Game Preview: Checkers at Lehigh Valley (Feb. 7, 2018)

After a busy weekend, the Checkers are finally wrapping up their extended road trip with a mid-week clash in Lehigh Valley.

1. FAMILIAR FOES

You don’t have to go back very far to find Charlotte and Lehigh Valley’s last matchup as the two sides squared up last Friday. That contest saw the Checkers even the score in the third period before the Phantoms tallied the go-ahead goal in the final three minutes of play. Former Checkers netminder John Muse was between the pipes for the Phantoms that night and stole the show, making 38 stops to pick up the win.

That contest was the fifth of the season series, with the teams alternating wins and the Phantoms holding a 3-2-0 advantage. The duo of Warren Foegele (3-3-6) and Andrew Miller (1-5-6) have enjoyed the most success against the Phantoms this season, nabbing six points each in five games. Patrick Brown, Andrew Poturalski and Valentin Zykov all have a share of the goals lead with three markers in five games as well.

On the Lehigh Valley side, the top trio of T.J. Brennan (2-3-5), Greg Carey (2-3-5) and Phil Varone (1-4-5) have paced the team with five points in as many games against the Checkers this season, save for Varone who reached that mark in four contests.

2. SCOUTING THE PHANTOMS

Since their last meeting less than a week ago the Phantoms have only played once, downing the division leading Penguins by a 2-1 score this past Saturday. That continues the team’s strong run as they have lost in regulation just twice over their last nine contests, propelling them into a tie for the points lead in the Atlantic Division, although Lehigh Valley has three games in hand over first-place Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. The Phantoms’ highest-profile skaters have been leading the way thus far this season. Veteran Phil Varone leads the team and is tied for second in the AHL with 44 points in 46 games this season, while T.J. Brennan is amongst the league’s top blue liners once again with 30 points, the same total as high-flying rookie Oskar Lindblom and proven AHL scorer Greg Carey. Aside from that group, the Phantoms have gotten strong secondary scoring as of late from the likes of Nicolas Aube-Kubel – five points in his last five games – and Chris Conner – six points in his last six games.

Between the pipes has been the tandem of Alex Lyon and veteran Dustin Tokarski. Both sport impressive records – 13-8-2 and 11-5-4, respectively – though Lyon has put up the more impressive numbers. The second-year pro Lyon has also been more lights out as of late, winning each of his last four appearances and not allowing more than two goals in any of them, while Tokarski is winless in his last four games.

3. HIGH FIVE

Despite still boasting the third-best offense in the AHL, the Checkers have had some struggles lighting the lamp as of late, scoring two or fewer goals in eight of their last 13 games. Their two most recent contests showed a hopeful spark, however. The Checkers hung five goals in back-to-back games against Hershey this weekend, the 16th and 17th times they’ve hit that mark this season. That is also the fourth time they’ve registered at least five goals in consecutive games and the first time since Nov. 8 and 10.

4. AT THE TOP

With four goals in his last six games, Valentin Zykov now leads the AHL in goals with 23 and power-play goals with 13. The Russian forward, whose previous season high for goals was 16, has done the majority of his damage in front of the net, which helps explain his league-leading 29.1 shooting percentage.

Zykov is now one shy of Lucas Wallmark’s team-leading mark from a year ago and 13 away from Zach Boychuk’s team record 36 from 2013-14, while his power-play goal total falls behind only Chris Terry’s 14 in 2013-14 and Zach Boychuk’s 18 from that same year.

5. RISE AND FALL OF SPECIAL TEAMS

After falling into a season-worst five-game power-play drought in early January, the Checkers have found their way again on the man advantage. The team has notched a power-play goal in six of the eight games since snapping that skid – including picking up one in each of this weekend’s three-in-three – and is currently tied for fifth in the AHL on the man advantage.

The flip side hasn’t enjoyed that kind of luck, however. The Checkers’ penalty kill has fallen to a tie for 23rd in the AHL thanks to allowing a power-play marker in 12 of their last 16 games. Things have been especially rough as of late, with the team surrendering nine such goals in their last six contests, including a pair of games in which they gave up three power-play goals each.

6. SAARELA STRIKES

Aleksi Saarela broke out of a one-goal-in-10-games stretch in a big way this past weekend, racking up three goals and an assist over the two-game set in Hershey. That explosion has pushed the Finnish forward into third on the team in goal scoring, while his six tallies on the man advantage rank second.

7. POINTS FOR MCKEOWN

In his second pro season, Roland McKeown has tapped into his scoring side for the Checkers. The blue liner went off for four points during the team’s weekend three-in-three, notching a goal and three helpers. That offensive outburst puts McKeown second among Charlotte blue liners in scoring, while his four goals are tied for the team lead along with Trevor Carrick.

McKeown has made several strides since his rookie campaign a year ago. The blue liner has already eclipsed his 71-game totals for goals, assists and points through just 41 contests this season.

8. ON THE PLUS SIDE

Philip Samuelsson and Roland McKeown have become two of the most dependable blue liners for the Checkers this season, with the former registering a plus-28 rating and the latter sitting at a plus-25. Not only does that put the duo in the top three for the category among defensemen, it ranks Samuelsson second in the AHL overall and McKeown fifth.

Samuelsson has only finished a game as a minus nine times this season to McKeown’s 10, while the two have been minuses in the same game just six times.

9. TUNE IN

The Checkers app got a fresh new set of paint during the offseason but functions just the same. Follow along with scoring updates as well as play the Top Line interactive game.

You will also be able to listen to the radio broadcast via the app or this link. Jason Shaya’s pregame show starts 15 minutes prior to puck drop, tune in and tweet Jason to let him know you’re listening.