Checkers shell Marlies to take 2-1 series lead

Photo: Christian Bonin

Charlotte rode the momentum from their come-from-behind win on Saturday and defeated Toronto, 5-1, in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals at Coca-Cola Coliseum on Tuesday night.

The Checkers lead two games to one in the best-of-seven series. Game 4 is scheduled for Thursday night in Toronto (7 p.m. ET, AHLTV, TSN2).

After scoring the final five goals of Game 2, Charlotte scored the first five goals of Game 3 en route to handing the Marlies their first back-to-back regulation losses since Feb. 13-15.

Charlotte opened the scoring 8:28 into the contest as Trevor Carrick one-timed a blast from the left point that beat Kasimir Kaskisuo for his first goal of the postseason. Carrick extended his scoring streak to seven games with the point.

The Checkers made it 2-0 at 13:54 as Tomas Jurco forced a turnover behind the Marlies net and then deflected Patrick Brown’s shot past Kaskisuo for his sixth goal of the playoffs.

In the second period, Charlotte killed off a long 5-on-3 Marlies power play and then opened up a 3-0 lead with 1:30 to go in the middle frame when Andrew Poturalski batted a rebound of Aleksi Saarela‘s shot out of mid-air at the side of the cage.

Brown capped a three-point night with a goal at 8:57 of the third, and Morgan Geekie fired home his sixth goal of the playoffs at 15:23.

Mason Marchment broke up Alex Nedeljkovic‘s shutout bid with a power-play goal with 2:10 left in the game. Nedeljkovic (7-2) made 33 saves on the night.

Kaskisuo (8-2) stopped 19 of 22 shots in two periods of work. Michael Hutchinson made his first appearance of the postseason and recorded three saves.

Eastern Conference Finals – Series “M” (best-of-7)
A1-Charlotte Checkers vs. N3-Toronto Marlies
Game 1 – Fri., May 17 – Toronto 2, CHARLOTTE 1 | Recap/Highlights
Game 2 – Sat., May 18 – CHARLOTTE 5, Toronto 3 | Recap/Highlights
Game 3 – Tue., May 21 – Charlotte 5, TORONTO 1
Game 4 – Thu., May 23 – Charlotte at Toronto, 7:00, AHLTV, TSN2
Game 5 – Fri., May 24 – Charlotte at Toronto, 7:00, AHLTV, TSN2
*Game 6 – Sun., May 26 – Toronto at Charlotte, 7:00, AHLTV
*Game 7 – Tue., May 28 – Toronto at Charlotte, 7:00, AHLTV
*if necessary… All times Eastern