Game Preview: Checkers at Hershey (Nov. 15, 2019)

The Checkers are back on the road looking to string some success together as they head into Hershey. Here's everything you need to know before puck drop.

1. RIDING THE WAVE

Despite dropping their most recent contest against Springfield in overtime, the Checkers head into the weekend having recorded a point in two consecutive games. That matches the longest such stretch they’ve had this season.

The Checkers currently sit in the number seven spot in the Atlantic, but have played the fewest games of any other team in the division.

2. THE SWEETEST PLACE ON EARTH

The Checkers and Bears are squaring off for the first time this season. Hershey got the best of Charlotte last year with a 3-0-1 record in the head-to-head matchups, though three of four games that were decided by just a single goal. The Checkers got the last laugh in their most recent meetings, however, sweeping the Bears in the second round of the playoffs en route to a Calder Cup championship.

3. SEARCHING FOR OFFENSE

Heading into the weekend the Checkers rank 18th in the AHL with an average of 2.83 goals per game. They’ve had a tough time producing as of late, going six consecutive games without surpassing the three-goal mark.

They’ll go head-to-head this weekend with a Hershey team that ranks 12th in the league defensively. The Bears are backstopped by a pair of familiar faces in Pheonix Copley and Vitek Vanecek, with the former holding a slightly better stat line as the dup has essentially split time in the crease.

4. LUOSTARINEN RETURNS

That offense received a boost this week when Eetu Luostarinen returned after his first career NHL stint. The rookie forward has recorded a point in seven of his last eight games with Charlotte and is tied for the team lead with five goals thus far.

5. GRIZZLED VETS

The Bears have been lead offensively thus far by a pair of experienced forwards in Mike Sgarbossa and Matt Moulson. Sgarbossa has registered nearly a point per game this season after notching career highs in goals and points in season seven a year ago, while Moulson, a veteran of 650 NHL games, is coming off a 60-point season of his own in Ontario.

6. KILLING IT

Once again Charlotte’s penalty kill remains one of the team’s strongest areas. The Checkers shut down the Thunderbirds on all 11 power plays they had last weekend – including seven in game one alone – and have not allowed a power-play goal in four straight games, killing off 16 straight man advantages.

They’ll face a Hershey squad that ranks 29th in the league on the power play, operating under 10 percent on the man advantage.

7. SHORTY SUCCESS

The Checkers have scored four shorthanded goals this season, tied for the second-highest total in the AHL, and all four have come off different players’ sticks. Colin Markison recorded the most recent one for Charlotte in the third period of last Friday’s win over Springfield. It was the second shorthanded goal of Markison’s career and his fourth ever game-winning goal.

8. MCKEOWN MAKES NOISE

Roland McKeown turned in a solid weekend on the offensive side of things, picking up an assist on Friday and then lighting the lamp in the next night’s rematch. That gives the Checkers captain eight points in 12 games, tied for second on the team, and puts him on track to challenge his career high that he set last season with 25 points in 70 games.

9. TUNE IN

You can tune in to every broadcast this season with a subscription to the league’s streaming platform AHLTV.

As always, the radio broadcast will be available via the Checkers app or this link, so tune in and tweet Jason Shaya to let him know you’re listening!