CHARLOTTE, N.C. β The Charlotte Checkers are the most consistently successful pro sports franchise in town.
On Wednesday, the team clinched a spot in the Calder Cup Playoffs for the seventh-consecutive season, rallying to beat the Providence Bruins, 5-2 at Bojangles Coliseum.
They did it with ten games to go.
“To be honest, I knew that was probably a scenario, but I was focused on playing winning hockey,” coach Geordie Kinnear said. “This group deserves an opportunity to keep playing, so they get that opportunity. We want to make sure we keep playing.
Charlotte went ahead early on a power-play goal from Trevor Carrick, but then fell behind 2-1 by the start of the third period.
But another power-play goal from John Leonard, his 30th, tied it, and Jesse Puljujarvi again scored on a man advantage to put Charlotte ahead.
The Checkers, who won the 2019 Calder Cup Playoffs, scored a pair of empty-net goals for good measure, punctuating another playoff trip.
“I donβt think anyone really knew about it, to be completely honest,” Leonard said. “We knew we were in a good spot and Providence was a game ahead of us and it could be a huge swing, so it was awesome to get both points.
Charlotte has won four-straight games and currently sits in second place in the Atlantic Division.
The team has home games against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins this Saturday and Sunday.
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