Bojangles Game Preview: December 13 at Hershey
Published on December 13, 2025 under 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 Checkers have headed up to Pennsylvania for a three-game swing through the state - starting in Hershey on Saturday night.
THE MATCHUP
Record/Standings
CLT - 12-7-2-0 (4th Atlantic)
HER - 12-10-1-0 (5th Atlantic)
Power Play / Penalty Kill
CLT - 18.6% / 83.9%
HER - 19.1% / 81.5%
Offense / Defense
CLT - 3.00 GF/Game / 2.76 GA/Game
HER - 2.78 GF/Game / 2.96 GA/Game
Head-To-Head
0-0-0-0
THE STORYLINES
HIGHS AND LOWS
Charlotte's team defense has had its ups and downs as of late. Through the back half of November the Checkers had a run of four games in which they surrendered four total goals and no more than two in a single game. In the four games following that, though, they gave up 17 goals - including at least three in each contest. The good news for the Checkers is that they snapped that skid in their last outing when they blanked the Cleveland Monsters behind a 13-save shutout from Kirill Gerasimyuk.
Over that stretch of their most recent nine games, the Checkers posted a 4-0-1-0 record when allowing fewer than three goals and a 1-3-0-0 record when passing that threshold.
HOT HANDS
Three skaters in particular have been driving the offense for Charlotte recently. Ben Steeves has six points (4g, 2a) in his last six games and has been especially dangerous in clutch situations - in fact, each of his last four goals have come in third periods. Gracyn Sawchyn also has six points (2g, 4a) in his last six games and is now tied for ninth among all AHL rookies in assists. Then there's Sandis Vilmanis, who has racked up seven points (4g, 3a) over the last six games.
SEARCHING FOR POWER
After a solid stretch in which they went 6-for-13 on the man advantage while recording a power-play goal in four straight games, the Checkers couldn't put it together in their two-game set against Cleveland - going scoreless in 11 opportunities.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
The Checkers are striking back out on the road for the first time since going 3-0-1-0 against Iowa and Grand Rapids in mid-November. Three of those games were decided by a single goal and the other was decided by two goals.
THE PLAYERS TO WATCH
Charlotte
Sandis Vilmanis - 7 points in last 6 games
Gracyn Sawchyn - 6 points in last 6 games
Ben Steeves - 6 points in last 6 games
Hershey
Andrew Cristall - 7 points in last 5 games
Brett Leason - 3 goals in last 3 games
Ilya Protas - 2 points in last 2 games
THE INFO
Both games this weekend in Grand Rapids are available via AHLTV on FloHockey!
Fans can also listen to the radio broadcast on the Checkers App or online.
American Hockey League Stories from December 13, 2025
- McCartney Matches Franchise Record in 15-Goal Thriller, Roadrunners Fall, 8-7, in OT - Tucson Roadrunners
- Reign Downed by Eagles, 6-1 - Ontario Reign
- Gulls Taken Down by Silver Knights in Shootout - San Diego Gulls
- Silver Knights Shine In Shootout, Winning, 2-1, Over San Deigo - Henderson Silver Knights
- Megna, Barre-Boulet Power Colorado To 6-1 Victory Over Reign - Colorado Eagles
- Howard Scores OT Winner in 8-7 Thriller - Bakersfield Condors
- Texas Picks up Overtime Point in Weekend Finale - Texas Stars
- Monsters Top Senators with 4-1 Win - Cleveland Monsters
- Wolves Sink Admirals, 4-2 - Chicago Wolves
- Griffins Extend Win Streak to 10 in 1-0 Shutout Over Rockford - Grand Rapids Griffins
- The Canucks Complete At 3-2 Overtime Victory Over The Calgary Wranglers - Abbotsford Canucks
- Checkers Shut out in Hershey - Charlotte Checkers
- Belleville's Teddy Bear Toss Night Ends in 4-1 Loss to Cleveland - Belleville Senators
- Admirals Stumble Against Wolves - Milwaukee Admirals
- Penguins Defeat P-Bruins in Overtime, 2-1 - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Wolf Pack Lose, 7-2, to Crunch - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Bears Blank Checkers, 4-0 - Hershey Bears
- Syracuse Crunch Tame Hartford Wolf Pack, 7-2 - Syracuse Crunch
- T-Birds Ride Pair of First AHL Goals to Victory in Utica - Springfield Thunderbirds
- Comets Wrap up Homestand with 3-2 Loss to Thunderbirds - Utica Comets
- Robertson Rocks Home Winner in the 8th Round - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Phantoms Outlast Amerks in Eight-Round Shootout - Rochester Americans
- Wranglers Fall 7-4 to Firebirds - Calgary Wranglers
- Wranglers Open Weekend Series against Canucks - Calgary Wranglers
- Islanders Win Road Game in Laval against Rocket, 2-1. - Bridgeport Islanders
- Goaltender Garin Bjorklund Loaned to Bears - Hershey Bears
- Ads Recall Lind from Atlanta - Milwaukee Admirals
- American Hockey League Announces Suspensions - AHL
- Phantoms Aiming for Bounce Back at Resurgent Rochester - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Bojangles Game Preview: December 13 at Hershey - Charlotte Checkers
- Game Preview: Condors at Roadrunners, 6 p.m. - Bakersfield Condors
- Carter Gylander Returns to Grand Rapids - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Game Preview: Bears vs. Checkers, 7 p.m. - Hershey Bears
- Hebig Breaks Goals Record, Simashev Wins It in OT as Roadrunners Rally Past Condors - Tucson Roadrunners
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