CHECKERS SPOOK PHANTOMS 

VERSUS

SAMSON’S LATE GOAL LIFTS CHECKERS OVER PHANTOMS
Murphy makes 32 saves, now 7-3-0 in last 10 starts

GLENS FALLS, NY – Jerome Samson broke a 1-1 tie with 4:16 remaining in the third period and the Charlotte Checkers defeated the Adirondack Phantoms, 2-1, at Glens Falls Civic Center on Friday night.

Mike Murphy earned his third win in his last five decisions by making 32 saves on 33 shots. With their second straight win at Adirondack, the Checkers improved to 4-0-0 in the season series.

Despite a solid effort, former Philadelphia Flyers netminder Michael Leighton took the loss by allowing two goals on 38 shots.

Andrew Rowe, who scored the game-winning goal in Wednesday’s win, put Adirondack ahead, 1-0, 11:56 into the first period. Rowe’s seventh of the season was assisted by J.P. Testuide and Rob Bordson

The score remained 1-0 Phantoms into the second period, until Checkers forward Brad Herauf tied the game by jamming home the rebound off a shot by Brett Sutter. Herauf’s second of the season came at the 5:49 mark of the period.

The two teams traded quality scoring chances in the first half of the third period, but Leighton and Murphy were solid and kept things tied at 1-1.

Samson then broke the tie, with less than five minutes to play, when he one-timed a feed from Bryan Rodney over Leighton’s shoulder. Minutes earlier, Denis Hamel nearly gave Adirondack the lead by firing a shot off the crossbar. Brett Carson earned an assist on Samson’s fourth game-winning goal of the season.

The Phantoms fired 15 third-period shots at Murphy but couldn’t solve the rookie goaltender as Charlotte improved to 2-1-0 on its current road trip.

The Checkers (26-17-5) will travel to Hershey tomorrow to take on the two-time defending champs at 2 p.m. Bryan Rodney and Jerome Samson will represent Charlotte at the 2011 AHL All-Star Classic on Sunday and Monday. Fans can catch all the action at www.AHLLive.com or on the NHL Center Ice package.

Notes:

The Checkers have power-play goals in six straight games… Brett Carson is now on a three-game point streak…Brett Sutter has 5g, 6a in his last 11 games… Zac Dalpe has 14 points (2g, 12a) in his last nine games…Mike Murphy is 7-2-0 in the last nine games he has started.

Charlotte Checkers 2 at Adirondack Phantoms 1 – Status: Official Final
Friday, January 28, 2011 – Glens Falls Civic Center

Charlotte 0 1 1 – 2
Adirondack 1 0 0 – 1

1st Period-1, Adirondack, Rowe 7 (Testwuide, Bordson), 11:56. Penalties-Nash Cha (tripping), 5:19; Sutter Cha (hooking), 7:13; Samson Cha (delay of game), 7:32; Holmstrom Adk (tripping), 7:32.

2nd Period-2, Charlotte, Herauf 2 (Sutter, Blanchard), 15:49. Penalties-Rinaldo Adk (hooking), 2:30; Gustafsson Adk (interference), 5:31; Rinaldo Adk (slashing), 18:14.

3rd Period-3, Charlotte, Samson 23 (Rodney, Carson), 15:44 (PP). Penalties-Bowman Cha (hooking), 4:49; Bellemore Cha (tripping), 12:34; Kalinski Adk (interference), 14:04.

Shots on Goal-Charlotte 14-16-8-38. Adirondack 11-7-15-33.
Power Play Opportunities-Charlotte 1 / 4; Adirondack 0 / 4.
Goalies-Charlotte, Murphy 11-9-2 (33 shots-32 saves). Adirondack, Leighton 2-6-1 (38 shots-36 saves).
A-3,869
Referees-Tim Mayer (19).
Linesmen-Mike Emanatian (69), Steve Lemay (64).