Weekly Report: Offensive Barrage, Rookies Keep Producing and More
November 8, 2021 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Charlotte Checkers News Release
In a two-game set against their division rivals, the Checkers used an offensive barrage to blowout Lehigh Valley on Saturday night but ran out of gas in the rematch, ultimately splitting the weekend with the Phantoms.
Week in Review
Team Statistics
Overall record
4-4-1-0
Home record
2-1-1-0
Road record
2-3-0-0
Last week's record
1-1-0-0
Last 10 games
4-4-1-0
Division Standings
6th
Conference Standings
11th
League Standings
17th
Checkers 7, Lehigh Valley 3
Charlotte's offense exploded in their first meeting with the Phantoms, as the home team hung four goals on Lehigh Valley in the opening frame and three more in the second. Big nights from Zac Dalpe (2g) and Aleksi Heponiemi (1g, 2a) and goals from six different skaters propelled the Checkers as they cruised past the Phantoms 7-3. Full recap
Checkers 3, Lehigh Valley 5
The following day's rematch didn't follow the same script. After Charlotte opened the scoring in the first, Lehigh Valley would tally each of the next four goals to build up a substantial lead. The Checkers would give one final push, scoring twice quickly in the early stages of the third period to narrow the gap to one goal, but they couldn't find a way to even the score and dropped a tight contest in the end. Full recap
Three Stars Of The Week
3rd Star
Connor Carrick
1g. 1a
2nd Star
Zac Dalpe
2g, 0a
1st Star
Aleksi Heponiemi
1g, 3a
NOTABLES
1) HUTSKO'S STRONG START
Logan Hutsko continues to impress early on in his first pro season. The rookie forward has posted nine points (3g, 6a) in nine games, tying him for second on the team and fourth among all AHL rookies. After picking up a goal in Saturday's win and an assist in the rematch, Hutsko has now recorded a point in eight of his first nine games as a pro. Looking ahead, the highest point total by a Checkers rookie through the first 10 games of a season is 10 - set by Victor Rask in 2013-14 and matched by Andrew Poturalski in 2016-17.
2) SCHWINDT STAYS SCORING
Cole Schwindt has found his scoring touch over this last stretch of games and continues to fill up the scoresheet. The rookie forward picked up his first two points of the season at Hartford on October 30 and has notched a point in every game since. Schwindt has racked up five points over that four-game point streak, including lighting the lamp in three of them.
3) OUT OF THE GATES
One trend that has emerged early on this season for Charlotte is the team's penchant for starting strong out of the gates. The Checkers have scored 13 goals in the first period this season, tied for the highest total in the league, while their plus-five goal differential in the first period is the third best such mark. They have scored multiple first period goals in three of their last four contests and have outscored their opponents 9-4 over that four-game stretch. Those hot starts haven't guaranteed victories, however, as the Checkers are 3-3-1-0 this season when scoring the game's first goal, but they have seen success when holding onto a lead at the first intermission, posting a 3-1-0-0 record in those scenarios.
4) POWER SURGE
Charlotte's power play came to life over the weekend, going 3-for-7 on the man advantage during the two games against the Phantoms. That outburst snapped a two-game drought for the unit, which now ranks in the middle of the pack with a 20.7 percent conversion rate. Only four teams in the AHL have been given more power plays than the Checkers this season.
RANKS
Alex True is tied for 12th in the AHL in goals (5)
Logan Hutsko is tied for fourth among AHL rookies in scoring (9) and tied for sixth in assists (6)
Lucas Carlsson leads all AHL defensemen and ranks second in the AHL in plus/minus (+10)
Max McCormick is tied for eight among AHL forwards in plus/minus (+6)
Cole Schwindt is tied for the league lead among rookies in plus/minus (+6)
INJURIES
Serron Noel - Missed one game starting 11/7
Antoine Bibeau - Exited game on 11/7
Transactions
Incoming
Nov. 7 - Max Zimmer - Signed to PTO
Nov. 7 - Chase Priskie - Assigned from Florida (NHL)
Nov. 6 - Antoine Bibeau - Recalled from Allen (ECHL)
Nov. 2 - Joey Daccord - Assigned from Seattle (NHL)
Outgoing
Nov. 7 - Lucas Carlsson - Recalled by Florida (NHL)
Nov. 6 - Christopher Gibson - Recalled by Florida (NHL)
Nov. 3 - Maxim Mamin - Recalled by Florida (NHL)
Coming Up
Friday, November 12 at 7:05 pm - Checkers at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
Saturday, November 13 at 6:05 pm - Checkers at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
Sunday, November 14 at 5 pm - Checkers at Hershey
By the Numbers
CATEGORY RECORD AHL RANK LAST WEEK
Power play 20.7% 14th t-17th
Penalty kill 75.0% t-23rd t-26th
Goals per game 3.44 7th t-14th
Shots per game 27.78 22nd 29th
Goals allowed per game 3.33 t-23rd 18th
Shots allowed per game 30.78 t-20th t-18th
Penalty minutes per game 9.11 31st t-23rd
LEADERS
CATEGORY LEADER(S)
Points Alex True (10), Logan Hutsko (9), Aleksi Heponiemi, Lucas Carlsson (6)
Goals Alex True (5), Logan Hutsko, Aleksi Heponiemi, Cole Schwindt (3)
Assists Logan Hutsko (6), Lucas Carlsson, Alex True (5)
Power play goals Zac Dalpe (2), Four tied (1)
Shorthanded goals Cole Schwindt, Alex True (1)
Game-winning goals Alex True, Max McCormick, Carsen Twarynski, Scott Wilson (1)
Shots on goal Alex True (24), Zac Dalpe (23), Connor Carrick (22)
Penalty minutes Kole Lind (11), Lucas Carlsson, Logan Hutsko (8)
Plus/minus Lucas Carlsson (+10), Max McCormick, Cole Schwindt (+6)
Wins Joey Daccord (2)
Goals-against average Antoine Bibeau (2.07)
Save percentage Antoine Bibeau (.912)
American Hockey League Stories from November 8, 2021
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- Ranta Reassigned to Colorado Eagles - Colorado Eagles
- Ontario's Martin Frk Named AHL Player of the Week - AHL
- Reign's Martin Frk Named AHL Player of the Week - Ontario Reign
- Matt Strome Joins Phantoms from Reading - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Blackhawks Recall Forward Reese Johnson from IceHogs - Rockford IceHogs
- Weekly Report: Offensive Barrage, Rookies Keep Producing and More - Charlotte Checkers
- Belleville Sens to Host Kids Day on November 14 - Belleville Senators
- Comets Announce Details of Annual Military Appreciation Game - Utica Comets
- IceHogs Celebrate Military Appreciation Night Friday; Homestand Picks Back up this Week - Rockford IceHogs
- Tampa Bay Lightning Recall Defenseman Andrej Sustr from Syracuse Crunch - Syracuse Crunch
- Hershey Bears to Host Hometown Heroes Night on Wednesday - Hershey Bears
- McCartney, Soderstrom Assigned to Tucson - Tucson Roadrunners
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