Checkers News

Just when it seemed like a third-period collapse would lead to overtime, the Cardiac Checkers struck again.

Charlotte captain Derek Ryan again came through with late-game heroics, scoring the winning goal with just 7.5 seconds left in regulation to secure a 3-2 win in San Antonio on Wednesday. Brock McGinn and David Wohlberg also scored for the Checkers, who led 2-0 and were in control of the game until allowing the home team’s Mikko Rantanen to storm back with a pair of goals in the third.

The outcome continued a trend for Charlotte, which has had its share of dramatic third periods this season, including one in San Antonio just two weeks ago in which they scored three times in the final seven minutes of the third period to escape with a 4-3 win.

This latest victory marked the sixth time this season that the Checkers have scored the game-winning or game-tying goal in the final two minutes of regulation, with Ryan, who scored the winner with 1:38 on the clock in Grand Rapids on Nov. 2, now responsible for two of those.

The result halts the Checkers’ two-game losing streak. Meanwhile, the Rampage, who started the season with points in each of their first seven home games, have now dropped four straight there in regulation. Two of those came against the Checkers.

After taking advantage of early opportunities by McGinn, who scored in his first game back from the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes, and Wohlberg, who added his third of the season just 26 seconds later, the Checkers seemed to be in control of the game thanks to a stifling defense that limited the Rampage to just eight total shots through the first two periods. That seemed especially true when San Antonio’s Nikita Zadorov earned a five-minute major for boarding Wohlberg early in the final frame – a hit that caused the Checkers center to leave the game with assistance from his teammates.

The Checkers were unable to capitalize on the golden opportunity to ice the game, however, with Rantanen taking advantage of a pass that hopped over Charlotte defenseman Trevor Carrick’s stick, holding the puck on a two-on-none break and beating Drew MacIntyre for the shorthanded tally. Rantanen, the 10th overall pick in this past June’s NHL Entry Draft, would go on to find the equalizer with just over five minutes to play.

As was the case a few weeks ago, the Checkers would once again ensure that the Rampage came up empty on home ice when defenseman Danny Biega made two good plays to keep the puck in at the blue line, setting the stage for McGinn’s chance that led to the rebound Ryan was able to deposit for the late victory.

The Checkers will now make the short trip to face the Texas Stars on Friday.

NOTES

Ryan (nine) and McGinn (seven) are the Checkers’ top two goal scorers … McGinn has five goals in his last five AHL games and seven points (5g, 2a) in his last six outings … The Checkers are 4-0-0 this season when McGinn scores a goal … Brody Sutter fired a game-high seven shots on goal … Biega finished with a game-high, plus-two rating … Ryan Murphy picked up an assist and now has 46 points in 53 career AHL games … Defenseman Rasmus Rissanen returned to the lineup for the first time since Nov. 13 after missing nine games due to injury … Forwards T.J. Hensick and Brendan Woods missed the game due to injury and forward Erik Karlsson missed the game due to illness … Defenseman Mike Cornell was a healthy extra.