The Charlotte Checkers picked up three points over the weekend hosting the Lehigh Valley Phantoms at Bojangles Coliseum to remain in fifth place in the American Hockey League’s Atlantic Division.
On Saturday, Charlotte couldn’t hold on to multiple leads in the third period and ended up falling 6-5 when Bobby Brink scored his second goal of the game with 15 seconds left in overtime.
After Brink opened the scoring, the Checkers took a 2-1 lead to the final frame thanks to goals from Patrick Giles, lone assist to Patrick Khodorenko, and Mackie Samsokevich. Samoskevich’s 13th was set up by Casey Fitzgerald and Justin Sourdif.
A wild, back-and-forth, seven-goal third period saw Wilmer Skoog score twice to hit double digits and Sourdif collect his 11th goal of the season. Uvis Balinskis drew the only helper on Skoog’s first goal; Alexander True and Ryan McAllister had the assists on Sourdif’s power-play marker; and Samoskevich and Lucas Carlsson were credited with the assists on Skoog’s go-ahead goal, which was matched 1:29 later by Lehigh Valley’s Olle Lycksell.
Evan Cormier took the loss, finishing with 22 saves on 28 shots.
Gerry Mayhew scored two power-play goals and added two assists to power the Checkers to a 6-3 win in the second half of the back-to-back yesterday as Charlotte limited the Phantoms to 13 shots on goal.
Cameron Morrison also scored twice and True and Carlsson notched the other goals for the Checkers.
Rasmus Asplund and Giles had two assists apiece and Carlsson, Fitzgerald and McAllister also picked up helpers.
Spencer Knight only had to make ten saves to post his 17th win. Knight sports a 2.72 GAA and .894 save percentage.
Carlsson currently leads Charlotte in goals (15), assists (24) and points (39). Samoskevich is tied for second on the team in goals with Mayhew (13) and is second in scoring with 32 points.
The Checkers (25-20-6) will open a three-game road trip on Wednesday against the Hartford Wolf Pack.