Game Preview: Checkers at Milwaukee (Feb. 17, 2017)

After a big weekend sweep, the Checkers look to keep their winning ways going on the road as they embark on a three-in-three weekend through the Midwest. Here are 11 things to know about tonight's game:

1. IN THE HUNT

With a 9-3-1 record since Jan. 10, the Checkers continue to pull themselves closer to the playoff race. They currently sit five points behind the Cleveland Monsters with an equal number of games played and 10 points behind the Iowa Wild, though the Checkers have five games in hand on them.

The good news for Charlotte is that they will have plenty of opportunities to climb the standings, as 20 of their final 28 games this season come against Central Division opponents.

2. ROAD WOES

It’s been a tale of two teams for the Checkers so far this season. They boast a stellar 15-6-1-0 record on home ice, but are just 7-17-2-0 on the road. That .308 winning percentage away from is the second-lowest in the league, just ahead of the Rockford Icehogs.

The Checkers do have a bit of momentum heading into this road trip, however. They have won three of their last five on the road, including a 5-1 shellacking of the Admirals in early January.

3. THREE-IN-THREE

This weekend marks the second and final three-in-three for the Checkers this season. The first instance came in early November, when Charlotte defeated Iowa in the first two legs before falling to Rockford in the finale.

Overall, the Checkers are 52-35-12 in three-in-threes all time. Historically they have fared best in the opening game, going 19-10-4 for a .636 winning percentage. Each subsequent has seen a drop off in winning percentage, however, as they are 17-11-5 (.590) in the second games and 16-14-3 (.530) in the finales.

Charlotte has swept a three-in-three three times in franchise history, all coming during the 2012-13 campaign. The team has only been swept in a three-in-three once, at the tail-end of the 2013-14 season.

4. GOING STREAKING

The Checkers have posted three separate three-game win streaks since Jan. 10, including the active streak they’ll take into tonight. Charlotte has not won more than three in a row since stringing together six consecutive victories from Oct. 28-Nov. 11.

Individually, several Checkers players are riding streaks of their own. An assist tonight will push Andrew Poturalski’s streak to four games, which would be the longest by a Checker this season. Connor Brickley enters tonight on a four-game point streak, matching the longest of his career, while Patrick Dwyer has points in each of his last three games and Lucas Wallmark in each of his last two.

5. LEIGHTS OUT

Checkers goaltender Michael Leighton stopped 49 of 50 shots he faced over the weekend, including his 49th career shutout on Saturday that added to his all-time AHL record. Also on Saturday, Leighton picked up his 232nd career victory to tie Frederic Cassivi for fifth on the league’s all-time list. Leighton’s next move up the wins chart would be to catch fourth-place Harvey Bennett (260).

Since returning from his latest NHL stint with Carolina, Leighton has started four consecutive games. He is now tied for second in the AHL with a 2.17 goals-against average, is eighth with a .921 save percentage and is tied for third with three shutouts.

6. ON THE WALL-MARK

Reigning AHL Rookie of the Month Lucas Wallmark added to his point total with a goal and an assist over the two-game set with Stockton. For the season, Wallmark now leads the Checkers and ranks tied for fourth among AHL rookies with 16 goals, half of which have come in his last 13 games since Jan. 10. Wallmark’s goal total ties him with countryman Victor Rask (2013-14) for the second-most by a Checkers rookie in a single season. Zac Dalpe holds the top spot with a 23-goal performance that was part of an AHL All-Rookie campaign in 2010-11, something Wallmark has 28 games left to match or surpass.

7. PLUS PLAYERS

Rookie defenseman Haydn Fleury leads the Checkers with a plus-11 rating this season thanks to a run that his seen him go plus-11 over his last eight games dating back to Jan. 21. During that time, Fleury has posted a positive rating in all but one game (even on Jan. 22) and has posted a positive rating in six consecutive games since Jan. 27. The seventh overall NHL draft choice in 2014 is now tied for fifth among AHL rookie defensemen in plus/minus.

Meanwhile, fellow Checkers defenseman Dennis Robertson has also enjoyed a quick rise up the plus/minus chart, having gone plus-10 over his last 18 games. Since Dec. 18, Robertson has posted an even or positive rating in all but one game (minus-1 on Jan. 28) and now ranks third on the team with a plus-6 rating for the season.

8. CHELIOS LENDS A HELPING HAND

Jake Chelios’ two helpers on Saturday continued a quiet but impressive run that has seen him post 10 assists in his last 13 games. During that time, Chelios, who now ranks second on the team with 18 assists for the season, has posted multiple helpers on three separate occasions. The fourth-year pro, who is under an NHL contract for the first time this season, leads all Charlotte blueliners with 20 points.

9. POWERING UP

Though the Checkers’ power play still ranks last in the AHL at 10.7 percent, it has shown recent signs of life by converting twice in its last three games. Prior to that, the Checkers had gone seven consecutive games without scoring on the man advantage (0-for-23). Charlotte has not scored power-play goals in consecutive games since Dec. 13-14 – something it will have an opportunity to do tonight.

10. AGAINST THE ADMIRALS

Tonight marks the fifth meeting between the Checkers and Admirals this season. Charlotte has managed to pick up at least a point in the standings in three of the four previous matchups, but sit at 1-1-2-0 in the season series. Of the four meetings, two needed an extra period to declare a winner, while the other two contests were decided by at least three goals.

11. TUNE IN!

You can tune in to hear Jason Shaya's call live tonight from Milwaukee! Pregame show kicks off at 7:45

You can also download the new Checkers App, available for both iPhones and Androids, for score updates and to play the new Top Line game!