The Checkers and Monsters each got on the board once through the first two periods Saturday night, and the tied game would last until the final minutes of the third, when Justin Sourdif came through on a two-man advantage to push Charlotte ahead in the eventual 4-1 road victory.
The Checkers made their mark late in the first period, when John Leonard snuck behind a Monsters skater and fired a shot that would find the back of the net.
Cleveland struck back early in the second period, and the matchup would remain deadlocked at one as the game moved into the back half of the third frame.
In the final minutes of the tilt, the Checkers converted on a five-on-three power play as Sourdif punched in a loose puck from out front. That would fuel Charlotte’s momentum, and in Cleveland's desperate moments C.J. Smith and Rasmus Asplund both tallied empty net goals to finalize the Checkers win.
NOTES
The Checkers finished their season series against Cleveland with a 2-1-0-1 record … Leonard has goals in back-to-back games and in four of his last five games … Sourdif’s game winner snapped a three-game power-play drought for Charlotte … Black has won each of his last six starts and allowed eight total goals over that stretch … Smith’s goal was his first as a Checker and the 100th of his pro career … Will Lockwood has assists in each of his last two games … Asplund’s goal gives him points in two straight … Sandis Vilmanis, Riley Bezeau, Nicholas Zabaneh, MacKenzie Entwistle, Zac Dalpe, Ryan McAllister, Aidan McDonough, Riese Gaber, Mitch Vande Sompel, Mikulas Hovorka and Chris Driedger were the scratches for Charlotte
