Charlotte Checkers Upset in Playoffs, AHL Season Ends

The Charlotte Checkers saw their season come to a premature end Sunday when they were knocked out of the first-round of the AHL Calder Cup playoffs.

Charlotte finished fourth in the AHL Atlantic Division standings allowing it to play host to the best-of-3 opening round series against the Hartford Wolf Pack.

The Checkers won Game 1 on Friday night, but lost 3-2 in overtime on Saturday and 3-1 on Sunday in the series finale.

In the opener, Skyler Brind’Amour fed Will Lockwood for a late shorthanded goal and a 2-1 lead.

Rasmus Asplund scored into the empty net for the 3-1 final with Spencer Knight making 22 saves for the win.

On Saturday, Hartford’s Alex Belzile scored 8:11 into overtime for a 3-2 win.

Knight made 27 saves in the loss.

On Sunday, Magnus Hellberg started for the Checkers and the Wolf Pack had a 3-0 lead in the third before Brendan Perlini scored a power-play goal with 4:23 remaining.

Charlotte did not get any closer.

With the Checkers season over, a number of players are expected to join the Panthers for the Stanley Cup playoffs — including team captain Zac Dalpe, who scored a big goal in Game 6 against the Bruins last year.

Knight, Lockwood, Asplund, Mackie Samoskevich, Justin Sourdif, Matt Kiersted, and Casey Fitzgerald are among those who could also join the Panthers this week.

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STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS

EASTERN CONFERENCE QUARTERFINALS

TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING (WC1) VS. FLORIDA PANTHERS (ATL1)

PANTHERS LEAD BEST-OF-7 SERIES 3-1

GAME 5

• When: Monday, 7 p.m.
• Where: Amerant Bank Arena, Sunrise
• Local TV/National TV/Streaming: Bally Sports Florida/ESPN/ESPN+
• Radio: WPOW 96.5-FM2; WBZT 1230-AM (West Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); WCZR 101.7-FM (Treasure Coast); SiriusXM
• Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932, NHL app
• First Round (Panthers Lead 3-1) — Game 1: Panthers 3, Lightning 2; Game 2:Florida 3, Tampa Bay 2 OT; Game 3: Panthers 5, Lightning 3; Game 4: Lightning 6, Panthers 3; Game 5: Monday at Florida, 7 (BSF, ESPN); Game 6*: Wednesday at Tampa Bay, TBA (BSF, TBA); Game 7*: Saturday May 4 at Florida, TBA (BSF, TBA). (*) — If necessary
• 2023-24 Regular Season Series (Panthers Won 2-1) — At Tampa Bay: Panthers 3, Lightning 2 (Dec. 27); Panthers 9, Lightning 2 (Feb. 17). At Florida: Lightning 5, Panthers 3 (March 16).
• All-time Regular Season Series: Florida leads 77-51-19, 10 ties
• All-Time Postgame Series: Lightning Leads 2-0 (2021 first-round, 2022 ECS)