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Charlotte Checkers

Weekly Report: the Final Stretch

April 18, 2022 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Charlotte Checkers News Release


The Checkers ran the gamut over their busy road swing, taking down the Penguins before salvaging one point out of a two-game set in Springfield.

Week in Review

Team Statistics

Overall record

40-24-6-0

Home record

22-9-5-0

Road record

18-15-0-1

Last week's record

0-1-0-1

Last 10 games

6-2-1-1

Division Standings

2nd

Conference Standings

3rd

League Standings

9th

Checkers 4, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 1

The Checkers went into Wilkes-Barre/Scranton for the final time this season and built up a quick two-goal lead through the first period of action, but the Penguins notched the lone goal of the middle frame to pull themselves within striking distance for the final 20 minutes of play. Connor Bunnaman pounced on a Penguins' defensive zone turnover late in the frame, however, burying it and giving the Checkers the cushion they needed to successfully pull out the win. Full recap

Checkers 1, Springfield 3

The Checkers fell into an early hole in their weekend opener against Springfield - with the Thunderbirds striking twice in the first six minutes of play - and saw that gap widen when the Thunderbirds tacked on a power-play strike early in the middle frame. A Matt Kiersted point bomb 30 seconds into the third period put the visitors on the board, but it wasn't quite enough to kickstart a rally, as time ran out and the Checkers dropped the 3-1 final. Full recap

Checkers 1, Springfield 2 (SO)

The following night's rematch was another tight, low-scoring affair. The Checkers wasted no time finding the back of the net thanks to Henry Bowlby's goal exactly midway through the first, but that would prove to be the only offense they could muster over the 60 minutes of regulation - as a tally from Springfield late in the second would ultimately send the contest to overtime. After a scoreless extra frame the game required a shootout, and Sam Anas' tally in round one would stand as the only strike - lifting the Thunderbirds to another victory. Full recap

Three Stars Of The Week

3rd Star

Cole Schwindt

0g, 2a

2nd Star

Joey Daccord

1-1-0, 2.04 GAA, .923 SV%

1st Star

Christopher Gibson

0-0-1, 0.92 GAA, .969 SV%

PLAYOFF PICTURE

The weekend series in Springfield narrowed an already tight race in the Atlantic Division. As it stands today Providence holds the number one spot by a .001 margin , while Charlotte and Springfield sit tied for second. The Checkers - who have four games remaining compared to seven and six left for Providence and Springfield, respectively - are still in contention for the division title, needing a combination of both wins for themselves and losses from the Bruins and Thunderbirds. Despite having already sewn up a playoff berth, finishing as one of the top two seeds would be a huge boon for the Checkers, as it would not only earn them home-ice advantage, it would secure them a bye to the second round - avoiding the opening best-of-three series.

QUICK HITS

BUMP IN THE ROAD

These past two games in Springfield were the first time the Checkers have lost consecutive games in any fashion since Feb. 26 and 27 - two defeats that pushed the team's winless streak to four games before bouncing back with an 8-1-1-0 run.

BETWEEN THE PIPES

Christopher Gibson made just his fourth appearance since returning from injury on Saturday and was a key part of the Checkers coming away with a point. The veteran netminder is 2-0-2 in those four games while allowing a total of six goals - four of which came in one outing, meaning the netminder has allowed one or fewer regulation goals in three of his last four appearances. Joey Daccord, the other half of the tandem, saw his four-game winning streak snapped on Friday. He is still on a run of 14 consecutive outings without allowing more than three goals, however, surrendering a total of 25 goals across that stretch.

SEARCHING FOR GOALS

Over the weekend in Springfield the Checkers posted one goal in each contest, halting a streak of seven straight games with at least three tallies - a run that coincided with the team's seven-game point streak. Thus far this season the Checkers are 36-7-3-0 when scoring three or more goals in a game and 4-18-2-0 when falling below that mark.

KILLING IT

The Checkers had gone seven consecutive games without surrendering a power-play goal before Klim Kostin's conversion on Friday, but their PK responded nicely and remains on a hot streak. Over last week's trio of road contests, the Checkers successfully killed 12 of 13 man advantages.

RECORD WATCH

Zac Dalpe is one shy of becoming the fifth 30-goal scorer in franchise history

Cole Schwindt is tied for the highest plus-minus rating by a forward in franchise history (+24)

Connor Carrick is three shy of tying the franchise record for goals by a defenseman in a single season (13)

Joey Daccord currently holds the highest single-season save percentage in franchise history (.924)

RANKS

Zac Dalpe is tied for fifth in the AHL in goals (29)

Cole Schwindt ranks seventh in the AHL overall, fifth among forwards and second among rookies in plus-minus (+24)

Zac Dalpe is tied for seventh in the AHL in power-play goals (11)

Cale Fleury leads the AHL in shorthanded assists (4)

Serron Noel ranks fourth among AHL rookies in penalty minutes (74)

Cole Schwindt is tied for fourth among AHL rookies in shorthanded goals (2)

Connor Carrick is tied for sixth among league defensemen in goals (10)

Connor Carrick is tied for second among defensemen in power-play goals (5) and shorthanded goals (1)

Joey Daccord ranks third in the AHL in save percentage (.924) and is tied for fifth in goals-against average (2.33)

INJURIES

Max McCormick - Out since 4/10

Grigori Denisenko - Out since 1/15

Max Gildon - Out since 12/19

Transactions

Incoming

None

Outgoing

None

Coming Up

Friday, April 22 at 7 pm - Checkers at Hartford

Saturday, April 23 at 7:05 pm - Checkers at Providence

By the Numbers

CATEGORY RECORD AHL RANK

Power play 19.5% t-11th

Penalty kill 84.6% 2nd

Goals per game 3.29 10th

Shots per game 29.76 15th

Goals allowed per game 2.79 t-5th

Shots allowed per game 30.04 15th

Penalty minutes per game 12.14 20th

LEADERS

CATEGORY LEADER(S)

Points Alexander True (42), Cole Schwindt (40), Scott Wilson, Logan Hutsko (38)

Goals Zac Dalpe (29), Scott Wilson (23), Cole Schwindt (19)

Assists Aleksi Heponiemi, Logan Hutsko (28), Cale Fleury (26)

Power play goals Zac Dalpe (11), Kole Lind (7), Scott Wilson (6)

Shorthanded goals Five tied (2)

Game-winning goals Scott Wilson (5), Zac Dalpe (4), Five tied (3)

Shots on goal Zac Dalpe (194), Scott Wilson (154), Connor Carrick (150)

Penalty minutes Kole Lind (106), Serron Noel (74), Connor Carrick (67)

Plus/minus Cole Schwindt (+24), Max McCormick (+16), Henry Bowlby, Alexander True (+14)

Wins Joey Daccord (18)

Goals-against average Joey Daccord (2.33)

Save percentage Joey Daccord (.924)

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