Ice cheX
01-18-2008, 05:41 PM
CHECKERS 5, GLADIATORS 4 (OT)
Checkers score 'huge' win (http://www.charlotte.com/sports_breaking/story/451640.html)
Charlotte's comeback victory builds team's confidence, player says
CLIFF MEHRTENS
cmehrtens@charlotteobserver.com (cmehrtens@charlotteobserver.com)
It might be the emotional turnaround the Charlotte Checkers need.
The Checkers scored two goals in the final three minutes of regulation, then the winner in overtime of a 5-4 ECHL victory against the Gwinnett Gladiators at Bobcats Arena on Thursday.
Defenseman Matt Waddell slammed in the winner, on a perfect cross-ice pass from Mike Bayrack, 76 seconds into overtime. It was a shocking victory for a team needing one.
"This is huge for our team," Waddell said. "We've been struggling in January (1-4-0 before Thursday), so to come back like that says a lot about our team."
Charlotte (15-15-4) looked doomed with three minutes left. Down 4-2, Checkers winger Dusty Jamieson scored on a power-play rebound. Two minutes later, the Checkers pulled goalie Chris Holt for an extra skater. It worked when rookie Chris Capraro's high wrister with 22 seconds left tied it.
The jolt carried into overtime. Waddell beat his man down the ice and one-timed Bayrack's feed into the net. Teammates flooded the ice to pound Waddell's helmet.
"Hopefully (tonight against Augusta) we can feed off it," coach Derek Wilkinson said.
Center Jeff Kyrzakos, acquired in a trade Wednesday, fed a backhand pass to Ryan Murphy, who scored midway through the second period to tie the game at 2.
It stayed that way until a 90-second span in the third, when Gwinnett scored twice.
"We did little things, and they added up shift by shift," Wilkinson said. "We tried to give the game away in the third but I loved the fight. The guys kept going and going."
Capraro and Jamieson remain tied for the team lead with 14 goals, and Capraro added two assists. Waddell's winner was his third goal.
"We're building confidence," he said. "This game is all about confidence."
<TABLE class=story-table border=0><TBODY><TR class=story-table-even-row><TD>Gwinnett</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>--</TD><TD>4</TD></TR><TR class=story-table-odd-row><TD>Charlotte</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>--</TD><TD>5</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
First Period-1, Charlotte, Bellefeuille 11 (Kenny Smith, Capraro), :32. 2, Gwinnett, Anderson 5, 1:11. Penalties-Denny, G (tripping), 1:51; Bellefeuille, C (cross-checking), 5:59; Bayrack, C (hooking), 11:19; Brandt, G (holding), 16:22.
Second Period-3, Gwinnett, Hamilton 11 (Anderson), 1:10. 4, Charlotte, Murphy 5 (Kyrzakos), 9:02. Penalties-Hamilton, G (hooking), 1:34; Vinz, C (holding), 5:01; Kenton Smith, C (hooking), 18:03.
Third Period-5, Gwinnett, Mason 3 (Dickenson, Campbell), 5:28. 6, Gwinnett, Hamilton 12 (Anderson), 6:58. 7, Charlotte, Jamieson 14 (Capraro, Constant), 17:05 (pp). 8, Charlotte, Capraro 14 (Murphy, Mark Smith), 19:37. Penalties-Gibbons, C (boarding), 7:23; Sitko, G (hooking), 10:17; Kyrzakos, C (hooking), 11:16; Anderson, G (roughing), 11:37; Kenny Smith, C (roughing), 11:37; Stamoulis, G (interference), 15:41; Kenton Smith, C (tripping), 18:00; Dickenson, G (interference), 18:03.
Overtime-9, Charlotte, Waddell 3 (Bayrack, Kenny Smith), 1:16.
Shots on goal-Gwinnett 19-12-8-1-40; Charlotte 10-13-13-1-37. Goaltenders: Gwinnett, Turpie (11-4-3) 37 shots, 32 saves; Charlotte, Holt (4-2-0), 40-36. Att.-3,367 (at Charlotte)
Checkers score 'huge' win (http://www.charlotte.com/sports_breaking/story/451640.html)
Charlotte's comeback victory builds team's confidence, player says
CLIFF MEHRTENS
cmehrtens@charlotteobserver.com (cmehrtens@charlotteobserver.com)
It might be the emotional turnaround the Charlotte Checkers need.
The Checkers scored two goals in the final three minutes of regulation, then the winner in overtime of a 5-4 ECHL victory against the Gwinnett Gladiators at Bobcats Arena on Thursday.
Defenseman Matt Waddell slammed in the winner, on a perfect cross-ice pass from Mike Bayrack, 76 seconds into overtime. It was a shocking victory for a team needing one.
"This is huge for our team," Waddell said. "We've been struggling in January (1-4-0 before Thursday), so to come back like that says a lot about our team."
Charlotte (15-15-4) looked doomed with three minutes left. Down 4-2, Checkers winger Dusty Jamieson scored on a power-play rebound. Two minutes later, the Checkers pulled goalie Chris Holt for an extra skater. It worked when rookie Chris Capraro's high wrister with 22 seconds left tied it.
The jolt carried into overtime. Waddell beat his man down the ice and one-timed Bayrack's feed into the net. Teammates flooded the ice to pound Waddell's helmet.
"Hopefully (tonight against Augusta) we can feed off it," coach Derek Wilkinson said.
Center Jeff Kyrzakos, acquired in a trade Wednesday, fed a backhand pass to Ryan Murphy, who scored midway through the second period to tie the game at 2.
It stayed that way until a 90-second span in the third, when Gwinnett scored twice.
"We did little things, and they added up shift by shift," Wilkinson said. "We tried to give the game away in the third but I loved the fight. The guys kept going and going."
Capraro and Jamieson remain tied for the team lead with 14 goals, and Capraro added two assists. Waddell's winner was his third goal.
"We're building confidence," he said. "This game is all about confidence."
<TABLE class=story-table border=0><TBODY><TR class=story-table-even-row><TD>Gwinnett</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>--</TD><TD>4</TD></TR><TR class=story-table-odd-row><TD>Charlotte</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>--</TD><TD>5</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
First Period-1, Charlotte, Bellefeuille 11 (Kenny Smith, Capraro), :32. 2, Gwinnett, Anderson 5, 1:11. Penalties-Denny, G (tripping), 1:51; Bellefeuille, C (cross-checking), 5:59; Bayrack, C (hooking), 11:19; Brandt, G (holding), 16:22.
Second Period-3, Gwinnett, Hamilton 11 (Anderson), 1:10. 4, Charlotte, Murphy 5 (Kyrzakos), 9:02. Penalties-Hamilton, G (hooking), 1:34; Vinz, C (holding), 5:01; Kenton Smith, C (hooking), 18:03.
Third Period-5, Gwinnett, Mason 3 (Dickenson, Campbell), 5:28. 6, Gwinnett, Hamilton 12 (Anderson), 6:58. 7, Charlotte, Jamieson 14 (Capraro, Constant), 17:05 (pp). 8, Charlotte, Capraro 14 (Murphy, Mark Smith), 19:37. Penalties-Gibbons, C (boarding), 7:23; Sitko, G (hooking), 10:17; Kyrzakos, C (hooking), 11:16; Anderson, G (roughing), 11:37; Kenny Smith, C (roughing), 11:37; Stamoulis, G (interference), 15:41; Kenton Smith, C (tripping), 18:00; Dickenson, G (interference), 18:03.
Overtime-9, Charlotte, Waddell 3 (Bayrack, Kenny Smith), 1:16.
Shots on goal-Gwinnett 19-12-8-1-40; Charlotte 10-13-13-1-37. Goaltenders: Gwinnett, Turpie (11-4-3) 37 shots, 32 saves; Charlotte, Holt (4-2-0), 40-36. Att.-3,367 (at Charlotte)