Game Preview: Checkers at Oklahoma City (Nov. 22, 2014)

Having found some recent success on home ice, the Checkers will now hope to translate that to the road as they look to earn a split in this weekend’s series against the Oklahoma City Barons.

A 6-4 loss in the first of a 12-game season series with their West Division rivals on Friday extended Charlotte’s road winless streak to four games (0-3-1) dating back to Oct. 25. Meanwhile, they have won three of their last four at Time Warner Cable Arena. On the other side of the equation, Oklahoma City has won five of their last six on home ice.

Following tonight’s game, the Checkers make a brief return to Charlotte before hitting the road once more to face the Norfolk Admirals on Wednesday. Their next home games are against Milwaukee on Saturday, Nov. 29, and Sunday, Nov. 30.

Charlotte

A back-and-forth game ultimately ended poorly for Charlotte on Friday, with the team giving up the game-winning goal on the power play with 1:46 remaining in a third period that had only recently seen them erase a two-goal deficit. That marked the second two-goal rally of the night as the Barons had nullified Charlotte’s early 2-0 lead before the first period had come to a close.

Though the Checkers had previously done well against one of the league’s best power plays, killing a two-man advantage lasting nearly two full minutes in the first period, timing was everything as Tyler Pitlick scored on the rebound as Chad LaRose was in the box for tripping Oscar Klefbom as two battled for  the puck along the wall just prior.

With the loss, the Checkers, who have seen their offensive fortunes improve greatly of late (10 goals is their highest total in consecutive games since they did the same in Hershey on March 1-2 of last season), once again failed to win two in a row for the first time this season.

Though the defensive effort wasn’t as good as usual and goaltender Drew MacIntyre wasn’t at his best on Friday, a trio of recent offensive standouts were able to keep their momentum going. Justin Shugg now has goals and points (4g, 1a) in all four games since missing eight due to injury. He ranks second on the team in goals with five in just seven games. Meanwhile, Ryan Murphy extended his assist streak to four games (4a).

He may not have had the stats to back it up, but rookie Brock McGinn’s breakout was Charlotte’s biggest positive from Friday. Unable to score despite numerous chances in recent weeks, the 20-year-old set career highs with two goals and three points, tying the highest single-game totals by a Charlotte skater this season.

With injured forwards Patrick Brown, Ben Holmstrom, Jared Staal and Brody Sutter still out due to injury, Carter Sandlak, who was a healthy extra on Friday, his first chance to return from a four-game suspension, is the only potential lineup change at the position. The Checkers retain the services of two extra defensemen, which on Friday were Dennis Robertson and Beau Schmitz.

In goal, the Checkers, whose schedule is set to become much more congested than in the first two months, may elect to go back to John Muse, who has played sparingly this season but stopped 27 of 29 shots to pick up his first victory in Tuesday’s 6-2 win over Norfolk.

Oklahoma City

The Barons ended up getting the result on Friday, but the game ultimately more of a roller coaster than they’d like. Like the Checkers, they too will be looking to shore up their game ahead of tonight’s rematch.

“We stuck with it,” Barons coach Todd Nelson told Barons TV after the game. “We turned the puck over in critical areas and they capitalized on a few of their opportunities. I thought tonight we had way too many turnovers.”

“I think we didn’t play that good tonight,” said Iiro Pakarinen, whose two goals give him seven in just nine games on the season. “Four goals in our own net and we have to improve tomorrow.”

Aside from Pitlick and Pakarinen, the Barons’ other offensive star from Friday were defensemen Brad Hunt, who now has 14 points in just seven games after his three-assist effort.  The AHL Second-Team All Star from last season is now tied for second among league defensemen in scoring. Former ECHL Checker Matthew Ford scored his fifth goal in 13 games against Charlotte dating back to last season.

In goal, Richard Bachman, who has started seven of the team’s last nine games, including back-to-back nights earlier this month, could very well get the opportunity to follow up on his 23-save effort from Friday. He owns a 2.88 goals-against average and .897 save percentage, while backup Laurent Brossoit is 1-3-0 with a 3.54 GAA and .888 SV%.

Checkers Notes

Against Oklahoma City

Tonight marks the second of 12 meetings between the Checkers and Oklahoma City, the most matchups Charlotte has against an opponent this season. It is the 30th all-time game between the two clubs, with the Checkers holding a 17-9-3 record. The Checkers have not defeated Oklahoma City in regulation since Feb. 7 of last season, with the Barons going 3-0-3 since that time.

The Checkers dominated the series last season, taking eight of the 12 contests, including four of six in Oklahoma. In 15 all-time matchups at Cox Convention Center, the Checkers are 10-5-0. Justin Shugg, who is currently riding a four-game goal streak since returning from injury, has 10 points in his last 13 games against the Barons. On the other side, Anton Lander has eight points in his last eight against the Checkers.

Checkers goalie John Muse went 5-3-0 with a 2.52 goals-against average and a .930 save percentage in last season's series. Richard Bachman, who went 4-4-2 with a 2.84 goals against average and a .912 save percentage in the 2013-14 series, has won each of his last three games against Charlotte.

The Return Of Shugg

After missing eight games following an injury at Chicago on Oct. 12, forward Justin Shugg recorded goals and points in each of his last four games (4g, 1a). He now ranks second on the team with five goals despite playing just seven games.

Shugg's goal streak is the longest by a Checkers skater since Chris Terry scored in five straight from March 12-21 of last season (6g, 1a). It is tied with three other players for the longest streak posted by an AHL player at any point this season, all of which are active. It is the longest streak of Shugg's career, while his point streak is one shy of his career long set from Jan. 12-20, 2013 (1g, 4a).

McGinn Breaks Through

After posting just one assist in seven games from Oct. 25-Nov. 18 despite number scoring chances, rookie forward Brock McGinn posted career highs with two goals and three points against Oklahoma City on Saturday. Those totals tied Greg Nemisz for the highest posted by a Checkers skater this season.

McGinn, a 43-goal scorer for the OHL's Guelph Storm last season, now leads the Checkers with 36 shots on goal. He has taken five or more shots in three of his last four games, leading the Checkers in each of those contests.

Offensive Outburst

Following early-season struggles, the Checkers' offense has totaled 10 goals in its last two games, marking the highest total they've posted in consecutive games since doing the same in a pair of road wins against the Hershey Bears on March 1-2 of last season. In the last four days, the Checkers raised their goals-per-game average from an even 2.00 on Nov. 18 (29th AHL) to their current mark of 2.40 (27th).

The team's six goals against Norfolk on Tuesday marked the biggest offensive output for the team this season. The Checkers have scored more than two goals in four of their last five games, their most productive stretch so far.

Road Weary

The Checkers' current four-game winless streak on the road (0-3-1) ties the fourth-longest active streak in the AHL. It is the team's longest since finishing last season with five consecutive regulation losses away from home.

Now 2-5-1 on the road this season, the Checkers have won three of their last four at Time Warner Cable Arena.

Nemisz On Fire

After recording one point, an assist, in his first five games, Checkers forward Greg Nemisz has posted 12 (8g, 4a) in his last 10 games, including two game-winning goals. He now leads the Checkers in points (13) and goals (eight).

Since the Hurricanes acquired Nemisz from the Calgary Flames organization last season, the 24-year-old, first-round draft choice in 2008 now has 24 points (11g, 13a) in 29 games with Charlotte, giving him more points than he scored in his previous 87 games with the Abbotsford Heat (19).

Quick Hits

• Keegan Lowe's 20 penalty minutes on 11/21 tied the highest single-game total in Checkers history (Zack FitzGerald on 1/16/11)
• Prior to Saturday, the last time the Checkers scored four goals and lost was in another 6-4 loss at Oklahoma City on April 6 of last season.
• Michal Jordan's -4 rating tied four previous instances for the lowest single-game total in Checkers history. Jordan and Brett Bellemore last went minus-4 at Chicago on Feb. 17, 2012.
• The 10 total goals scored on Saturday tied the highest combined total in a Checkers game this season (8-2 loss to Texas on 11/8)
• Forward Greg Nemisz ranks third in the AHL in shooting percentage (38.1 percent)
• Forward Chad LaRose leads the AHL in shorthanded assists (3) and is tied for the lead in shorthanded points (3)
• Forward Kyle Hagel is tied for AHL lead in major penalties (6)
• Defensman Rasmus Rissanen is tied for first among AHL defensemen in minor penalties (12)
• Oklahoma City has had six games go into overtime, tied for the most in the AHL

Streaks

• Justin Shugg has goals and points in each of his last four games (Nov 14-21: 4g, 1a)
• Ryan Murphy has assists and points in each of his last four games (Nov 14-21: 0g, 4a)
• Rasmus Rissanen has points in each of his last two games (Nov 15-21: 1g, 1a)

Injuries

• Ben Holmstrom - missed seven games starting 11/2
• Patrick Brown - missed five games starting 11/10
• Brody Sutter - missed three games starting 11/15
• Jared Staal - missed two games starting 11/18

Milestones

• Beau Schmitz is one shy of 50 AHL games
• Chad LaRose is one shy of 400 professional penalty minutes and three shy of 100 AHL penalty minutes
• Justin Shugg is two shy of 50 professional goals
• A.J. Jenks is two shy of 50 professional assists
• Greg Nemisz is four shy of 50 AHL/professional goals
• Alex Aleardi is four shy of 50 professional points
• Greg Nemisz played his 250th professional game on 11/21
• Keegan Lowe recorded ihs 100th AHL/professional penalty minute on 11/21
• Kyle Hagel recorded his 900th professional penalty minute against Norfolk on 11/18

Transactions

Incoming

• Nov. 18 - (LW) Gabriel Desjardins signed to PTO from Florida (ECHL)

Outgoing

• None