CHARLOTTE, NC – Charlotte have not won for four games, this has allowed the Chicago Wolves to leapfrog them in to the number one position in the division. The Checkers have lead the Midwest Division since the beginning of the year, the 3-1 loss to the Wolves is maybe a wake-up call.
For some reason, Charlotte has been unable to score goals, with only six in the last four games. In three of those games the loss came through an overtime or shootout situation. Charlotte’s only goal of the evening was scored by Zac Dalpe, although Charlotte did have opportunities, with Michal Jordan and Evgenii Dadonov hitting the post in the first period.
The Checkers had not allowed a power-play goal for eight games, with Chicago having the worst power-play record in the league who would have expected the visitors to score two of their goals with a one-man advantage. Two goals on a power-play from the Wolves, Darren Hayder in the first and third period sealed Charlotte’s fate.
In between Hayder’s goals Andrew Gordon scored Chicago’s second early in the third. Both goalies, Eddie Lack (Chicago) and Justin Peters made 24 saves each. Lack improved to 4-1-0 against Charlotte.
The Checkers started the evening with the AHL’s second-best penalty kill record, a run of 26 consecutive penalty kills had been broken by the Wolves. Charlotte have the opportunity of putting things right when they meet the Wolves in the eighth and last game of their series this afternoon at Time Warner Cable Arena, face-off 3pm.
Zac Dalpe, who had not scored in the six previous games for Charlotte won the Roll up Your Sleeves Hardest Worker of the Game award.
EddieMitchell@ProHockeyNews.com
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