Checkers Hit Holidays on High Note with Win Over San Antonio

The Checkers wrapped up their home stand before the holidays with an impressive 3-1 win over the San Antonio Rampage.

Two days after their first meeting, the two squads were again locked in a tight, low scoring battle. Phil Di Giuseppe put the Checkers on the board first after being sprung on a breakaway courtesy of a beauty of a pass from Justin Shugg, who joined the team this morning after being sent down from Carolina. San Antonio’s Steven Hodges evened things four minutes later, ramming home a loose puck in front.

The tie was short lived, however, as Chad LaRose lit the lamp for the eventual game-winner later in the frame thanks to a strong individual effort, carrying the puck into the zone and sending a backhander off the far post and in as he was being brought down by a defender. The goal marked the third straight game that LaRose has scored and moved him into third on the team with seven on the season. The Checkers clamped down for the remainder of the game, and an empty-netter from Ben Holmstrom sealed the deal and sent the Checkers into the holiday break with a win.

The Checkers once again stifled the Rampage’s offense, holding them to just one goal on 26 shots. They did so with just five healthy defensemen on the bench, as Rasmus Rissanen was forced to leave the game with an injury.

“It was huge,” said head coach Jeff Daniels of his defensive corps’ play. “Obviously you lose Riss and you lose a big-minute guy for us who plays in all situations. You ask Dennis (Robertson) and Mike Little to step up and play more minutes for us and I thought they did well. It was a great effort.”

The team has struggled throughout this season with staying out of the box but only went on the penalty kill three times in this game, tying a season low. One of those occurred with seven minutes remaining in the game as the Checkers were able to hold the one-goal lead they gave up in the last minute of their 3-2 shootout loss to the Rampage on Friday.

“I’ve got total confidence in our PK and what they’re able to do, but you’re asking them to kill six or seven kills a night it’s taxing on those guys and really disrupts the flow of our five-on-five game,” said Daniels. “We knew coming in we wanted to skate with sticks on the ice and good habits and for the most part we stayed out of the box tonight.”

The offense came from two of the Checkers’ top threats in Shugg and LaRose, the latter of whom has started to get his legs under him and has seen his game begin to click, having lit the lamp in three consecutive games. With the team desperately starved for offense, seeing those two heat up is certainly a welcome sight.

“[Shugg] is a good asset to have in the top six where he’s capable of producing offense,” said Daniels. “As we’ve talked all year, we need offense and he’s a guy that can help produce that.

“[LaRose] was tenacious,” said Daniels. “Total second and third effort on that goal. He’s been a real, real strong leader for us. He’s taken 29 or 30 games now to get to where his game needs to be but if he keeps playing like that it’s definitely a positive for us.”

With today’s tilt marking their fourth in six days, the Checkers will now enjoy a much deserved break for the holidays before traveling down to Texas to take on the Stars on the 27th.

“Obviously we want to keep playing but I think we’ve got some guys in there that are kind of tired based on the minutes they were playing,” said Daniels. “Also for a lot of first-year guys, that’s a lot of hockey for them.”

“It’s nice,” said Di Giuseppe, a rookie who joined the team from the college ranks. “Last year I only played 34 games and this year I think we’re at 29 already. I kind of like it. The pace is nice and it’s a good time for a break.”

Daniels had stressed the importance of this four-game home stand to getting the team back into the hunt in the conference. Getting five of a possible eight points to head into the break seems to be a step in the right direction, but the team the team knows they have to keep the momentum going into next weekend.

“I think it’s coming at the right time for us with going into the break feeling good about the way we need to play,” said Daniels. “Again, it doesn’t get any easier right after the break. Right away Texas is a great team and OK City is another strong team.”

“Just trying to bring a winning mentality and coming to the rink every day and make sure that it’s fun,” said Shugg.

“Just keep playing like we are,” said Di Giuseppe. “Keep battling through and being positive.”

NOTES

Charlotte’s 15 shots on goal tied a franchise record for fewest in a single game set earlier this season … The Rampage won each of their last five meetings with the Checkers dating back to March 23 of last season … The Checkers enter the break on a three-game point streak (2-0-1) … LaRose now has goals and points in three straight games (3g, 1a) … Ryan Murphy, who assisted on LaRose’s goal, has assists and points in four straight games (5a) … Forward Justin Shugg was in the lineup after playing for Carolina last night and driving to Charlotte in the morning and picked up the assist on Di Giuseppe’s goal … Checkers defenseman Trevor Carrick had a game-high, plus-3 rating … MacIntyre leaves Charlotte on Friday to represent Canada in the Spengler Cup in Switzerland and will miss each of the Checkers’ next three games … Forwards Greg Nemisz and Brody Sutter and defensemen Keegan Lowe and Beau Schmitz missed the game due to injury … Forward Gabriel Desjardins was a healthy extra.