Growing pains accompany loss

A hockey season is more of amarathon than a sprint, so the first game isn’t the best indicator of the season to come.

Nevertheless, the Aeros’ 3- 1 loss to the Charlotte Checkers on Saturday night at Toyota Center in the season opener showed glimpses of the skill promised by a roster infused with NHLcaliber talent.

But that skill rarely translated into quality chances for the Aeros, who are learning to execute coach John Torchetti’s system.

“We didn’t get any point shots from the power play or shots off the rush,” Torchetti said. “Wewere trying to look for the fancy goal instead of the rebound goal, like ( Charlotte) got.”

With seven rookies on the team, part of the marathon for Aeros coaches is collecting all that skill into something that works at the professional level.

“Certain players have got to recognize that time and space isn’t the same as it was in juniors or wherever else they played,” Torchetti said.

After scoreless first and second periods, Charlotte broke the tie with two goals just 1: 23 apart.

TimWallace scored on the power play at 5: 03 in the third period, banging home a rebound from close range.

Then Chris Terry tipped a shot down to

Checkers 3, Aeros 1 goalie Matt Hackett’s blocker side and tapped the puck home to put the Checkers up 2- 0.

Rookie defenseman Jonas Brodin got the Aeros on the board at 11: 24 with a shot from the point that deflected off the back of a Charlotte defenseman and into the Checkers’ net.

Jerome Samson sealed the deal for the Checkers with less than aminute left, scoring an emptynet goal after the Aeros pulled Hackett ( 35 saves) for the extra attacker.