A stellar 36-save performance from veteran netminder Drew MacIntyre helped the Checkers to a 2-1 shootout victory against the IceHogs in Rockford on Tuesday. T.J. Hensick scored the only goal of the shootout, while Derek Ryan recorded the Charlotte’s regulation tally in an otherwise tight-checking affair.
The victory improved the Checkers to 5-3-0 as they prepare to travel to Lake Erie for the final two dates of their marathon, 10-game road swing to start the season.
As was the case in its debut last season, the AHL’s new three-on-three overtime format, normally a nightmare for goaltenders, brought out the best in the 32-year-old MacIntyre. Rockford enjoyed the better of the play in the frantic frame, with MacIntyre stepping up to stifle the numerous odd-man rushes characteristic of the period.
In the shootout, MacIntyre stopped all three comers to ensure the win, with Hensick beating Michael Leighton to give him two goals in two opportunities this season. The team’s previous shootout this season also produced a victory.In a game where scoring chances had been few and far between, Phil Di Giuseppe finally helped break the game open by intercepting a routine pass between defensemen in the Rockford zone and quickly dishing to Ryan, who converted for his team-leading fifth goal of the season with 6:12 to play in regulation.
The goal ended a scoreless streak of 114:29 for the Checkers, who suffered a 3-0 shutout in Chicago on Sunday, dating back to David Wohlberg’s empty-net goal in Grand Rapids two days earlier. Ryan also scored the Checkers’ last goal that actually came against a goalie just prior to Wohlberg’s empty-net tally in Grand Rapids.
Hopes that Ryan’s goal would once again hold up as the winner were dashed as the Checkers fell into penalty trouble late. After killing an interference penalty to Drayson Bowman with approximately four minutes remaining, the Checkers were unable to repeat the performance as Rockford pulled Leighton for a six-on-four advantage following Rasmus Rissanen’s high sticking infraction. The only blemish against MacIntyre came when Ryan Hartman picked up a last-minute deflection on Jeremy Morin’s shot from the point.
The late goal prevented the Checkers from recording their first shutout since April 10, 2014. They were the only AHL team that did not record a shutout last season. Prior to the goal, the teams had gone a combined 0-for-12 on the power play.
Up until Ryan’s goal, the majority of the game passed mostly without consequence. In a bid to become the Checkers’ all-time scoring leader in the AHL (he entered the game tied with Chris Terry with 254 points), Zach Boychuk was twice denied by Leighton, his old Carolina Hurricanes teammate, on good chances caused by IceHogs turnovers.