Forwards Nicolas Blanchard and Justin Shugg scored third-period goals to bring Charlotte within one at Scope Arena, but the team was unable to convert a power-play opportunity with 3:01 remaining in regulation and ultimately fell by a 4-3 score.
Rookie center Victor Rask had the Checkers’ other goal, while goaltender Mike Murphy made 30 saves as Norfolk out-shot Charlotte by a margin of 34-26. After scoring two power-play goals in their first exhibition game, the Checkers went 1-for-9 against Norfolk on Saturday, including a missed five-on-three opportunity in the second period. Shugg’s goal, in which he batted the puck out of mid-air and past goalie John Gibson, represented their lone man-advantage strike.
Together with their 4-2 triumph over the Admirals at Extreme Ice Center one day earlier, Saturday’s loss caused the Checkers to finish the preseason with a split of their home-and-home series against Norfolk. Training camp continues next week, leading up to the regular-season opener at Oklahoma City on Friday.
