Toronto Marlies vs Charlotte Checkers

Toronto Marlies vs Charlotte Checkers : Michael Carcone scored his third goal of the night with 7:29 gone in overtime and Toronto evened up the Eastern Conference Finals with a 4-3 win over Charlotte at Coca-Cola Coliseum on Thursday.

The pivotal Game 5 of the best-of-seven is set for Friday night in Toronto (7 ET, AHLTV, TSN2).

Carcone carried the puck through the neutral zone, reached the right-wing circle and snapped a shot past Alex Nedeljkovic to complete his first career hat trick. Carcone’s four points were also a personal best.

Charlotte led twice in the third period but the Marlies pulled even both teams. Carcone got a piece of Jesper Lindgren‘s point shot to make it 2-2 with 14:53 remaining, and Jeremy Bracco banked a shot off Nedeljkovic from a low angle to tie it at 3-3 with 8:44 to play.

The Checkers and Marlies went toe-to-toe in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals, trading blows until the home team came away with the overtime winner to even the series. 

Deadlocked at three after 60 minutes of regulation, the two sides exchanged chances in the extra frame, including an elongated, breakneck stretch of play with no whistle. The Marlies finally broke through just over seven minutes in when Michael Carcone swung into the zone and wired a low shot into the back of the net to end the game. 

Carcone’s game-winner capped a hat trick for the forward, as he opened the scoring and later provided one of two game-tying goals for the Marlies. 

The winger scored his third goal of the night at 7:29 of overtime as the Toronto Marlies defeated the Charlotte Checkers 4-3 on Thursday to even the American Hockey League's Eastern Conference final at two games apiece.

"I think I kind of blacked out there," said Carcone, who also added an assist for a four-point performance. "Sometimes you don't believe it, but it was definitely a good feeling."

Jeremy Bracco also scored for the Marlies, while Kasimir Kaskisuo made 29 saves.

Andrew Poturalski, with a goal and an assist, Julien Gauthier and Jesper Sellgren replied for the Checkers. Alex Nedeljkovic stopped 24 shots.

The Toronto Marlies turned up the heat in overtime Thursday night and handed the visiting Charlotte Checkers a 4-3 loss in an American Hockey League playoff game.

The Marlies and Checkers are tied 2-2 in their best-of-7 Eastern Conference finals, with Game 5 set for 7 p.m. Friday in Toronto.

The Marlies’ victory ensured that the series will return to Charlotte. Game 6 will be at 7 p.m. Sunday at Bojangles Coliseum, with a possible Game 7 on Tuesday night in Charlotte.