CHARLOTTE'S WEB

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – On the strength of three power play goals and 30 saves by John Muse, the Charlotte Checkers glided to a 5-0 victory over the Grand Rapids Griffins on Friday at Van Andel Arena.

Grand Rapids, which fell to 2-2-1-1 on the season and 2-7 all-time against Charlotte, will travel to Chicago tomorrow at 8 p.m. EDT and Iowa on Sunday at 6:05 p.m. EDT before hosting a rematch with the Checkers on Wednesday at 7 p.m.

The Checkers (3-2-0-0) capitalized on a pair of power plays late in the first period to grab a 2-0 lead. At the 17:31 mark, Petr Mrazek was scrambling to get back into position as the puck came to Mark Flood below the left circle, and the defenseman scored on the sharp angle despite Xavier Ouellet’s attempt to hug the post and block the shot.

Veteran Chris Terry notched the other marker 44 ticks before intermission, taking a pass from Michal Jordan and one-timing a laser past Mrazek from the top of the right circle.

After making 10 saves in the opening frame, Mrazek yielded his crease to Tom McCollum to begin the second. The fifth-year backstop made an impressive stop seven minutes in to keep it a two-goal game, robbing Victor Rask on a point-blank deflection with his left pad, but Rask exacted his revenge with 5:28 remaining. Zack Boychuk knocked down Adam Almquist’s clearing attempt and quickly fed Rask, who whipped a shot inside the far post from the right hashmarks.

Brendan Woods was credited with his first pro goal at 8:36 of the third when his centering pass caromed off Ryan Sproul’s skate and through McCollum’s five hole, before Boychuk’s wrister at 14:06 gave the Checkers three power play goals and their ultimate 5-0 margin.

McCollum finished with 20 saves in a no-decision.

Notes: Gustav Nyquist, the Griffins’ leading scorer (3-4—7), and Riley Sheahan were both scratched due to undisclosed ailments…Dating to the playoffs, the Griffins are on a 7-0-1-1 streak on the road and a 0-4 drought at home.

Three Stars: 1. CHA Boychuk (power play goal, two assists); 2. CHA Muse (W, 30 saves, SO); 3. CHA Jordan (three assists)