CHECKERS WIN, DOWN BRUINS, 4-1 

VERSUS   

Murphy stops 31 of 32 shots for 12th win in last 14 starts

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – After taking control with the game’s first four goals, the Charlotte Checkers defeated the Providence Bruins, 4-1, at Time Warner Cable Arena on Tuesday evening.

Mike Murphy earned first-star honors by making 31 saves on 32 shots on a night in which he improved to 12-2-0 in his last 14 starts. Charlotte’s offense was led by a one-goal, two-assist performance from Jerome Samson, who extended his goal streak to three games.

Losing its third straight game, Providence fell to 23-24-3-1. Matt Dalton made 29 saves on 33 shots, and Antoine Roussel scored the Bruins’ only goal with 1:05 remaining in the third period.

Samson, the Checkers’ leading scorer, netted his 26th of the season at 12:34 of the first period to give Charlotte a 1-0 lead. The 2011 AHL All-Star beat Dalton with a wrist shot from the high slot after moving around a Providence defenseman with a tricky toe-drag.

The score remained 1-0 Charlotte until 3:08 of the second period when Chris Terry scored with a hard slap shot from the left point. The goal was assisted by Jacob Micflikier and Samson and was one of two power-play markers on the night for the Checkers, who have scored in nine of the last ten games with a man-advantage.

Six minutes into the third period, Brett Carson notched Charlotte’s second power-play goal of the night when he rifled a slap shot from the point that deflected past Dalton off a Providence defenseman.

Jon Matsumoto enhanced Charlotte’s lead to 4-0 by lifting a backhander over Dalton out of a net-mouth scrum at the 11:50 mark of the final stanza.

Antoine Roussel cut the score to 4-1, with 1:05 remaining, and spoiled what would have been Murphy’s first shutout of the season, but the Checkers hung on for the 4-1 victory.

The Checkers (29-18-5) are 3-0-0 on their current home stand and will host the Albany Devils on Saturday (7 p.m.) and Sunday (3 p.m.). The first 3,000 fans through the door Saturday will receive a free Checkers T-shirt. For ticket information, call 704-342-4423 or visit www.gocheckers.com.

NOTES: Chris Terry’s goal makes Charlotte the only team in the AHL with three players with 20 or more goals…Jerome Samson has eight points (3g, 5a) in the last three games…The Checkers have power-play goals in nine of the last 10 games.

Providence Bruins 1 at Charlotte Checkers 4 – Status: Final
Tuesday, February 8, 2011 – Time Warner Cable Arena

Providence 0 0 1 – 1
Charlotte 1 1 2 – 4

1st Period-1, Charlotte, Samson 26 (Pistilli, Bellemore), 12:34. Penalties-Zimmerman Pro (holding), 5:52; MacDermid Pro (holding), 13:07.

2nd Period-2, Charlotte, Terry 20 (Micflikier, Samson), 3:08 (PP). Penalties-Cohen Pro (hooking), 2:36; Herauf Cha (holding), 7:07; FitzGerald Cha (tripping), 12:55.

3rd Period-3, Charlotte, Carson 3 (Matsumoto, Samson), 6:12 (PP). 4, Charlotte, Matsumoto 15 (Jordan, Nash), 11:50. 5, Providence, Roussel 1 (Alexandrov, MacDonald), 18:55. Penalties-Ling Pro (interference), 4:42; Bowman Cha (slashing), 7:14; Matsumoto Cha (holding), 9:32; Reich Pro (cross-checking), 9:47; Bodnarchuk Pro (roughing), 19:51; Dalpe Cha (roughing), 19:51.

Shots on Goal-Providence 8-16-8-32. Charlotte 14-10-9-33.
Power Play Opportunities-Providence 0 / 4; Charlotte 2 / 5.
Goalies-Providence, Dalton 7-6-0 (33 shots-29 saves). Charlotte, Murphy 14-9-2 (32 shots-31 saves).
A-3,431
Referees-Jason Rollins (37), Jean Hebert (43).
Linesmen-Alex Stagnone (7), Mike Sheehan (90).