The Charlotte Checkers have never lost in the first game of the Calder Cup Playoffs in their eight seasons in the league. Early in Friday’s Game 1, it looked like that streak would come to an end, but Lucas Wallmark made sure that it continued.
Wallmark’s goal 3:18 into overtime completed a comeback from a two-goal deficit and gave the Checkers a 1-0 series lead over the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins with a 3-2 win at Bojangles Coliseum.
The physicality of the playoffs seemed to overwhelm the Checkers a bit to start the game, who had no shots in the first five minutes of the game and took a penalty less than a minute in.