The Checkers pushed themselves back into the win column Friday night in Lehigh Valley, upending the Phantoms 5-3. 
The back-and-forth contest ended in thrilling fashion, as Cole Schwindt fought through traffic and redirected a Connor Carrick shot into the back of the net to push the visitors on top with five minutes left on the clock. The Phantoms couldn’t muster a response from there, as netminder Evan Fitzpatrick and the Checkers shut things down and rode out a key Atlantic Division victory.
The Checkers found themselves in a rare situation for them this season – trailing after 20 minutes of play. The offense ramped up as the contest progressed, however, reversing their recent trend.
ICYMI Cole Schwindt’s late heroics earned the Checkers a win last night in Lehigh Valley! https://t.co/ardGwpp9QQ
— Charlotte Checkers (@CheckersHockey) December 4, 2021
Logan Hutsko and Henry Bowlby lit the lamp in the middle frame to deadlock things going into the second intermission, and then Cale Fleury launched a seeing-eye shot from the point to tie things once again early on in the third, setting the stage for Schwindt’s late heroics.
Fitzpatrick, in his Checkers debut, stood up to the Phantoms attack and turned in 25 saves to claim the win.
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