Checkers Lose To Marlies In Return From All-Star Break

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Author: Paul Branecky Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. The Checkers' vice president of communications, Paul Branecky has been covering hockey in North Carolina since 2006, including five seasons with the Carolina Hurricanes.

The Toronto Marlies used a spurt of three goals in less than two minutes to pull away and hand the Checkers their third straight loss, a 6-2 result in Toronto on Friday.Those goals early in the second period, part of a run of four unanswered Marlies tallies after Morgan Geekie had given the Checkers an early lead, gave Toronto all the offense they would need in Charlotte’s first visit to Toronto since last season’s Eastern Conference Final.Max McCormick scored the other goal for Charlotte, whose current run of three consecutive regulation losses marks its longest such streak of the season. Immediately prior to that, the team had won five straight and had just three losses in its previous 16 games combined.Starting goaltender Anton Forsberg made 13 saves for Charlotte before Alex Nedeljkovic replaced him during the Marlies’ torrid run to start the second period.Geekie has points in 10 straight games (7g, 5a), marking the longest point streak by a Checker since Greg McKegg tied a franchise record with a 12-game run from March 10-April 7, 2018 … The last time the Checkers lost three straight games in regulation was part of a four-game run from Jan. 6-13, 2018 … The Checkers have scored a power-play goal in nine straight games that they have been awarded a power-play opportunity (13-for-33, 39.4 percent) … Checkers forward Terry Broadhurst recorded his first point of the season with an assist on Geekie’s goal … The Checkers fell to 2-1-0 against Toronto this season, with the home team winning each game … Forwards Brian Gibbons, Colin Markison, Stelio Mattheos and Kerby Rychel missed the game due to injury … Forward Jacob Pritchard and defenseman Derek Sheppard were healthy extras.The teams will play a rematch in Toronto at 4 p.m. tomorrow before the Checkers return to Charlotte to begin a six-game home stand on Friday, Feb. 7.