Ice cheX
03-18-2007, 02:46 PM
CHARLOTTE OBSERVER
CHECKERS NOTEBOOK
Checkers make point with fight
(http://www.charlotte.com/323/story/53284.html)
Captain Vodrazka sends message Tuesday
CLIFF MEHRTENS
cmehrtens@charlotteobserver.com
He did what a captain was supposed to.
Jan Vodrazka,the Charlotte Checkers' veteran captain, made the key play in a 7-4 victory against Gwinnett on Tuesday. Charlotte scored five unanswered goals in the third period, but coach Derek Wilkinson raved about Vodrazka's spark in the first.
Charlotte was trailing 1-0 when Vodrazka took exception to a hit against teammate Ryan Constant. He skated to Gwinnett's Blue Bennefield -- two inches and 20 pounds bigger -- and started fighting.
Message sent.
"It was a workmanlike effort, and it starts with your captain," Wilkinson said. "He wasn't doing well, and somebody took a liberty with one of our guys, and he goes and fights. It wasn't a showman fight, take your gloves and helmets off. We're sending a message, that regardless of what happens, we're here to fight the whole 60 minutes."
"That's the little subtle things Jany does, and the guys just follow from there. That's what a good captain does, and he's done that all year for us."
Briefly
• The Hartford Wolf Pack, American Hockey League affiliate of the New York Rangers, recalled goaltender Chris Holt on Wednesday, and returned goalie Alex Westlund.Westlund was 1-2 at Hartford, with a 1.87 goals-against average and .938 save percentage. Holt (21-18-2) made 18 straight starts while Westlund was gone.
Hartford also recalled forward Zdenek Bahensky on Thursday, and received defenseman Kenny Smith on loan.
• Mark Lee has seven assists in the past three games. ... Nathan Gillies has scored in 10 of the past 12 games. ... Daniel Murphy has six goals in the past seven games.
• Blake Bellefeuille has six points (three goals, three assists) in the past three games. His 21 goals are a career-high for the Checkers' player/assistant, in his sixth pro season.
• Center Lee Falardeau (knee) was put on the 30-day injured reserve. ... Rookie Mike Dryer, scoreless in four games, was released so he could finish classes at Fitchburg State.
• Bruce Graham has a team-high shooting percentage of .238 (30 goals on 126 shots). The most frequent shooters? Daymen Rycroft (179), Lee (158) and Mike Ouellette (131).
• A postgame concert Saturday will feature Charity Case, a band that raises money for terminally ill and disabled children in the Charlotte area.
CHECKERS NOTEBOOK
Checkers make point with fight
(http://www.charlotte.com/323/story/53284.html)
Captain Vodrazka sends message Tuesday
CLIFF MEHRTENS
cmehrtens@charlotteobserver.com
He did what a captain was supposed to.
Jan Vodrazka,the Charlotte Checkers' veteran captain, made the key play in a 7-4 victory against Gwinnett on Tuesday. Charlotte scored five unanswered goals in the third period, but coach Derek Wilkinson raved about Vodrazka's spark in the first.
Charlotte was trailing 1-0 when Vodrazka took exception to a hit against teammate Ryan Constant. He skated to Gwinnett's Blue Bennefield -- two inches and 20 pounds bigger -- and started fighting.
Message sent.
"It was a workmanlike effort, and it starts with your captain," Wilkinson said. "He wasn't doing well, and somebody took a liberty with one of our guys, and he goes and fights. It wasn't a showman fight, take your gloves and helmets off. We're sending a message, that regardless of what happens, we're here to fight the whole 60 minutes."
"That's the little subtle things Jany does, and the guys just follow from there. That's what a good captain does, and he's done that all year for us."
Briefly
• The Hartford Wolf Pack, American Hockey League affiliate of the New York Rangers, recalled goaltender Chris Holt on Wednesday, and returned goalie Alex Westlund.Westlund was 1-2 at Hartford, with a 1.87 goals-against average and .938 save percentage. Holt (21-18-2) made 18 straight starts while Westlund was gone.
Hartford also recalled forward Zdenek Bahensky on Thursday, and received defenseman Kenny Smith on loan.
• Mark Lee has seven assists in the past three games. ... Nathan Gillies has scored in 10 of the past 12 games. ... Daniel Murphy has six goals in the past seven games.
• Blake Bellefeuille has six points (three goals, three assists) in the past three games. His 21 goals are a career-high for the Checkers' player/assistant, in his sixth pro season.
• Center Lee Falardeau (knee) was put on the 30-day injured reserve. ... Rookie Mike Dryer, scoreless in four games, was released so he could finish classes at Fitchburg State.
• Bruce Graham has a team-high shooting percentage of .238 (30 goals on 126 shots). The most frequent shooters? Daymen Rycroft (179), Lee (158) and Mike Ouellette (131).
• A postgame concert Saturday will feature Charity Case, a band that raises money for terminally ill and disabled children in the Charlotte area.