CHARLOTTE, NC—More than 4,500 fans attended the first ever midnight game in Charlotte and were treated to a good time despite a 7-0 loss to the Toledo Walleye.
Evan Rankin led the way for Toledo with five goals while Maxime Tanguay chipped in with four assists. The Checkers put 33 shots on net but Jordan Pearce stopped everything en route to his second shutout of the season.
Just over two minutes into the game, Toledo opened the scoring when Tanguay entered the zone on a 2-on-1 and set up Rankin for a one-timer that beat Munce over the shoulder.
Midway through the period, Rankin scored again to give the Walleye a two-goal lead. Defenseman J.C. Sawyer entered the zone and saucered a pass over to Ranking who one-timed it over the shoulder of Munce once again.
Toledo would add another before the end of the period as Derek Nesbitt took a harmless looking slap shot from just inside the blueline that beat Munce high glove side.
Rankin added his third of the night three minutes into the second before defenseman Joe Charlebois slid the puck along the ice on the power play to give Toledo the 5-0 lead.
Tempers flared midway through the period as T.J. Reynolds engaged in fisticuffs with Adam Keefe to try to swing the momentum Charlotte’s way. The Checkers then went on the attack, however Pearce was there to shut the door.
The Walleye then added another as Luis Tremblay made a nice behind-the-back pass to Rankin from behind the Charlotte net. Rankin, in the slot, one-timed the puck past Munce for his fourth of the game. Rankin would then record his fifth goal of the game late in the period on a tic-tac-toe play with Tanguay and Sebastien Piche.
The Checkers threw 14 shots at Pearce in the third period, however the rookie netminder stopped everything for his 11th win of the season.
The Checkers (28-17-6) will embark on a four-game road trip before returning on Wednesday, Mar. 3. Puck drops at 7 p.m. and ticket information can be obtained by calling 704-342-4-ICE or visiting www.gocheckers.com.
Notes: Charlotte is 8-1-1 in its last 10 home games…David Marshall has seven points (3g, 4a) in his last seven games…T.J. Reynolds leads the ECHL with 207 penalty minutes and is second in overall plus-minus with a +21 rating…Andrew Carroll, Derek Couture, Kenny Roche and Kevin Schaeffer remain with Hartford (AHL), Ethan Graham is with Texas (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.
Toledo Walleye 7 At Charlotte Checkers 0 - Status: Unofficial Final
Feb 18, 2010 - Time Warner Cable Arena
Toledo 3 3 1 - 7
Charlotte 0 0 0 - 0
1st Period-1, Toledo, Rankin 22 (Tanguay, Smith), 2:35. 2, Toledo, Rankin 23 (Sawyer, Tanguay), 8:37. 3, Toledo, Nesbitt 11 (Piche, Keefe), 15:05. Penalties-Piche Tol (hooking), 15:27; Keefe Tol (roughing), 19:19; Piche Tol (high-sticking), 19:19; Stefanishion Chr (roughing), 19:19.
2nd Period-4, Toledo, Rankin 24 (Tanguay, Sawyer), 3:00. 5, Toledo, Charlebois 4 (Nesbitt, Piche), 6:00 (pp). 6, Toledo, Rankin 25 (Tremblay, MacMillan), 15:53. Penalties-Ward Chr (holding), 5:24; Keefe Tol (fighting - major), 9:15; Reynolds Chr (fighting - major), 9:15; Leveille Chr (hooking), 10:50; Brouillette Chr (tripping), 13:42; Leveille Chr (tripping), 19:53.
3rd Period-7, Toledo, Rankin 26 (Tanguay, Piche), 16:27. Penalties-Slattengren Chr (high-sticking), 3:05; Piche Tol (delay of game), 8:27; Zarb Tol (tripping), 9:36; Berube Chr (slashing ), 14:58; Nebus Tol (tripping), 15:41; Rankin Tol (high-sticking), 19:14; Reynolds Chr (slashing ), 19:14; Keefe Tol (spearing major, game misconduct - spearing), 20:00.
Shots on Goal-Toledo 9-15-14-38. Charlotte 13-6-14-33.
Power Play Opportunities-Toledo 1 of 6; Charlotte 0 of 5.
Goalies-Toledo, Pearce 10-12-1-0 (33 shots-33 saves). Charlotte, Munce 13-10-1-1 (38 shots-31 saves).
A-4,533
Referees-Steve Patafie (29).
Linesmen-Mathieu Chenier (71), Paul Reid (97).
