CARY, N.C. Having scored so early, the Checkers might have expected further goals to come easily. As it turned out, they wouldn't strike again until near the last possible second.

Zac Dalpe found the back of the net with 13 seconds left in overtime to secure a 2-1 road victory over division rival Milwaukee on Friday night, giving his team its eighth win in its last 10 games.

That broke a lengthy drought for the visitors, who opened the scoring. Rookie Sean Dolan scored just two and a half minutes in to a tightly-played affair that saw Milwaukee finish with a 26-22 edge in shots.

Charlotte goalie John Muse, making his sixth straight start, made 25 saves to improve to 8-1-0 this season.

The victory, coupled with a Chicago Wolves loss against Rockford, gives the Checkers a six-point lead in the Midwest. They'll take that into another divisional game in Peoria tonight.

1st Period-1, Charlotte, Dolan 3 (Blanchard, Sanguinetti), 2:31. Penalties-Soryal Cha (fighting), 2:32; Stortini Mil (fighting), 2:32; served by Champagne Mil (bench minor - too many men), 8:04; Blanchard Cha (fighting), 10:45; Sloan Mil (fighting), 10:45; Rissanen Cha (double minor - high-sticking), 15:42. 2nd Period-2, Milwaukee, Wilson 13 (Thang, Champagne), 18:45. Penalties-Dolan Cha (hooking), 2:02. 3rd Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Geoffrion Mil (high-sticking), 2:19. OT Period-3, Charlotte, Dalpe 12 (Samson, Krueger), 4:47. Penalties-No Penalties Shots on Goal-Charlotte 8-6-6-2-22. Milwaukee 13-6-5-2-26. Power Play Opportunities-Charlotte 0 / 2; Milwaukee 0 / 3. Goalies-Charlotte, Muse 8-1-0 (26 shots-25 saves). Milwaukee, Engren 5-6-0 (22 shots-20 saves). A-7,730