Checkers News

Returning home for the first time since a lopsided sweep by the Chicago Wolves, the Checkers used a big first period to propel themselves over the Norfolk Admirals and back into the win column.

The Checkers quickly jumped out to a lead when Brock McGinn crashed the net and pounded home a rebound just 84 seconds into the game. Alex Aleardi doubled the advantage with a blistering one-timer from a feed by Trevor Carrick on the power play that gave Charlotte a 2-0 lead heading into the first intermission.

The power-play unit struck again midway through the second, with Zach Boychuk carrying a puck out from down low and sniping the top corner to extend the Checkers lead to 3-0. The Admirals would not go quietly, however, notching two goals in the final five minutes of the frame to pull themselves within one goal entering the final period.

The Admirals poured it on in the third, outshooting the Checkers 19-5, but were held off by John Muse. But Norfolk’s offense finally wore Charlotte down and knotted the game inside the final five minutes, sending the contest into overtime.

After neither team broke through in a frantic overtime that saw no whistles in the final four minutes, the game proceeded to a shootout. Each team’s first shooter scored, then the goalies took over and turned aside the next two shots. The Checkers sent out McGinn for the fourth round and the rookie beat Jason LaBarbera with a nifty deke to put the home team up one. With the game on the line, Muse flashed his glove and denied Max Friberg’s attempt, icing a 4-3 win for the Checkers.

McGinn powered the team today, setting the tone early with a quick goal and then wrapping things up with the shootout winner. Prior to this game, McGinn had been held without a goal in his last 29 games, making today’s outburst that much sweeter.

“The last little bit I’ve been gripping my stick a little tight and not producing like I want to but just going out there and helping the team get that goal definitely takes the monkey off the back there and just makes you feel better and get more confidence in your game,” said McGinn.

Even with his lack of firepower, McGinn has brought a lot to the table so far for the team in the eyes of head coach Jeff Daniels. Tonight could be the spark that the young forward needs to break out of his funk.

“Brock plays the same way every night,” said Daniels. “He’s a guy I have complete trust in in all situations. He’s not scoring as much as we’d like but he got a big goal tonight and hopefully that gets him going.”

The Checkers struggling offense has gotten a boost as of late from another young forward as well. Aleardi continues to have the hot hand, lighting the lamp for the third straight game and racking up his fourth point in the last six.

“It starts with his speed,” said Daniels of Aleardi. “He’s skating, and when he’s going he’s got a lot of speed down the wing. He backs the D off and he can take the puck to the net. His goal was just a quick release, and when you’re confident and feeling good about your game the net looks a little bigger. He’s played real well for us.”

The second-year forward started the season with the Checkers before being sent down for an extended stint in the ECHL. Since returning to the AHL, Aleardi has been lights out, with 10 points in 13 games.

“It was a struggle at the start of the year and then going down to Florida really helped me out,” said Aleardi. “I got my confidence back and now I’m just making plays that I know I can make.”

While the Checkers offense was a bright spot, the team fell back into their habit of letting teams back into games by surrendering late-period goals, like Norfolk’s strike tonight with under one second remaining in the second.

“We want to play the game on our toes, not back on our heels, and giving up that goal with a second left in the second period, we came out in the third a little tentative,” said Daniels. “It’s just a matter of going out for a new 20 and playing. Not sitting back.”

Fixing that issue will be a key to the Checkers turning their season around, and the players know what they need to do.

“Just going out there and focusing in between periods,” said McGinn. “We want to play a full 60 minutes, and in between periods we’ve just got to focus and make sure we’re going out there with the right mindset.”

“Just a good mindset going into the third,” said Aleardi. “It’s a tough goal to give up, but our older guys have kept a good corps and they’re going a good job of keeping things steady in the locker room. We’ll be OK I think.”

The team will now prepare for back-to-back contests with the lone team below them in the Western Conference standings, the Iowa Wild. In order to continue earning points in the standings, the Checkers will need those contributions from their most lethal threats like Aleardi, McGinn and Boychuk, who bounced back from being scratched for the last home game to scoring tonight.

“We weren’t playing the way we should be and we weren’t getting the effort each and every night,” said McGinn. “We definitely want to come out and play better every time. It’s definitely something that we need to focus on collectively as a group.”

NOTES

The Checkers improved to 2-2-2 against Norfolk this season. Three of the last four matchups went to overtime … Charlotte improved to 3-1 in the shootout this season … McGinn’s goal was his first since Nov. 30 (29 games) and first point since Dec. 19 (20 games). It was also the Checkers’ first goal neither Chad LaRose nor Aleardi did not record a point on since the team returned from the All-Star break on Jan. 30 … Aleardi has goals in three straight games (3g, 1a) and is tied with LaRose for most points on the team (10) since Aleardi’s recall from ECHL Florida on Jan. 4 … The Checkers surrendered a three-goal lead for the first time since Nov. 29 in a 5-4 win over Milwaukee … The first period was the Checkers’ first multi-goal first period since Jan. 4. Entering the game, their 29 first-period goals were the fewest of any AHL team in any period … The Checkers scored more than two goals for the first time since Jan. 23 (six games) … Muse has stopped 166 of 174 shots (.954 save percentage) over his last five appearances. He was one shy of his season-high save total of 47, also set in an overtime game vs. Norfolk at Time Warner Cable Arena on Dec. 2. … Dennis Robertson has penalty minutes in six straight games, putting him two games shy of the longest such streak by any AHL player this season … Rasmus Rissanen recorded his 300th AHL/professional penalty minute … Brendan Woods returned from injury to play his first game since Jan. 23 (six games) … Forwards Gabriel Desjardins and Greg Nemisz missed the game due to injury … Forward Carter Sandlak was a healthy extra.