CHARLOTTE, NC – Returning home with their playoff chase heating up, the Checkers used a late surge to dispose of the San Antonio Rampage, besting the Pacific Division foes 3-1.
Propelling the Checkers’ offense as they have over the last week were the team’s hottest offensive weapons, Andrew Miller and Aleksi Saarela. Miller unloaded a quick wrister from straight ahead in the slot to give the Checkers an early lead in a dominant first, then found his Finnish linemate in the third to put the home squad back on top. For his fifth goal in five games, Saarela ripped a cannon of a shot over the shoulder of Rampage netminder Spencer Martin and into the top corner to negate San Antonio’s equalizer from minutes before. The Checkers would tack on one more courtesy of a Haydn Fleury point blast and that would be enough, securing the 3-1 victory.
Tom McCollum, the reigning AHL Goaltender of the Month, wasn’t tested often, only seeing 21 shots all night, but was solid between the pipes for his ninth victory of the season.
With the win, the Checkers are now poised to possibly retake the fourth and final playoff spot in the Central Division, pending the outcome of Cleveland’s tilt with Iowa.
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