The Charlotte Checkers earned three points by splitting a weekend set on the road against the two-time defending Calder Cup champion Hershey Bears over the weekend.
On Saturday, John Leonard scored two goals, one on the power play, and added an assist to power the Checkers to a 4-2 win at Giant Center. Kyle Criscuolo scored the eventual game-winner on an early third period man-advantage and veteran Rasmus Asplund iced it into an empty net to complete the scoring, Rookie Sandis Vilmanis collected two assists and Trevor Carrick and Matt Kiersted each contributed a helper. Ken Appleby got the start and made 22 saves.
Charlotte rallied from a two-goal deficit to earn a point in a 4-3 shootout loss on Sunday. After Riley Bezeau opened the scoring with his first of the season, the Bears reeled off three-straight goals, with two going to Ethan Frank. Mike Benning’s power-play marker with 3:06 remaining in the middle frame pulled the Checkers within one. Ryan McAllister evened the score 4:45 into the third, with the assists going to Riese Gaber and Miklus Hovorka. Pierrick Dube notched the only goal of the shootout, beating Cooper Black in the bottom of the third round to end it. Black made 12 saves in the second AHL start of his career.
The Checkers are now 6-1-1 and in second place in the Atlantic Division, just two points behind the Bears, who have played three more games. Charlotte returns to action on Saturday when they welcome the Toronto Marlies for a pair of games at Bojangles Coliseum.