Potent Power Play Leads Checkers to 3-1 Win
January 8, 2016 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Charlotte Checkers News Release
SAN DIEGO, CA - The Checkers continued to roll through the Golden State Friday night, taking down the San Diego Gulls by a score of 3-1.
The Gulls applied much of the pressure in the opening frame, outshooting the visitors 14-8, but it was the Checkers who broke through on the scoreboard. Just seconds after the first penalty of a two-man advantage expired, Jake Chelios collected a pass at the right circle and fired a quick wrister that beat former Carolina Hurricanes netminder Anton Khudobin along the ice to put Charlotte on top after 20.
The Checkers took advantage of a carry-over penalty taken by San Diego in the waning moments of the first when defenseman Mike Cornell jumped up and threaded a shot through traffic and in from the faceoff circle to double the Charlotte lead. The home team responded, however, breaking onto the scoresheet thanks to a rebound conversion by Nick Ritchie midway through the frame.
The two clubs were locked in a tight battle for the next period and a half, with both sides seeing chances but failing to find the back of the net. The Gulls made one final push late in regulation, but Patrick Brown iced the game with a long-distance empty netter to clinch the Charlotte victory and run the team's point streak to 11 games.
Special teams was the key for the Checkers, as they took advantage of the league's most penalized team for two markers on the man advantage. Charlotte has now scored a power-play goal in each of its last five games, as well as having scored multiple ones in each of its last two.
On the other side, the Checkers held the Gulls' power-play unit, which ranks second in the league, in check, killing off four of the five penalties they took.
Daniel Altshuller returned to the crease for the Checkers and was stellar once again. He turned aside 29 of the 30 shots he was peppered with by a potent San Diego attack, including making a few sprawling saves to keep his team in front. The young netminder improved to 6-0-1 on the season as he made his sixth start in seven games.
With their franchise record point streak continuing to climb, the Checkers will wrap up their inaugural California road trip tomorrow night with a rematch against the Gulls.
• Discuss this story on the American Hockey League message board...
American Hockey League Stories from January 8, 2016
- Potent Power Play Leads Checkers to 3-1 Win - Charlotte Checkers
- Rampage Begin Road Trip with 3-1 Win over Bakersfield - San Antonio Rampage
- Somber Night Ends with Good News - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Amerks Celebrate 60th Anniversary with 5-4 Win over Bears - Rochester Americans
- Stars Overpower Wolves in 3-1 Win - Texas Stars
- Wolves Fall to Stars - Chicago Wolves
- Admirals Fall to Grand Rapids - Milwaukee Admirals
- Hectic First Period Highlights Penguins' 4-3 Win - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Wild 1st Period Produces 4-3 Decision in Rivalry Showdown at PPL - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Late Springfield Goal Spoils Wolf Pack Comeback - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Albany Devils Grind out Gutsy Win to Extend Streaks - Albany Devils
- Amerks Take Back-And-Forth Contest from Bears - Hershey Bears
- Blidh Notches Two in P-Bruin Win over Bridgeport - Providence Bruins
- Crunch Overcome by Devils, 6-4 - Syracuse Crunch
- B-Sens Grab Fifth Straight at Home with Win over Comets - Binghamton Senators
- Gomes nets pair, but Bridgeport falls in Providence - Bridgeport Islanders
- Pirates Take Game One of the Eimskip Port-To-Port Challenge - Portland Pirates
- Falcons Claim Victory in Final Minute - Springfield Falcons
- Senators Send Comets to Fourth Straight Loss - Utica Comets
- Griffins Make Statement on Alden Hirschfeld - Grand Rapids Griffins
- IceCaps Stymied by Pirates - St. John's IceCaps
- Shayne Taker Released from PTO - San Diego Gulls
- Canucks Acquire Emerson Etem from the Rangers for Nicklas Jensen and a 6th Round Pick in 2017 - Utica Comets
- Capitals Recall Carey from Hershey; Re-Assign Stanton - Hershey Bears
- Rangers Acquire Forward Nicklas Jensen - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Griffins Host Second Annual Dog Night in Weekend Slate - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Monsters Sign Veteran Defenseman McCarthy to PTO - Cleveland Monsters
- Condors Game Preview: MMA Superstar Cowboy Cerrone in the House - Bakersfield Condors
- Schmaltz Visits Lincolnwood and Elmwood Park for Chicago Wolves' Read to Succeed - Chicago Wolves
- Griffins Recall Czarnowczan from Toledo - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Minnesota Wild Reassigns Tyson Strachan to Iowa - Iowa Wild
- Ontario Reign Game Preview: Reign and Heat Clash Tonight on $2 Beer Friday - Ontario Reign
- Heat Look to Push Point Streak to Five Games in Ontario Tonight - Stockton Heat
- Minnesota Wild Recalls Mike Reilly from Iowa - Iowa Wild
- Bears Recall Joey Leach from Stingrays - Hershey Bears
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
