Checkers Defeat Hershey to Earn Fifth Straight Win

The Checkers closed out the home portion of their regular season schedule by staying red hot and topping the Hershey Bears 3-1.

After a scoreless first period, the Checkers poured it on in the second, outshooting the visitors 20-5 over the course of the frame. Brenden Kichton opened the scoring early in the period by knocking home a one-time feed from the slot, then Janne Kuokkanen followed it up with his fourth goal in two nights to double the lead.

The Checkers would tack one more on the reeling Bears, with Josiah Didier launching a wrister from the slot through traffic and in, and that would be all the Checkers needed. Chris Bourque broke through in the third but that would be the only blemish for rookie netminder Callum Booth, who finished with 23 saves and picked up the 3-1 victory.

QUOTES

Coach Mike Vellucci on the game
I didn’t like the beginning but obviously we started playing a lot better in the second and then the third. It was six games in nine or 10 days, so it was good to get the win and move on.

Vellucci on the final weeks of the regular season
If we keep winning we might get second or third, and second place would be great to get home ice. We’ll keep trying to put wins together, play well and see what happens.

Vellucci on getting two goals from defensemen
We ask our D to jump into the play all the time. They don’t always score but they get great chances. It was a great read by Kich to jump in on that one, and same with Dids after he got hit from behind.

Vellucci on winning five games in a row despite missing several players to recall and injury
We knock two games off of Lehigh and then Hershey and now we can get seven guys back in the lineup. The guys stayed healthy all year, worked hard and stayed in great shape, and when they got the chance they made the most of it.

Josiah Didier on avoiding a letdown after clinching a playoff spot last night
We just had to refocus the mind, turn the page and get ready for today. We’re happy we made the playoffs but we want to try to get home ice.

Didier on the team getting wins with a depleted lineup
It’s the depth we have in this locker room. Everyone can play on any given night and guys are stepping up when their name is called. We’re working as a team every night.

NOTES

The Checkers’ eight-game point streak (7-0-1) is the longest since a franchise-record, 12-game run (10-0-2) during the 2015-16 campaign. It is the longest active streak in the AHL … The Checkers’ five-game win streak ties their longest of the season … With two more points, Charlotte jumped into a tie for second in the Atlantic Division in terms of points, though Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and Providence, who both had 3 p.m. starts today, have two games in hand … The Checkers have 92 points on the season, tying their highest total since moving to a 76-game schedule prior to the 2011-12 season … Didier, who today celebrated his 25th birthday, recorded his first multi-point game as a Checker (1g, 1a). It was the second multi-point outing of his 152-game AHL career … Booth has a 1.60 goals-against average and .941 save percentage in his first four AHL appearances … The Checkers allowed just one goal in four of their last five games … Kuokkanen has four goals and six points in his last two games … Julien Gauthier recorded his third consecutive multi-point game (2g, 4a) … Aleksi Saarela also has six points (2g, 4a) in his last three outings … Greg McKegg’s 12-game point streak that tied a franchise record came to and end despite him taking a game high six shots on goal. Today was just the second time he was held off the score sheet in 17 games as a Checker … Forwards Andrew Miller and Lucas Wallmark, defenseman Jake Chelios and goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic missed the game due to injury … Forward Clark Bishop and defensemen Tyler Ganly missed their third straight game due to illness.

UP NEXT

The Checkers hit the road for their final two games of the regular season this Friday (Providence) and Sunday (Bridgeport). Dates and times for the first round of the playoffs will be released at a later date.