The Charlotte Checkers snapped a four-game losing streak and reclaimed first place in the Midwest Division of the American Hockey League Sunday with a decisive 4-0 victory over the Chicago Wolves.
Goalie Mike Murphy posted his first shutout of the season and defenseman Bobby Sanguinetti scored a goal and earned two assists to lead the Checkers' scoring before 9,883 fans at Time Warner Cable Arena.
"Murph did really well tonight," said left wing Nicolas Blanchard, who scored the game-winning goal. "Made big saves."
Murphy stopped 22 Chicago shots on goal while Charlotte's offense peppered Wolves goalie Eddie Lack with 46 shots. It was a sharp turnaround from Saturday's 3-1 loss to the Wolves when the Checkers punched out 27 shots.
"I thought we came out with a lot more purpose, a lot more desperation," said Checkers coach Jeff Daniels. "When you work hard, you're going to get those bounces."
After a scoreless first period, the Checkers got their game going in the second when center Zach Boychuk launched a shot from the right point. The puck struck Blanchard on his right arm and deflected into the left side of the net, giving the winger his eighth goal of the season.
Just two minutes, 47 seconds later, right wing Matt Pistilli fired a bullet from the right circle. The puck bounced off Lack's pads and right to center Zac Dalpe, who wristed the puck into the net.
Sanguinetti's goal came nine minutes, four seconds into the third period on two-on-one break. The defenseman skated down right wing, looked and sailed the puck over Lack's stick and into the goal webbing.
The final goal was an empty-netter by Checkers captain Brett Sutter. With two minutes, 36 seconds to go in the game, Charlotte's Chris Terry was sitting in the penalty box for tripping. With the faceoff in the Charlotte zone, Chicago coach Craig MacTavish pulled Lack for an extra skater. The puck went deep into the Wolves zone. Sutter chased it, got it off the boards and scored.
"It was a big game for us, coming in," Sanguinetti said. "(We were) just trying to get back into first place. We just tried to keep it simple and made sure we got two points."
The Checkers get a four-day rest before hosting Norfolk on Friday night. The Admirals defeated Bridgeport 6-3 Sunday and lead the league with 87 points.
|
Chicago |
0 |
0 |
0 |
- |
0 |
|
Charlotte |
0 |
2 |
2 |
- |
4 |
1st Period- No Scoring. Penalties-Rodin Chi (slashing), 1:30.
2nd Period-1, Charlotte, Blanchard 8 (Boychuk, Sanguinetti), 9:16. 2, Charlotte, Dalpe 15 (Pistilli, Sanguinetti), 12:03 (PP). Penalties-Terry Cha (slashing), 2:50; Gordon Chi (boarding), 10:46; Sutter Cha (high-sticking), 16:53.
3rd Period-3, Charlotte, Sanguinetti 8 (Jenks, Boychuk), 9:04. 4, Charlotte, Sutter 9 (Dalpe), 17:58 (EN). Penalties-Duco Chi (roughing), 5:16; Roy Cha (roughing), 5:16; Bitz Chi (slashing), 9:46; Mancari Chi (slashing), 15:59; Terry Cha (tripping), 17:24.
Shots on Goal-Chicago 6-9-7-22. Charlotte 15-14-17-46.
Goalies-Chicago, Lack 17-16-3 (45 shots-42 saves). Charlotte, Murphy 16-11-2 (22 shots-22 saves).
A-9,883
