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AHL Charlotte Checkers

Bojangles Game Preview: December 29 vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton

December 28, 2023 - 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

After a quick break for the holidays, the Checkers are on the road and back in action with their second three-games-in-three-days stretch of the season. The divisional gauntlet starts with a pair of tilts against the Penguins before wrapping up on Sunday against the Phantoms.

THE STORYLINES

Stringing Them Together

The Checkers head into the weekend on a bit of a roll, having collected a point in each of their last six contests - a run that is not only the longest for Charlotte this season, but is tied for the longest such active streak in the AHL. That streak has had it's fair share of single-point outings, however, as the Checkers are 3-0-3-0 over those six games.

The Penguins have been one of the hotter teams in the Atlantic over the last 10 games - holding a 6-3-0-1 record - but enter the weekend having lost each of their last two contests heading into the holiday break by a combined 9-3 score.

Free Hockey

After playing three overtimes across the first 22 games of the season, the Checkers have seen each of their last three games and four of their last five go beyond regulation. And while those first three games all went Charlotte's way, the next three all ended up in defeat to bring the team's overtime record to 3-3 so far this season. In the final outing before the break, the Checkers partook in their first shootout of the season and earned a win.

Samo Stays Scoring

Mackie Samoskevich has strung together an impressive rookie campaign, and he's seen the points really start to fall for him over his most recent stretch of games. In fact, he has racked up 14 points over the last 13 contests and has multi-point efforts in three of his last four games and four of his last six.

Since Nov. 20, only one AHL rookie has recorded more points than Samoskevich and no rookie has more goals.

Uvis' Effect

Uvis Balinskis hasn't spent a lot of time in the Charlotte lineup, but he has certainly made an impact when called upon. The Latvian blue liner - who has spent the majority of this season in the NHL - has appeared in four games for the Checkers thus far and has found the scoresheet in three of them, totaling four helpers along the way.

Road Warriors

The Checkers are 4-1-1-0 over their last six road games and have surrendered 11 total goals over that stretch.

THE ONES TO WATCH

Charlotte

Casey Fitzgerald - 3 assists in last 2 games

Mackie Samoskevich - 9 points in last 6 games

Uvis Balinskis - 4 points in last 4 games

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton

Alex Nylander - 5 points in last 4 games

Rem Pitlick - 11 points in last 11 games

Sam Poulin - 4 points in last 4 games

THE INFO

Puck drops on tonight's game at 7:05 p.m. You can listen to the game for free on the Checkers app or watch on AHLTV!

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American Hockey League Stories from December 28, 2023


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.

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