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Trailing 3-2, the Charlotte Checkers got a two-skater advantage with 1 minute, 8 seconds to go in the game against the Norfolk Admirals Wednesday night.
Checkers coach Jeff Daniels had pulled goalie John Muse, leaving an empty net, and Norfolk’s Kyle Wilson was whistled off the ice for hooking.
Daniels loaded the ice around the Admirals’ net with six attackers, including center Brett Sutter, who had scored 10 minutes earlier. Sutter fired. Blocked. Forward Casey Pierro-Zabotel fired. Blocked. Other shots were turned away.
Goalie Frederik Andersen and four defenders repelled the last-minute assault and the Admirals held on for a 3-2 victory at Time Warner Cable Arena in a high-spirited game that ended in a scrum with players pushing and shoving.
Daniels blended three newcomers, forwards C.J. Severyn and Pierro-Zabotel, both ECHL players signed Tuesday, and defenseman Danny Biega, 21, signed Wednesday after finishing his season at Harvard University, with veterans to try to find a winning combo for a team depleted by injuries and callups.
The loss was the second in a row for the Checkers.
| Norfolk | 0 | 1 | 2 | – | 3 |
| Charlotte | 1 | 0 | 1 | – | 2 |
First Period–1, Charlotte, Marquardt 2 (Pierro-Zabotel, Raymond), 10:51. Penalty–Soryal Cha (holding), 5:47.
Second Period–2, Norfolk, Mitchell 8 (Hendry, Irwin), 19:08. Penalties–Vatanen Nor (hooking), 0:45; Kurtz Nor (fighting), 3:33; Blanchard Cha (fighting), 3:33; Rissanen Cha (boarding), 4:27; Staal Cha (hooking), 5:17; Krueger Cha (tripping), 10:48; Brittain Nor (goaltender interference), 11:16; Parent Nor (interference), 16:05; Pelley Nor (boarding), 19:33.
Third Period–3, Norfolk, Guenin 3 (Caputi, Irwin), 4:43 (pp). 4, Norfolk, Mitchell 9 (Guenin, Wilson), 6:35. 5, Charlotte, Bre. Sutter 14 (Beca), 9:27. Penalties–Soryal Cha (tripping), 3:17; Wilson Nor (hooking), 18:52; Guenin Nor (cross-checking), 20:00.
Shots on goal–Norfolk 14-16-8–38. Charlotte 12-11-5–28. Goalies–Norfolk, Andersen 16-11-1 (28 shots-26 saves). Charlotte, Muse 5-4-0 (38-35). Att.–4,542 (at Charlotte).
