Red-Hot Comets Shut out Checkers
November 27, 2021 - American Hockey League (AHL) - Charlotte Checkers News Release
The Checkers went toe-to-toe with the AHL's top team but ultimately fell just short, dropping a 1-0 contest to Utica.
The goalies took center stage for nearly all of regulation, as Joey Daccord stymied the potent Utica offense and locked in a duel with Comets netminder Akira Schmid.
As both offenses attempted to solve the opposition, the lone tally to find the scoresheet came on a two-man advantage for Utica midway through the middle frame.
The Checkers would buckle down from there, powered by multiple spectacular stops from Daccord down the stretch, but the offense couldn't quite put it together. Schmid finished with a perfect 26 saves and handed the Checkers a tough 1-0 defeat.
Head Coach Geordie Kinnear on the difference in the game
They scored on their five-on-three and we didn't score any on the power play. There were chances to score for both groups and it came down to the power play.
Kinnear on the quality of his team's scoring chances
I thought early we had the right idea. They did a really good job of boxing our guys out and we were trying to shoot for sticks. I thought we had some Grade A's and I thought they had some Grade A's. It was a pretty even hockey game and a playoff-type game where they score on the power play and found a way to get it done.
Kinnear on goaltender Joey Daccord
(Daccord) on our power play had a 2-on-0 where he made an unbelievable save. You want to reward his work by coming back and scoring one, and we didn't. I thought overall the effort was good. We've just got to find a way to score those playoff-type goals and execute a little better, especially in the third.
Kinnear on playing without NHL callups Aleksi Heponiemi and Riley Sheahan
Number one, for both guys we're excited for them to go up. They both deserved it and both played really well here the other night. We talked about guys getting an opportunity and more quality time on ice in this game, and I thought everyone gave an honest effort. We have to execute on some of those plays. Bottom line, our power play got zero and their power play got one. That was the difference.
Forward Zac Dalpe on the difference in tonight's game
I think execution. We hung in there with the best team in the league and I thought we were better at points in the game. We probably out-chanced them and just didn't execute. Their goalie obviously played well too. They're a good team. Tight gaps and not a lot of room out there. Just back at them tomorrow I guess.
Dalpe on how to break through a hot goalie
I wish I had the answer or we would have done it. Just execution. The old hockey saying is to get pucks on net. It sucks to say, but it's there for a reason. It's kind of deflating but in this league you don't get a lot of time to pout so we've got to get back at it tomorrow. May the best team win.
Dalpe on playing without Heponiemi and Sheahan
I think guys stepped up. I liked (Luke) Henman's game and I liked (Scott) Wilson's game. Those are two guys that didn't play last game. It's hard to come in and make an impact and I thought they did. We had two call-ups, guys that probably played each other tonight (in the NHL), which is weird, and that's just the way this league works.
Dalpe on Joey Daccord
He's a good goalie. Both our goalies are great and we have three goalies that we trust. The way that Daccord plays the puck - it's so easy to break out and you don't spend a lot of time in your end. I think our D have a lot of trust in him and in Gibson. It's nice to play in front of him for sure.
NOTES
The Checkers fell to 0-2-0 against Utica this season, while the Comets improved to 14-1-0 overall ... Charlotte was shut out for the first time this season ... Utica's 17 shots on goal were the fewest the Checkers have allowed all season ... The Checkers had scored the first goal in five consecutive games prior to tonight ... Each team received six power-play opportunities ... Charlotte played without forwards Aleksi Heponiemi and Riley Sheahan, who earlier in the day were called up by the Florida Panthers and Seattle Kraken, respectively. Those two accounted for two of the team's four goals on Wednesday ... Defenseman John Ludvig missed the game due to injury ... Forward Ryan Lohin and defenseman Frank Hora were healthy extras.
UP NEXT
These two teams play a 3 p.m. rematch tomrorow at Bojangles' Coliseum.
• Discuss this story on the American Hockey League message board...
American Hockey League Stories from November 27, 2021
- First-Place Wolves Rally Again - Chicago Wolves
- Phantoms Push Hard in 3rd But Isles Hang On - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- American Hockey League Postpones Hershey Bears Games Through Wednesday - AHL
- Amerks Double up Crunch for Third Straight Win - Rochester Americans
- Crunch Surpassed by Amerks, 4-2 - Syracuse Crunch
- Bears vs. Phantoms Games on November 28 and December 1 Postponded - Hershey Bears
- Phantoms vs. Hershey Postponed November 28 and December 1 - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Senyshyn Leads the Way with a Hat Trick as P-Bruins Defeat Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, 5-1 - Providence Bruins
- Penguins Stumble in Third Period, Lose to Bruins, 5-1 - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Red-Hot Comets Shut out Checkers - Charlotte Checkers
- Comets Goaltender Schmid's First Shutout Lifts Team to Victory - Utica Comets
- Eagles Reassign Burzan, Bradley to ECHL's Utah Grizzlies - Colorado Eagles
- Eagles Utilize Big Second Period to Blast Stockton, 5-1 - Colorado Eagles
- Heat Clipped by Eagles Saturday - Stockton Heat
- Moose Rebound by Topping Stars 4-1 - Manitoba Moose
- Monsters Keep Point Streak Alive in 4-3 Overtime Loss to Marlies - Cleveland Monsters
- Checkers Combine with Several Partners to Present Army Vet with Restored Car - Charlotte Checkers
- Tim Army Earns 100th Win as Wild Head Coach as Iowa Defeats Henderson, 2-1 - Iowa Wild
- Damiani Scores Late But Stars Fall 4-1 in Winnipeg - Texas Stars
- Silver Knights Defeated, 2-1, by Wild - Henderson Silver Knights
- T-Birds Exact Payback on Wolf Pack with 4-2 Win - Springfield Thunderbirds
- Wolf Pack See Point Streak Snapped at the Hands of the Springfield Thunderbirds 4-2 - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Kraken Recall Riley Sheahan - Charlotte Checkers
- P-Bruins Announce Tickets on Sale for Second Half of 2021-22 Season - Providence Bruins
- Panthers Recall Aleksi Heponiemi - Charlotte Checkers
- Ducks Reassign Groulx and Lettieri to Gulls - San Diego Gulls
- St. Louis Blues Recall F Dakota Joshua from T-Birds - Springfield Thunderbirds
- Islanders and Phantoms Square off at 7:05 p.m. - Bridgeport Islanders
- 5 Things: Heat at Colorado - Stockton Heat
- Marlies Host Monsters in Second Half of Back-To-Back - Toronto Marlies
- Heat Look for Weekend Sweep Saturday at Colorado - Stockton Heat
- Wolf Pack Look for Third Straight Victory over Rival Thunderbirds - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Game #14: Abbotsford at Tucson - Tucson Roadrunners
- Illinois Rivalry Ramps up as IceHogs and Wolves Clash Tonight in Rosemont - Rockford IceHogs
- Roadrunners Score Four Unanswered Goals, Take Down Canucks In First-Ever Matchup - Tucson Roadrunners
- Gulls Complete Sweep of San Jose - San Diego Gulls
- Colorado Nipped by Heat, 3-2 in Overtime - Colorado Eagles
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.
