ECHL Charlotte Checkers

Checkers top the East

Published on March 14, 2005 under ECHL (ECHL)
Charlotte Checkers News Release


CHARLOTTE, NC – This week, the Charlotte Checkers (36-20-5; 77 PTS; 1ST East Div) tried to better their home win streak to seven straight games. The week started out promising with a win over Pee Dee on Tuesday night. The Checkers extended their home streak to six straight, besting the Greenville Grrrowl 7-1 on Friday night. On Saturday, the Checkers faced South Division leader, the Pensacola Ice Pilots, in an American conference showdown. The Checkers were unable to continue their stretch, but earned one point for tying the Ice Pilots in regulation. This week, Charlotte takes on Trenton, Pee Dee, Gwinnett and Florida.

LAST WEEK

Tuesday, March 8, vs. Pee Dee, W 4-2

The Checkers struck first as Eddie Pershin put a pass from Bogdan Rudenko into the Pee Dee goal at 4:50 in the first period. The period ended 1-0 in favor of the Checkers. Recently activated off the IR, Rory Rawlyk started an onslaught at 3:35 into the second period when he took a Dusty Jamieson pass and lit the lamp from the face-off circle. At 13:01 Ryan Lang scored to extend the Checkers lead 3-0. Jason Dawe put the puck between the pipes from 15 feet out at 15:26 in the second for the unassisted score. The Checkers finished up the period 4-0. The Pride launched a comeback at the opening of the third period when they scored at 1:02 to make the score 4-1. At 7:20, the Pride scored once more. With strong defense and Goalie of the Week, Alex Westlund, the Checkers kept the Pride from getting any closer.

Friday, March 11, vs. Greenville, W 7-1 The Checkers Thomas Bellemare struck first at the 9:36 mark of the opening period. The period ended 1-0 in favor of the Checkers. The dam broke for Greenville in the second period, leaving their net flooded with pucks. Lee Falardeau had his first goal of the period off assists from Jason Dawe and Ryan Glenn. Just a minute and seven seconds later, Mike Wirll would slice through the Greenville defense and find the back of the net, making the score 3-0. Thirty-five seconds later, Falardeau had his second goal of the period at 5:53 to make it 4-0. Eddie Pershin scored at 14:56. The second period ended with the Checkers on top 5-0. At the 3:52 mark of the third period and killing a penalty, Pershin took a feed from Brian Escobedo and sailed it between the pipes for the shorthanded score. Less than a minute later and down 6-0, Greenville finally scored. With the third period winding down, the Checkers Bogdan Rudenko put the finishing touch on the offensive blitzkrieg, sounding the horn at 15:03 for a 7-1 final.

Saturday, March 12, vs. Pensacola, T 1-2 SO

Both teams spent the first period probing for weaknesses with neither finding any. By the end of the first, the score was 0-0 with Pensacola out shooting the Checkers 8-7. The teams continued to spar until the 4:27 mark of the second period when Pensacola scored on a power play to make the score 1-0. The Checkers threw the kitchen sink at Pensacola's goalie for the remainder of the period, out shooting the Ice Pilots 14-9. The Checkers remained scoreless through the end of the second period. In the third period and with the odds stacked heavily against them, the Checkers Brian Escobedo took a pass from Bogdan Rudenko and put it past Pensacola to tie the score 1-1 at 7:48. Escobedo's goal and a strong defense forced a scoreless overtime, and then a shootout featuring two goalies with a combined 49 saves on the season. In the end, the Ice Pilots would triumph 2-1.

THIS WEEK

Tuesday, March 15, vs. Trenton, 7:05 p.m.

Friday, March 18, at Pee Dee, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, March 19, vs. Gwinnett, 7:05 p.m.

Sunday, March 20, vs. Florida, 3:00 p.m.

CHECKERS NEWS

· The Checkers are currently first in the East Division with 77 points. They are third in the American conference, and are sixth in the league overall.

· Dusty Jamieson is third in the league with 29 goals on the season. He leads the team in points over the last ten games (7g-4a). Jamieson also leads the team with a plus-minus rating of +19.

· Team points leader, Eddie Pershin is the eighth leading scorer in the league with 24 goals and 34 assists for 58 points. He is tied for first in the league for shorthanded assists (4), and tied for second in shorthanded points (6). He and Ryan Lang lead the team in points over the last five games with 7 points each.

· Alex Westlund is third in the league for the most number of wins with 24 on the season. He is first in minutes played (2488) and third in saves (1183).

· Defenseman Thomas Bellemare is fourth in the league for major penalties with 16 on the season.

· Dan Preston has three game winning goals on the season, tying him with one other for the most game winning goals by a defenseman.

CHECKERS LEADERS

Goals: Dusty Jamieson (29)

Assists: Eddie Pershin (34)

Points: Eddie Pershin (58)

Plus/Minus: Dusty Jamieson (+19)

PIM: Steve MacIntyre (166)

Wins: Alex Westlund (24)

GAA: Alex Westlund (2.70)

Save Pct.: Alex Westlund (.914)

Check out the Charlotte Checkers Statistics

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