VERSUS 
FALCONS DEAL CHECKERS UNLUCKY SEVEN
Charlotte falls for only second time in last 12 road games
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – The Springfield Falcons stormed out of the gate Saturday night, posting a five-goal first period en route to a 7-3 win over the Charlotte Checkers.
The Checkers scored three of the game’s final four goals, but it wasn’t enough as they allowed a team season-high seven goals against en route to only their second loss in the last 12 road games.
Chris Terry, Riley Nash and Michal Jordan got goals for Charlotte, while Mike Murphy was handed the loss after coming in to relieve Justin Pogge midway through the first period.
The Falcons scored early and often and got things going just 1:04 into the first period on Trevor Smith’s first goal since being sent down by the Columbus Blue Jackets last Tuesday. Chris D’Alvise then added another, less than eight minutes later, prompting the change in goaltenders.
David Savard, Tomas Kubalik and Maksim Mayorov scored for Springfield in the next 7:58, handing the Checkers their first minus-five period of the season.
Charlotte seemed to find its equilibrium shortly after Falcons forward Nikita Filatov made it 6-0. Having stemmed the tide of Springfield’s attack, Chris Terry put the Checkers on the board, scoring past Gustaf Wesslau with a wrist shot from the high slot, 1:39 after the Filatov goal.
Riley Nash narrowed the score to 6-2 at 2:18 of the third period, depositing his eighth goal of the season out of a net-mouth scrum. Having assisted on Nash’s goal, Jacob Micflikier now has points in nine of his last 11 games.
The game’s first star, Chris D’ Alvise, tallied his second marker and third point of the game to make the score 7-2, before Michal Jordan capped the night’s scoring by notching his second career professional goal in the game’s final minute.
With the loss, the Checkers fall to 21-13-1-4, while the Falcons improve to 17-16-1-3, defeating Charlotte for the first time this season. Having split two games this season at MassMutual Center, the Checkers and Falcons are scheduled to meet two more times this season – Jan. 19 and 21 at Time Warner Cable Arena.
The Checkers (21-13-1-4) conclude their three-game road trip in Norfolk Tuesday at 7 p.m. before returning to Charlotte on Thursday, Jan. 13 to host the Manchester Monarchs. The fifth annual ‘Race Night’, headlined by Joey Logano, is Friday, Jan. 14. Visit www.gocheckers.com/racenight for more information.
NOTES:
The Checkers are 10-2-0 in their last 12 road games… Jerome Samson is tied for the league lead with 20 goals…Jacob Micflikier has 13 points (5g, 8a) in the last 12 games and has points in 13 of his last 16 games…Chris Terry is on a three-game goal streak and has goals in four of the last five games.
Charlotte Checkers 3 at Springfield Falcons 7 – Status: Final
Saturday, January 8, 2011 – MassMutual Center
Charlotte 0 1 2 – 3
Springfield 5 1 1 – 7
1st Period-1, Springfield, Smith 13 (Goertzen, Ruth), 1:04. 2, Springfield, D’Alvise 5 8:59 (PP). 3, Springfield, Savard 3 (Guite, Ruth), 9:54. 4, Springfield, Kubalik 10 (Guite, Clitsome), 12:48. 5, Springfield, Mayorov 10 (Filatov, D’Alvise), 16:57. Penalties-Bowman Cha (tripping), 7:20; Goertzen Spr (slashing), 13:38.
2nd Period-6, Springfield, Filatov 3 (Goloubef), 4:01. 7, Charlotte, Terry 18 (Sutter), 5:40. Penalties-Clitsome Spr (hooking), 1:28; Sutter Cha (hooking), 9:14.
3rd Period-8, Charlotte, Nash 8 (Micflikier, Pistilli), 2:18. 9, Springfield, D’Alvise 6 (Filatov), 8:50. 10, Charlotte, Jordan 2 (McNicoll, Micflikier), 19:05. Penalties-Byers Spr (roughing), 9:08; Tarnasky Spr (roughing), 11:27.
Shots on Goal-Charlotte 9-14-14-37. Springfield 17-7-6-30.
Power Play Opportunities-Charlotte 0 / 4; Springfield 1 / 2.
Goalies-Charlotte, Pogge 12-7-2 (10 shots-8 saves); Murphy 9-7-2 (20 shots-15 saves). Springfield, Wesslau 5-5-1 (37 shots-34 saves).
A-4,066
Referees-Chris Ciamaga (41).
Linesmen-Jim Briggs (83), Brent Colby (7).
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