CHECKERS GET IT DONE 

     VERSUS    

SECOND PERIOD OUTBURST PROPELS CHECKERS OVER PIRATES
Nash records first professional goal in 5-4 win

The Charlotte Checkers used three second-period goals to come from behind and defeat the Portland Pirates, 5-4, on Wednesday evening at Time Warner Cable Arena.

Riley Nash scored his first ever professional goal, while Chris Terry scored his third goal in the two-game set against Portland. Zach Boychuk extended his point-streak to six games with an assist and Bryan Rodney added two assists in the win.

The Checkers came out of the gate flying in the first two and a half minutes, but were unable to capitalize and their momentum was abruptly halted by a broken pane of glass.

Four minutes later, Portland forward Travis Turnbull tipped an Alex Biega point shot over the shoulder of Justin Pogge to give the Pirates a 1-0 lead. Corey Tropp would double the Pirates lead at the 12:37 mark of the first period when he buried a rebound under Pogge’s left pad.

Charlotte held a 14-7 shot advantage after 20 minutes but trailed 2-0 on the scoreboard.

The Checkers would explode for three goals in a 4:07 span in the second period to pull into the lead.

Oskar Osala got the Checkers on the board with a power play goal at 4:40 of the second period when he converted a back-hand pass from Rodney for his second of the season.

Nick Dodge knotted the game at 2-2, just minutes later, when he roofed a shot short-side over the right shoulder of Pirates goaltender Alex Petizian.

Nash would then cap off the three-goal outburst. Brad Herauf’s hard forechecking caused a turnover behind the Pirates net. Defenseman Bobby Sanguinetti received a pass from Nicolas Blanchard and ripped a slap shot that was redirected in by Nash.

Luke Adam would score his second goal in as many games to tie the game up, 3-3, at the 10:41 mark of the second period. After making a move on a Checkers defender, Adam tucked a back-hand shot under the cross-bar.

The Checkers would regain the lead early in the third period on Jerome Samson’s seventh goal of the year. Zac Dalpe recorded his first point for the Checkers as he carried the puck over the line and made a drop pass to Samson who wired a wrist-shot over Petizian’s glove hand. Bryan Rodney drew the secondary assist on the play.

Terry scored the eventual game-winning goal at the 15:07 mark of the third period. Jacob Micflikier jumped out of the penalty box, grabbed the puck and skated into the Portland zone on a 2-on-1 with Terry. He then fed a drop-pass to Terry, who skated to the right-wing circle and snapped a shot through the five-hole of Petizian.

Adam scored another for Portland in the final minute but the Checkers walked away with the victory, their first at home.

Charlotte (4-6-2) will host the Norfolk Admirals in the front half of a home-and-home series on Friday (7 p.m.). They will then head to Norfolk for the second game Saturday before returning for an afternoon affair against Hershey on Sunday.

NOTES:

Boychuk extended his point streak to six games (3g, 5a) … Chris Terry scored his third goal in two-games … Samson now has 73 shots on goal, and is now tied for second in the league in goals (7).

Portland Pirates 4 at Charlotte Checkers 5 – Status: Final
Wednesday, November 3, 2010 – Time Warner Cable Arena

Portland 2 1 1 – 4
Charlotte 0 3 2 – 5

1st Period-1, Portland, Turnbull 2 (Biega, Tropp), 5:59. 2, Portland, Tropp 1 (Schiestel, Brennan), 12:37 (PP). Penalties-Carson Cha (hooking), 9:22; Samson Cha (high-sticking), 11:00; Conboy Por (interference), 14:27; Mancari Por (slashing), 17:17.

2nd Period-3, Charlotte, Osala 2 (Rodney, Carson), 4:40 (PP). 4, Charlotte, Dodge 4 (Boychuk), 8:05. 5, Charlotte, Nash 1 (Sanguinetti, Blanchard), 8:47. 6, Portland, Adam 8 (Stuart, Persson), 10:41. Penalties-Gragnani Por (tripping), 4:21; Conboy Por (interference), 9:03; Osala Cha (high-sticking), 9:03; Turnbull Por (goaltender interference, roughing, roughing), 13:28; Micflikier Cha (roughing), 13:28; Pogge Cha (roughing), 13:28; Tropp Por (hooking), 16:24.

3rd Period-7, Charlotte, Samson 7 (Dalpe, Rodney), 1:36. 8, Charlotte, Terry 6 (Micflikier, FitzGerald), 15:07. 9, Portland, Adam 9 (Ellis, Stuart), 19:35. Penalties-Stuart Por (roughing), 0:22; Micflikier Cha (slashing), 0:22; Schiestel Por (hooking), 2:45; Conboy Por (elbowing), 6:16; Terry Cha (tripping), 10:04; Micflikier Cha (tripping), 12:55.

Shots on Goal-Portland 7-8-14-29. Charlotte 14-19-9-42.
Power Play Opportunities-Portland 1 / 4; Charlotte 1 / 7.
Goalies-Portland, Petizian 0-1-0 (42 shots-37 saves). Charlotte, Pogge 2-4-0 (29 shots-25 saves).
A-3,689
Referees-Mark Lemelin (84).
Linesmen-Mike Sheehan, Mark Hamlett (81).