ECHL Charlotte Checkers

Largest-ever Checkers crowd on "Circle K Hockey Night" watches Texas prevail 6-3

February 11, 2007 - ECHL (ECHL)
Charlotte Checkers News Release


(Charlotte, North Carolina) The largest crowd ever to watch a Checkers hockey game showed up to see Charlotte hopefully extend their home winning streak to eight games. But the Texas Wildcatters had other ideas. Texas (27-13-4-4 for 60 points) built a 5-1 lead and cruised to a 6-3 victory in front of an all-time Checkers record crowd of 11,237. The previous high mark of 10,945 was set last season. Fans were treated to a variety of great gifts at the 2nd Circle K Hockey Night in Charlotte. Circle K gift cards were handed out worth anywhere from $1-100. Fans with Circle K gift cards can simply go to the checkout desk at an area Circle K location to find out how much they've won! In addition 1500 children received youth jerseys courtesy of Circle K.

The Wildcatters got goals from six different players, and timely goaltending from veteran Matt Yeats who finished with 38 saves. Charlotte (25-17-1-2 for 53 points) mounted a mild comeback in the third period, but Yeats' early success made it too little too late for the Checkers.

Hugh Jessiman, Bruce Graham and Mike Ouellette scored the Charlotte goals, while Checkers goalie Chris Holt suffered a sub-par night with 28 saves.

"We didn't play our best in all phases tonight, offense, defense, goaltending and coaching," lamented Charlotte Coach Derek Wilkinson. "Chris Holt has certainly had better nights, but as a team we just weren't at our best. It wasn't from a lack of effort, but by the time we got going it was just a little too late."

The Wildcatters got on the board one minute after the opening face-off. Daniel Sparre got the puck past Holt short side from an almost impossible angle for an early 1-0 Texas advantage. The Wildcatters increased their lead to 2-0 as Mark Rooneem broke around the Checkers defense for a clean breakaway.

An early second-period power-play goal by Olivier Prouix gave the Wildcatters a 3-1 advantage. The Checkers finally scored on Jessiman's power-play goal, as he cleaned up Ouellette's rebound at 15 minutes, 29 seconds to slice the Texas lead to 3-1. But two Wildcatters goals in the last 3:27 of the second stanza gave the visitors a solid 5-1 advantage through two periods.

The Checkers conclude their three-game homestand Sunday afternoon at 4:00 p.m. when the Columbia Inferno will provide the opposition. Sunday's game is the Checkers inaugural "Pink in the Rink" game to benefit several charities involved in breast cancer awareness and research. The Checkers players will wear "pink" jerseys during the game, and then the jerseys will be auctioned off immediately following the contest on the Charlotte Bobcats Arena ice. Proceeds from the auction will go to the Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation, Carolina Breast Friends and the American Cancer Society.

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ECHL Stories from February 11, 2007


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