Aces
- Checkers' fast start, strong finish downs Columbia, 5-2 - Charlotte Checkers
- King James Crowned as First Condor in NHL - Bakersfield Condors
- Thunder Swoops Up Steve L'Ecuyer - Stockton Thunder
- Backpack Giveaway This Saturday Versus Alaska - Bakersfield Condors
- Royals' Coach Karl Taylor To Lead American Conference All-Stars - Reading Royals
- Bakersfield's McHugh Fined, Suspended Three Games - ECHL
- ECHL Transactions - ECHL
- Steelheads' Zion heading to Europe - Idaho Steelheads
- Fresno's Murphy Fined, Suspended Two Games - ECHL
- ECHL Honors Utah's Kinasewich - Utah Grizzlies
- Weiman Named Runner-Up For Goalie Of The Week Honors - San Diego Gulls
- Grizzlies' Kinasewich Named In Glas Co ECHL Player Of The Week - ECHL
- Phoenix's Henley Fined, Suspended Two Games - ECHL
- Pensacola's Later Fined, Suspended One Game - ECHL
- Pyle Named ECHL All Star Coach for third Consecutive Year - Atlanta Gladiators
- Fields named ECHL Goalie of the Week for December 26th through 31st - Atlanta Gladiators
- San Diego Opens Homestand Against Red-Hot Aces - San Diego Gulls
- Wranglers' All-Star Hambly heading back to Omaha - Las Vegas Wranglers
- Payne officially named All-Star Coach, Beckford-Tseu returns - Alaska Aces
- Stingrays Grab Andersson From Stockton - South Carolina Stingrays
- RoadRunners' Pecker Inks Contract With Binghamton - Phoenix RoadRunners
- Payne, Gulutzan Are National Conference Coaches, Taylor, Pyle Will Coach American Conference - ECHL
- Wranglers' Gulutzan to coach All-Star Team - Las Vegas Wranglers
- Gladiators' Fields Named Reebok Hockey ECHL Goaltender Of The Week - ECHL
- Bombers Add Forward - Dayton Bombers
- ECHL Game of the Week - ECHL
- ECHL Today - ECHL
- Ice Pilots Lose to Florida - Pensacola Ice Pilots
- Checkers Remain Undefeated Against Stingrays - Charlotte Checkers
- Royals Western Swing Goes Perfect - Reading Royals
- Royals End Wranglers' Home Streak - Las Vegas Wranglers
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