Rochester Tops Checkers 3-2 in Outdoor Classic Warmup

Details
The Checkers came out on the wrong end of back-and-forth battle Friday night, falling to the Americans 3-2.

SCORE SHEET PHOTO GALLERY
The contest featured a plethora of end-to-end chances for both sides. Gerry Mayhew kept his hot hand going to break the ice right away in the first, but the Amerks evened the score before the first buzzer. The middle frame was a deadlock on the scoreboard, so things would be decided in the final frame.

Things started promising for the Checkers in the third, as Jake Wise pulled off a slick shorthanded finish in tight to push the home side ahead once again. The Amerks punched back again, however, pulling things even minutes later and eventually claiming their first lead of the night with three minutes to go. The Checkers pushed hard with the extra attacker and looked to have tied the game in the waning seconds, but the tally was waved off due to the net being dislodged and Charlotte’s rally hopes ran out.

QUOTES

Coach Geordie Kinnear on the game
It took us a little bit in the first period to get in sync. I thought starting out that they were more in sync and their execution was a little better, but I like how we built it over the next two periods. We fell short in the third period and lose that period 2-1. We want to be a 60-minute team and win games in the third period, and we ended up losing that one.

Kinnear on Jake Wise
He’s definitely, in the last couple of games, making it tough on the coaching staff by being ultra-competitive and then obviously contributing on the scoreboard a little bit. It was a great move and a goal scorer’s goal. He’s like the rest of our young guys in that we want them to continue their development and get better over time, and he’s definitely done that.

Kinnear on the explanation for Charlotte’s late goal being disallowed
He was in the midst of blowing his whistle that the net was off. Knocked off by their goaltender.

NOTES

Gerry Mayhew scored for the third consecutive game (4g, 1a) … Wise has three points (2g, 1a) in three games after sitting out the previous three as a healthy extra … Spencer Knight picked up his second assist of the season and third of his AHL career … The Checkers fell to 1-2-0 against Rochester this season … Checkers scratches included forwards Ryan McAllister, Cam Morrison, Mark Senden and Alexander True; defenseman Dennis Cesana, Evan Nause and Calle Sjalin; and goaltender Mack Guzda.