Chirps from Center Ice

The Charlotte Checkers defeated the 11-time Calder Cup Champion Hershey Bears this afternoon via a 2-1 score in overtime. The Checkers scored :35 into the game via Brett Sutter then played nearly 55 minutes of scoreless hockey until Brian Fahey scored with 5:14 left in the third period to tie the game. Finally, Nicolas Blanchard ended it 1:30 into overtime to send the two-time defending Calder Cup Champions home for the summer in April.

The Checkers used the third period to mount their comebacks and win the series ultimately by outscoring Hershey 9-3 aggregate in the final stanza.

Mike Murphy was the savior for the Checkers, returning from injury after Game 3.

Games 1 and 2 in the East Division Finals will be Thursday and Saturday in Wilkes-Barre. The rest of the schedule will be put out by the League this week.

EDIT: Here is the schedule as put forth by the brain trust in Springfield:

Catch 22 for Pens fans. Yes, the Bears are out. But, they won 11 Calder Cups and three in the last five. The fact that the Checkers basically knocked them out is disconcerting.

Season series between WBS and Charlotte was 7-1-0-0 for the Pens with a win coming in the shootout. The one loss was a 9-4 drubbing on the tail of a three in three for WBS while the Checkers were rested and waiting for the Pens on a Sunday afternoon in Wilkes-Barre.

Jonathan Bombulie will have a preview all week on his blog and in the Citizens Voice. He usually breaks these series down by looking at forwards, defense and goaltending (as any good beat writer would do) but let me take a crack at it:

Forwards: Advantage Checkers – Charlotte is four lines dangerous.

Defense: Advantage Penguins, slightly. A few of the Checkers are more offensively gifted, but some of those +/- numbers on the blueline are staggering. Bryan Rodney was a -15 this year.

Goaltending: Advantage Penguins and it’s not even close. Brad Thiessen and John Curry were in rarefied air this year and Mike Murphy is coming off of injury, Justin Pogge is too easily rattled.

Prediction: Pens avenge the sweep done to them in last years first round by the then Albany River Rats (old Carolina Hurricanes AHL affiliate) and win in 6 games.

Game 1 is Thursday in Wilkes-Barre at 7:05. We’ll run a few things this week on the blog leading up to Thursday night.

Let’s Go Pens!