The Charlotte Checkers are one win away from the Calder Cup Finals after their third straight convincing victory over Laval, a 5-1 decision at Bojangles Coliseum on Sunday afternoon.
The Checkers can secure the Richard F. Canning Trophy with another win in Game 4 on Tuesday night.
Charlotte got goals from John Leonard, Riley Bezeau (his second of the game) and Will Lockwood in a span of 4:21 early in the second period to break Game 3 open. Sandis Vilmanis also scored, and Jesse Puljujärvi and Mikulas Hovorka picked up two assists each as the Checkers pushed the regular-season champion Rocket to the brink of elimination.
Kaapo Kähkönen stopped 22 shots for his seventh consecutive win. Charlotte has outscored its opponents 31-12 during that span, and 42-19 overall in 11 postseason games.
Jared Davidson scored the only goal for the Rocket in Game 3.
Cayden Primeau allowed four goals on 16 shots before being replaced for the second straight game by Jacob Fowler. Fowler stopped 12 of 13 shots in relief. Laval has lost five of its last seven games, giving up five goals in each of those defeats.
(Charlotte leads series, 3-0)
Game 1 – Wed., May 28 – Charlotte 5, LAVAL 1
Game 2 – Thu., May 29 – Charlotte 5, LAVAL 2
Game 3 – Sun., June 1 – CHARLOTTE 5, Laval 1
Game 4 – Tue., June 3 – Laval at Charlotte, 7:00
*Game 5 – Thu., June 5 – Laval at Charlotte, 7:00
*Game 6 – Sat., June 7 – Charlotte at Laval, 3:00
*Game 7 – Sun., June 8 – Charlotte at Laval, 3:00
*if necessary… All times Eastern
