CHARLOTTE, NC—The Charlotte Checkers did not disappoint the home crowd as they downed the Kalamazoo Wings, 4-3, in a shootout in front of a sold-out crowd of over 6,800 at Time Warner Cable Arena in Uptown Charlotte on Sunday afternoon.
With the win, the Checkers improve to 13-5-2 at home and defeat the Wings for the first time in four tries this season.
Aaron Slattengren led the way offensively for the Checkers with two goals, while Michel Leveille and Tyler Doig chipped in with two assists each. Ryan Munce stopped 36 of 39 shots for his sixth win of the season.
Charlotte opened the scoring for the third game in a row on a power-play goal by Slattengren. Leveille, who was parked at the right-wing hash marks, fed a pass to Tyler Doig at the point. Doig then let a slap shot go and Slattengren was there to tip it home past Wings goaltender Jeremy Duchesne for his sixth of the season.
The Wings would tie it up just five minutes later on a power play of their own as Devin Featherstone, on a two-on-one with Darryl Bootland, beat Munce low along the ice for his first goal of the season.
Charlotte’s top line of Leveille, Doig and Andrew Carroll went to work again in the second and the Checkers pulled ahead 2-1. Leveille faked a slap shot at the blueline and dished a pass to Doig at the hashmarks who then fed Julien Brouillette on the doorstep for the tap-in. The goal came at the 6:02 mark of the second period.
With four minutes to play in the period, ex-NHL forward Darryl Bootland beat Munce between the legs to tie the game. Trent Daavettila and Devin Featherstone picked up assists on Bootland’s seventh of the year.
Early in the third, Kalamazoo took their first lead of the game when Tyler Willis, in a scrum in front of the net, banged the loose puck home.
Charlotte bounced back and tied the game, just two and a half minutes later, when Daniel Tkaczuk circled the net and fed a beautiful pass to Slattengren who one-timed it past Duchesne for his second of the game.
The two teams traded scoring chances in the remaining 12 minutes of the third period but were unable to solve each respective team’s goaltender. After a scoreless overtime, the Checkers prepared for their second straight shootout.
In the shootout, Leveille, Slattengren and Codey Burki scored, as well as three Kalamazoo players and the stage was set for a dramatic finish. Carroll skated in on Duchesne, faked a shot and tucked it home for the shootout-winning goal and the Checkers walked away with the 4-3 victory.
The Checkers (20-13-5-0) will host the Kalamazoo Wings on Sunday. Game time is 2 p.m. and ticket information can be obtained by calling 704-342-4-ICE or visiting www.gocheckers.com.
Notes: Andrew Carroll has five goals and four assists in his last seven games…Miika Wiikman has only two regulation losses in 14 games this season (8-2-3)…Aaron Slattengren has 11 points (6g, 5a) in his last nine games…Tyler Doig ranks seventh in ECHL scoring with 44 points (10g, 34a)…T.J. Reynolds leads all ECHL defensemen with 151 penalty minutes, and is second in overall ECHL plus-minus with a +20 rating…The Checkers are 12-3-1 in their last 16 home games…Derek Couture remains on loan to Hartford (AHL), Kenny Roche is with Providence (AHL) while Matt Ford and Randy Rowe are with Lake Erie (AHL)…Trevor Glass, Chris Snavely and Chris Chappell are on the 21-day injured reserve.
Kalamazoo Wings 3 At Charlotte Checkers 4 (SO) - Status: Final SO
Jan 17, 2010 - Time Warner Cable Arena
Kalamazoo 1 1 1 0 - 3
Charlotte 1 1 1 0 - 4
1st Period-1, Charlotte, Slattengren 6 (Doig, Leveille), 8:41 (pp). 2, Kalamazoo, Featherstone 1 (Bootland), 13:42 (pp). Penalties-Bootland Kal (hooking), 0:31; Burki Chr (holding), 5:49; Liotti Kal (hooking), 8:18; Marshall Chr (hooking), 12:41.
2nd Period-3, Charlotte, Brouillette 9 (Doig, Leveille), 6:02. 4, Kalamazoo, Bootland 7 (Daavettila, Featherstone), 16:00. Penalties-Jones Kal (cross-checking), 0:46; Ward Chr (slashing ), 2:28; Versteeg Kal (high-sticking), 6:17; Marshall Chr (tripping), 17:55.
3rd Period-5, Kalamazoo, Willis 1 (Jurynec, Liotti), 4:46. 6, Charlotte, Slattengren 7 (Tkaczuk), 7:24. Penalties-Liotti Kal (interference), 8:09; Schepke Chr (hooking), 10:08.
OT Period- No Scoring.Penalties-No Penalties
Shootout - Kalamazoo 3 (Jones G, Fournier NG, Daavettila NG, Bootland G, Ftorek G), Charlotte 4 (Slattengren G, Tkaczuk NG, Leveille G, Burki G, Carroll G).
Shots on Goal-Kalamazoo 9-12-13-5-0-39. Charlotte 15-14-13-2-1-45.
Power Play Opportunities-Kalamazoo 1 of 5; Charlotte 1 of 5.
Goalies-Kalamazoo, Duchesne 6-2-3-1 (44 shots-41 saves). Charlotte, Munce 6-7-1-0 (39 shots-36 saves).
A-6,856
Referees-Paul Depuydt (26).
Linesmen-Mathieu Chenier (71), Paul Reid (97).
