CHARLOTTE, NC – The Checkers’ 2018 postseason debut didn’t start out the way they wanted, but it ended with a furious rally and an overtime winner to take Game 1 over the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
The two squads went toe-to-toe for the first 40 minutes but only the visitors could break through, carrying a 2-0 lead into the second intermission. The Checkers continued to push and finally solved Penguins’ netminder Tristan Jarry thanks to a snipe from Aleksi Saarela early on in the third. Charlotte jumped on the reeling Pens minutes later, taking advantage of their sixth power-play of the game as Valentin Zykov hammered home a rebound out front to even the score.
The contest proceeded beyond regulation and the overtime proved to be all Checkers. After outshooting the visitors 5-0 and dominating possession, Lucas Wallmark redirected a point shot to the back of the net to lift the Checkers and give Charlotte a 1-0 lead in the Atlantic Division Semifinals.
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