It didn’t take long for the Checkers to get on the board, as Brendan Woods, fresh off an NHL stint, lit the lamp six minutes into the first. They would then lock down the IceHogs, stifling them to just 10 shots through the first two frames, but Vinnie Hinostroza finally got the visitors on the board with a rebound tap in midway through the third. Those would hold as the only two tallies on the scoresheet until the end of regulation, sending the Checkers to overtime for the second consecutive contest.
The two squads locked into a frantic overtime period, with each side creating several chances. But unlike their last game, this one wasn’t destined for a shootout as Anthony Camara picked up some loose change in front and sent the Checkers to the locker room with two crucial points in the standings.
“We created some pretty good chances to score and clanked a couple off the crossbar,” said head coach Mark Morris. “If you’re getting those chances to score, it means you’re doing some things right. I just wish it didn’t take so long to get the second point.”
Camara, who joined the team at the NHL trade deadline as a part of the Hurricanes’ trade that sent John-Michael Liles to Boston, played the hero in tonight’s contest, driving to the net in overtime and coming through with the clutch game winner.
Despite only recently returning from injury, Camara’s game winner came as a result of the gritty role he brings to the team.
“Just the way that I’ve been brought up, I’m a hard-nosed kind of kid and it’s always been in my DNA,” said Camara. “Be strong with it, take it to the net and just grind it and grind it and be physical. That’s the type of player I am and that’s what I model myself after.”
Morris had high praise for the young forward, who has quickly established himself in the lineup.
“He’s a guy that has really added a lot to our lineup in the way of that north speed and getting through the neutral zone,” said Morris. “He’s a rugged kid.
“Before he came here, I had heard that he gets himself some great scoring chances but he had a whale of a time trying to score goals. Since he’s been here, he’s starting to dent the back of the net a little bit and hopefully that continues to grow for him.”
Despite regularly fielding radically different lineups due to injuries and recalls, this group was able to mesh and pull out a win over a strong opponent.
“You come to the rink every day with your worker’s hat on and your lunch pail and you do whatever you can to help the team win,” said Woods. “With the lineup being changed, I think our group has stuck together and worked well together. We have different lineups every night with guys going up and coming back down, and that’s never easy but I think our group has done a hell of a job.”
The Checkers have now earned a point in each of their last seven home games and 11 of their last 14 overall. This surge is coming at just the right time, as the Checkers are making one final push for the postseason.
With a wave of momentum behind them, the Checkers are starting to regain some of that confidence that propelled them early on this season.
“I think the guys can see what we can do and how well we can play and what’s in front of us,” said Camara. “I think this a great mix and that we can do something”
Still, there is lots of tests left in the season, beginning with tomorrow’s rematch against the IceHogs, and that isn’t lost on the team.
“I think you can safely say that we’re making progress,” said Morris. “But can we be better? For sure. We just want to continue to progress and play with a little bit more swagger. When you get a lead, find ways to score that second goal to distance yourself. They’re all good teams from here on in. There’s no wiggle room for any setbacks.”