Checkers Sweep Blades

ESTERO , FL – The Florida Everblades suffered three loses to division rival Charlotte Checkers in North Carolina.   This series sweep gave Charlotte a four-game winning streak over the Everblades.   After the series, Charlotte raised its record to 28-20-4 (60 points), while Florida dropped to 35-15-3 (73 points).
 
Here is a look at how the series went. Game 1 – Charlotte wins 4-0
 
The Blades put on quite a show for the North Carolina crowd as they pummeled the Charlotte Checker’s net.   However, Checkers goaltender Jeff Jakaitis made 50 saves, shutting out the Florida Everblades in the first game of the three game set.
 
The first period showcased the skills of both goaltenders. Florida’s David Leggio and Charlotte’s Jakaitis made some big saves to keep the game scoreless. The Blades out shot the Checkers 15-8.
 

Despite dominating the second period, the Blades were down by a score of 2-0 heading to the locker room.   The Blades once again out shot Charlotte 20-8, but could not hit the back of the net.
 
The Checkers Mike Bayrack and David Rutherford were able to get the puck past David Leggio who played a solid game. Bayrack broke the scoreless tie at 1:16 of the second period.   The Checker’s closed the door midway through the third period when Chris Capraro and Jeff Miles scored for Charlotte.
 
The Blades had an extended four-minute power play late in the third period but were unable to score on Jakaitis who stopped 104 of the last 106 shots he faced in his last two games in net.
 
Power Play Opportunities:   Florida 0 for 5    /     Charlotte 0 for 4
 
Three Stars:    (1) Jeff Jakaitis (CHR), (2) Chris Capraro (CHR), (3) Jeff Miles (CHR)
 
 
Game 2 – Charlotte wins 6-5 (Shoot Out)
 
The game had a more positive start for the Blades as they kicked things into high gear and scored twice in the first half of the opening period.
 
Florida ’s Doug O’Brien and Colin Nicholson scored in the first period to go up 2-0, first with O’Brien shot getting past Charlotte’s goaltender Maxime Daigneault at 2:46.   The Blades dominated the first 15 minutes out shooting the Checkers by 15-1.
 
Charlotte took over the last 5 minutes of the period giving the Blades’ goaltender, Chris Beckford-Tseu, an intensive workout.   Beckford-Tseu joined the Blades the day of the game when he was reassigned from the Rochester Americans of the AHL (American Hockey League).
 
Charlotte continued to pressure in the second period, giving them the power and motivation to score twice and   even things up at 2-2.   Julian Brouillette and Peter James Corsi scored on Beckford-Tseu.
 
The Blades’ newcomer, Milan Gajic, scored his first goal at 17:13 to give Florida a 3-2 edge after two periods. Florida extended their lead with two quick goals in the first six minutes of the third by Mathieu Roy and Ross Carlson.
 
Charlotte retaliated with three goals unanswered goals in the final 14 minutes of the game to tie it up at 5-5.   Ethan Graham, Michael Busto and Chris Capraro scored.
 
Capararo’s goal came on a penalty shot.   The officials determined that Florida intentionally dislodged their net, giving Charlotte the opportunity to tie the game.
 
With the score tied at 5, the game moved into overtime.   When no one scored during that five-minute period of 4-on-4, play moved into the shootout routine.
 
The shoot out winner was not determined until the tenth round when Ryan Murphy scored the winning goal for the Checkers.
 
Power Play Opportunities:   Florida 1 for 4    /     Charlotte 2 for 7
  
Stars:   (1) Chris Capraro (CHR), (2) Ethan Graham (CHR), (3) Ryan Murphy (CHR)
   
Game 3 – Charlotte wins 5-2
 
The Blades made some turnovers early in the first period which enabled Charlotte to capitalize on.   A pair of goals by Jeff Miles put the Blades behind the eight ball 2-0 at the end of the first period.
 
Florida came out ready to play in the second. Blades Captain, and league leading scorer, Kevin Baker, put Florida on the scoreboard at 2:10. Ross Carlson scored on the Checker’s power play to tie the game on a slick unassisted short-handed goal, the Blades’ 13^th shorthanded goal of the season and Carlson’s second.
 
Charlotte was the spoiler at the end of the second when another Florida turnover allowed Peter James Corsi to score giving Charlotte a 3-2 advantage.
 
The Blades fired back showering 22 shots on Jakaitis in the third, but he skillfully turned them all away.   The Blades were unable to get the puck to the back of Charlotte’s net.
 
Florida pulled goaltender Anton Khudobin with about two minutes left in the third.   Charlotte took advantage of the empty net and scored twice in the last 90 seconds by Michael Busto and Jeff Miles, which Miles the hat-trick.
 
Power Play Opportunities:   Florida 0 for 6    /     Charlotte 0 for 7
  
Stars:    (1) Jeff Miles (CHR), (2) Jeff Jakaitis (CHR), (3) Peter James Corsi (CHR)
 
As mentioned earlier, the win was Charlotte’s fourth straight victory over the Everblades.   The Checker’s played in front of a packed house Saturday night in North Carolina, with over 12,000 in attendance.
 
NOTES:
 
Goaltender, Chris Beckford-Tseu, was reassigned to Florida for one game (2/19/09).   He was returned to the Rochester Americans of the AHL.
 
Yannick Tifu has been recalled to the Albany River Rats of the AHL.   This is his third trip to the AHL this season.
 
Several former Everblades players were injured in a bus rollover on I-90 in Massachusetts on Thursday (2/19/09) morning due to inclement weather returning from a game in Lowell.   Former Blade Jonathan Paiement was badly hurt with serious, but not life threatening injuries.
  
Contact the author at: sharon.weatherhead@prohockeynews.com
Photos courtesy of Al Larson (Allarsonphoto.com)