The Charlotte Checkers pleased a crowd of 12,027 Saturday at Time Warner Cable Arena with a 2-1 shootout win over the Houston Aeros.

David Marshall, playing in only his second game since being loaned to Charlotte from the ECHL’s Reading Royals, scored the Checkers’ lone goal in regulation and also the game-winning goal in the shootout.

John Muse was strong in goal for the Checkers making 31 saves and stopping all four Houston players he faced in the shootout.

Checkers coach Jeff Daniels was not afraid to give Marshall an opportunity in the shootout even though he had been with Charlotte for only two games.

“You watch him in practice and you see he has some talent and skill, and I thought he played real well today,” Daniels said. “We don’t have a lot of guys we normally use (in the shootout) on the bench right now so other guys deserve a chance, and I thought he definitely deserved one tonight.”

The first period belonged to Houston (29-21-4-4) as the Aeros outshot the Checkers 13-5, but some timely goaltending by Muse kept the game scoreless after the first 20 minutes.

In the second period each team scored once, but Charlotte took over the game’s momentum. Four minutes into the period Houston’s Matt Kassian beat Muse for a 1-0 Aeros advantage.

The Checkers (35-19-2-3) tied it late in the period when a Charlotte shot deflected off a Houston defenseman’s skate and found the back of the net. Marshall was credited with the goal and the teams were tied at 1 entering the final period.

“It’s probably just riding that high of being called up again,” said Marshall when asked about his big performance in Saturday’s Charlotte win. “Today I was put in some pretty good situations by some pretty good players.”

After a scoreless third period and overtime, the game was decided in a shootout. Marshall and Brett Sutter scored in the shootout for the Checkers.

Houston and Charlotte will conclude their two-game weekend series Sunday at 3 p.m. at Time Warner Cable Arena.

Charlotte won shootout 2-0

First Period: Scoring (None). Penalties: Brody Sutter, Cha (hooking), 5:41: Grantham, Hou (tripping), 11:41; Rutherford, Cha (tripping), 11:50; Kampfer, Hou (closing hand on the puck), 16:27.

Second Period: 1.) Houston, Kassian 1 (Mara, Grantham), 4:22. 2.) Charlotte, Marshall 1 (Bellemore, Rutherford), 15:33. Penalties: McDonald, Hou (elbowing), 5:18, Veilleux, Hou (cross-checking), 13:07.

Third Period: Scoring (None). Penalties: Rissanen, Cha (kneeing), 7:22; Pither, Cha (hooking), 10:52; Medvec, Hou (holding), 15:54.

Overtime: Scoring (none). Penalties (none).

Shots: Houston 13-6-10-3-0-32 Charlotte 5-12-16-1-1-35 Goalies: Houston, Curry (0-0-1) (34 shots-33 saves); Charlotte, Muse 5-2-0 (32-31) A–12,027.