Checkers Fall in Overtime to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton

The Checkers were able to secure a standings point in their rematch with the Penguins but couldn’t quite nail down the win, falling in overtime 3-2.

Both sides controlled stretches of possession in the extra frame, but it was ultimately Ville Koivunen who fired a quick shot from the right side with under two minutes remaining to keep Wilkes-Barre/Scranton unbeaten.

After getting shut out the night before, the Checkers got their offense rolling quickly in Saturday’s tilt as Brian Pinho finished off a slick feed from Sandis Vilmanis on the rush early in the first.

The two squads would trade blows from there. The Penguins evened the score less than three minutes later, but rookie blue liner Colton Huard lit the lamp to kick off the middle frame and regain Charlotte’s lead. That advantage wouldn’t make it to the second intermission, though, as a Danton Heinen power-play tally tied things back up and set the game on course for overtime.

QUOTES

Coach Geordie Kinnear on an injury to Jack Studnicka
One, I don’t like the hit. At all. At all. I’m not sure. I feel bad for him. He’s going to get reassessed hopefully tonight, but it doesn’t look good right now. I definitely did not like the hit at all and I didn’t like the sequence after that. Somehow they ended up on the power play and scored a power-play goal, so.

Kinnear on the interference penalty to Nolan Foote in the following sequence
I didn’t get an explanation, to be honest. Again, I feel back for Studs and I just don’t understand the whole sequence, but I’m proud of the group. You have to be mentally tough and you have to regain composure, and I thought they did a great job coming out in the third and regaining that when it could have went the other way. We lost some key pieces along the way and some guys didn’t finish the game and a lot of guys had to step up. A building block. We want to move the needle and I’m happy we moved the needle today.

Kinnear on getting 18 shots in the first period and adjustments from yesterday
We just played better hockey. As a collective, individually and coaching, we weren’t good enough (yesterday). We’re a group that’s going to own that every single time and then just move on from it. I’m proud of the response tonight. We have a long way to go. This is a whole new group and a lot of players that haven’t played under me. I’m getting to know them and they’re getting to know me. The style is a lot different than other teams. We moved the needle, so it’s a good point but we want to move on regardless of the outcome, have a good day tomorrow and then a work day on Monday.

Kinnear on Colton Huard’s first pro goal
The whole back end to be honest with you, we owned it yesterday and it wasn’t up to our standard and up to their standard. I thought they all stepped up today. Again, being real, it’s a real young group back there but I’m super proud of them. They did a great job. There was a lot of dig in, so I think that’s a good sign from young players. The toughness that you need to be able to win in the end.

NOTES

This was the Checkers’ first overtime game of the season … Jack Studnicka exited the game in the second period following a kneeing penalty on Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and did not return … Huard’s goal was his first as a pro … Cooper Black made his sixth straight start, matching Alex Nedeljkovic’s franchise record for consecutive starts to begin a season … Skoog has three multi-point games in his last four outings … Pinho’s goal was his first with the Checkers … Trevor Carrick, Ryan McAllister, Liam McLinskey, Eamon Powell, Kai Schwindt, Gracyn Sawchyn, Jake Livingstone, Mitch Vande Sompel and Riese Gaber were the scratches for Charlotte.