Checkers trade with Las Vegas voided - Charlotte obtains Andrei Lupandin
March 18, 2004 - ECHL (ECHL)
Charlotte Checkers News Release
(Charlotte, NC - Thursday, March 18) The Checkers have announced that the trade made Tuesday with the Las Vegas Wranglers that sent defenseman Nick Bilotto for center Kevin O'Flaherty has been voided. O'Flaherty refused to report to Charlotte which nullifies the trade. Just before the trading deadline Thursday at 3:00 p.m., the Checkers sent Bilotto to the Mississippi Sea Wolves in exchange for defenseman Andrei Lupandin. In another move, the Checkers signed defenseman Clay Plume out of juniors from Prince George of the Western Hockey League. The moves are announced today by Checkers Head Coach and General Manager Derek Wilkinson. Both Lupandin and Plume are expected to be in the Checkers lineup Friday night when Charlotte will play in Augusta.
Wilkinson commented on his two new players. "We saw Andrei play for Greensboro the past two seasons. He's a terrific skater and a solid offensive defenseman. He's the kind of guy that can positively impact our playoff chances. Clay was highly recommended by the coach of the Prince George Cougars, Lane Lambert. Lane was a former teammate of mine with the IHL's Cleveland Lumberjacks, and he tells me that Clay is a good, two-way defenseman. We're looking forward to him joining us for the playoff stretch run."
Lupandin comes to the Checkers after playing in 34 games with the Sea Wolves this season with six goals and 15 assists for 21 points and 20 penalty minutes. Plume reports to the Checkers after his junior team, Prince George, failed to make the Western Hockey League playoffs. With the Cougars this season, Plume played in 69 games with 12 goals and 20 assists for 32 points and 66 penalty minutes.
The Checkers have eight games left in the regular season and still remain just two points behind Greensboro for the fourth and final playoff spot in the Southern Division. The Generals have two games in hand on Charlotte. The Checkers are four points behind third-place South Carolina while giving away two games to the Stingrays, and five points behind second place Florida with one game in hand on the Everblades. Sixth place Roanoke is just three points behind the Checkers and has a game in hand on Charlotte.
The Checkers resume play Friday night when they'll take on the Lynx in Augusta at 7:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast over the Internet and on the telephone on TEAMLINE. To hear Checkers road games in the Internet, fans can log on to the Checkers web site at www.gocheckers.com and click on the TEAMLINE logo. Fans can also listen on the telephone toll free in the United States and Canada by calling 1-800-846-4700 and inserting code # 2820 when prompted.
The Checkers return home to Cricket Arena Saturday night to host the Alaska Aces at 7:30 p.m. The first 1,000 fans who enter the arena Saturday night will receive a free Checkers water bottle, compliments of Horizon Eye Care.
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