Bojangles Game Preview: April 13 at Springfield
April 13, 2024 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Charlotte Checkers News Release
Before the Checkers take the ice this season, we're breaking down everything fans need to know with the Bojangles Game Preview!
THE MATCHUP
The Checkers have one road trip left on the regular season slate, and it kicks off Saturday with a big matchup against the Thunderbirds.
THE STORYLINES
Playoff Picture
The Checkers are heading into the second-to-last weekend of the regular season with plenty left to play for. The team has already clinched a playoff berth and guaranteed they'll have home-ice advantage in the opening round, but they're still jockeying for position and trying to chase down the second seed and a first-round bye.
The fourth-place Checkers trail the third-place Penguins by two points, but they do hold a game in hand over Wilkes-Barre/Scranton - who beat the Islanders last night and play Hershey tonight and tomorrow. Charlotte sits six points behind Providence with five games remaining on the schedule for both clubs - the Bruins beat the Comets last night in overtime and face them again tonight before playing Springfield to wrap up the weekend.
LOCKDOWN
The Checkers have been frustrating opposing offenses lately. Charlotte has allowed 23 total goals over the last 14 contests and just five over the last seven games. They continue to allow some of the fewest shots per game in the league, and the tandem of Spencer Knight and Magnus Hellberg has recorded four shutouts in the last 10 games.
The Thunderbirds rank in the top half of the league in terms of goals per game and have posted 22 total tallies over their last six contests.
ROAD WARRIORS
The road has been kind to Charlotte down the stretch, as the team enters the weekend on a six-game point streak away from home (5-0-1-0). The Checkers have given up just six total goals across that run - never surrendering more than two in a single contest.
SEARCHING FOR POWER
The Checkers have recorded a power-play goal in three of their last five games, but they've left plenty of opportunities on the table. Charlotte went 1-for-16 during a penalty-filled series against Hartford over the weekend, and is now 3-for-33 on the man advantage over the last seven games.
THE QUOTES
Checkers coach Geordie Kinnear on his team's focus
"We just go about our business. Nothing changes for us - get better today, get better tomorrow, recovery day Thursday, go into Springfield and have a good practice there and prepare for Springfield. That's our approach. When we worry about ourselves, we're a good team. When we start worrying about what other teams are doing we're mediocre. We want to be a really good hockey team, so let's focus on ourselves."
Checkers forward Will Lockwood on the team's recent success
"There's a lot of good chemistry in the locker room and on the ice too. There's not one guy having a lot of individual success, it's like every line is rolling. That's been the key to our success so far."
Lockwood on the team's mindset heading into the final road trip of the season
"We've had a really good mindset where - I don't think we've been content where we've been at. We've been playing well and we;ve been winning a lot of games, but there's not satisfaction in the locker room. We know we're building toward something, so we're just trying to keep building."
THE ONES TO WATCH
Charlotte
Rasmus Asplund - 11 points in last 12 games
Will Lockwood - 4 points in last 4 games
Mackie Samoskevich - 7 points in last 6 games
Springfield
Adam Gaudette - 7 points in last 5 games
Mikhail Abramov - 8 points in last 6 games
Hugh McGing - 10 points in last 6 games
THE INFO
Puck drops tonight in Springfield at 7 p.m. You can catch the action on AHLTV.
American Hockey League Stories from April 13, 2024
- Marco Kasper Pots Two Goals In 3-1 Victory Over Chicago - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Phantoms Edge Islanders in Overtime - Bridgeport Islanders
- Hogs' Rally Falls Short in Physical Showdown - Rockford IceHogs
- Overtime Win Trims Magic Number to 1 - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Thomas Milic Made 30 Saves In Home Victory - Manitoba Moose
- Wolves Fall to Griffins 3-1; Eliminated from Postseason Contention - Chicago Wolves
- Monsters Fall to Rocket 5-1 - Cleveland Monsters
- Admirals Claim Central Division Crown - Milwaukee Admirals
- Moose Clinch Berth in 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs - Manitoba Moose
- Gaudette Pots 42nd Goal, But Red-Hot Checkers Prevail - Springfield Thunderbirds
- Bears Fall 4-1 to Penguins in Final Road Game of Season - Hershey Bears
- Gushchin Scores 20th, Cuda Fall in OT - San Jose Barracuda
- Checkers Throttle Thunderbirds 6-3 - Charlotte Checkers
- P-Bruins Top Comets in Shootout - Providence Bruins
- Penguins Best League-Leading Bears in Home Finale, 4-1 - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Crunch Bested by Marlies, 6-5, in Shootout - Syracuse Crunch
- Kulich, Levi Leads Amerks To Blowout Win Over Senators - Rochester Americans
- Comets Earn Point Against Bruins In Shootout Loss, 3-2 - Utica Comets
- Blumel Leads Stars to Overtime Win in Road Finale - Texas Stars
- B-Sens Beaten By Amerks To Finish Two-Game Set In Rochester - Belleville Senators
- Iowa Eliminated from Playoff Contention in 7-4 Loss - Iowa Wild
- Morning Skate Report: April 13, 2024 - Henderson Silver Knights
- Canucks Sign Arntsen to One-Year AHL Contract - Abbotsford Canucks
- Game #69: Tucson Roadrunners vs. Colorado Eagles - Tucson Roadrunners
- Hogs Can Pick up Fourth Straight Win Tonight vs. Top-Seeded Admirals - Rockford IceHogs
- Game Preview: Iowa Wild at Manitoba Moose - Iowa Wild
- IceHogs Add Misiak on ATO - Rockford IceHogs
- Game Preview: Bears at Penguins, 6:05 p.m. - Hershey Bears
- Wranglers Drop Defensive Battle with Canucks - Calgary Wranglers
- Bojangles Game Preview: April 13 at Springfield - Charlotte Checkers
- Reign Top Gulls in Overtime, 4-3 - Ontario Reign
- San Diego Stumbles in Overtime to Ontario - San Diego Gulls
- Condors Edge Firebirds in Overtime - Bakersfield Condors
- Roadrunners Open Series With 4-3 Win Over Colorado - Tucson Roadrunners
- Romanov Makes 39 Saves, Cuda Outshine Stars - San Jose Barracuda
- Stars' Comeback Falls Short in San Jose - Texas Stars
- Hebig's Four-Point Night Propels Tucson To 4-3 Win Over Eagles - Colorado Eagles
- Bears Win Kilpatrick Trophy as AHL's Regular-Season Champions - Hershey Bears
- Admirals Earn Come-From-Behind Win - Milwaukee Admirals
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
