CHARLOTTE, NC – Even though Charlotte was missing eight players due to injury and NHL call up they put up a tremendous fight against the Eastern Conference leaders. This was the first visit of the Hershey Bears since Charlotte knocked them out of the play offs in April, 2010. The Bears, who are second in the AHL standings with 49 points, overcame the Checkers in the 12th round of the shootout with a 3-2 victory.
Garrett Mitchell, of the Bears beat Mike Murphy in the Checkers goal to confirm the win for the visitors. Murphy had a good night with 28 saves that included a magnificent save from Hershey’s Matt Ford. Murphy had already committed himself with one save, some how he managed to dive across the ice to thwart Ford.
The Checkers had gone ahead in the first period with a shot from Zach Boychuk that deflected off a defender past goalie Dany Sabourin. The first period was all Charlotte, they out-shot Hershey 14-2, this was the lowest number of shots in a period that the Bears, the best offensive side in the AHL, had taken.
In the second period Hershey took a 2-1 lead when Keith Aucoin, AHL’s top scorer beat Murphy form the left side. A former Checker, Jacob Micflikier put Hershey ahead with a shot that bounced off Murphy into the goal.
Charlotte came back strongly in the third with Boychuk taking a pass from Matt Beca, who had been recalled from the Florida Everblades earlier in the day. Boychuk got behind Bears goalie Sabourin to tap the puck in, the score was now 2-2.
The shootout provided a crazy finish to the evening with many lead changes before Hershey’s Mitchell sealed the win. Even though Charlotte had lost the game they had taken a point, the fans had witnessed a barn stormer of a game.
The rivalry continues on this evening at the Time Warner Cable Arena, face-off 7pm.
EddieMitchell@ProHockeyNews.com
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