Checkers set record with fourth straight season-opening win on opening night
Published on October 31, 2004 under ECHL (ECHL)
Charlotte Checkers News Release
Charlotte, NC - Saturday, October 30: The Charlotte Checkers set a new, modern-day club record for most wins to start a season after dispatching the Columbia Inferno 5-4 Saturday night at Cricket Arena in the club's 2004-05 home opener. Juris Stals scored a pair of goals for the Checkers including the game winner with just 2:55 to go in the contest. The win was the Checkers fourth straight as they delighted the crowd of nearly 7,200 on opening night. Eddie Pershin, Mike Harder, Kenton Smith also scored goals for the Checkers while goalie Alex Westlund won his third straight contest with 20 saves. "Our guys are hard workers and they just wouldn't be denied tonight," commented Charlotte coach Derek Wilkinson. "Eddie Pershin scored a beautiful goal to get us started and Juris Stals' hard work got us the winning goal tonight. " In the first period the Checkers took the lead as Pershin, the club's leading scorer, walked down the slot and wristed a shot past Inferno goalie Rob McVicar at 13:06 for a 1-0 Charlotte lead. Fifty three seconds later the Checkers scored again as Harder's wrap-around made it a 2-0 Charlotte advantage. With just 51 seconds left in the first period, the Checkers capped off the first period's scoring as Smith beat McVicar top shelf for a 3-0 Charlotte lead. The Inferno came back in the latter stages of the second period with three goals in a three-minute span by Brad Ralph, Ryan Campbell and Chanse Fitzpatrick to tie the game at 3-3. At 6:47 of the third period Stals scored to give the Checkers a 4-3 lead, only to have Ralph knot the score again at 4-4 at 12:08. Stals gave the Checkers the lead for good at 17:05 and Charlotte was able to hold off the Inferno the rest of the way for the 5-4 victory. The Checkers are now 4-0-0 for eight points and tied with the Pee Dee Pride for first place in the ECHL's Eastern Division of the American Conference. The Inferno dropped to 1-1-3 for five points. Charlotte returns to action next Friday night November 5 to host the Trenton Titans at 7:00 p.m. at Cricket Arena. Tickets are available now through the Charlotte Checkers office by calling (704) 342-4ICE, through all TicketMaster locations, or on line through www.TicketMaster.com.
ECHL Stories from October 31, 2004
- Inferno Weekly - Columbia Inferno
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- Gladiators Weekly Update - Atlanta Gladiators
- Wheeling Outlasts Bullies 2-1 In A Shootout - Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies
- Sea Wolves 'Trick' Wildcatters 3-2 In Halloween Shootout - Mississippi Sea Wolves
- Gladiators outlast Grrrowl, 5-3 - Atlanta Gladiators
- ECHL Today - ECHL
- Aces win 4-1 in front of another sell-out crowd - Alaska Aces
- San Diego Falls To Alaska Again, 4-1 - San Diego Gulls
- Checkers set record with fourth straight season-opening win on opening night - Charlotte Checkers
- Falcons Break Through with Shutout Victory - Fresno Falcons
- Steelheads shutout by Falcons, 4-0 - Idaho Steelheads
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