Checkers Take Home a Point in Austin, Falling 4-3 in Shootout

CanesFanAlwaysAway — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 15:49:37 -0000

The Charlotte Checkers took their momentum from a win in Houston into Austin, Texas, but couldn't hold on to a 3-1 lead, losing in the ninth round of the shootout 4-3 in front of a home-opener crowd of 5,072.

After a scoreless first period, Zach Boychuk got the Checkers started with a partial breakaway, lifting his own rebound over the shoulder of Texas goalie Jack Campbell. Cody Eakin would score to tie the game at one, and the teams would end the second tied, with Charlotte on the powerplay.

In the third period, Charlotte scored twice on the powerplay, pulling out to a 3-1 lead and controlling play on the strength of three straight penalties by Texas. However, the Checkers began experiencing penalty trouble of their own, and the Stars scored on the powerplay while Rasmus Rissanen sat for his second cross-checking penalty of the game. Eakin would later score again, this time shorthanded, on a glove-high shot from the hashmarks to tie the game at three, where the game would remain through the end of overtime.

Jerome Samson of the Checkers and Matt Fraser of the Stars would score in the first three rounds of the shootout, leading to extra shooters. Finally, in the ninth round of the shootout, defenseman Jordie Benn deked around Dan Ellis for the game winner.

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Checkers Take Home a Point in Austin, Falling 4-3 in Shootout