CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Charlotte Checkers scored three goals in a span of 1:17 in the second period to defeat the Grand Rapids Griffins 3-0 on Friday at the Bojangles Coliseum.

Despite the loss, the Griffins held a 34-7-2-1 record with 71 points in 44 games, and moved to 17-2-1-1 on the road. Grand Rapids went 5-for-5 on their league-leading penalty kill, while Michal Postava recorded 33 saves and stood at 8-3-0 on the season.

At 3:24 in the opening frame, Jack Studnicka raced down on a shorthanded-breakaway attempt and tried to put one past Postava, but he made a kick save to keep the Checkers from drawing first. The Griffins saw 1:43 of a two-man advantage and Austin Watson tried to pop the puck in from the bottom of the left circle, but Cooper Black closed the near-side gap with 6:15 remaining to keep the contest scoreless.

Michael Benning put the Checkers up 1-0 three minutes into the second period when he snapped a wrister from the top of the zone and it squeaked in. Just 40 seconds later, Noah Gregor cut across the slot and tapped a backhander past Postava on the doorstep to claim a two-goal lead for Charlotte. William Skoog tallied the Checkers’ third goal at 4:17 when he fired the puck in from the right hashes. With 4:57 left, Shai Buium attempted to pot one on a wrap-around, but Black blocked the chance with his skate. 

Alex Kannok Leipert let a wrister fly from the blue line at 1:22 in the final slate, but Black swallowed it up to keep Grand Rapids off the board. In two contests against the Griffins, Black tallied 68 stops. Postava came up clutch with 1:17 to go when he made a post-to-post blocker save on Ben Steeves to keep the home team from claiming a fourth goal, but Charlotte ultimately defeated the Griffins 3-0. 

Notes

• William Lagesson skated in his 400th pro game. 

Box Score

Grand Rapids 0 0 0 - 0

Charlotte 0 3 0 - 3

1st Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Steeves Clt (hooking), 2:51; Rychlovský Gr (hooking), 4:42; Hovorka Clt (holding), 12:11; Livingstone Clt (tripping), 12:27.

2nd Period-1, Charlotte, Benning 7 (St. Martin, Vande Sompel), 3:00. 2, Charlotte, Gregor 2 (Studnicka, Carrick), 3:40. 3, Charlotte, Skoog 17 (Mastrosimone), 4:17. Penalties-Tuomisto Gr (delay of game), 5:14; Watson Gr (roughing, misconduct - abuse of officials), 6:45; Kannok Leipert Gr (roughing), 9:24; Powell Clt (holding), 9:24; Skoog Clt (roughing), 9:24; Seger Gr (tripping), 17:06.

3rd Period- No Scoring.Penalties-St. Martin Clt (tripping), 9:22; Watson Gr (slashing, misconduct - unsportsmanlike conduct), 16:39.

Shots on Goal-Grand Rapids 8-12-7-27. Charlotte 14-12-10-36.

Power Play Opportunities-Grand Rapids 0 / 5; Charlotte 0 / 5.

Goalies-Grand Rapids, Postava 8-3-0 (36 shots-33 saves). Charlotte, Black 18-7-2 (27 shots-27 saves).

A-7,227

Three Stars

1. CLT Black (SO,W, 27 saves) 2. CLT Benning (game-winner) 3. CLT Gregor (goal)

Record/Next Game

Grand Rapids: 34-7-2-1 (71 pts.) / Sat., Feb. 7 at Charlotte 6 p.m.

Charlotte: 26-14-3-0 (55 pts.) / Sat., Feb. 7 vs. Grand Rapids 6 p.m.

Photo by Charlotte Checkers