CHECKERS SMOKE ADMIRALS 

VERSUS  

CHECKERS ERUPT FOR EIGHT, DUMP ADMIRALS
Dalpe, Boychuk record three points each; Magic number now one point

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Behind one of their largest offensive outputs of the season, the Charlotte Checkers blitzed the Norfolk Admirals and won 8-2 on Sunday at Time Warner Cable Arena.

The win gives the Checkers (41-25-2-7) three victories in their last four games and a three-point lead for third place in the East Division standings on the Admirals, who fell to 37-21-8-6. The magic number for Charlotte to clinch a playoff spot is now one point.

The Checkers’ offense was carried by seven different goal scorers and six players with multiple points. Zac Dalpe was named the game’s first star by scoring two goals and an assist. With 39 saves on 41 shots, Justin Pogge was the winning goalie and reached the 20-win plateau for the third time in his professional career.

Both Dustin Tokarski and Jaroslav Janus allowed four goals for the Admirals, who got goals from Paul Szczechura and Mike Angelidis.

Dalpe scored the game’s first goal, on the power play, 4:30 into the first period when he carried the puck through the neutral zone, but was knocked off his feet by a body check. He stuck with the rush and deposited the rebound of a Michal Jordan shot past Tokarski for the game-opening score.

Six minutes later, Dalpe struck for his second goal of the game to make the score 2-0 Checkers. The catalyst of the sequence was Boychuk, who forced a turnover with a hard forecheck deep in the Norfolk zone. Boychuk’s hit caused the puck to squirt to Micflikier, who spun and sent a centering feed which Dalpe slapped into the net.

With 6:17 left in the first period, Szczechura scored his 19th goal of the season to narrow Charlotte’s lead to 2-1, but Terry quickly answered by scoring his 32nd goal of the season during a two-on-one rush with Matt Pistilli to make the score 3-1.

Pistilli made the score 4-1 Charlotte and chased Tokarski from Norfolk’s goal by scoring off the rebound of a Terry shot just seven seconds into the second period.

Charlotte continued its offensive surge against Tokarski’s replacement, Jaroslav Janus, as McNicoll, Nash and Boychuk added second-period tallies to make the score 7-1 Charlotte after 40 minutes.

In the third period, Nicolas Blanchard and Mike Angelidis traded goals, and the Checkers cruised to an 8-2 victory.

The Checkers (41-25-2-7) go on the road for two games next weekend and will return home to host the Admirals on Monday, Apr. 4.

For every ‘like’ the Checkers get on their Facebook page between now and Apr. 1, the team will donate $2 to Zach Bennett and his family, who plan to move to Charlotte for better medical care and to be closer to the team. Visit www.gocheckers.com or www.facebook.com/charlottecheckers.

Notes:

The Checkers have scored 15 goals over the last two home games against the Admirals…Chris Terry has seven goals in the last eight games and is now one goal shy of the league lead…Cedric McNicoll’s goal seven seconds into the second period was the quickest goal to start a period this season for Charlotte…Zach Boychuk is on a four-game point streak…Jacob Micflikier has netted multiple points in three of the last four games.

Norfolk Admirals 2 at Charlotte Checkers 8 – Status: Final
Sunday, March 27, 2011 – Time Warner Cable Arena

Norfolk 1 0 1 – 2
Charlotte 3 4 1 – 8

1st Period-1, Charlotte, Dalpe 20 (Jordan, McNicoll), 4:30 (PP). 2, Charlotte, Dalpe 21 (Micflikier, Boychuk), 10:52. 3, Norfolk, Szczechura 19 (Jones, Pouliot), 13:43. 4, Charlotte, Terry 32 (Matsumoto), 16:32. Penalties-Pistilli Cha (cross-checking), 0:59; Angelidis Nor (roughing), 3:16; Labrie Nor (fighting), 3:16; Blanchard Cha (fighting), 3:16; Sutter Cha (roughing), 3:16; Durno Nor (slashing), 3:24; served by Nor (bench minor – too many men), 20:00; Durno Nor (roughing), 20:00; FitzGerald Cha (roughing, roughing), 20:00.

2nd Period-5, Charlotte, Pistilli 6 (Terry, Jordan), 0:07. 6, Charlotte, McNicoll 4 (Boychuk, Sanguinetti), 4:26 (PP). 7, Charlotte, Nash 14   9:33. 8, Charlotte, Boychuk 22 (Micflikier, Dalpe), 16:35. Penalties-Angelidis Nor (fighting), 0:47; Sutter Cha (fighting), 0:47; Vernace Nor (interference), 2:51; Szczechura Nor (roughing), 18:13; Dodge Cha (roughing, roughing), 18:13.

3rd Period-9, Charlotte, Blanchard 7 (Sutter, Bellemore), 7:09 (SH). 10, Norfolk, Angelidis 19 (Durno, Barberio), 7:39 (PP). Penalties-Labrie Nor (holding), 2:23; Herauf Cha (high-sticking), 6:49; Harju Nor (roughing), 9:39; Gudas Nor (roughing), 11:50; Terry Cha (roughing), 11:50; FitzGerald Cha (tripping), 12:35; Labrie Nor (roughing, roughing), 17:19; Micflikier Cha (unsportsmanlike conduct), 17:19.

Shots on Goal-Norfolk 13-13-14-40. Charlotte 12-9-1-22.
Power Play Opportunities-Norfolk 1 / 4; Charlotte 2 / 5.
Goalies-Norfolk, Tokarski 21-16-4 (14 shots-10 saves); Janus 0-2-1 (9 shots-5 saves). Charlotte, Pogge 19-16-4 (42 shots-40 saves).
A-7,924
Referees-Steve Patafie (85).
Linesmen-Ben Shiley (21), Paul Carnathan (93).