Game Preview: Checkers at Rockford (April 15, 2015)

The Checkers hit the road one final time to close out the 2014-15 campaign, starting with tonight's rematch against the Rockford IceHogs.

The team wrapped up the home portion of their schedule last week with a win over Rockford, clinching a winning record on thei own ice, but have not had the same success on the road. The Checkers currently are tied for the lowest road point total in the season, and will be looking to shake that with this final stretch.

Charlotte

For just the first time this season, the Checkers will be facing the same team for a third consecutive game. After a disappointing shutout loss to the IceHogs on Saturday, the Checkers exacted their revenge with a thrilling 4-3 win the next night. The Checkers will be looking to keep that same momentum going as they look to take the season series over the Midwest Division power.

To do so, the Checkers would certainly benefit from the resurgence of some of their more prolific scorers who have fallen silent. Chad LaRose, who ranks second on the team in goals, has only scored twice in the last nine games since returning from an injury that sidelined him for 11 games, while Brock McGinn and Trevor Carrick each have just two points in their last seven contests.

Picking up that slack for Charlotte have been several players riding hot streaks, as well as some under the radar offensive talents. Brody Sutter continues to be lights out for the Checkers, with his assist Sunday giving him 10 points in his last nine games, while Justin Shugg has added to his scoring lead with eight in his last 10. On the more surprising side of things has been center Patrick Brown, who now has a point in three of his last four games.

The Checkers forward lines will have a significantly different look when they hit the ice tonight. The team added two ECHL players via PTOs, Thomas Frazee and Mario Lamoureux, who led his Quad City club in scoring this season, and one college player via ATO, Stephane Pattyn, who captained the University of North Dakota to a berth in this year’s Frozen Four. Those moves would seem to presume that several regulars will be out of the lineup for Charlotte. Jared Staal missed both of the last two home games due to injury, while Boychuk exited Sunday’s contest early and did not return. Ben Holmstrom appeared to be shaken up after blocking a shot on Saturday, but was in the lineup Sunday, albeit looking slightly hobbled and Sutter was one of several skaters not participating in Monday’s practice. While we have no confirmation on any of these skaters’ statuses, the addition of three forwards gives the team some flexibility in holding players out of the game.

With Rasmus Tirronen, who earned the win in his pro debut Sunday, released from his PTO, the Checkers are back to their two main netminders in Drew MacIntyre and John Muse. MacIntyre, who recently set a new club record for most games played by a goalie in a single season, continues to carry the bulk of the workload, starting seven of the last eleven games for Charlotte. Should he not get the call, Muse will look to keep his hot hand rolling, as he has turned in a 7-2-0 record in his last 11 appearances.

Rockford

After battling through two hard fought games, the IceHogs will get one more crack at Charlotte as they continue the race for the Midwest Division title. Rockford enters tonight trailing the Grand Rapids Griffins by just one point and will be desperately looking to improve their seed in the Western Conference.

Before running into the Checkers last weekend, the IceHogs’ offense had been unstoppable, recording at least five goals in four straight games. While the Checkers slowed them down considerably, the IceHogs have still been propelled by several offensive talents. Spencer Abbott continues to tear it up with 20 points in his 16 games with the team after being acquired at the trade deadline. Ryan Hartman leads all team rookies in scoring and has 10 points in his last eight games, while Mark McNeill paces the club in goals and has been averaging a point per game over his last 11 contests.

Asie from their lethal offense, the IceHogs have been one of the stingiest teams in the league, ranking in the top five in the AHL in terms of goals allowed per game. With several key components currently with Chicago in the NHL, Rockford has leaned on the likes of rookies Ville Pokka and Stephen Johns to lead them down the homestretch of the season.

Michael Leighton has had control of the crease for most of the season, with his 40 games played nearly doubling any other goalie who has been on the roster. The veteran netminder has turned in an impressive season thus far, with 20 wins under his belt and a strong goals-against average (2.27) and save percentage (.920). Leighton and Antti Raanta have been essentially alternating starts since the middle of February, but with Raanta’s recent NHL recall, Leighton could finish out the regular season on his own. Backing him up will be rookie Mac Carruth, who has only appeared in two games this season, but won them both, including recording a shutout in one.

Checkers Notes

Against Rockford

Tonight's game in Charlotte marks the finale of the four-game season series between Charlotte and Rockford. The Checkers have won two of the three contests so far, taking a 3-2 shootout win in Rockford on Jan. 13 and a 4-3 win in the most recent matchup.

Charlotte holds an all-time record of 13-8-2 against Rockford and a staggering 8-2-0-1 mark in Rockford.

Brendan Woods leads all Checkers skaters against Rockford this season with three points (1g, 2a) in three games, while Ryan Hartman leads the IceHogs with three points (1g, 2a) against the Checkers.

In goal, Drew MacIntyre has played two games for Charlotte, going 1-1-0 with a 1.43 goals-against average and .961 save percentage, while Rasmus Tirronen, who was recently released from his PTO, won his lone matchup with Rockford. Michael Leighton is winless in his two starts against Charlotte, with a 2.87 goals-against average and a save percentage of .922.

Checkers forward Kyle Hagel played parts of two seasons for Rockford under current Hurricanes coach Bill Peters from 2009-11, racking up 13 points (5g, 8a) and 281 penalty minutes in 86 total games and capturing the first of his five consecutive team Man of the Year awards in 2011. Leighton, who spent parts of three seasons with the Carolina organization between 2007 and 2010, captured the Baz Bastien award as the AHL's top goaltender while playing for the Albany River Rats in 2007-08.

Man of the Year

The American Hockey League honored Checkers forward Kyle Hagel with the Yanick Dupre Award for outstanding contributions to the community in a surprise ceremony prior to Saturday's game against Rockford. It marked the first league award for Hagel, who has captured five team awards from five different teams (Rockford, Peoria, Hamilton, Portland) in his five AHL seasons.

Hagel leads the Checkers and ranks 18th in the AHL with 154 penalty minutes. He ranks fourth in the AHL with 22 major penalties, all of which are fighting majors.

Turned Away

The Checkers' 2-0 shutout loss to Rockford on Saturday was their sixth shutout of the season, tying a single-season franchise record set in 2011-12. It was their first at home since April 6, 2013 (Milwaukee), with each of the team's eight shutouts since then all taking place on the road.

Charlotte is the only AHL team that has yet to record a shutout of its own.

MacIntyre's Workload

Checkers goalie Drew MacIntyre, who has played in 11 of the team's last 14 games, set a franchise record by appearing in his 49th game of the season on Saturday. In doing so, he broke the old mark set by Justin Pogge in the inaugural 2011-12 campaign. He now ranks sixth in the AHL with 2,817 minutes played and is third with 1,394 saves.

MacIntyre's most recent victory in Norfolk on March 25 was the 211th of his career, moving him into a tie with Nick Damore for ninth in AHL history. He is now just 21 away from tying Frederic Cassivi for fifth. MacIntyre, a 31-year-old veteran now playing his 12th professional season with his eighth AHL club, has a 211-142-26 record, 2.48 goals-against average, .934 save percentage and 16 shutouts in 402 career AHL games dating back to the 2004-05 season.

Though he has yet to record a shutout, MacIntyre has won five games by a 2-1 score. He owns a .920 save percentage in overtime games this season (46 saves on 50 shots) and has stopped 21 of 23 in the shootout. He is tied for second in the league in shootout victories this season (4-1 record).

LaRose's Shorty Success

With his goal on April 3, Chad LaRose is now tied for the AHL lead with five shorthanded points. That also establishes a new franchise single-season record, snapping the previous mark of four, set by both Brett Sutter and Chris Terry during the 2010-11 season. Three of LaRose's shorthanded points this season have been helpers, tying him for the league lead in that category as well.

LaRose now ranks fourth on the Checkers all-time shorthanded points list. He has factored in on five of the team's eight shorthanded goals this season - a total that is five more than its league-low total from last season.

Boychuk Chases History

With four games remaining on the schedule, Zach Boychuk stands just five points away from being the Checkers' all-time leading scorer. His current total of 250 trails only former linemate Chris Terry's 254. Boychuk became the franchise's all-time goals leader earlier this season.

After playing the first two games of the season with the Checkers, Boychuk spent a large chunk of this season in Carolina before returning to Charlotte in January. He has six points (1g, 5a) in his last nine games.

Sutter Strikes

With seven in his last nine games, center Brody Sutter has more than doubled the five goals he scored in his first 36 games of the season. Of his 25 points, 15 (7g, 8a) have come in his last 17 games dating back to March 4. During that time, he has notched his only two multi-goal games aside from when he scored twice in a playoff game at Oklahoma City on April 26, 2013, and a career-high, three-point effort (2g, 1a) at Iowa on March 21.

Sutter, who has been limited to just 45 games this season due to injury, has set a new career high of 12 goals, eclipsing the eight he scored in 69 games last season.

Carrick Lights It Up

With 14 points (3g, 11a) in his last 18 games, Trevor Carrick currently leads all Charlotte defensemen in goals (seven), assists (21) and points (28), all of which are new records for a Checkers rookie defenseman. Of his five multi-point outings this season, four occurred during the month of March.

Carrick is currently tied for third on the team in scoring and leads the team in assists. Eleven of his assists have come on the power play, a total that leads the Checkers, is tied for fourth among all AHL rookies and is first among AHL rookie defensemen.

A fourth-round pick in 2012, the 20-year-old Carrick put up 51 points in his final season of junior last year, split between Mississauga and Sudbury, and ranked second among OHL defensemen in goals (22).

Eliminated

The Checkers were mathematically eliminated from playoff contention last week. This will be the third time in Checkers' five seasons as an AHL franchise in which they did not qualify for the Calder Cup Playoffs and the first time that they have missed the postseason in back-to-back years.

Streaks

• None

Injuries

• Jared Staal - missed two games starting 4/11
• Greg Nemisz - missed 52 games starting 12/8 (out for season)

Milestones

• Keegan Lowe is eight shy of 200 AHL/pro PIM
• Ben Holmstrom is eight shy of 500 pro PIM
• Justin Shugg is two shy of 50 AHL goals
• Brendan Woods is seven shy of 150 AHL/pro PIM

Transactions

Incoming

• April 14 - (C) Stephane Pattyn signed to amateur tryout contract from North Dakota (NCAA)
• April 14 - (C) Thomas Frazee signed to professional tryout contract from Greenville (ECHL)
• April 14 - (C) Mario Lamoureux signed to professional tryout contract from Quad City (ECHL)
• April 12 - (D) Keegan Lowe reassigned to Charlotte from Carolina (NHL)

Outgoing

• April 14 - (D) Brett Pesce released from ATO
• April 14 - (G) Rasmus Tirronen released from ATO
• April 14 - (G) Daniel Altshuller assigned to Florida (ECHL)