Lawson scores twice as Checkers top Greenville 5-2
February 24, 2004 - ECHL (ECHL)
Charlotte Checkers News Release
(Charlotte, NC - Tuesday, February 24) The Checkers overcame a short lineup and excelled on their special teams to hand the Greenville Grrrowl a 5-2 defeat in a special 10:30 a.m. start Tuesday at the Bi-Lo Center in Greenville. Lucas Lawson had a pair of goals for the Checkers and David St. Germain turned back 20 Greenville shots to help Charlotte earn the win. Blaz Emersic had a short-handed goal for the Checkers, 37 year-old Mike Hartman added an empty-net goal, and Kengo Ito got the game-winner in the third period on the power play. Three, Charlotte third-period goals broke a 2-2 tie and propelled the Checkers to the victory. The win allowed Charlotte to tie South Carolina with 61 points for the fourth and final playoff spot in the Southern Division.
"The guys gave a real good effort today," commented Checkers coach Derek Wilkinson. "We were short and banged up but the guys played a smart hockey game. We need to work some on our disciplined play, but all in all I'm very pleased with what we accomplished today."
Charlotte got on the board first at 4:51 of the opening period as Mike Wirll and Richard Keyes combined to set up Lawson in front of Grrrowl goalie Michel Robinson for a 1-0 Checkers first-period lead.
Greenville tied the game in the second period on a five-on-three power play as Jonathan Zion blasted a shot by St. Germain for a 1-1 score at 10:06. But with the Grrrowl on the power play later in the period, Charlotte got its ECHL-leading 14th short-handed goal as Emersic strolled in on Robinson and scored the Checkers second goal of the game for a 2-1 lead. In the final minute of the period the Grrrowl's Stacey Bauman sent a rebound by St. Germain to knot the game at 2-2 after two periods.
At the start of the third period the Checkers had to kill off a four minute minor that was assessed against Steve MacIntyre with four seconds left in the second period. As the Checkers penalty killers had done all day, the unit responded to keep the Grrrowl off the scoreboard. Charlotte got a power play chance of its own a little later in the period and scored when Ito snuck in from the blue line and deflected in Wirll's pass to give the Checkers a 3-2 lead at 5:41. Charlotte got some insurance late when Hartman hustled to pick up a loose puck after Greenville pulled Robinson for an extra attacker, and with one minute left and sent the puck into the empty net for a 4-2 lead. Lawson scored his second goal of the game as he roofed a blazing backhand past Robinson with 10 seconds left for the 5-2 final.
Charlotte improved its record to 27-21-7 for 61 points while the Grrrowl lost its third straight falling to 10-38-5 for 25 points. The Checkers will continue their four-game road trip Thursday when they'll travel to Greensboro to take on the Generals at 7:00 p.m. Following the road trip the Checkers will return home to host the Dayton Bombers on Friday, March 5 at 7:30 p.m. at Cricket Arena.
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