Checkers @ Columbia - 03/18/07

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INFERNO 3, CHECKERS 2
Columbia rallies without its coach (http://www.charlotte.com/323/story/56190.html)
Inferno won't stay down despite Charlotte's lead
Observer News Services

COLUMBIA --The Charlotte Checkers let a lead slip away at Columbia for the second time in three days. This time, the Inferno made them pay.

Luke Fulgham and Brad Ralph scored during the third period Sunday to give Columbia a 3-2 ECHL victory.

The Inferno rallied without its coach, too. Troy Mann, its only coach, was ejected for abuse of officials after a period.

Bryan Rodney shot from right point, and Ralph was in the right spot for the rebound with 2 minutes, 59 seconds left.

Charlotte pulled goalie Alex Westlund for an extra skater in the final minute but failed to pull even. He had been 4-0 with a shutout and a 1.75 goals-against average in the season series.

Another key for Columbia was limiting Mark Lee to an assist, two days after his five-point game in a 6-3 Checkers win.

Still, Charlotte had chances. Blake Bellefeuille almost gave the Checkers a 3-2 lead midway through the third, but his blast hit the post. Columbia had a shot hit the post during the first period.

The Checkers' first loss in four games this season on the Inferno's home ice means they remain tied with Augusta for the fifth and final playoff spot in the South Division. Those teams will meet Friday in Georgia.


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

First Period: 1, Col., Asselin 4 (Ralph, Fussey), 0:19. Penalties: Murphy, Ch (hooking), 2:52; Slonina, Ch (hooking), 6:56; Vellinga, Co (holding), 10:17; Murphy, Ch (elbowing), 11:20; bench, Ch (too many men), 12:16; Kozak, Ch (interference), 14:55; Fussey, Co (goaltender interference), 19:51; Vellinga, Co (unsportsmanlike conduct, misc.), 19:51; bench, Co (abusive language, game misc.), 20:00.

Second Period: 2, Char., Bellefeuille 22 (Lee, Tuomi), 4:04 (pp). 3, Char., Gillies 17 (Slonina, Graham), 19:02. Penalties: St. Jacques, Co (checking from behind major, game misc.), 3:07; Sawyer, Co (high-sticking), 13:37; Kozak, Ch (interference), 16:02; Gillies, Ch (tripping), 19:03; Vodrazka, Ch (roughing double-minor), 20:00; Fussey, Co (roughing), 20:00.

Third Period: 4, Col., Fulghum 21 (Faulkner), 3:56. 5, Col., Ralph 17 (Gunderson, Rodney), 17:01. Penalties: Lang, Ch (holding), 2:59; Sawyer, Co (holding), 2:59; Busniuk, Co (hooking), 9:43; Marsh, Co (unsportsmanlike conduct), 9:43; Kozak, Ch (tripping), 9:56; DeWaele, Ch (interference), 12:33.

Shots on goal: Charlotte 8-14-7--29; Columbia 6-10-13--29. Goaltenders: Charlotte, Westlund 13-6-1-0 (29 shots-26 saves); Columbia, Ford 14-9-2-4 (29-27). Att.: 3.035 (at Columbia).

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Checkers Press Release

CHECKERS THREE-GAME WINNING STREAK SNAPPED AT COLUMBIA 3-2

The Charlotte Checkers had their three-game winning streak snapped Sunday in a 3-2 loss to the Columbia Inferno at the Carolina Coliseum. Brad Ralph's goal with three minutes remaining proved to be the game-winner, as Columbia won the game with a pair of third-period goals.

The Checkers took a 2-1 lead into the third period after second-period goals by Blake Bellefeuille and Nathan Gillies. But Charlotte got shut out in the final period and yielded goals by Ralph and Luke Fulghum as the Inferno completed their comeback.

The loss kept the Checkers tied for the fifth and final playoff spot in the ECHL South with the idle Augusta Lynx, with each team sporting 71 points. Charlotte still has two games in hand on Augusta. The Checkers fell four points behind fourth place South Carolina, as the Stingrays beat Pensacola 3-2 on Sunday. Charlotte still holds four games in hand on South Carolina.

The Checkers record now stands at 34-24-1-2 for 71 points, while Columbia kept its faint playoff hopes alive by improving its record to 25-29-4-5 for 59 points.

Despite the loss, the Checkers won three of their four games in the week, and have been winners in five of their last eight games.

Inferno goalie Todd Ford notched the win with 27 saves, while Checkers goalie Alex Westlund saw his personal three-game winning streak snapped as he absorbed the loss with 26 saves.

Charlotte's penalty-killing unit sparkled by denying the Inferno on all ten of its power-play chances. The Checkers didn't have much more success on their power play, going 1-9.

"The guys were certainly tired today with our third game in three days," said Mike Ouellette. "That's a hard building to play in, and it's always hard to lose to a team below you in the standings."

The Inferno jumped on the Checkers in the first minute of the first period when Kevin Asselin knocked home a rebound in front of Westlund for a 1-0 Inferno lead. Charlotte was penalized five times in the first period but weathered all the storms, including a Columbia two-man advantage for 1 minute, 4 seconds.

Following the first period Columbia Coach, Troy Mann, verbally confronted the referee, Jonathan Petersen. Mann was angered after two Columbia players were penalized late in the first. Mann was ejected from the game and the Inferno was also given a two-minute minor for unsportsmanlike conduct

In the second period Charlotte tied the game at 1-1 at 4:04 on a power play after the Inferno's Chris St. Jacques was given a five-minute major for knocking down Jeff Lang from behind. St. Jacques was also given a game misconduct. Bellefeuille launched a shot off of Ford and into the net from the left side of the Columbia goal. Late in the period at 19:02, Gillies gave Charlotte its first lead of the game when he poked home a rebound in front of Ford for a 2-1 Checkers advantage through two periods.

Columbia tied the game four minutes into the final period on Fulghum's 21st tally of the season, with Ralph's game-winning goal sealing the win for Columbia.

CHECKERS SUNDAY 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=1676

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Inferno Press Release

Team battles after coach gets ejected
03/18/2007 6:48 PM

COLUMBIA, SC (March 18, 2007) - The Columbia Inferno battled to a 3-2 win over the Charlotte Checkers in an eventful game between division rivals.

The Inferno scored coming out of the gate at the 19 second mark to take a 1-0 lead with a goal by Kevin Asselin and assists to Brad Ralph and Owen
Fussey. With 28 penalty minutes in the first period, which included a 10-minute misconduct to Mike Vellinga and a game misconduct to Head Coach
Troy Mann, who was ejected from the game right as the period ended, the Inferno kept their 1-0 lead.

Charlotte scored two goals to take the lead in the second period by Blake Bellefeuille and Nathan Gillies.

Columbia tied the game on a 4-on-4 opportunity when Luke Fulghum's slap shot found its way past goaltender Alex Westlund. Ralph netted his 17th goal of the season, scoring the game winning goal at 17:01 with Ryan Gunderson and Bryan Rodney.

Inferno goaltender Todd Ford earned the third star of the game as he stopped 27 of 29 shots on goal as he improved his record 14-9-2-4.