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ECHL Charlotte Checkers

Checkers top the East

December 27, 2004 - ECHL (ECHL)
Charlotte Checkers News Release


CHARLOTTE, NC – The Charlotte Checkers (16-10-2; 34 PTS; 1st East Div) had their first home game on Sunday after an 8-game road trip. Going 4-4-0 over the course of two weeks, the Checkers regained the lead in the East Division. The final two games of the road trip were split by the Checkers last week as they fell to Louisiana on Tuesday, then bounced back for the win against Mississippi on Wednesday. On Sunday, the Checkers had no less than 5 players out due to airline delays, food poisoning, call-ups, and suspensions. They almost pulled it out against division rival, the Augusta Lynx. This week, the Checkers meet the South Carolina Stingrays at Cricket on Tuesday before taking on conference leaders, the Pensacola IcePilots, on Thursday. A two-game stand in Florida on Friday and Saturday will close out the week.

LAST WEEK

Tuesday, December 21 @ Louisiana, L 2-4

Charlotte outshot the Gators 32-24 for the game, including 16-8 in the second period, but it wouldn't be enough. Louisiana scored a pair of first-period goals in a 35 second span to take a 2-0 lead. Charlotte sliced the Louisiana lead to 2-1 as Ryan Cuthbert took a pass from Mike Harder and rang the bell. The IceGators snagged their two-goal lead right back with just 1:37 left in the first. In the second, Eddie Pershin scored his 10th goal of the season off a pass from Juris Stals to cut the Louisiana lead to 3-2. In the third period the Gators tightened up their defense, keeping the puck deep in the Checkers zone for much of the first five minutes. The Checkers did have a good opportunity to tie the game with back-to-back power-play chances but failed to light the lamp. Louisiana got an insurance goal late in the period to close out the night.

Wednesday, December 22 @ Mississippi, W 3-2

Charlotte took a 1-0 lead just 3:11 into the first period as Matt Chandler's blast from just inside the right circle beat Sea Wolves goalie, Jason Wolfe. Mississippi roared back to score two goals in a 46-second span to take the lead 2-1. The Checkers came back to tie the game late in the first period on a power play as Lee Falardeau rammed home a rebound of a Ryan Cuthbert shot for his 10th goal of the campaign at 15:22. Each team had 13 shots as the two teams went to the locker room tied at 2-2 after 20 minutes. In the second, Ryan Glenn scored what would end up being the game winning goal off a pass from Dusty Jamieson on a two-on-one break. With a 3-2 lead going into the third period, Checkers' goalie Alex Westlund denied a flurry of Sea Wolves attacks. Mississippi pulled its goaltender for a sixth attacker with 1:10 left in the match, but Charlotte was able to hold on for the 3-2 final.

Sunday, December 26 vs. Augusta, L 4-5

The Checkers started off hot, tying the game at one in the first period when defenseman Dan Preston rocketed home a Ryan Cuthbert pass from the face-off circle in front of Lynx goalie Matus Kostur. They then took the 2-1 lead when Juris Stals faked everybody out with a nifty move for his sixth goal of the season. Dusty Jamieson's assist to Stals was his ninth this year, giving him 18 points. The Lynx, however, came roaring back, tallying three goals within five minutes of each other in the second period. Despite playing without regular contributors like Steve MacIntyre (called up to Hartford), Eddie Pershin (serving a suspension), Rory Rawlyk (food poisoning), and Ryan Lang and Kelly Guard (flight problems), the Checkers fought until the final second. Forward Aaron Smith, who had only been with the team for four games, brought the team back to within a goal as he rang the bell 10:27 into the third. The 5-4 score would prove to be the final.

THIS WEEK

Tuesday, December 28 vs. South Carolina, 7:00 p.m.

Thursday, December 30 @ Pensacola, 7:05 p.m.

Friday, December 31 @ Florida, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, January 1 @ Florida, 7:30 p.m.

CHECKERS NEWS

· The Checkers are currently first in the East Division with 34 points. They are tied for second in the American Conference, and face conference leader Pensacola this week. The Checkers are tied with 4 other teams for third in the ECHL overall. The Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies hold the league lead with 36 points.

· Center and team captain, Mike Harder, is tied for second in the league with 30 points. He is also tied for the third highest number of assists.

· Having already served one game of a two game suspension, Eddie Pershin is tied for seventh in the league points race.

· Veteran goalie Alex Westlund has the fourth highest total number of minutes played this year. So far this season, he's spent 1105 minutes in the net.

· Dan Preston is just 9 points behind the league's highest scoring defenseman.

· Steve MacIntyre has the fourth highest number of penalty minutes in the league (93).

· Charlotte has the third best road power play record, and they are 12th in road penalty kills. This week, the Checkers will play three nights in a row on the road, spending the new year in Florida.

CHECKERS LEADERS

Goals: Mike Harder, Lee Falardeau and Eddie Pershin (10)

Assists: Mike Harder (20)

Points: Mike Harder (30)

Plus/Minus: Rory Rawlyk (+6)

PIM: Steve MacIntyre (93)

Wins: Alex Westlund and Kelly Guard (8)

GAA: Alex Westlund (3.09)

Save Pct.: Alex Westlund (.899)

CHECKERS BROADCAST INFO

Tune into all Charlotte Checkers away games as they broadcast on TEAMLINE. Fans can click the TEAMLINE logo on the Checkers website, www.gocheckers.com, or listen on the phone at 800-846-4700, code 2820. On the web or on the phone, listen as the voice of the Checkers, Tim Donelli, brings you all of the away Checkers action.

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