The Charlotte Checkers surrendered three goals in a 2:42 span of the third period in a disappointing 4-3 loss to the Rochester Americans at Blue Cross Arena.
Charlotte’s Patrick Khodorenko opened the scoring 4:52 into the first period, beating Devin Cooley from the left circle after Mike Benning headmanned to Cameron Morrisson and he crossed over to Khodorenko. The helper was Benning first professional assist.
The Americans quickly countered at 6:03 with the goal going to Michael Mersch and the assists to Matthew Savoie and Isak Rosen.
Jake Wise notched his first professional regular season goal at 18:18 on a Checkers power play. The unmarked Wise skated from the side boards into the right circle before slinging a wrist shot over Cooley’s glove. Veteran Rasmus Asplund and Justin Sourdif, just in from Florida, were credited with the assists.
Charlotte’s power play clicked a second time 5:40 into the middle frame. After checking out his options, Wise fed Benning in the high slot and he hammered a one-timer home to put the visitors up by two. Asplund collected his second assist of the night on the play.
It looked like Spencer Knight and the Checkers were on their way to victory, but the wheels fell off late in the third period.
Jiri Kulich halved the deficit at 14:03 and then Aleksandr Kisakov knotted the score 58 seconds later.
Kulich would set up Rosen for the game-winner at the 16:45 to end Charlotte’s road trip (1-2) on sour note.
Knight finished the low-event game with 11 saves on 15 shots. Cooley only had to face 19 shots.
The loss dropped the Checkers to 2-3 on the season. They will return home to face the Bridgeport Islanders on Friday and Saturday.