Checkers vs. Ice Pilots: 3/27/07

[Tiny44]

Click on the link below for the coaches comments on tonights game.

http://www.prosportsmedia.com/admin/../checkers/mm/video/clip/3-27-07.wmv

[babs<3checkers]

Checkers Press Release
CHECKERS MOVE INTO TIE FOR FOURTH PLACE IN ECHL SOUTH WITH 5-2 WIN OVER PENSACOLA

The Charlotte Checkers moved into a three-way tie for fourth place in the ECHL South with a convincing 5-2 triumph over the Pensacola Ice Pilots Tuesday night at Charlotte Bobcats Arena. Mark Lee scored twice and Blake Bellefeuille added three assists as Charlotte won its second straight game and third in their last four games.
http://www.prosportsmedia.com/checkers/news_images/3.27_Rycroft.jpg

The victory gave the Checkers (37-25-1-2) 77 points to tie them with Augusta and South Carolina. Charlotte still holds two games in hand on the Stingrays and one game on Augusta. (Click here for up-to-date ECHL standings) http://echl.leaguestat.com/stats/statdisplay.php?type=standings

Daymen Rycroft, Bruce Graham and Mike Ouellette also tallied for the Checkers. Charlotte goalie Alex Westlund won his 16th game of the season while only having to make 16 saves. The Checkers outshot the Ice Pilots 44-18 for the game.

"We did all the right things in the first period to set the tone for the night," said Charlotte Coach Derek Wilkinson. "We wanted to go out and get the lead in the first and not look back and we didn't. I liked the way we game out and had that fire."

The Checkers blitzed the Ice Pilots in the first period, scoring four goals for a 4-0 advantage after 20 minutes. Charlotte got the ball rolling 1 minute, 33 seconds into the period as Rycroft scored his 24th of the season for a 1-0 Checkers lead. Graham poked home a shot from in close by Ice Pilots goalie Michael Mole at 3:09 for a 2-0 lead.

The Checkers increased their lead to 3-0 at 13:57, as Ouellette spotted a loose puck in the high slot and blasted in his 15th goal of the season. Lee's first of two goals on the night with three minutes left gave Charlotte a four-goal lead.

In the second period the Ice Pilots made a mild comeback with a pair of goals to cut the Checkers lead to 4-2, despite being outshot 17-7.

Charlotte turned the heat back up in the third period by notching an insurance goal by Lee, and outshooting Pensacola 14-5 for the 5-2 final.

The Checkers continue their four-game homestand Thursday when they'll host the Ice Pilots again at Charlotte Bobcats Arena at 7:00 p.m.

CHECKERS TUESDAY SCRATCHES: Rick Kozak

ON RECALL TO (AHL) HARTFORD: Chris Holt, and Hannu Pikkarainen

FOR BOX SCORE CLICK: http://echl.leaguestat.com/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=1722

[babs<3checkers]

CHECKERS 5, ICE PILOTS 2

Charlotte jumps into tie for 4th (http://www.charlotte.com/323/story/65664.html)
In push for postseason, Checkers' 4 early goals put Pensacola in hole

CLIFF MEHRTENS
cmehrtens@charlotteobserver.com

In two weeks, the Charlotte Checkers hope to be in the ECHL playoffs.

In two weeks, the Pensacola Ice Pilots will no longer exist.

That disparity in motivation was obvious during most of the Checkers' 5-2 victory Tuesday at Bobcats Arena. Charlotte scored twice in the first 3 minutes, and four times in the first period.

"Every game is crucial for the playoff run," forward Mark Lee said after extending his scoring streak to 10 games. "We knew we had to come out first, and they didn't have much life because their playoff run is over. We had to jump on them early."

Charlotte (37-25-1-2) moved into a three-way for fourth in the South Division. The Checkers, South Carolina and Augusta have 77 points. Two of the three will make the playoffs.

Pensacola, a league-worst 19-42-2-4, learned on the bus ride to Charlotte that its arena lease was terminated and it will relocate next season.

Adding insult to injury was the Checkers public-address announcer, who introduced the Ice Pilots by uniform number instead of name (Pensacola didn't provide a pronunciation guide, a team official said).

Daymen Rycroft flipped in a rebound 93 seconds in, and Bruce Graham's rebound goal (his team-leading 32nd) made it 2-0. Mike Ouellette and Lee scored for a 4-0 lead.

The Ice Pilots scored twice in the second period, but Charlotte had a 30-13 shot advantage at that point.

Lee's second goal made it 5-2. Blake Bellefeuille had three assists, and he has scored in five straight.

Pensacola "is playing for jobs next year, playing loose, so it was good to set the tone early and not give them any hope that they were going to be in the game," Checkers coach Derek Wilkinson said.

"We had the right approach. Get the lead in the first, and don't look back. I liked the way we came out and had the fire, the same fire we had Sunday in (a 4-3 overtime victory at) South Carolina."

Pensacola 0 2 0 -- 2
Charlotte 4 0 1 -- 5

First Period: 1, Charlotte, Rycroft 24 (Bellefeuille), 1:33. 2, Charlotte, Graham 32 (Gillies, Rycroft), 3:09. 3, Charlotte, Ouellette 15 (Bahensky), 13:57. 4, Charlotte, Lee 21 (Murphy, Bellefeuille), 17:41 (pp). Penalties: DeWaele, C (hooking), 9:10; Gauthier, P (tripping), 17:05; Gajda, P (roughing double-minor), 17:41; Murphy, C (roughing double-minor), 17:41.

Second Period: 5, Pensacola, Gauthier 5 (Meloche, Wrigley), 4:51. 6, Pensacola, Wrigley 23 (Hecimovic), 17:47 (pp). Penalties: Johnson, P (slashing), 2:19; Mole, P (roughing), 4:13; Graham, C (goaltender interference), 4:13; Graham, C (high-sticking), 8:12, Kenton Smith, C (hooking), 10:03; Lee, C (hooking, slashing), 16:51.

Third Period: 7, Charlotte, Lee 22 (Bellefeuille, Kenton Smith), 7:17 (pp). Penalties: Bahensky, C (roughing), 0:34; Byfuglien, P (roughing), 1:33; Vodrazka, C (roughing), 1:33; bench, P (too many men), 2:47; Hecimovic, P (slashing), 5:32; Hecimovic, P (roughing double-minor), 12:52; Wrigley, P (cross-checking, roughing) 12:52; Kenny Smith, C (roughing double-minor, game misconduct), 12:52; Vodrazka, C (roughing), 12:52; Byfuglien, P (hooking), 18:20.

Shots on goal: Pensacola 6-7-5--18. Charlotte 13-17-14--44. Goaltenders: Pensacola, Mole 13-18-2-1 (44 shots-39 saves); Charlotte, Westlund 16-7-1-0 (18-16). Att.: 3,974 (at Charlotte).

[babs<3checkers]

Ice Pilots Press Release

BAD START HURTS ICE PILOTS IN 5-2 LOSS

CHARLOTTE, NC – It was a tough start to the game for the Pensacola Ice Pilots on Tuesday night in Charlotte North Carolina.

The Ice Pilots surrendered four goals in the first period and dropped a 5-2 decision to the Checkers. It extended the Ice Pilots winless streak to seven games but it also moved the Checkers into a three way tie for fourth place in the South Division along with Augusta and South Carolina.

The game was the first of the last road trip of the season for the Ice Pilots that continues Thursday in Charlotte and concludes on Saturday in Gwinnett.

The Ice Pilots were without several of its regulars, including Sergei Ogorodnikov who was called up to Bridgeport Sound Tigers. Nate Metcalf was injured in practice and did not play. Dan Sullivan served the second of a two game suspension and Torry Gadja left the game in the first period.

In the first 20 minutes the Ice Pilots had a rough start giving up four straight goals, including two in the first four minutes and another two in the final six minutes.

However, the Ice Pilots turned that around and played a terrific second period and battled back in the contest when Rene Gauthier scored his fifth of the season from Rich Meloche at 4:51. David Wrigley cut the deficit to a pair of goals when he scored on the power play to make it 4-2. John Hecimovic had an assist on that goal.

After a slow start to the game, Michael Mole played well in the final 40 minutes as he limited the Checkers to just one more goal in the third period.