Charlotte Checkers forward Jake Wise battles with San Jose Barracuda defenseman Artem Guryev after the whistle is blown during the Checkers 4-1 win at Bojangles Coliseum on Wednesday JAN 17, 2024. (Charlotte Checkers)

by Marko Ukalovic

The Charlotte Checkers scored the first two goals of the game and went on to defeat the San Jose Barracuda 4-1 on Wednesday evening at Bojangles Coliseum.

San Jose has lost a season worst seven games in a row, including five straight on the road. Charlotte swept the two-games series and has won three games in a row.

The first period featured a scoreless opening 20 minutes. The Checkers outshot the Barracuda 14-12 but both goalies Magnus Chrona and Spencer Knight kept the puck out of their respective nets despite Charlotte had two power plays and San Jose with one.

Charlotte (20-13-4-0) drew first blood early in the second period with an even strength goal. Patrick Giles’ wrist shot went through a sea of traffic in front of Chrona for his seventh goal of the season at the 3:38 mark. Micheal Benning and Skyler Brind’Amour recorded assists on the goal.

The Checkers doubled its lead less than two minutes later. Justin Sourdif found Santtu Kinnunen up at the point, the Finish defenseman faked a shot before firing a wrist shot past Chrona for his fourth goal of the season at the 5:00 mark.

San Jose (11-19-6-0) cut the deficit in half with an even strength goal four minutes later. Tristen Robins picked up a loose puck near the crease, circled around the left slot before funneling a wrist shot past Knight for his second goal of the season. Jack Studnicka and Dani Gushchin recorded assists on Robins’ goal.

Charlotte picked up an insurance goal late in the third period. A shot from the point from Matt Kiersted was cleaned up by Wilmer Skoog when he lifted the puck over Chrona with a backhand shot for his third goal of the season at the 17:10 mark.

Lucas Carlsson, the Checkers all-star selection, completed the scoring with an empty net goal with 58 seconds remaining in the game with his 12th goal of the season.

Knight (13-7-4-2) finished the game stopping 33 of the 34 shots he faced to earn his 13th win of the season. Chrona (4-10-4-0) made 30 saves on 33 shots in the losing effort and 0-3-2 in his last five games.

GAME NOTES: San Jose finished 0-for-3 on the power play. Charlotte was 0-for-1.

Brandon Coe suffered an upper body injury in the second period when he was hit up near the head by

Sourdif. He did not return to the game.

The Three Stars of the Game: 1) Knight 2) Kinnunen 3) Giles.

UP NEXT: San Jose concludes its five-game road trip with a two-game series against the Colorado Eagles on Saturday 1/20 at 6:05pm at Blue FCU Arena.