The Checkers battled in their series finale against Springfield, erasing a third-period deficit to force overtime, but couldn’t quite finish the job and fell 6-5.
A wild first period set the tone for Saturday’s tilt. The two sides traded tallies until it was knotted at two midway through the frame, then the Thunderbirds struck for another pair of goals 67 seconds apart to jump ahead. The Checkers got one last punch in courtesy of a Matt Kiersted rip, and the seven-goal period ended with Charlotte trailing by one.
Things settled from there, as the visitors netted the lone goal in the second to add to their lead. A switch flipped in the third, however. Eventually outshooting their opponent 13-4 in the third, the Checkers started their rally just 71 seconds into the period when Zac Dalpe knocked in a rebound on a man advantage for his second on the night. Charlotte’s surge paid off with just under three to play when – once again on the man advantage – Gerry Mayhew banged home a loose puck from out front to even the score and snatch a point for Charlotte.
For the second-straight night the Thunderbirds claimed the overtime winner, though, as Nikita Alexandrov’s shot glanced off a stick and fluttered in to put an end to the contest.
