Charlotte overwhelmed Hershey with a 38-18 shot advantage.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. β The Charlotte Checkers outshot and outscored the Hershey Bears en route to a convincing 3-1 victory Saturday afternoon at Bojangles Coliseum. Michael Benning’s late third-period goal broke a 1-1 tie before Kyle Criscuolo sealed the win with an empty-netter in front of 8,665 fans.
The Checkers controlled the pace throughout, outshooting the Bears 38-18 in a game that remained scoreless through the first period. John Leonard finally broke through at 17:31 of the second period with his 21st goal of the season, assisted by Kyle Criscuolo.
Hershey’s Hendrix Lapierre evened the score at 5:22 of the third period with his third goal of the season, converting off a feed from Chase Priskie.Β
Benning, who earned first star honors, netted the game-winner with just 28 seconds remaining in regulation. The defenseman’s sixth goal of the season came off assists from Rasmus Asplund and Justin Sourdif. Criscuolo then added his 17th goal into an empty net with eight seconds left to secure the victory.
Chris Driedger earned second star honors for Charlotte, stopping 17 of 18 shots in a strong performance. Despite the loss, Hunter Shepard was outstanding for Hershey, making 35 saves while facing constant pressure.
The game featured nine minor penalties, with neither team able to convert on the power play. Charlotte went 0-for-4 with the man advantage, while Hershey finished 0-for-5.
The Checkers’ aggressive offensive approach was evident from the opening faceoff, as they outshot Hershey in every period: 7-3 in the first, 15-6 in the second, and 16-9 in the final frame.
Leonard, who earned third star recognition for his second-period goal, finished with four shots on goal. The left winger’s tally continued his strong season, as he reached the 21-goal mark.
