Checkers winning streak ends at seven with 6-3 defeat at Columbia
January 23, 2005 - ECHL (ECHL)
Charlotte Checkers News Release
(Columbia, CC - Saturday, January 22, 2005) The Checkers seven-game winning streak came to a screeching halt at the Carolina Coliseum in Columbia Saturday night, as the Columbia Inferno scorched Charlotte 6-3.
Former Checkers winger Walker McDonald had a pair of goals for Columbia and Matt Ulwelling had three assists for the Inferno. The Checkers got goals from Brian Escobedo, Dusty Jamieson and Eddie Pershin, while goalie Kelly Guard took the loss in net. Referee Dean Sanborn gave each team a whopping eight power-play chances.
"We didn't have a chance to compete tonight," commented Charlotte coach Derek Wilkinson. "Not to gang up on Kelly but he did not look comfortable at all in goal. I am pleased with the way our guys continued to play hard but there were too may obstacles to overcome tonight."
The Inferno scored first just 4:46 into the contest as Derek Amadio's unscreened shot from the point went off the glove of Guard and into the net for a 1-0 Columbia lead. The Inferno made it 2-0 before the first period would come to a close as Chanse Fitzpatrick tipped in a centering pass down the slot at 16:49.
Charlotte got its first goal of the game just 1:40 into the second period as Escobedo's shot from the point on a power play eluded Columbia goalie Mike Minard. The Inferno would come back with a power play goal and an even strength goal in the period as they skated to the locker room with a 4-1 advantage after 40 minutes.
In the third period the Checkers kept scraping back as the cut the Inferno lead to 4-2 on Jamieson's rebound goal off a Thomas Pock shot at 6:53. Columbia temporarily halted Charlotte's momentum at 11:27 with a power-play goal by McDonald, his second of the night, to resume its three-goal lead.
Charlotte bounced back again to cut the lead to two goals at 5-3 as Pershin scored on a power-play with 6:02 left. The Checkers could get no closer and the Inferno added an empty-net goal with four seconds remaining for the 6-3 final.The Checkers record dropped to 24-14-2 for 50 points while Columbia raised its record to 20-12-3 for 43 points
The Checkers will have five days off for the ECHL All-Star break and return to action on Friday, January 28 when they'll open up a four-game homestand by hosting the South Carolina Stingrays at 7:00 p.m. at Cricket Arena. Tickets for all Checkers home game are available at the Cricket Arena Box Office, Charlotte Coliseum Box Office, all TicketMaster locations, or on line through _www.TicketMaster.com_ (http://www.ticketmaster.com/) . Season and group tickets can be purchased through the Charlotte Checkers office by calling (704) 342-4ICE.
** All Checkers road games can be heard through the Internet and on the telephone through TEAMLINE. To access the game through the Internet, log on to the Checkers web site at www.gocheckers.com, and click on the multimedia link and then the TEAMLINE logo. To listen over the telephone, dial 1-800-846-4700 (toll-free in the United States and Canada) and enter 2820 when asked for your team code.
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