Tapping into what has been one of their biggest strengths this season, the Checkers stifled the Hartford offense from start to finish, allowing just 20 shots on goal and five in the third period alone. Black was up to the task on all of them, denying every shot he saw to the frustration of the home team.
On the offensive side of things, the Checkers gave their rookie netminder more than enough support to work with. Three of Charlotte’s hottest hands provided the production - first was Justin Sourdif cutting past a defender and beating Hartford goaltender Louis Domingue to open the scoring in the first, then Rasmus Asplund kicked off the second by wiring a quick wrister from the slot less than a minute into the frame. Will Lockwood delivered the knockout blow midway through the third when he buried a shot off a two-on-one rush and set the visitors on course for a decisive victory on the road.
