CHARLOTTE, N.C. � In the second game of a two-game weekend series, the Charlotte Checkers scored two power-play goals to lift past the Mississippi Sea Wolves and sweep the set with a 4-1 final on Saturday night before 7,091 at Cricket Arena.
�The second power-play goal cost us,� Mississippi coach Bob Woods said. �We can�t dwell on this three-game losing streak. No one is going to feel sorry for us. We have to make sure that we�re ready to go on Tuesday at home against Columbia.�
Charlotte (31-18-3, 65 points) scored the first goal of the game at 11:01 of the first period. Thomas Bellemare ripped a shot from the right circle past Phil Sauve for his second of the season. Eddie Pershin and Dusty Jamieson registered assists.
The Checkers went up 2-0 on a power play in the second. Rory Rawlyk snapped a shot from the left point deflected in the slot by Lee Falardeau, who notched his 15th goal of the campaign. Mike Wirll also picked up an assist.
Mississippi (24-19-4, 52 points) beat Charlotte goaltender late in the middle stanza. But the net became dislodged before a slot shot from Chris Cava went in. The goal was immediately waved off by referee Brian Thul.
The Sea Wolves officially solved Guard at 5:30 of the third. Cava sent a wrist shot over the left glove of Guard on the power-play to tally his seventh goal of the campaign. Nicolas Corbeil and Louis Dumont garnered helpers.
Charlotte regained its two-goal lead on a power-play at 14:16. Dwight Helminen deposited his fifth goal of the year at the side, which was set up by Rawlyk and Jason Dawe.
In the waning moments, Mississippi pulled its goaltender for the extra attacker, only to have it backfire. Pershin scored his 20th of the season and second empty-netter in as many nights. Ryan Glenn had the lone helper with 1:19 remaining in regulation.
Additional note: ECHL Commissioner Brian McKenna was on hand from the league office in Princeton, New Jersey.
Mississippi converted on 1-of-4 power play chances, while Charlotte went 2-for-6. Checkers outshot the Sea Wolves 39-26.
The Sea Wolves return home for their next game at 7:05 p.m. on Tuesday against the Columbia Inferno at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum.
Individual tickets can be purchased at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum box office, all Ticketmaster locations, by calling (228) 385-2600 and online at ticketmaster.com.
Watch the live web telecast for $6, courtesy of B2 Networks, online at msseawolves.com. Listen live on flagship radio station WGCM-AM 1240, or online at msseawolves.com, courtesy of Teamline. The pregame show gets underway 15 minutes prior to the drop of the puck.
Flex packs, discounted groups tickets, birthday packages and fundraiser opportunities are available by calling (228) 275-WOLF or online at msseawolves.com.
--- Box Score ---
ECHL FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
MISSISSIPPI 0 0 1 1
CHARLOTTE 1 1 2 4 FINAL
GOAL SCORING:
1ST PRD: CHA - THOMAS BELLEMARE 2 (EDUARD PERSHIN, DUSTY JAMIESON)
11:01
2ND PRD: CHA - (PP) LEE FALARDEAU 15 (MIKE WIRLL, RORY RAWLYK) 9:00
3RD PRD: MIS - (PP) CHRIS CAVA 7 (NICOLAS CORBEIL, LUCAS DRAKE) 5:30
CHA - DWIGHT HELMINEN 5 (RORY RAWLYK, JASON DAWE) 14:16
CHA - EDUARD PERSHIN 20 (RYAN GLENN) 18:41
POWER-PLAY CONVERSIONS: MIS - 1 OF 4, CHA - 2 OF 6.
SHOTS ON GOAL: 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
MIS 6 11 9 26
CHA 16 7 16 39
GOALIES: MIS - PHILIPPE SAUVE
CHA - KELLY GUARD
OFFICIALS: REF - BRIAN THUL
LIN - BRAD PHILLIPS, KEVIN FERGUSON
ATT: 7,091
