VERSUS 
CHECKERS WIN SIXTH STRAIGHT ROAD GAME
Osala scores two in 6-2 win over Providence
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Charlotte Checkers continued to score in bunches and benefited from another strong goaltending performance by Justin Pogge as they beat the Providence Bruins, 6-2, on Friday evening.
Pogge built on the momentum from his 48 save performance against Hershey on Dec. 10 by turning away 28 of 30 shots, leading Charlotte to their sixth straight road win.
Oskar Osala scored twice and Riley Nash netted the game-winning goal for the Checkers off of a Bruins turnover, midway through the second period. The Checkers also had goals from Zac Dalpe, Chris Terry and Brett Sutter.
David Ling and Brian McGrattan scored for Providence, while goalie Michael Hutchinson stopped 25 of 30 shots.
Dalpe gave Charlotte a 1-0 lead, 3:50 into the game when Brett Bellemore took a shot from the point that bounced off of Jacob Micflikier. Dalpe jumped on the ice and one-timed the loose puck over the right shoulder of Hutchinson for his 12th goal of the season.
Minutes later, Pogge made a few big saves and the Checkers’ second-ranked penalty kill stifled a 1:53-long 5-on-3 power play for the Bruins.
Five minutes into the second period, Ling scored a power play goal to tie the game at 1-1. Joe Colborne banged a shot off of Pogge from the low right-wing circle and Ling buried the rebound from the slot.
Off of the ensuing faceoff, Jon Matsumoto got the puck to Osala who drove up the left-wing, went behind the net and snuck a wraparound past the left pad of Hutchinson. The goal came only 10 seconds after Ling tied the game for Providence.
At 10:28 of the second, Nash extended the Charlotte lead to 3-1 when he capitalized on a Ling giveaway in the Bruins’ zone. Nash raced after the loose puck, put a backhand-to-forehand deke on Hutchinson and snapped the puck just under the cross bar.
Providence cut the Checkers lead to 3-2 when McGrattan threw a bad angle shot off Pogge and in. The Bruins enforcer slung a puck from the right-wing goal-line that bounced off of Pogge’s mask and found the back of the net.
Osala scored his second goal of the game to give the Checkers a two-goal advantage with less than six minutes remaining. Osala blasted a one-timer off of a Jerome Samson feed.
Terry sealed the game with a late third period goal to give Charlotte a 5-2 lead before Sutter made it 6-2 with an empty netter.
The Checkers (16-9-4) will play their second game of a five-game road trip Saturday when they travel to Binghamton to take on the Senators at 7:05 p.m. The team will return home on Jan. 1 to host the Senators at 7 p.m. at Time Warner Cable Arena. Holiday packs are now on sale and include four games and a puck for as low as $35. Call 704-342-4423 or head to www.gocheckers.com for more information.
NOTES:
The Checkers are 7-2-1 in their last ten games… Charlotte is the only team in the AHL’s top four in both power play (4th) and penalty kill (4th). Zach Boychuk was recalled to Carolina today. Boychuk was tied for second in AHL scoring with 32 points (10g, 22a) at the time of the recall… Jerome Samson has 12 points (4g, 8a) in his last nine games. He is also tied for third in league in goals (15) and is tied for eighth in points with 29 (15g, 14a).
Charlotte Checkers 6 at Providence Bruins 2 – Status: Final
Friday, December 17, 2010 – Dunkin’ Donuts Center
Charlotte 1 2 3 – 6
Providence 0 1 1 – 2
1st Period-1, Charlotte, Dalpe 12 (Micflikier, Bellemore), 3:50. Penalties-Sutter Cha (tripping), 4:07; Dodge Cha (delay of game), 4:14; served by LaVallee-Smotherman Pro (bench minor – too many men), 5:55.
2nd Period-2, Providence, Ling 4 (Colborne, Sauve), 5:13 (PP). 3, Charlotte, Osala 6 (Matsumoto, Pistilli), 5:23. 4, Charlotte, Nash 7 10:28. Penalties-Colborne Pro (interference), 1:04; Lawson Cha (hooking), 3:33; Herauf Cha (fighting), 13:49; McIver Pro (fighting), 13:49; Lawson Cha (hooking), 18:50.
3rd Period-5, Providence, McGrattan 1 (McIver, Zimmerman), 3:16. 6, Charlotte, Osala 7 (Samson, Nash), 14:03 (PP). 7, Charlotte, Terry 12 (Samson), 15:57. 8, Charlotte, Sutter 2 (Pogge), 19:10 (SH EN). Penalties-Bellemore Cha (delay of game), 7:01; Ling Pro (interference), 12:21; Bodnarchuk Pro (cross-checking), 16:18; Samson Cha (hooking), 18:05.
Shots on Goal-Charlotte 7-12-12-31. Providence 15-7-8-30.
Power Play Opportunities-Charlotte 1 / 4; Providence 1 / 6.
Goalies-Charlotte, Pogge 8-6-1 (30 shots-28 saves). Providence, Hutchinson 7-6-0 (30 shots-25 saves).
A-4,853
Referees-Terry Koharski (10).
Linesmen-Jack Millea (23), Chris Millea (33).
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