Just one week after dominating the Admirals in Charlotte, the Checkers could not find the same success in the rematch, falling 4-1 to Norfolk and matching a franchise-long six-game road winless streak.

The Admirals jumped out front just 78 seconds into the game when Louis Leblanc launched a quick shot from the blue line that seemed to catch goalie Drew MacIntyre by surprise. The Checkers thought they tied the game up shortly after when Keegan Lowe followed up on a rebound and seemingly put it past Norfolk goalie Yan Dannis. But upon further review, the refs ruled that the puck bounced off the post and down, but never crossed the red line, therefore taking Charlotte’s goal off the board. The Admirals then came right down and lit the lamp again, putting the Checkers in a two-goal hole heading into the first intermission.

After a scoreless second period, Norfolk extended their lead early in the third, with Leblanc deflecting a puck in for his second goal of the game. The Checkers finally broke up Dannis’ shutout when Brendan Woods chipped in his second marker of the season. But the team wasn’t able to get any more of a rally going and the Admirals added an empty-netter to seal the 4-1 victory.

The Checkers once again were able to create several chances, but struggled to convert on them. Phil Di Giuseppe and Brendan Woods each ripped shots off the post, while Chad LaRose had multiple point-blank opportunities right before the second period ended, but could not connect. The Checkers held the edge in shots 30-29, the eighth time in the last 11 contest that they have outshot their opponent, but for the eleventh time this season, the Checkers were held to two or fewer goals.

Drew MacIntyre was between the pipes for Charlotte, continuing the recent trend of alternating starts between he and John Muse. Apart from the two strikes in the first, MacIntyre was solid in goal for the majority of the contest, making several big time saves to keep the Checkers within striking distance. But despite stopping 25 of the 28 shots he faced, MacIntyre took his eighth loss of the season.

The Checkers will now return home for a five-game home stand, beginning with Hornets Night on Saturday against the Milwaukee Admirals.

NOTES

The team has now matched the franchise’s longest road winless streak (6), set during the 2011-12 season … Chad LaRose led all Charlotte skaters in shots with 5 … The Checkers were held to 0 for 2 with the man advantage, marking the second consecutive contest that they have been shut out on the powerplay, after four straight with powerplay goal … The 24th ranked Admirals powerplay struck twice on five chances, the third time in the last eight games that the Checkers have allowed two in a game … Forwards Patrick Brown, Ben Holmstrom, Jared Staal and Brody Sutter all missed the game due to injury … Forward Carter Sandlak and defenseman Beau Schmitz were the healthy extras