Utica struck first, scoring early in the first period, but a wrist shot by Mike Benning would respond, putting Charlotte on the board within five minutes of the opening puck drop. The Comets found the back of the net twice more, leading by two after the first period.
With a new Charlotte netminder in the game, C.J. Smith would hit the post before getting Charlotte’s second goal less than a minute into the second. Trevor Carrick then tucked one past the Comets netminder, scoring Charlotte’s third goal and bringing the matchup to a brief 3-3 tie early in the frame. Utica, however, would quickly score to reclaim their lead as the tilt reached its midway point.
The third period would be quiet, as the Checkers had a final push in the game’s remaining minutes. It wouldn’t be enough as they would fall to Utica in their first matchup of the season.
