 |
| POWER
PLAY |
20TH
- 15.4 |
| PENALTY
KILL |
9TH
- 83.9 |
| FORWARDS |
| JEFF
KYRZAKOS |
21-32-53
(-11) |
| CHRIS
CAPRARO |
24-27-51
(-1) |
| BLAKE
BELLEFEUILLE |
23-24-47
(-12) |
| DEFENSEMEN |
| KENTON
SMITH |
8-23-31
(+14) |
| MATT
WADDELL |
4-14-18
(-6) |
| RYAN
CONSTANT |
3-15-18
(-15) |
| GOALTENDERS |
| CHRIS
HOLT |
15-13-1
(3 SO)
2.72 GA
.915 PCT |
|
| MIKE
AYERS |
10-8-0
(1 SO)
3.38 GA
.896 PCT |
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
Charlotte
vs Gwinnett |
|
|
SCHEDULE |
|
1 |
APR.
8 |
CHARLOTTE
0 - GWINNETT 4 |
SEED
6 |
2 |
APR.
10 |
CHARLOTTE
1 - GWINNETT 4 |
SEED
3 |
34-31-1
(75) |
3 |
APR.
12 |
GWINNETT
2 - CHARLOTTE
1 |
44-23-2
(93) |
| |
4 |
APR.
14 |
GWINNETT
at CHARLOTTE |
|
| |
5 |
APR.
15 |
CHARLOTTE
at GWINNETT |
|
| Gwinnett
Wins Series 3-0 |
|
SERIES
PREVIEW |
| |
With two former ECHL MVPs on the roster and a good puck-moving defense the Gwinnett Gladiators hope to score a lot of goals against Charlotte. It would be unwise for the Checkers to get into a shooting match with Gwinnett, so they are going to have to play with grit to move on.
Forwards: Gwinnett’s Brad Schell (29 games, 8-30-38)
and the ECHL’s third leading scorer Jeff Campbell (26-65-91)
have each won the loop’s MVP award in recent years. The
pair along with Lou Dickenson, Mike Hamilton, Guillaume
Desbiens and Chad Painchaud (14 points in 10 games) forms
the backbone of a balanced and explosive attack. In addition
to scoring the forwards chipped in to assist the defense
post the top penalty-killing record in the ECHL this season.
Charlotte received a boost when Ryan Murphy came back
to the team from Lowell (AHL). In addition to Murphy,
Checkers coach Derek Wilkinson has hopes injured forwards
Mike Bayrack and Lee Falardeau can contribute. While not
as explosive, the Checkers are deep up front with Bruce
Graham, leading-scorer Jeff Kyrzakos, Chris Capraro, Blake
Bellefuille, Justin Maiser and Tom Pyatt available.
Defense: Charlotte has the three Smiths (Kenton,
Kenny and Mark) ready to play in this series. The Smiths
and Matt Waddell, Ryan Constant, Michael Busto and Kirk
DeWaele will have their respective hands full trying to
slow the Gladiators down. Gwinnett boasts high-end talent
on the blueline with ECHL Second Team All-Star Jamie Milam
(13-41-54) and the return of Chad Denny and Jim Jackson
from Peoria (AHL). The rest of the defense is young and
will lean on the top three for experience in the series.
Goaltending; Craig Kowalski won 29 games for the Gladiators
this season and for his efforts he was voted to the league’s
second all-star team. Kowalski (29-11, 2.33 GAA and .923
save percentage) has stats which are decidedly better
than backup Dan Turple’s are. On the other side Charlotte
has Chris Holt (2.72 GAA) and veteran Mike Ayers (3.38
GAA) to counter Kowalski.
What to expect: Charlotte did not finish the season
on a roll as they lost seven of their last eight games.
But the Checkers get a fresh start this week and their
last win was by a 5-3 score against the Gladiators in
Georgia. Coach Derek Wilkinson knows his team has to keep
the high-powered Gwinnett power play unit off the ice
for the most part and his Checkers need to play an all-around,
opportunistic game to win. Jeff Pyle and the Gladiators
have a well-balanced club which plays well when shorthanded.
Expect Pyle and his team to come right at the Checkers
in an effort to overmatch them and dispatch Charlotte
quickly. |
|
Game
1 |
Charlotte
0 - Gwinnett 4 |
| by
Tom Schettino - PROHOCKEYNEWS.COM |
Gwinnett
Leads Series 1-0 |
Duluth,
GA - By the time this game was finished
there was not much doubt which of the two clubs was better
on the evening. Gwinnett led Charlotte in shots on goal,
goals and by the time the game was completed they had
held the Checkers scoreless.
Four different players scored for the Gladiators and Craig
Kowalski was unblemished as he steered away 27 parries
by the punchless Checkers.
Matt Anderson started the evening off for Gwinnett when
he scored with just over two minutes left in the first
period of play. Anderson was followed by Tomas Pospisil
and Brad Schell in the second frame and Mike Hamilton
in the third period to round out the scoring.
Chris Holt took the loss for South Carolina despite putting
up 32 saves in a losing effort.
Game Two of this series is set for Thursday night at the
same venue.
Charlotte will have to find a way to dent Kowalski if
they want to avoid a two-game deficit before returning
home to North Carolina. |
|
Game
2 |
Charlotte
1 - Gwinnett 4 |
| PROHOCKEYNEWS.COM |
Gwinnett
Leads Series 2-0 |
Duluth,
GA - The Charlotte Checkers followed up their 4-0 defeat in game one with increased intensity and poured 38 shots on Gwinnett goaltender Craig Kowalski in an effort to knot the series. The story would have been a testament to Charlotte's ability to come back had Kowalski showed the Checkers any mercy.
Fortunately for Gwinnett their goaltender stood his ground and limited the Checkers to a single third period tally by Justin Maiser. Tonight's effort lowered Kowalski's goals against average to a mere half a goal per game (0.50) after the first two games of the series.
The Gladiators did produce some offense--at least from their blueliners--as they mustered 32 shots of their own. Gwinnett received all of their scores by defensemen as Jeff Mason connected for a pair while Jamie Milam and Jim Jackson each scored single goals. The forwards did not have the night totally off as former ECHL MVPs Jeff Campbell and Brad Schell each registered a trio of assists.
Gwinnett will try to advance past this series in North Carolina on Saturday night. If the Checkers should win that game, game four will be held at the same venue next Monday. |
|
Game
3 |
Gwinnett
2 - Charlotte 1 |
| PROHOCKEYNEWS.COM |
Gwinnett
Wins Series 2-0 |
Charlotte,
NC - Who knew the Gladiators could play so well defensively? Jeff Pyle's clubs have traditionally been known as an offensive juggernaut that tries to outgun their opponents. Based upon Gwinnett's play against Charlotte it looks as if Pyle is going to have to dust off his resume' and add a line or two about defense.
The Gladiators held the Checkers to a single goal over the first two games and it appeared at the time the reason could be placed on the shoulders of netminder Craig Kowalski. Kowalski, a fourth-year pro, had played superbly in goal as he stopped 64 of the 65 shots taken against him in the first two games of the series.
Game three had a chance to be different because Pyle inserted Atlanta Thrashers' prospect Dan Turple in goal in a move that screamed "player development". That was until Turple and his teammates limited the Checkers to a single goal on 24 shots and finished the series with just two goals against in the three contests.
Charlotte also played a tight game as they limited the powerful Gladiators to 27 shots on goal. Neither team could score in the first period and the game went nearly seven minutes deep into the second period before the first goal was scored.
The score came with Charlotte's Mark Lee in the penalty box for roughing when Mike Hamilton tallied with assistance from Jeff Mason and Tomas Pospisil. Defender Jim Jackson doubled the lead when he notched the eventual series-winning goal late in the middle frame.
Turple kept the Checkers off the scoreboard until Lee Falardeau connected with just a bit more than five minutes left in the game. Charlotte tried desperately to extend their season but could never pull even.
Gwinnett needs to await the results of the other series in the division before they know who they will take on in the next round. The Texas Wildcatters are the first seed and at this time it appears they will cruise into the next round. Home ice is not out of the question as South Carolina, the second seed, has their hands full with Augusta. Should the Lynx upset the Stingrays the Gladiators would own home ice in a series against the winner of the Florida-Columbia series. |
|
|
 |
|
 |
| POWER
PLAY |
2ND
- 21.5 |
| PENALTY
KILL |
1ST
- 87.0 |
| FORWARDS |
| JEFF
CAMPBELL |
26-65-91
(+17) |
| LOU
DICKENSON |
28-34-62
(+17) |
| MIKE
HAMILTON |
23-27-50
(-20) |
| DEFENSEMEN |
| JAMIE
MILAM |
13-41-54
(+22) |
| JOE
GRIMALDI |
4-17-21
(+13) |
| JEFF
MASON |
5-15-20
(+9) |
| GOALTENDERS |
| CRAIG
KOWALSKI |
29-11-0
(2 SO)
2.33 GA
.923 PCT |
|
| DAN
TURPLE |
15-12-2
(0 SO)
3.16 GA
.905 PCT |
|
|
|
