FALCONS FLY OVER CHECKERS 

VERSUS

SECOND-PERIOD SURGE LEADS FALCONS OVER CHECKERS

Dalpe records career-high four points

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Springfield Falcons used five second-period goals to beat the Charlotte Checkers, 6-5, in front of more than 10,300 fans at Time Warner Cable Arena on Friday evening.

The game had four lead changes and players accumulated a total of 29 points.

Chris D’Alvise and Tomas Kubalik each scored a pair of goals for Springfield, while Falcons netminder David LeNeveu turned away 39 of 44 shots in a winning effort.

Oskar Osala scored twice for the Checkers, who also had goals from Zac Dalpe, Zach Boychuk, and Jacob Micflikier. Dalpe added three assists for his first-ever four-point effort.

Dalpe got the Checkers on the board first with 6:12 remaining in the first period. The former Ohio State Buckeye received the puck at the point, patiently picked his spot and snapped a low wrist shot off of the post and in for his 14th goal of the season.

Just 57 seconds later, Boychuk extended the Charlotte lead to 2-0 with a power-play goal from the left faceoff dot. The Checkers winger accepted a pass from Dalpe, stepped up in the zone and banked a wrist shot off of the LeNeveu’s blocker.

D’Alvise cut the Checkers lead to 2-1 early in the second period. Ben Guite negated an icing call and fed the driving forward who flicked a shot past Murphy.

Minutes later, Springfield tied the game at 2-2 with a power-play goal from Maksim Mayorov. Murphy made the initial save on a D’Alvise shot, but Mayorov buried the rebound in front.

Springfield then took a 3-2 lead on a 2-on-1 goal from Kubalik. Following a flurry of Checkers’ chances, Guite led a two-on-1 and fed Kubalik in front who redirected it in.

Micflikier answered right back for the Checkers. Chris Terry drove the zone, fed a pass out front that bounced off of a few players before Micflikier buried a rebound.

The Checkers regained a one-goal lead on a top-shelf goal from Osala. Off of a neutral zone face off, Osala found an opening in the Springfield defense and rifled a shot over the blocker of LeNeveu.

Springfield scored two quick goals to make it 5-4 before Kubalik tacked in his second goal of the game, late in the third period, to give the Falcons a three-goal advantage.

Osala scored his second goal of the night, with less than four minutes to play, but it wasn’t enough as the Falcons held on for the 6-5 victory.

The Checkers (24-16-1-4) will embark on a four-game road trip beginning on Sunday, Jan. 23 against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. The team will be back in town on Feb. 3 to take on the Norfolk Admirals at 7 p.m. at Time Warner Cable Arena. Call 704-342-4423 or head to www.gocheckers.com for more information.

NOTES:

During the two-game series Charlotte outshot Springfield 37-16 in the first period… Zach Boychuk has ten (3g, 7a) points in his last five games… Zac Dalpe has a six-game point streak (2g, 8a) dating back to Dec. 28… Jerome Samson is tied for second in the league for goals (21) and leads the league in shots (211).

Springfield Falcons 6 at Charlotte Checkers 5 – Status: Final
Friday, January 21, 2011 – Time Warner Cable Arena

Springfield 0 5 1 – 6
Charlotte 2 2 1 – 5

1st Period-1, Charlotte, Dalpe 14 (Matsumoto, Boychuk), 13:48 (PP). 2, Charlotte, Boychuk 12 (Dalpe, Rodney), 14:45 (PP). Penalties-Goertzen Spr (roughing), 7:56; Samson Cha (roughing), 7:56; Tarnasky Spr (fighting), 10:40; FitzGerald Cha (fighting), 10:40; Guite Spr (roughing), 12:20; Sestito Spr (interference), 14:39; Frischmon Spr (fighting), 18:12; Jordan Cha (fighting), 18:12; Guite Spr (tripping), 18:51.

2nd Period-3, Springfield, D’Alvise 8 (Guite, Goertzen), 1:01. 4, Springfield, Mayorov 11 (Byers, D’Alvise), 3:32 (PP). 5, Springfield, Kubalik 13 (Guite, Sestito), 5:21. 6, Charlotte, Micflikier 18 (Dalpe, Terry), 6:18. 7, Charlotte, Osala 11 (Matsumoto), 8:51. 8, Springfield, Guite 7   16:26. 9, Springfield, D’Alvise 9 (Mayorov, Kubalik), 18:56. Penalties-FitzGerald Cha (cross-checking), 2:19; Byers Spr (hooking), 11:42; Guite Spr (slashing), 14:19; Sestito Spr (fighting, misconduct – continuing altercation), 14:19; Bellemore Cha (fighting), 14:19.

3rd Period-10, Springfield, Kubalik 14 (Mayorov), 15:33. 11, Charlotte, Osala 12 (FitzGerald, Dalpe), 16:08. Penalties-Rodney Cha (slashing), 17:23; Mayorov Spr (hooking), 18:47.

Shots on Goal-Springfield 8-15-6-29. Charlotte 15-18-11-44.
Power Play Opportunities-Springfield 1 / 2; Charlotte 2 / 6.
Goalies-Springfield, LeNeveu 10-11-2 (44 shots-39 saves). Charlotte, Murphy 11-7-2 (29 shots-23 saves).
A-10,317
Referees-Keith Kaval (40).
Linesmen-Alex Stagnone (7), Mike Sheehan (90).