CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Charlotte Checkers recent power play troubles seemed to vanish on Wednesday as they scored three goals with the man advantage and downed the South Carolina Stingrays, 7-0. Tyler Doig led the way offensively with one goal and four assists and Miika Wiikman stopped all 36 shots he faced for his 10th career shutout.
Charlotte struck first for the fifth game in a row on a goal by leading scorer Michel Leveille, just over nine minutes into the game. Leveille gained the zone and fired a shot between the legs of a Stingrays defenseman and past South Carolina goaltender Todd Ford for his eighth of the year.
The Checkers would add two more, 30 seconds apart, before the end of the period, including a power-play goal by Kenny Roche and an even-strength tally by rookie Andrew Carroll. Carroll has now scored a goal in each of his last four games.
Just 19 seconds into the second period, Roche streaked down the left wing and beat Ford with a wrist shot for his second of the game and fourth of the season, increasing the Checkers lead to four.
The power play kept clicking as Doig and Devin DiDiomete each scored with the man-advantage midway through the second, making it a 6-0 game. Doig took a pass from Leveille and let go a one-timer that beat Ford, while DiDiomete tipped a Daniel Tkaczuk shot into the top corner of the net.
Just over six minutes into the third, the Checkers would put the game away on Tkaczuk’s first goal of the season. Doig dished a pass to Tkaczuk in front of the net who then made a nifty move and tucked the puck around the Stingrays netminder for the seventh and final goal of the game.
Wiikman stopped 15 third-period shots for the shutout, while Ford stopped 23 of 30 in a losing cause for South Carolina.
The Checkers (7-3-2-0) will hostJohnstown on Friday and Saturday at Time Warner Cable Arena. Game times are 7 p.m. and ticket information can be obtained by calling 704-342-4-ICE or visiting www.gocheckers.com.
Notes: Head Coach Derek Wilkinson recorded his 200th win on Sunday…Tyler Doig now has nine points (1g, 8a) in his last four games…Michel Leveille leads the team in scoring with 17 pts (8g, 9a) in 12 games…rookie Andrew Carroll has a goal in each of his last four games…Derek Couture remains on loan to Hartford, Matt Ford remains with Lake Erie (AHL) and defenseman Ethan Graham is with Norfolk (AHL)…Ryan Munce, Trevor Glass and Randy Rowe are all on the 21-day injured reserve.
