UTICA, N.Y. – Scott Darling stopped 25 of 26 Utica Comets shots, helping to pace the Charlotte Checkers to a 3-1 road win on Wednesday night.

Darling, on a conditioning assignment from the Carolina Hurricanes, was making his first start in regular season game action, after suffering a lower body injury in the Hurricanes final preseason tuneup.

The Checkers bounced back from a 2-0 shutout against the Hershey Bears on Saturday, getting goals from Greg McKegg, Morgan Geekie, and Clark Bishop to improve their overall record to 6-1-0 on the young season.

Charlotte’s road trip continues Friday as they meet the Binghamton Devils, before wrapping up the trip in Syracuse on Saturday.