Checkers suffer historic defeat

CHARLOTTE, NC – A night to forget for the Charlotte Checkers, they

suffered the clubs’ worst ever defeat losing 7-2 to Norfolk in a game where the home team did not turn up until the third period. Within ten minutes of the start of the game the Admirals were two goals ahead with Gary Conacher and Jean Philippe Cote scoring. Zach Boychuk then gave Checkers some hope when he scored from a pass from Chris Terry on a power play.
 
This was Norfolk’s 17^th straight win, tying the AHL record set by the Philadelphia Phantoms in the 2004-5 season. The Checkers were certainly surprised by the form of the Admirals as they had been fairly successful against the team from Virginia with a 3-2-1 record. Norfolk now has the opportunity of beating the record when the two teams face-off on Sunday at 3pm.
 
The second period saw the floodgates really open with Norfolk scoring five goals without reply. Jeff Dimmen started the rout with a wrist shot, Tyler Johnson added to the score a few minutes later. Charlotte then switched goalies with Justin Peters replacing Mike Murphy who had made 13 of 17 saves.
 
With his first involvement of the game Peters did not fare any better than Murphy allowing a Ondrej Palat shot to beat him on the short side.   Norfolk continued to rub salt into the Checkers wound by scoring additional goals through Alex Hutchins and Richard Panik, the score was now 7-1.
 
The third period saw the Checkers wake up with Boychuk jumping on a loose puck to give Charlotte a second goal. The Checkers out-shot the Admirals in the third 18-6, Norfolk now leads the GEICO Challenge Cup by one point over Charlotte.
 
The Admirals can now set a new league record at the Time Warner Cable Arena on Sunday at 3pm, if they can keep Charlotte at bay. Fans voted Zack Boychuk the Roll up Your Sleeves Hardest Worker of the Game Award.
 
EddieMitchell@ProHockeyNews.com
Photos by Tom.Nelson@prohockeynews.com