Checkers score early and take 5-2 win at Pensacola
November 1, 2006 - ECHL (ECHL)
Charlotte Checkers News Release
(Pensacola, Florida - Tuesday, October 31) The Charlotte Checkers capped off a successful, three-game Florida road trip with a 5-2 victory Tuesday night against the Pensacola Ice Pilots. Bruce Graham scored twice for Charlotte while goalie Chris Holt repelled 44 of the Ice Pilots' 46 shots to secure his second win of the season. Daymen Rycroft, Dusty Jamieson and Kenton Smith tallied single goals for the Checkers.
The victory in Pensacola helped Charlotte go 2-1-0 on the three-game road trek, and improved the Checkers record to 4-1-0 in the first five games of the young 2006-07 season. Charlotte now sits tied with Gwinnett for the top spot in the Southern Division of the ECHL's American Conference. The loss kept the Ice Pilots winless at 0-7-0.
"We wanted to get off to a fast start tonight and we were able to do that with the three-goal lead in the first period," remarked Charlotte coach Derek Wilkinson. "We didn't want to worry about what they were going to do, but wanted to concentrate on what we wanted to do. Chris Holt was solid in goal tonight and made some big saves in the first period. We're real happy to go 4-1-0 in the month of October."
The Checkers got off to a fast start in the first period with three unanswered goals. Rycroft tipped in Kenton Smith's wrist shot by Ice Pilot's starting goalie Michael Mole at 10:26 for a 1-0 Charlotte advantage. On a delayed Pensacola penalty, Graham ripped a shot from deep in the right wing circle that found its way to be the back of the net for a 2-0 Charlotte lead at 11:15. Jamieson made it 3-0 with a short-handed goal at 15:28, with Holt and Corey Potter assisting. Following Jamieson's goal, Pensacola coach George Dupont pulled Mole in favor of Jeff Pietrasiak. Jason Goulet tallied for Pensacola late in the stanza for a 3-1 advantage for the Checkers through one period.
In the second period the Checkers scored twice while keeping the Ice Pilots off the board. Graham's second of the night came at 14:01 on a power-play as he rammed home Mark Lee's rebound by Pietrasiak. A little over a minute later, Jamieson sprung Smith away on a breakaway and the Checkers defenseman scored for a 5-1 Charlotte lead after 40 minutes.
In the third period the Ice Pilots racked up 22 shots but could only score once. Jordan Krestanovich's power-play deflection at 12:16 was the game's last score as Charlotte prevailed 5-2.
The Checkers return home for two games this weekend. Friday night Charlotte will host the Gwinnett Gladiators at 7:30 p.m. at Charlotte Bobcats Arena. Sunday afternoon the Texas Wildcatters come to Charlotte to meet the Checkers at 4:00 p.m.
Tickets for all Checkers home games can be purchased on the official team web site at www.gocheckers.com, on the telephone at 1-800-495-2295, or by visiting the Charlotte Bobcats Arena box office.
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