Game Preview: Checkers at San Antonio (Nov. 13, 2014)

The Checkers are heading down to San Antonio in search of their first winning streak of the season, as they face off with the division rival Rampage.

After a two-game series with the Texas Stars that saw the Checkers follow up their worst loss of the season with an impressive victory in the rematch, the team will now travel for back-to-back contests against the San Antonio Rampage, who recently ended a four-game losing skid by sweeping the Oklahoma City Barons last week.

Tonight's game is the first of two on the road for the Checkers. They will return to Charlotte to take on the Norfolk Admirals Tuesday, November 8.

Charlotte

This past weekend's series with the defending champion Texas Stars showcased two extremes, with the Checkers getting throttled 8-2 in the first matchup but rebounding strong to down the Stars two nights later by a score of 3-1. The team will try to harness that momentum and turn it into another win as they travel to San Antonio in search of their first winning streak.

The Checkers come into this series as one of only four AHL teams that haven't won consecutive games this season. In the three games the team has played following wins so far, they have been outscored 14-4, including being outscored 9-0 and outshot 49-20 in the first periods alone.

Greg Nemisz will be counted on to keep the offense afloat, as he has registered points in each of the last three games, including seven in his last six games. Nemisz leads the team in goals and points, and has notched the last two game-winning goals for Charlotte.

Offensively, the Checkers are still waiting for rookies Brock McGinn and Phil Di Giuseppe to start producing, and, especially in McGinn's case, that could be soon. McGinn has been buzzing all around the net in recent games, creating chances and throwing his body around, but has yet to started putting pucks in the net. If he keeps that effort up, it shouldn't be much longer before McGinn starts pouring in the goals.

The Checkers will be making the trip to Texas without Ben Holmstrom and Patrick Brown, as both will stay in Charlotte to continue their recovery from their respective injuries. Both of the forwards took the ice and skated with the team this week, but have not been cleared to practice. Holmstrom has missed three straight games after taking a hit on Oct. 31 against Hamilton, while Brown suffered an injury during the loss to Texas on Saturday. However, Justin Shugg will return to play his first game since Oct. 12.

Drew MacIntyre has taken the bulk of the workload in net thus far this season, starting nine of the 11 games. The veteran was pulled from Saturday's tilt with the Stars after surrendering four goals on nine shots in the first period. He bounced back, however, getting the starting nod the next game and shutting down a potent Texas offense, allowing just one goal on 29 shots and earning the win. Should MacIntyre get the start tonight, it will be the fastest that a Checkers goalie has reached 10 starts in franchise history.

Behind MacIntyre is John Muse, the Checkers all-time wins leader, who has made two starts this season and entered Saturday's contest agaisnt Texas in relief of MacIntyre. Muse didn't fare much better, giving up four goals on 22 shots. Muse could get a start this weekend, with the team facing back-to-back games against the Rampage.

San Antonio

The Rampage ended a four-game losing streak by sweeping a home-and-home series with the Oklahoma City Barons. Those wins extend San Antonio's division record to 5-0-0, which is the best start in division play in the franchise's history.

Forward Bobby Butler leads a formidable Rampage offensive attack that is ranked 11th in the AHL in goals for per game. Butler has racked up 13 points (6g, 7a) in 13 games and finds himself 8th in the league in scoring. He will be aided by the play of rookie Rocco Grimaldi, who is fresh off an NHL stint with the Florida Panthers. Grimaldi reutrned to San Antonio and netted the game-winning shootout goal to propel the Rampage over the Barons on Tuesday.

The Rampage have benefitted from the play on the blue line by veteran Shane O'Brien. With over 500 NHL games under his belt, O'Brien has made quite an impact on the team, ranking second in points (10), and has been especially lethal on the man-advantage, as he ranks second among AHL defensemen in power-play points with six. Defenseman Steven Kampfer has also pitched in offensively, ranking fifth on the team with seven points and leading them in power-play goals with three tallies.

The goaltending duties have been handling by the duo of Michael Houser and Dan Ellis. Ellis, an NHL veteran and former Checker, has appeared in eight games to Houser's five, and holds the advantage in wins, goals-against average and save percentage.

Checkers Notes

Against the Rampage

Tonight marks the 21st meeting all-time between the Checkers and Rampage, with the Checkers holding a 12-8-0 record, including taking five of the eight matchups last season. Of those eight contests in 2013-14, five were decided by just one goal, and only one was decided by more than two goals.

This weekend's series marks the first two of eight games this season between the division rivals and the first of four in San Antonio. The Checkers have a 6-4-0 record all-time at AT&T Center.

Series Splits

The Checkers have played five two-game sets so far this season where they have faced the same team in consecutive games. Apart from being swept by Grand Rapids, the Checkers have split the other four series, winning one game and losing the other. All four of the Checkers'' wins have come after a loss, and the team has yet to be able to string two wins together. The longest a Checkers team has taken to register consecutive wins is 15 games, set during the inaugural 2010-11 season.

Worst Behavior

The Checkers currently average 23.5 penalty minutes per game, which is the fourth-highest total of all AHL teams. They are tied for fourth with 16 major penalties while also chipping in four 10-minute misconducts and one match penalty. In their four previous AHL seasons, the team never finished with an average higher than 16.5 penalty minutes per game.

Forward Kyle Hagel leads the Checkers with 39 penalty minutes, including five majors that tie him for most in the AHL. Carter Sandlak's 33 penalty minutes make him third among league rookies, while Trevor Carrick's three major penalties tie him for the most among first-year AHL players. Rasmus Rissanen is also tied for the lead in minor penalties among defensemen and tied for fourth overall in the AHL.

Nemisz Heating Up

After recording one point, an assist, in his first five games, Checkers forward Greg Nemisz has posted seven (5g, 2a) in his last six games as well as recording points in each of his last three games. Since the Hurricanes acquired Nemisz from the Calgary Flames organization last season, the 24-year-old, first-round draft choice in 2008 now has 19 points (8g, 11a) in 25 games with Charlotte.

Offensive Struggles

The Checkers, who average 2.00 goals per game thus far (29th AHL), have been held to a single goal in five of their 11 games this season, all resulting in a loss, and have scored more than two goals just three times.

Two of the four lowest shot totals seen in the AHL this season belong to the Checkers, who took a franchise-record 15 against Chicago on Oct. 11. Their single shot in the first period of that game also set a franchise record and is tied for the lowest single-period total seen in the league this season. The Checkers also rank 29th in the AHL with an average of 25.73 shots per contest.

Depth Contributions

With his four assists thus far, Brendan Woods has already surpassed his total from 42 games last season and, with his shorthanded marker on Monday, is now halfway to his previous point total. He leads the team in assists, is tied for third in points (5) and ranks second in penalty minutes (35).

By scoring his third goal of the season on Nov. 8, Jared Staal is only one away from matching his career high set in the 2012-13 campaign. He currently ranks second on the team in goal scoring, one behind Greg Nemisz, and has as many goals as all of his brothers (NHLers Eric, Jordan and Marc) combined.

Tough Night

The Checkers' 8-2 loss to Texas on Nov. 8 tied the franchise record for most goals allowed, which was set three times previously and most recently in an 8-5 loss to Oklahoma City on Feb. 7, 2014. All four games in which the Checkers allowed eight goals took place at Time Warner Cable Arena.

Also on Nov. 8, Charlotte tied a franchise record for most goals allowed in a period by conceding five in the first. That record was also set three times previously and most recently in the Feb. 7, 2014 game against Oklahoma City.

The Checkers' narrowly avoided tying the franchise record for largest loss margin (seven goals) thanks to A.J. Jenks' tally with 5:25 remaining in the third period.

Quick Hits

• In games following a win, the Checkers are 0-3-0 and have been outscored 14-4
• In the first period of those games, they have been outscored 9-0 and outshot 49-20
• The Checkers' special teams units have fared much better on the road, as they own the 18th ranked powerplay and 6th ranked penalty kill
• Drew MacIntyre's nine starts are the most by a Checkers goalie through 11 games
• Rookie Phil Di Giuseppe's 30 shots on goal are at least seven more than any other player on the team

Streaks

• Greg Nemisz has points in each of his last three games (Nov. 2-10; 3g, 1a)

Injuries

• Justin Shugg - missed eight games starting 10/17
• Ben Holmstrom - missed three games starting 11/2
• Patrick Brown - missed one game starting 11/10

Milestones

• Rasmus Rissanen is one game shy of 200 AHL/pro games
• Keegan Lowe is one shy of 100 AHL/professional penalty minutes
• Justin Shugg is six shy of 100 pro goals
• Alex Aleardi is five shy of 50 pro points
• Kyle Jean is two shy of 150 pro games
• Beau Schmitz is one shy of 50 AHL games
• Chad LaRose is six shy of 150 pro goals

Transactions

Incoming

• Nov. 11 - (D) Michal Jordan assigned to Charlotte from Carolina (NHL)
• Nov. 10 - (LW) Kyle Jean signed to a professional tryout contract from Greenville (ECHL)

Outgoing

• Nov. 10 - (D) Michal Jordan recalled to Carolina (NHL) from Charlotte