BRUINS NEED A ROCHE

The Providence Bruins are in need of a forward and so they have called down to Charlotte and brought up one the the Checkers finest. Kenny Roche will report to Providence immediately and see time in Friday night’s upcoming contest when the Bruins visit Bridgeport to tangle with the Sound Tigers.

Here is the official release:

ROCHE LOANED TO PROVIDENCE
Winger Is Fourth Current Checkers Forward On AHL Call-Up
Charlotte Checkers general manager and head coach Derek Wilkinson announced today that forward Kenny Roche has been loaned to the American Hockey League’s Providence Bruins.

Roche has 27 points in 33 games this season with the Checkers and his 16 goals ties him for the team lead with Andrew Carroll. He has eight multi-point games and scored back-to-back game-winning goals in Florida on Dec. 11 and 12.

The 26 year old spent all of last season overseas with the Lausitzer Foxes of the German Second League. In 40 games, he tallied 14 goals and added 14 assists.

In 2007-08, the native of South Boston, Mass. split the season between the AHL’s Lake Erie Monsters and the ECHL’s Johnstown Chiefs. In 27 games with the Chiefs, he tallied five goals, 16 assists and chipped in with six assists in 32 games for the Monsters.

Roche was a third-round pick of the New York Rangers in the 2003 NHL Draft before completing a four-year collegiate career with Boston University. At BU, he was a teammate of current Checkers defenseman Kevin Schaeffer and helped the Terriers capture three Beanpot Tournament Championships.

The Checkers (19-13-3-1) will travel to Gwinnett Saturday before returning home to host the Kalamazoo Wings on Sunday. Game time is 2 p.m. and ticket information can be obtained by calling 704-342-4-ICE or visiting www.gocheckers.com.