CHECKERS COME BACK SHOT OUT 

VERSUS

HUGE CHECKERS COMEBACK FALLS SHORT
Pogge makes 45 saves; Charlotte 5-0-1 in Norfolk this season

NORFOLK, Va. – Despite a three-goal third-period comeback and a 45-save performance from Justin Pogge, the Checkers fell, 4-3, in a shootout to the Admirals at Norfolk Scope on Friday evening.

Bryan Rodney, Nicolas Blanchard and Drayson Bowman scored 9:50 apart to erase a 3-0 deficit after the Admirals scored three power-play goals in the opening 2:45 of the third period. With the extra point in its last regular season trip to Norfolk, Charlotte finishes 5-0-1 at Scope this season.

Dustin Tokarski made 22 saves on 25 shots through regulation and the shootout before stopping four of Charlotte’s five shootout attempts to earn the win in goal.

After 41:50 of scoreless hockey to start the game, Paul Szczechura broke the dead-lock by scoring during a Norfolk five-on-three power play. Szczechura took a cross-ice pass from Mattias Ritola and fired a wrist shot over Pogge’s glove hand.

Less than a minute later, Marc-Antoine Pouliot scored Norfolk’s second five-on-three power-play goal off a set-up by Mike Angelidis and Paul Szczechura. Pouliot then made the score 3-0 Norfolk 12 seconds later by zipping a snap shot from the right-wing boards just inside the far-side post.

Five minutes later, Rodney began Charlotte’s comeback by beating Tokarski with a long shot from the left point through a screen provided by Jon Matsumoto.

Blanchard narrowed Norfolk’s lead to 3-2, just 30 seconds later, by sneaking a shot from the left-wing boards before Bowman tied things up with power-play tally with 2:22 remaining in regulation. Bowman slipped a wrist shot from the point through heavy traffic and past Tokarski.

After a scoreless overtime during which the Checkers killed another Norfolk five-on-three power play, the teams headed to a shootout where Blair Jones scored the decisive goal in the fifth round.

The Checkers (33-20-2-6) return home tomorrow for their second matchup in three days with the Connecticut Whale. The puck drops at 7 p.m. at Time Warner Cable Arena. For ticket information, call 704-342-4423 or visit www.gocheckers.com. The first 3,000 fans at Saturday’s game will receive a free Checkers backpack. Catch all the action live on Time Warner Cable digital channel 520 throughout the Carolinas (519 in Raleigh/Fayetteville).

Notes: Drayson Bowman is on a career-high four-game goal scoring streak…Bryan Rodney has two goals and five assists on his four-game point streak…Zac Dalpe leads Charlotte with four shootout goals…With Justin Pogge’s assist of Nicolas Blanchard’s goal, Charlotte netminders have assists in three of the last four games…The Checkers are 14-4-0-2 in the second half of back-to-back games.

Charlotte Checkers 3 at Norfolk Admirals 3 – Status: Final
Friday, February 25, 2011 – Norfolk Scope

Charlotte 0 0 3 0 – 3
Norfolk 0 0 3 0 – 3

1st Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Terry Cha (cross-checking), 6:15; Herauf Cha (fighting), 10:50; Roy Nor (fighting), 10:50.

2nd Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Ritola Nor (hooking), 7:32; Micflikier Cha (roughing), 8:54; Angelidis Nor (roughing), 8:54; FitzGerald Cha (slashing), 10:05; Wright Nor (tripping), 14:42; Ritola Nor (interference), 15:49; Mihalik Nor (delay of game), 18:12.

3rd Period-1, Norfolk, Szczechura 13 (Ritola, Berry), 1:50 (PP). 2, Norfolk, Pouliot 16 (Ritola, Szczechura), 2:33 (PP). 3, Norfolk, Pouliot 17 (Milam, Szczechura), 2:45 (PP). 4, Charlotte, Rodney 8 (Bowman), 7:48. 5, Charlotte, Blanchard 5 (Dalpe, FitzGerald), 8:18. 6, Charlotte, Bowman 12 (Graham, Jordan), 17:38 (PP). Penalties-Bellemore Cha (holding), 0:55; Rodney Cha (high-sticking), 0:58; Bellemore Cha (delay of game), 2:16; Labrie Nor (tripping), 3:37; McKenzie Cha (hooking), 9:03; Mihalik Nor (holding), 15:47; served by Nash Cha (bench minor – too many men), 19:51.

OT Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Rodney Cha (delay of game), 0:50.

Shootout – Charlotte 1 (Dalpe G, Bowman NG, Boychuk NG, Terry NG, Matsumoto NG), Norfolk 2 (Durno NG, Pouliot G, Ritola NG, Fornataro NG, Jones G).
Shots on Goal-Charlotte 6-9-10-2-27. Norfolk 23-10-15-5-53.
Power Play Opportunities-Charlotte 1 / 6; Norfolk 3 / 8.
Goalies-Charlotte, Pogge 15-13-2 (53 shots-50 saves). Norfolk, Tokarski 12-14-3 (27 shots-24 saves).
A-5,147
Referees-Steve Patafie (85).
Linesmen-Scott Pomento (25), Mark Hamlett (81).