With the contest deadlocked at two after 65 minutes of play, the Checkers and Islanders moved on to a shootout, where the goalies would take center stage. The first three skaters that each side trotted out were turned aside, pushing things to the sudden-death portion of the shootout.
In the top of the fourth round Ryan McAllister entered the zone patiently and buried a quick shot through Magnus Hogberg’s five hole to put Charlotte on the board. With a chance to secure the win on his shoulders, Chris Driedger came through for the visitors by shutting down Fredrik Karlstrom’s attempt and putting an end to Charlotte’s winless skid.
The heroes 🫡 pic.twitter.com/VL7eWzVoL2
— Charlotte Checkers (@CheckersHockey) November 24, 2024
That shootout success came on the heels of the Checkers squandering a quick start to the tilt. Patrick Giles pulled off a slick finish for a shorthanded goal just 62 seconds into play, then Oliver Okuliar doubled that lead by banging home a loose puck minutes later. The Islanders would chip away at that two-goal advantage, however, getting on the board with two seconds left in the middle frame and then evening the score thanks to a third-period power-play strike from former Checker Julien Gauthier - setting the game on a course for the shootout.
