QUICK HITS
ON A ROLL
The Checkers enter tonight’s contest as the AHL’s hottest team, posting an 8-1-1-0 record over their last 10 games. Currently on a five-game point streak, the Checkers have pushed their way up to third place in the Atlantic Division and sit just a shade behind Providence for the number two spot.For this season the top six teams in the Atlantic Division make the playoffs, while the top two seeds get a bye into the second round.
SHUTTING IT DOWN
The Checkers have locked things up defensively as of late. They have allowed a total of four goals over their last 195 minutes of play and have held their opponents to two or fewer goals in eight of their last 10 contests. The play of Joey Daccord has been a big piece of that, as the netminder has picked up a win in each of his last five starts while allowing a total of seven goals - no more than two in a single game over that stretch - and stopping 180 shots across that run.They’ll be looking to keep that stingy streak going against a Cleveland squad that ranks near the bottom of the league’s offensive rankings and but has recorded at least three goals in five of its last six games - though the Monsters’ most recent outing was a shutout at the hands of the Crunch.
SHOOTOUT SUCCESS
The Checkers had three consecutive games decided in a shootout last weekend, the first time in franchise history that has happened. They beat the Bruins in all three instances and are now 4-0 in shootouts this season, making them one of just two teams in the AHL to be undefeated in the shootout.AGAINST THE MONSTERS
This weekend marks the third and fourth times the Checkers will square off against Cleveland this season. The Monsters visited Charlotte last month, with the two sides splitting the series. The Checkers took care of business in the first tilt, besting the Monsters 4-2 behind two goals from Alexander True and a three-point effort from Logan Hutsko. The rematch featured plenty of fireworks, including four assists from Connor Carrick and 39 saves from Joey Daccord, but the Monsters struck twice in the back half of the third period to knot the score and picked up the winner with just eight seconds remaining in the overtime period.QUOTES
Checkers Head Coach Geordie Kinnear on the key to getting two more wins on the road"Focus. You have to be focused on one shift at a time, play the right way, keep building as a group."
Checkers forward Scott Wilson on the series against Cleveland
"I know Cleveland’s not that high in the standings, but we know they’ve been playing well as of late. So do all of the little things right and improve some of the bigger aspects of the game. But honestly just staying the course for this weekend and then continuing on through that."
Wilson on the tight, low-socring series with Providence
"Good teams find a way to squeak out games like that."
Wilson on jumpstarting the offense
"We had lots of shots and lots of chances [against Providence]. I think at the beginning of the year some more of those were going in for us. Continue doing the same thing and executing on your chances, then they’ll start to fall for us."
Wilson on the new additions to the lineup "I think people make a big deal about people coming into the lineup, but at this level guys absorb it pretty quick and they fit right in. We need to keep doing the little things and those guys will see those little core habits of our team. It’s nice to have those guys that we got and it should be fun."
COMING IN
CLT: 4-0-1-0 in last five games this seasonCLE: 1-2-2-0 in last five games this season
WHO TO WATCH
CLT
Alexander True - 9 points in last 11 gamesAleksi Heponiemi - 6 points in last 5 games
Dennis Cholowski – 6 points in last 8 games
CLE
Tyler Sikura – 3 points in last 3 gamesJake Gaudet – 5 points in last 5 games
Jake Christiansen – 11 points in last 10 games
TUNE IN
Tonight's contest starts at 7 p.m. in Cleveland, and as always you can listen to the game for free via the Checkers app on iPhone or Android. You can also watch via the league’s AHLTV service.And new for this season, our friends over at Ed's Tavern on 2200 Park Road are going to be showing the game on their TVs!
