ECHL Charlotte Checkers

Checkers win fifth straight

April 2, 2007 - ECHL (ECHL)
Charlotte Checkers News Release


CHARLOTTE, NC - The Charlotte Checkers went 4-0-0 last week and won their fifth-straight game in dramatic-shootout fashion over Augusta Sunday at Charlotte Bobcats Arena. This is the first time the club has reached the playoffs in three consecutive seasons since the team went to the playoffs in five-consecutive seasons stretching from 1994-98. The Checkers have also won 9 of their last 11 games.

The Checkers will close out the season with four games in five days starting Tuesday at Gwinnett. The Checkers wrap up the season Saturday night at home against Columbia.

Although the Checkers clinched the playoffs before Augusta and South Carolina, positioning in the South Division is still up for grabs. Currently the Checkers are in fourth place, but Augusta has two remaining games and could edge Charlotte for the fourth seed and home ice in the first round. South Carolina could beat out Augusta for the fifth seed with two wins and two losses, in regulation, by Augusta.

The Checkers are also battling for third place in the South Division. The Checkers will play Gwinnett Tuesday who currently holds the third seed - which comes with a bye in the first round. The Checkers would need to finish strong and get some help from South Carolina and Pensacola who play Gwinnett Friday and Saturday, respectively.

CHECKERS THIS SEASON

40-25-3, 83 pts

LAST 10 GAMES

8-2-0, 16 pts

LAST WEEK

2-1-0, 4 pts

Tuesday, March 27, 2007 vs. Pensacola, W, 5-2 The Charlotte Checkers moved into a three-way tie for fourth place in the ECHL South with a convincing 5-2 triumph over the Pensacola Ice Pilots Tuesday night at Charlotte Bobcats Arena. Mark Lee scored twice and Blake Bellefeuille added three assists as Charlotte won its second straight game and third in their last four games.

The victory gave the Checkers (37-25-1-2) 77 points to tie them with Augusta and South Carolina.

Daymen Rycroft, Bruce Graham and Mike Ouellette also tallied for the Checkers. Charlotte goalie Alex Westlund won his 16th game of the season while only having to make 16 saves. The Checkers outshot the Ice Pilots 44-18 for the game.

Thursday, March 29, 2007 vs. Pensacola, W, 6-2 The Checkers played perhaps one of their easiest games on the season Thursday night at Charlotte Bobcats Arena. Charlotte defeated a demoralized and short-handed Pensacola team 6-2 for their third straight win and fourth victory in their last five games.

Daymen Rycroft scored twice for the Checkers and goaltender Evan Lindsay made 29 saves in his Charlotte debut. Blake Bellefeuille, Mike Ouellette, Mark Lee and Dan Murphy also scored for the Checkers.

The win moved Charlotte (38-25-1-2) into a fourth place tie with Augusta in the ECHL South, as each team now possesses 79 points. The Checkers have a game in hand on the Lynx and two games on South Carolina, as the Stingrays lost 5-3 to Gwinnett Thursday night to fall into sixth place in the division.

Saturday, March 31, 2007, vs. Columbia, W, 4-1 The Charlotte Checkers won their fourth straight game and fifth in their last six games with a 4-1 victory Saturday night over the Columbia Inferno at Charlotte Bobcats Arena in front of 9,520 fans.

The win, along with South Carolina's 3-2 loss to Augusta, pulled Charlotte closer to securing a playoff berth in the ECHL South. The Checkers are now tied with Augusta for fourth place in the division with 81 points, two points ahead of South Carolina. The top five teams in the division qualify for the playoffs. Charlotte still holds three games in hand on the Stingrays, and two games on the Lynx. The Checkers can clinch a playoff spot Sunday with a win over Augusta. If Charlotte beats the Lynx, the best the Stingrays could do would tie the Checkers with 83 points. However, the Checkers hold all tiebreakers.

The Checkers got goals from four different players including Shawn Vinz, Zdenek Bahensky, Dan Murphy and Blake Bellefeuille. Goalie Evan Lindsay made only 16 saves, but several were spectacular in getting his second straight win in a Charlotte uniform. Brad Ralph scored the lone goal for Columbia. The Checkers improved to 6-2 against the Inferno.

Sunday, April 1, 2007, vs. Augusta, W, 3-2 The Charlotte Checkers are in the playoffs. In one of the most exciting games of the season, Charlotte edged the Augusta Lynx 3-2 in a shootout Sunday afternoon at Charlotte Bobcats Arena to officially lock up a playoff spot in the ECHL South. The Checkers have qualified for the playoffs three straight seasons.

The Checkers won the shootout with two goals by Dan Murphy and Mark Lee, while goalie Chris Holt stopped four of the five Lynx shooters to gain the win. It was Holt's first game back after a nearly two-week stint with the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League.

The victory was Charlotte's fifth straight, and sixth in its last seven games. The Checkers have gone 8-2 in their last ten games and swept the week-long, four-game homestand.

In regulation, the Checkers (40-25-1-2) got goals from Kirk DeWaele and Murphy, with Augusta getting scores from Greg Watson and Garrett Bembridge. Lynx goalie Nathan Marsters was superb making 40 saves in regulation plus overtime, as Charlotte outshot Augusta 42-24 for the game.

CHECKERS NOTES - Rookie winger Shawn Vinz - signed on Saturday, March 31 - scored on his first shift as a pro. - Mark Lee has stretched his scoring streak to 13 games (29 pts.) - Recently acquired goalie Evan Lindsay went 2-0-0 in his first action with the Checkers.

GAMES THIS WEEK Tuesday, April 3, 2007 at Gwinnett, 7:05 pm ET Wednesday, April 4, 2007 vs. Texas, 7:00 pm ET Friday, April 6, 2007 at Cincinnati, 7:30 pm ET Saturday, April 7, 2007 vs. Columbia, 7:30 pm ET

CHECKERS LEADERS

Goals: Graham, Bruce (32)

Assists: Lee, Mark (54)

Points: Lee, Mark (77)

Plus/Minus: Ouellette, Mike (+15)

PIM: Vodrazka, Jan (189)

Wins: Holt, Chris (18)

GAA: Holt, Chris (3.23)

Save Pct.: Lindsay, Evan (.897); Holt, Chris (.896)

Check out the Charlotte Checkers Statistics



ECHL Stories from April 2, 2007


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