The Checkers’ high-powered offense was unable to break through in Springfield as the team suffered its third straight loss.
Thunderbirds rookie goaltender Samuel Montembeault made 32 saves for his first professional shutout in the 4-0 victory that extended the Checkers longest and only losing streak of the season. It marked the second shutout of the season for Charlotte (10-6-0), which entered the game ranked second in the league with an average of 3.93 goals per game.
The last two losses of the Checkers’ streak came against Springfield, a 6-11-1 team that has now won four straight.
The Checkers won the shots battle 32-18 and did not allow more than nine shots in any period. Charlotte, which had converted at a 30 percent clip while scoring a power-play goal for five consecutive games, went 0-for-6 in this contest.
NOTES
The last time the Checkers lost three straight in regulation was a four-game slide from Dec. 17-22 of last season … The Checkers’ other shutout was at Toronto on Oct. 21 (4-0) … The Checkers have scored the first goal in just five of 16 games this season. They are 5-6-0 when allowing the first goal … Andrew Poturalski fired a game-high seven shots on goal … Three-game point streaks for Poturalski, Janne Kuokkanen and Trevor Carrick all came to an end … Defenseman Dennis Robertson left the game midway through the second period and did not return … Forward Lucas Wallmark and defenseman Jake Chelios missed the game due to injury … Forwards Mike Ferrantino and Nick Schilkey and defenseman Josh Wesley were healthy extras.
UP NEXT
The Checkers’ season-long, eight-game road trip finally concludes with a Saturday night matchup in Bridgeport (7 p.m.). The team will then return home to play four home games in six days starting Tuesday, Nov. 21, against Belleville.
