Checkers News

Based on recent history, a second-intermission deficit on the road against Grand Rapids wasn’t exactly ideal for the Checkers. Against the odds, they’re happy with the way things turned out.

Chad LaRose and Brendan Woods scored in the final frame to give the Checkers a 2-1 victory over the Griffins on Friday – a result that improved the Checkers to 2-14-2 when trailing after two periods, snapped a four-game winless streak on the road and gave them their first win in four tries against Grand Rapids this season. Making his third straight start, Drew MacIntyre turned in 29 saves to move into a 10th-place tie with Neil Little on the AHL’s all-time list with 203 career victories.

The Checkers, who lost a 3-2 overtime decision against these same Griffins on Wednesday, now hop on the bus to face Milwaukee on Saturday.

A fast-paced yet scoreless first half of the game came to an end when the Griffins scored what could have been a back-breaking goal with just 10 seconds left on a four-minute double minor for high sticking committed by Charlotte center Patrick Brown. It marked the seventh power-play goal the Griffins have scored against the Checkers this season (25 chances), more than any other team.

However, LaRose, who recently claimed sole possession of the team’s scoring lead, extended that lead with his 19th point of the season on a bullet from the slot that beat Grand Rapids netminder Tom Collum high glove to knot the score at 1-1 just 1:47 into period three. Woods would score the winner on an innocent-looking play with just under six minutes remaining in regulation as he got a last-second tip on Phil Di Giuseppe’s centering feed on the near post.

LaRose, an NHL veteran attempting a comeback after taking last season away from hockey, began the season with two goals in his first 21 contests but now has seven in his last 14, including his 50th career AHL goal in this game. Meanwhile, the younger Woods has enjoyed something of a breakout in his second professional season as his 16 points (7g, 9a) in 34 games are double what he produced in 42 outings in 2013-14.

The Griffins had some late opportunities to tie the game but MacIntyre, as he was for the rest of the night save for a strange bounce on the Griffins’ goal, held the fort late to preserve the victory. The Checkers have earned points in each of his last five starts dating back to Dec. 19 (3-0-2).

Now 1-2-1 to start their eight-game series against the Griffins this season, the Checkers now depart to face a Milwaukee team that they swept on home ice on Nov. 29 and 30 – a stretch that still marks the only time they have recorded consecutive victories this season.

NOTES

LaRose has goals and points in each of his last two games. He had a three-game goal streak from Dec. 18-21 … After going a season-best seven consecutive games without a allowing a power-play goal, the Checkers allowed one in each of this week’s games in Grand Rapids … Woods had a game-high five shots on goal … The Checkers improved their record to 4-14-5 when scoring two goals or less … When facing the same team on consecutive games, the Checkers are 3-8-4 in game one and 8-6-1 in game two … Zach Boychuk, Michal Jordan and Andrej Nestrasil were in the Checkers’ lineup after the Carolina Hurricanes assigned them to Charlotte on Thursday … Forwards Alex Aleardi and Carter Sandlak and defenseman Austin Levi were healthy extras … Forwards Gabriel Desjardins, Greg Nemisz and Brody Sutter and defenseman Beau Schmitz missed the game due to injury.