KALAMAZOO, MI -- The Charlotte Checkers made their first ever trip to Michigan and were edged, 2-1, by the Kalamazoo Wings on Friday night. The loss snapped a three-game win streak for Charlotte, who falls to 7-6-2 on the road this season.
Andrew Carroll recorded his third goal in four games and Ryan Munce stopped 25 of 27 shots in a losing cause for the Checkers. The game’s three goals were scored in a span of 1:06 in the second period.
Despite several scoring chances and power plays for both teams in the first period, neither could generate any offense and the score remained knotted at 0-0 heading into the locker room.
Kalamazoo opened the scoring just over six minutes into the second frame on a goal by Mathieu Curadeau. Curadeau, using a Checkers defenseman as a screen, took a wrist shot from just inside the left circle that beat Munce over the glove. The goal was Curadeau’s 13th and was assisted by Louis Liotti and Will Colbert.
The Checkers would tie the game 33 seconds later when Andrew Carroll skated into the zone and blasted the puck past Ryan Nie on the glove side for his 13th of the year. Jean-Philipp Chabot and Mike Taylor picked up assists on the play.
The celebration wouldn’t last long, however, as Kalamazoo jumped ahead 33 seconds later on a goal by Matt Jones. Jones skated into the Checkers zone and took a harmless-looking slapshot that seemed to fool Munce on the blocker side.
Charlotte applied some late pressure, however, Nie stopped everything that came his way to preserve the 2-1 victory.
The two teams will meet again tomorrow night at Wings Stadium in Kalamazoo.
The Checkers (18-11-4-0) will continue their northern swing in Kalamazoo and Toledo before returning home to host the Gwinnett Gladiators on Wednesday. Game time is 7 p.m. and ticket information can be obtained by calling 704-342-4-ICE or visiting www.gocheckers.com.
