CHECKERS BRING KNIFE TO GUN FIGHT LOSE GAME ONE 7-4

  VERSUS   

SENATORS ERUPT FOR 7, DOWN CHECKERS IN GAME 1
Game 2 tomorrow in Charlotte

CHARLOTTE, N.C.—Paced by seven different goal scorers, the Binghamton Senators beat the Charlotte Checkers, 7-4, in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

With the win, Binghamton takes a 1-0 lead in a best-of-seven series which will continue with Game 2 in Charlotte tomorrow night.

By stopping 27-of-28 shots, Barry Brust was the winning goaltender after he took over for Robin Lehner at the start of the second period. Lehner allowed three goals on 12 shots in the first period.

The Checkers got two power-play goals, the first-career playoff strikes from Riley Nash and Brad Herauf, and tallies from Zac Dalpe and Oskar Osala, but fell for the first time in a series opener in the 2010-11 playoffs. Justin Pogge came into the game in the second period and relieved Murphy, who allowed five goals.

The Senators took a 1-0 lead, 1:37 into the first period, when AHL MVP Corey Locke scored his first goal of the playoffs by cashing in off a rebound from the bottom of the left faceoff circle.

Although Herauf tied the game 29 seconds later, Binghamton regained its one-goal edge when Daugavins scored off an odd-man rush with Jim O’Brien at 2:42.

Six minutes later, Binghamton went ahead, 3-1, when Benoit scored a shorthanded goal. However, Dalpe brought Charlotte back to within one by scoring into the lower-left corner with a wrist shot from the high slot.

Despite a power-play goal by Butler that restored the Senators’ two-goal advantage, the Checkers scored a power-play goal of their own and climbed back to within one when Nash slid in the rebound of a shot by Drayson Bowman.

Continuing the trend of back-and-forth scoring, Wick made the score 5-3 Senators and chased Mike Murphy from Charlotte’s crease by tallying with 8:29 left in the second period.

Early in the third period, two Senators penalties 33 seconds apart gave the Checkers a 5-on-3 power play on which Osala scored to pull his team back to within one goal.

Unable to climb back and score the equalizer, however, Charlotte allowed goals to Condra and Potulny in the final 10 minutes and lost 7-4.

The Checkers will look to rebound tomorrow when they host the Senators for Game 2 at Time Warner Cable Arena. The first 2,000 fans will receive a free Checkers rally towel. Game 2 will also be televised live on Time Warner Cable digital channel 520.

Notes:

Seven goals in the first period were the most by two teams in the first period in this year’s playoffs…Bobby Butler’s first-period goal snapped Charlotte’s streak of 30 straight home penalty kills in the playoffs…Zac Dalpe scored his team-leading sixth playoff goal and tied Milwaukee’s Gabriel Bourque and Ryan Thang with for the rookie-lead in playoff points with 13.

Binghamton Senators 7 at Charlotte Checkers 4 – Status: Final
Thursday, May 12, 2011 – Time Warner Cable Arena

Binghamton 4 1 2 – 7
Charlotte 3 0 1 – 4

1st Period-1, Binghamton, Locke 1 (Benoit, Cowen), 1:37. 2, Charlotte, Herauf 1 (Nash, Blanchard), 2:06. 3, Binghamton, Daugavins 9 (O’Brien, Condra), 2:42. 4, Binghamton, Benoit 2 (Bass, Daugavins), 9:04 (SH). 5, Charlotte, Dalpe 6 (Sutter, Pistilli), 11:12. 6, Binghamton, Butler 8 (Locke, Condra), 13:33 (PP). 7, Charlotte, Nash 1 (Bowman, Terry), 17:54 (PP). Penalties-Potulny Bng (hooking), 7:28; FitzGerald Cha (interference), 12:14; Bowman Cha (high-sticking), 14:56; Benoit Bng (hooking), 17:33; Smith Bng (slashing), 18:55.

2nd Period-8, Binghamton, Wick 2 (Hoffman, Bass), 11:31. Penalties-Herauf Cha (interference), 3:31; Smith Bng (unsportsmanlike conduct), 4:00; Wick Bng (tripping), 4:27; Osala Cha (high-sticking), 5:52; Smith Bng (hooking), 19:44.

3rd Period-9, Charlotte, Osala 3 (Terry, Nash), 6:25 (PP). 10, Binghamton, Condra 3 (Daugavins, Benoit), 10:03. 11, Binghamton, Potulny 11 (Smith, Keller), 10:28. Penalties-FitzGerald Cha (slashing), 3:19; Locke Bng (interference), 4:52; Wick Bng (hooking), 5:25; Boychuk Cha (hooking), 11:44; Boychuk Cha (cross-checking), 14:39.

Shots on Goal-Binghamton 12-3-7-22. Charlotte 12-17-11-40.
Power Play Opportunities-Binghamton 1 / 7; Charlotte 2 / 8.
Goalies-Binghamton, Lehner 7-2-0 (12 shots-9 saves); Brust 1-3-0 (28 shots-27 saves). Charlotte, Murphy 7-3-0 (15 shots-10 saves); Pogge 1-1-0 (7 shots-5 saves).
A-3,879
Referees-Ghislain Hebert (49), Jamie Koharski (84).
Linesmen-Matt MacPherson (94), Mathieu Chenier (28).