The Checkers got back into the win column in thrilling fashion Wednesday in Hartford, besting the Wolf Pack thanks to a late winner from Gerry Mayhew that snapped a five-game skid for Charlotte.
With the game deadlocked at two and approaching five minutes remaining in regulation, Patrick Khodorenko sent a quick pass from behind the net to the top of the crease - where Gerry Mayhew was waiting for a quick tap in that beat Hartford netminder Dylan Garand and pushed Charlotte ahead on the scoreboard.
Mayhew’s tally would be enough to clinch things for Charlotte, though some big saves from Spencer Knight and an empty-net dagger off the stick of Rasmus Asplund helped guide the Checkers down the home stretch to a cathartic 4-2 victory.
It was a back-and-forth affair up to that point, as Cam Morrison and Lucas Carlsson each lit the lamp less than two minutes apart in the opening frame to snatch back Hartford’s early lead. But the Wolf Pack had a punch left in them, evening the score thanks to a shorthanded strike in the back half of the final frame - a goal that knotted the score and set the stage for Mayhew’s heroics.
The Checkers kept the Wolf Pack under wraps for much of the contest, only surrendering 21 shots on goal in the game - 13 of which came in the third period alone. Knight proved to be up to the task between the pipes, taking care of the shots that did get through and finishing with 19 saves and a big win.
NOTES
This was the 500th win in franchise history … The win snapped a season-worst five-game losing streak for Charlotte … The Checkers finished this road trip with a 1-3-0-0 record … The Checkers are 1-0-0-0 against the Wolf Pack this season, and the two teams will play seven more times before the end of the season … The win snapped a four-game losing streak for Knight, who has appeared in 19 of the last 22 games … Morrison’s goal was his first since Dec. 15 … Alexander True returned to the lineup after missing the last 17 games due to injury and recorded an assist … Asplund has points in each of his last three games … Matt Kiersted notched his first multi-assist game of the season … The Checkers have power-play goals in two straight games … Charlotte’s opponents have had at least four power plays in each of the last six games … Brendan Perlini, Riley Bezeau, Ryan McAllister, Dennis Cesana, Calle Sjalin and Mack Guzda were the scratches for Charlotte
