CHARLOTTE, NC—Checkers fans had two reasons to cheer on Friday as they were given 2,000 “As Seen On TV” products and witnessed an exciting 2-1 victory over the visiting Elmira Jackals.
It was a night of firsts as the Checkers partnered with TeleBrands for the first ever giveaway of its kind at a sporting event and Andrew Carroll scored his first professional game-winning goal.
The two teams traded chances throughout the first period but were unable to capitalize and the Checkers took a 13-10 shot advantage into the dressing room.
Elmira struck first, less than two minutes into the second period, on a tally by the team’s leading scorer Chanse Fitzpatrick. Three Jackals skated into the Charlotte zone on a three-on-one and Yannick Tifu fed a cross-crease pass to Fitzpatrick who tapped it in for his 12th of the season.
The Checkers would tie it up exactly seven minutes later on a beautiful goal by Randy Rowe. Rowe lost the puck in his feet in the slot, kicked it up to his stick and let go a laser beam of a shot that beat Jackals netminder Michael-Lee Teslak under the cross-bar. The goal was Rowe’s fourth in five games since being activated off injured reserve.
For the second time this season a Charlotte goaltender was injured and was forced to leave the game as Wiikman fell awkwardly and needed to be helped off the ice. Ryan Munce entered the game in relief of the Swedish netminder.
Midway through the third period, Charlotte would take the lead on a great effort by rookie Andrew Carroll. Carroll was dumped in front of the Elmira net and got back up just in time to convert a point shot from a bad angle. The goal was Carroll’s eighth and proved to be the game-winner.
Ryan Munce, who was in net for the Checkers when the game-winning goal was scored, earned the victory while Teslak stopped 41 of 43 shots in a losing effort for the Jackals.
The Checkers (12-5-2-0) begin a five-game road trip on Sunday in Gwinnett and will return to Time Warner Cable Arena on Wednesday, Dec. 16 to host South Carolina. Game time is 7 p.m. and ticket information can be obtained by calling 704-342-4-ICE or visiting www.gocheckers.com
Notes: Randy Rowe has eight points (4g, 4a) in five games since being activated off injured reserve…Daniel Tkaczuk has 17 points (6g, 11a) in 11 games since joining the team…T.J. Reynolds leads all ECHL defensemen with 92 penalty minutes and 10 fighting majors and leads the Checkers with a +13 rating…Derek Couture remains on loan to Hartford, Matt Ford remains with Lake Erie (AHL) and defenseman Ethan Graham is with Norfolk (AHL)…Trevor Glass and Aaron Slattengren are on the 21-day injured reserve.
Elmira Jackals 1 At Charlotte Checkers 2 - Status: Final
Dec 4, 2009 - Time Warner Cable Arena
Elmira 0 1 0 - 1
Charlotte 0 1 1 - 2
1st Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Reynolds Chr (high-sticking - double), 2:31; Proulx Elm (unsportsmanlike conduct), 16:08; Wright Elm (fighting - major), 19:21; Carroll Chr (fighting - major), 19:21.
2nd Period-1, Elmira, Fitzpatrick 12 (Tifu, David), 1:40. 2, Charlotte, Rowe 4 (Schepke), 8:40. Penalties-Lepine Elm (fighting - major), 0:03; Reynolds Chr (fighting - major), 0:03; Doig Chr (roughing), 9:52; Proulx Elm (interference), 11:44; Cunningham Elm (tripping), 12:56; Cunningham Elm (cross-checking), 16:22; Wright Elm (delay of game), 18:51.
3rd Period-3, Charlotte, Carroll 8 (Brouillette, Chabot), 10:02. Penalties-Korchinski Elm (high-sticking), 6:55; Reynolds Chr (tripping), 10:35.
Shots on Goal-Elmira 10-8-5-23. Charlotte 13-18-12-43.
Power Play Opportunities-Elmira 0 of 4; Charlotte 0 of 6.
Goalies-Elmira, Teslak 5-4-1-1 (43 shots-41 saves). Charlotte, Wiikman 3-1-0-1 (19 shots-18 saves); Munce 3-2-0-0 (4 shots-4 saves).
A-6,318
Referees-Steve Patafie (29).
Linesmen-Mathieu Chenier (71), Mark Hamlett (81).
