The Checkers and Phantoms locked into a tight battle for their first matchup of the season, but a late shorthanded strike from Lehigh Valley proved to be the difference in a 2-1 road loss for Charlotte.
It was a special teams-heavy tilt, as the two sides traded power-play opportunities across regulation, but neither team could fully take advantage. The Checkers opened the scoring on an early power play in the first when Tobias Bjornfot sniped in a shot from the top of the circles, but the Phantoms would respond early in the second with a power-play tally of their own.
Those would be the only two marks on the scoreboard until the final four minutes of regulation, when the Checkers took the ice on a man advantage looking to catapult ahead. The Phantoms flipped the script, though, and a turnover at the offensive blue line for Charlotte ended up springing Brendan Furry on a breakaway - which he capitalized on to push the home team ahead and eventually hand Charlotte a heartbreaking defeat.
NOTES
The Checkers have dropped two straight contests … The Checkers have scored one goal in each of their last two games … The two teams combined for 13 power-play opportunities tonight, with the Checkers converting once on seven tries and the Phantoms converting once on six tries … Chris Driedger has allowed six total goals over his last three starts … The Checkers have started each of their last three road trips with a loss … Will Lockwood, Riley Bezeau, MacKenzie Entwistle, Zac Dalpe, Ryan McAllister, Aidan McDonough, Riese Gaber, Mike Benning, Mitch Vande Sompel and Keith Kinkaid were the extras for Charlotte
