Checkers @ Inferno: 3/16/07

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CHARLOTTE OBSERVER

CHECKERS 6, INFERNO 3

Lee's 3 goals, 2 assists help secure victory (http://www.charlotte.com/323/story/54333.html)

Charlotte power play hits its stride in 3rd

Observer News Services

COLUMBIA --
Maybe the Columbia Inferno lit a fire under the Charlotte Checkers. Or maybe just under Mark Lee.
Columbia scored twice early in the third to erase a Charlotte lead, but the Checkers added three goals in a row to claim a 6-3 ECHL victory Friday night.

The win moved Charlotte into a tie for fifth in the South Division with Augusta, pending the Lynx's game later at Texas. The top five teams make the playoffs.

Lee did much of the damage. He sandwiched power-play goals around Daymen Rycroft's 22nd of the season to provide breathing room. Lee also had a power-play goal in the second period and two assists.

Charlotte (33-23-3) won for the third time at Columbia (24-28-9) this season without a loss.

Charlotte will return home for a 7:30 game tonight against Florida, which entered Friday tied with Texas for first in the South.



Charlotte 1 2 3 -- 6
Columbia 1 0 2 -- 3

First Period: 1, Columbia, Cook 13 (Gunderson, Rodney), 10:29 (pp). 2, Charlotte, Murphy 16 (Lee, Bellefeuille), 17:59. Penalties: Sawyer, Co (roughing), 0:25; Kozak, Ch (hooking), 2:37; Kozak, Ch (fighting major), 6:48; Sawyer, Co (fighting major), 6:48; Ralph, Co (interference), 7:35; Bellefeuille, Ch (hooking), 10:17; Graham, Ch (hooking), 11:17; Marsh, Co (high sticking double-minor), 13:47; Gillies, Ch (fighting major), 14:56; Winchester, Co (fighting, continuing altercation), 14:56; Lee, Ch (goaltender interference), 19:38.
Second Period: 3, Charlotte, Lee 17 (Pikkarainen, Bellefeuille), 5:11 (pp). 4, Charlotte, Lang 5 (Bellefeuille, Lee), 18:22 (pp). Penalties: Sawyer, Co (elbowing), 3:22; Rodney, Co (interference), 4:21; Constant, Ch (cross-checking), 9:50; Fauci, Co (hooking), 14:49; Fauci, Co (interference), 18:11.

Third Period: 5, Columbia, St. Jacques 6 (Fussey, Rodney), 4:32 (pp). 6, Columbia, Faulkner 17 (Ralph, Marsh), 7:03 (pp). 7, Charlotte, Lee 18 (Pikkarainen, Bellefeuille), 7:55 (pp). 8, Charlotte, Rycroft 22 (Tuomi, Gillies), 12:01. 9, Charlotte, Lee 19 (Gillies, Bellefeuille), 18:30 (pp). Penalties: Busniuk, Co (tripping), 0:23; bench, C (too many men on ice), 3:49; Graham, Ch (roughing), 4:46; Lee, Ch (roughing), 5:10; Fulghum, Co (roughing), 5:10; Smith, Ch (slashing), 6:29; Raszka, Co (hooking), 7:26; Ralph, Co (hooking), 13:14; Kozak, Ch (elbowing), 15:43; Vodrazka, Ch (fighting major), 15:43; Marsh Co (elbowing major, fighting major, game misconduct), 15:43.

Shots on goal: Charlotte 12-11-8--31; Columbia 16-15-13--44. Goaltenders: Charlotte, Westlund 11-5-1-0 (44 shots-41 saves); Columbia, Ford 13-8-2-4 (31-25). Att.: 3,854 (at Columbia).

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CHECKERS PRESS RELEASE

CHECKERS WIN SECOND STRAIGHT WITH 6-3 VICTORY AT COLUMBIA FRIDAY NIGHT


The Charlotte Checkers received a hat trick and a five-point performance from Mark Lee, and a five-assist effort from Blake Bellefeuille in a 6-3 triumph over the Columbia Inferno Friday night at the Carolina Coliseum. Alex Westlund, making his first start for Charlotte since February 2, was superb with 41 saves to raise his record to 12-5-1-0 as Charlotte won its second straight.

The victory was the Checkers third straight at Columbia (24-27-4-5) this season without a defeat, while Charlotte improved its record to 5-1-0 overall versus the Inferno in the nine-game season series. The win also put the Checkers ten games over .500 at 33-23-1-2.

Coupled with losses by Augusta and South Carolina Friday night, the Checkers win put them back into a tie for the fifth and final playoff spot in the ECHL South with the Lynx. Charlotte trails the fourth place Stingrays by two points with three games in hand, while the Checkers hold four games in hand on Augusta.

“We didn’t really play that well tonight but got some lucky bounces and were able to pull out the win,” remarked Charlotte Coach Derek Wilkinson. “I don’t know why we didn’t approach this game with more intensity. Alex (Westlund) played very well, especially in the first period and really kept us in there. With Alex you know you’re never going to see too many surprises. With him you pretty much know you’re going to get a solid performance every night.”

The Inferno took the lead on a power play at 10 minutes, 29 seconds of the first period, as Brendan Cook fired a shot in from between the circles for a 1-0 Columbia advantage. But late in the frame Dan Murphy got a good bounce near the Inferno goal, and was able to fire home his 16th goal of the season to tie the game at 1-1.

In the second period Charlotte scored twice to lead 3-1 after 40 minutes. Lee’s first of his three goals on the night from the top of the right circle on a power play gave the Checkers a 2-1 advantage at 5:11. Late in the second Jeff Lang’s shot from the point, also on a power play, dribbled by Inferno goalie Todd Ford for a two-goal cushion for Charlotte.

Columbia fought back with a pair of power-play goals in the third period to tie the game at 3-3. But just 52 seconds after Columbia’s tying goal, the Checkers took the lead again on Lee’s second of the game for a 4-3 Charlotte advantage. At 12:01 Charlotte struck again as Bruce Graham put a no-look pass on the stick of a wide open Daymen Rycroft who connected for a 5-3 Checkers lead. Lee capped off his hat trick with 1:30 left in the game for the 6-3 final.

CHECKERS FRDAY NIGHT SCRATCHES: Dusty Jamieson, Lee Falardeau, and Adam Nightingale.

ON RECALL TO (AHL) HARTFORD: Corey Potter, Chris Holt, and Zdenek Bahensky

ON LOAN TO (AHL) HARTFORD: Kenny Smith

REASSIGNED FROM CHARLOTTE TO (AHL) HARTFORD BY (NHL) NEW YORK: Hugh Jessiman

FOR BOX SCORE CLICK: http://echl.leaguestat.com/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=1654

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INFERNO PRESS RELEASE

Checkers Double Inferno (http://www.columbiainferno.com/newsstats/?article_id=136)

03/18/2007 5:59 AM

COLUMBIA, S.C. (March 16, 2007) – The Charlotte Checkers double the score on the Inferno as they win 6-3 in front of a crowd of 3,854 at the Carolina Coliseum.

Brendan Cook scored his 15th goal of the season at 10:29 on the power play as he took a slapshot from the top of the circle with passes from newcomer Ryan Gunderson and Bryan Rodney to give the Inferno a 1-0 lead. Charlotte came back with a goal to tie the game at 17:59. The action continued in the first period with a couple fights, with each player assessed a five-minute penalty.

The Checkers scored two goals in the second period, both on the power play, as they take a 3-1 commanding lead. In the third period, the Inferno came out with some fire. Chris St. Jacques scored on the power play at 4:32 as he netted his sixth goal of the season off of a Rodney rebound shot. Owen Fussey had the other assist. Mac Faulkner tied the game at three, on another power play goal, with help from Brad Ralph and Tyson Marsh at 7:03. Charlotte then went on a scoring spree with three unanswered goals to beat the Inferno 6-3.

The Inferno went 3-for-8 on the power play and Charlotte was 4-for-13. Columbia outshot the Checkers 44-31.