Former Lake Erie Monsters forward Chris Durno deflected home the game-winning goal with 1:33 remaining to stop a Monsters comeback attempt, as Lake Erie (10-11-1-1) fell on the road to the Charlotte Checkers (15-7-1-1) by a 4-3 score at Time Warner Cable Arena on Sunday. The Monsters found themselves down 3-1 early in the third period before tying it up at 3-3 with nine minutes to go.

With the Checkers on a power play, Jon Matsumoto tapped home a rebound from a Chris Terry shot that hit the goal post to give Charlotte a 1-0 lead at 15:25 of the first period. The Checkers were able to take a 2-0 lead into the locker room after the first period because of a Drayson Bowman goal at 18:02 of the opening period. Bowman lost possession behind the net, regained the puck, and scored on Monsters goalie Trevor Cann from the side of the net.

Mike Carman restored life for the Monsters at 1:27 of the second period when he took possession off a Checkers defensive zone turnover, cut to the slot, and scored the Monsters first shorthanded goal of the season to cut the Charlotte lead to 2-1. The unassisted goal was Carman's second of the season, and his franchise-leading seventh shorthanded goal as a Monster.

The Checkers capitalized on a turnover behind the Monsters net when Terry stole the puck, cut to the front of the net, and scored on a virtually empty net to extend Charlotte's lead to 3-1.

Hugh Jessiman scored from a nearly impossible angle at 3:33 of the third period to pull the Monsters back to within a goal when he netted his team-leading ninth of the season, with assists to Jake Newton and Cameron Gaunce, on the power play. The wrist shot slipped into the net with help from Luke Walker's screening of Charlotte goalie Mike Murphy.

The Monsters tied the game when they capitalized on a turnover at 10:45 of the third period. Murphy played the puck inadvertently to Greg Mauldin, who found Evan Brophey open in front for the easy tap-in. The goal was Brophey's eighth of the season.

Durno tipped in a Michal Jordan point shot at 18:27 of the third period for Charlotte's eventual game-winner.

Cann (5-9-0) stopped 32 of 36 shots for the Monsters. Murphy (9-5-0) stopped 27 of 30 for the Checkers.

The two teams meet again Monday night in Charlotte, with the puck dropping at 7:00 PM. All the action can be heard on ESPN 850 WKNR.

NOTES: The Monsters are 1-1 on their current season-long stretch of six straight road games... The game was the first-ever regular season meeting between the two teams, who did meet in the 2011 preseason... The 4-3 loss in Charlotte is the first game the Monsters have lost when Evan Brophey scored a goal; they are now 5-1-0-0 when Brophey scores... Mike Carman has a franchise-leading seven shorthanded goals all-time; no other Monsters, past or present, have more than three shorthanded tallies… Hugh Jessiman has a goal in six of his last seven games after a power play goal in the third period on Sunday… Greg Mauldin has a four-game point streak after a third period assist.