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Gratchev's Late Strike Secures Point in 5-4 Shootout Loss

February 25, 2012 - ECHL (ECHL)
Chicago Express News Release


Hoffman Estates, IL - The Chicago Express, proud member of the ECHL and proud affiliate of the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets, saw a goal from LW Max Gratchev with 53 seconds remaining to force extra time and grant Chicago a point in a 5-4 shootout loss to the Everblades on Saturday night at the Sears Centre Arena.

The Everblades struck early in the opening frame when C Cedric Lalonde-McNicoll redirected a Charles Landry shot over the blocker of Express G Peter Mannino at 1:50. Florida had a great open net opportunity late in the first but Mannino dove across the crease and got the toe of his stick on the puck to keep the game close at 1-0. Florida held a 14-6 shot advantage in the period.

Chicago answered back at 6:43 in the second when C Kyle Ostrow tripped, never lost the puck, and fired a shot as he popped back up to even the score. Florida didn't stay down long as LW Alex Hatchings snapped a one-timer past Mannino on the power play to regain the lead. Less than a minute later, Express LW Mike Embach, who had an assist on Ostrow's goal, skated across the slot and lifted a shot that bounced off of the left post and in. Chicago added to their total at 11:27 when RW Tyler Donati dropped a pass to RW Chaz Johnson who wristed a long shot over the blocker of G Shane Owen to give the Express a 3-2 lead. The Everblades knotted it back up just 45 seconds later when Mannino hit a David Rutherford shot with his blocker that then bounced off the tip of his own stick and took a direct angle into the net.

Florida regained the lead in the back-and-forth game with their second power goal of the contest, as Lalonde-McNicoll buried home his second goal of the night, this time on a rebound, as the Everblades led 4-3. Chicago wouldn't give up, and their persistence paid off when LW Maxime Gratchev slipped a shot through the pads of G Pat Nagle, who replaced G Shane Owen at the start of the period, to force extra time.

Neither team scored in the sudden death period, but Florida prevailed in the shootout, which needed seven rounds to draw a conclusion, for the eventual 5-4 victory.



ECHL Stories from February 25, 2012


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