Losing Game 1 of the Calder Cup Finals is always painful, but the Charlotte Checkers will likely dwell on this specific double-overtime defeat for a while. The top minor-league team for the Florida Panthers lost to the Abbotsford Canucks on Friday.
The Checkers believed they had secured the series-opening victory earlier in the second overtime period. A puck from a faceoff inadvertently went into the Canucks` net behind goaltender Arturs Silovs. However, as the Checkers celebrated, the officials waved off the goal and reset the faceoff.
Just minutes later, the Canucks scored the decisive goal.
Checkers head coach Gordie Kinnear was questioned after the game about the explanation he received from the referees regarding the disallowed goal.
