Road Trip Starts With Tough 3-1 Loss In Springfield

Details
The Checkers started their road trip on the wrong foot in Springfield, dropping a tight 3-1 battle to the Thunderbirds.

After Springfield opened the scoring with the first period’s lone tally, the Checkers punched back early in the second. Patrick Giles collected the puck off a clutch offensive-zone faceoff win by Skyler Brind’Amour and fired off a laser that beat Springfield goalie Colten Ellis and tied the game.

SCORE SHEET PHOTO GALLERY


That deadlock wouldn’t last long, though, as Matthew Peca broke through 98 seconds later to push the home side ahead again - this time for good.

Charlotte’s offense created a flurry of chances across the back half of regulation, but it couldn’t quite crack Ellis. The Thunderbirds countered the Checkers’ final rally attempt with an extra attacker late in the third with an empty netter, and that would seal the deal on the tough defeat for Charlotte.

NOTES

The Checkers are 1-6-0-1 in Springfield over the last three seasons … This is the second time this season that the Checkers have lost three consecutive games in regulation. They have not had any losing streak longer than that … Spencer Knight has appeared in each of Charlotte’s last 11 games and 16 of the last 18 … The Checkers have scored two or fewer goals in three straight games … They have now scored two goals over the last eight periods of play … The Checkers are scoreless on the power play over the last four games, going 0-for-15 over that stretch … The Checkers killed all four of Springfield’s man advantages, snapping a two-game streak of allowing a power-play goal … Alexander True, Riley Bezeau, Casey Fitzgerald, Dennis Cesana and Mack Guzda were the scratches for Charlotte