Checkers @ Inferno: 01/30/07

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CHECKERS PRESS RELEASE (http://www.gocheckers.com/fullstory.php?id=569)

01/30/07
CHECKERS BACK IN WIN COLUMN WITH 3-2 SHOOTOUT VICTORY AT COLUMBIA

The Charlotte Checkers didn't play their best but still prevailed in a shootout 3-2 Tuesday night against the Columbia Inferno at the Carolina Coliseum. Checkers goalie Chris Holt was clearly the difference-maker in the victory with 41 saves in regulation, stops on two penalty shots, and saves on three of five Columbia shootout attempts.

The Checkers were forced into overtime and the shootout after squandering a two-goal, third period lead. After a scoreless five-minute, sudden-death overtime session, the Checkers stormed out to a 3-1 advantage in the shootout. Charlotte's first three attempts in the shootout by Hugh Jessiman, Dan Murphy and Mark Lee all were successful against Columbia goalie Todd Ford. The Checkers eventually prevailed in the shootout, by outscoring the Inferno three goals to two to secure the two-point win.

Charlotte (23-15-3 for 49 points) now leads 4-0-0 in the nine-game season series against the Inferno. The win was the Checkers sixth in their last seven games overall, and improved their record to 6-1-2 in their last nine games.

"Chris Holt was absolutely fantastic tonight," remarked Charlotte Coach Derek Wilkinson. "That was probably the best game I have ever seen him play. That said, I was very disappointed in our overall play as a team tonight. We had four or five guys who didn't show up at all. We really didn't deserve to get two points tonight. I'll be addressing these issues with the players tomorrow."

The Checkers took a 1-0 first-period advantage on Jessiman's goal with four minutes left in the stanza. After a scoreless second period, the Checkers jumped out to a 2-0 lead early in the third on Corey Potter's shot from outside the blueline that was misplayed by Ford.

Columbia (15-21-3-4 for 37 points) fought back to cut the Checkers lead to one goal on Brad Ralph's tally with ten minutes remaining in the final period. Trailing 2-1 late in regulation, Inferno Coach Troy Mann pulled Ford for a sixth attacker. With just seven seconds left in the third period, Columbia's Owen Fussey scored on a goal-mouth scramble to tie the game at 2-2. The Checkers eventual win in the shootout extended the Inferno's winless streak to five games at 0-2-3.

The Checkers next game is Friday, February 2 when they'll host the Florida Everblades at Charlotte Bobcats Arena at 7:30 p.m. The first 2,000 fans entering the arena on February 2 will receive a free Checkers T-Shirt compliments of Corporate Xposure.

CHECKERS TUESDAY NIGHT SCRATCHES: Dusty Jamieson, John Donnelly, Rick Kozak, Nathan Gillies and Adam Nightingale.

BOX SCORE (http://echl.leaguestat.com/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=1411)

[Ice cheX]

CHARLOTTE OBSERVER

Posted on Wed, Jan. 31, 2007

CHECKERS 3, INFERNO 2 (SO)

Holt stands ground in Charlotte victory
Goalie wins battle of one-on-one matchups

Observer News Services
COLUMBIA - A little confidence can go a long way in hockey.

Chris Holt stopped two Columbia penalty shots during regulation then turned away three one-on-one matchups during the shoot-out to secure a 3-2 ECHL win for the Charlotte Checkers.

"You never want to have penalty shots during the games," Holt said after his second straight shoot-out victory. "It's nice to know you've stopped breakaways."

Hugh Jessiman, Dan Murphy and Mark Lee converted the Checkers' first three shoot-out attempts to support Holt.

But it wasn't until he stopped Brad Ralph's attempt that his 12th victory this season could be put up.

"I don't think he made the move he wanted to," Holt said of Ralph, who had scored Columbia's first goal at 10 minutes of the third period. "... I ended up just poking it right off his stick."


Charlotte 1 0 1 0 1 -- 3
Columbia 0 0 2 0 0 -- 2


First Period: 1, Charlotte, Jessiman 7 (Rodney, Falardeau). 16:18. Penalties: McJannet, Co (tripping), 0:25; Lee Ch (hooking), 4:54; Sawyer, Co (tripping), 8:04; Fauci, Co (hooking), 14:17; Vodrazka, Ch (interference), 16:59; Potter, Ch (interference), 17:57.

Second period: None. Penalties: Faulkner, Co (holding), 6:21; Fussey, Co (hooking), 9:17; Fussey, Co (hooking), 12:41; Lee, Ch (holding), 14:06; Rodney, Ch (cross-checking), 15:39; Falardeau, Ch (roughing), 18:37; Thompson, Co (roughing), 18:37; Vodrazka, Ch (interference), 19:31.

Third period: 2, Charlotte, Potter 6, 5:40. 3, Columbia, Ralph 14 (Martin, Faulkner), 10:00. 4, Columbia, Fussey 15 (Faulkner, Martin), 19:52. Penalties: bench, Ch (too many men on ice), 2:16; Fauci, Co (hooking), 10:36.

Overtime: None. Penalty: Busniuk, Co (holding), 4:29.

Shots on goal: Charlotte 10-13-13-5-1--42. Columbia 11-13-18-1-0--43. Goaltenders: Charlotte, Holt 12-10-0-2 (43 shots-41 saves). Columbia, Ford 7-6-2-2 (41-39). Att.: 2,445 (at Columbia).

[SD12]

COLUMBIA INFERNO PRESS RELEASE (http://www.columbiainferno.com/newsstats/?article_id=109)

LATE GOAL NOT ENOUGH FOR INFERNO

COLUMBIA, SC - The Columbia Inferno fell to the Charlotte Checkers 3-2 in a shootout Tuesday night at the Carolina Coliseum.

The Checkers scored the game’s first goal with less than five minutes left in the first period, as goalie Todd Ford stopped a shot from defenseman Bryan Rodney, turned himself around in the process, and the rebound was tucked into the open net by winger Hugh Jessiman.

The Inferno had an opportunity to tie up the game in the second period when winger and leading scorer Jeff Miles was hooked down from behind while he skated in on Checkers goalie Chris Holt. Miles was awarded a penalty shot, but Holt stacked the pads stick side, denying Miles’ bid.

Charlotte opened the game up with a 2-0 lead less than six minutes into the third period when defenseman Corey Potter scored his sixth goal of the season, a heavy slap shot from the near-side blueline that eluded Ford. However, Columbia cut the deficit in half at the 10 minute mark when center Brad Ralph put a Derick Martin rebound over Holt’s glove shoulder.

The Checkers would nurse the one-goal lead until deep into the third period—denying even a Chris St. Jacques’ penalty shot—with about eight seconds remaining, winger Owen Fussey snuck the puck past Holt’s crease to send the game to overtime.

The two teams were unable to score in the five minute extra frame, and Charlotte won the shootout 3-2. Jessiman, Dan Murphy, and Mark Lee scored for the Checkers, while Fussey and Anthony Battaglia tallied for the Inferno.

Ford finished with 39 saves on 41 shots, while Holt stopped 41 of 43.

[SD12]

THE STATE (http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/sports/16584432.htm)

INFERNO RALLY FALLS SHORT

by JOHN DEVLIN
Special to The State

COLUMBIA, SC - Charlotte extended Columbia’s winless streak to five games with a 3-2 shootout victory Tuesday at the Carolina Coliseum.

The outcome was a bitter one for the struggling Inferno, who rallied from a two-goal deficit in the final 10 minutes of regulation to send the game into overtime. The equalizer came on a rebound goal by Owen Fussey with seven seconds remaining in the third period.

“Boy, it’s frustrating when you play a heck of a hockey game like we did tonight and still lose a point in the standings,” Inferno coach Troy Mann said.

“When you’re high up in the standings, losing in a shootout is no big deal, but not when you fighting for your life like we are. We did a lot of good things tonight, but we didn’t get much of a reward.”

Columbia (15-21-3-4, 37 points) now trails the Checkers and South Carolina, both tied for sixth place in the ECHL South, by 12 points.

For the third game in a row, the performance by the visiting goalie was the difference. Chris Holt handled 41 of 43 Columbia shots in regulation and overtime, and stopped five Columbia penalty shots in the game — two in regulation and three in the shootout.

Holt denied Jeff Miles at 10:08 of the second period, and robbed Chris St. Jacques at 17:01 of the third period.

Holt also had some good fortune. Luke Fulghum hit the cross bar with a rebound shot with seven minutes remaining in the third, while Mike Jarmuth and Bryson Busniuk both hit the post in the shootout.

Brad Ralph cut the Checkers lead to 2-1 with his 14th goal at the 10-minute mark of the third.

Fussey’s clutch score, his 15th of the season, came after Columbia pulled Ford for an extra skater with 30 seconds left in regulation.

The Checkers had a 3-2 edge in the shootout.