Hershey opened the scoring with a pair of strikes in the first, and that would stand as the lone offensive output for the next sizable chunk of the contest.
After a scoreless second period the Checkers finally broke through near the midway point of the third thanks to a Johnny Beecher wraparound conversion. The home side had a quick response, though, as Josh Dunne pushed Hershey’s lead back to two-goals less than two minutes later.
Charlotte’s power play - which had three opportunities on the night compared to the Bears’ six - gave the visitors some life in the final five minutes of regulation, as Jack Devine ripped a one-timer off the faceoff to pull them back within one. The Checkers would continue to push down the stretch but couldn’t find the equalizer before the final horn sounded, and they depart Hershey with a road split to start the year.
Seven seconds is all the power play needed! https://t.co/ugRottq1Si
— Charlotte Checkers (@CheckersHockey) October 4, 2026
