Game Preview: Checkers at Stockton (Nov. 30, 2016)

The Checkers kick off their California trip tonight in Stockton as they look to get back on track and snap their road skid.

Here are 12 things to watch for in tonight’s game.

1. OFFENSE STARVED

The Checkers showed a few flashes last week, but as a whole continue to be plagued by offensive struggles. They are averaging 2.72 goals per game, ranking them in the bottom third of the AHL, and have scored more than two goals in just two of their last eight games.

It’s no coincidence then that those are the Checkers two lone regulation wins over that stretch. On the season, Charlotte is 8-0-0 when scoring three or more goals and a paltry 1-8-1 when falling below that mark.

2. ROOKIE ROLLING

A big chunk of the team’s established high-end scorers are currently in the NHL, but Andrew Poturalski has continued his hot streak to help carry the offense. The first-year pro is tied for sixth among AHL rookies in both points and assists and leads the Checkers.

Poturalski has hit a bit of a dry spell as of late, marking just one point in his last five games, but there is hope that the upcoming road trip sparks the young forward, as he has flourished away from home. In fact, 11 of Poturalski’s 14 points this season have come in road games.

3. STRIKING EARLY

One thing that has proven to be immensely important for the Checkers is getting on the board early. The Checkers have scored the first goal in 12 of the 18 games they’ve played this year and 17 of the 19 points they’ve earned in the standings have come in those situations.

4. FINISH STRONG

While scoring early has carried with it a significant importance so far, the first period has been by far the Checkers’ weakest period. Charlotte has been outscored in opening periods this season 23-18. The 23 goals surrendered is the third highest in the league and the five-goal differential is the fourth highest.

The Checkers have gotten incrementally better each following period, however. They have an even goal differential in second periods, but have been dominant in third periods. The Checkers have outscored their opponents 16-10 in those final frames, a goal differential that is only topped by four teams. Additionally, the 10 goals surrendered stand as the third lowest total in the league.

5. SECONDARY SCORING

Two players in particular have stepped up to help fill the voids of players heading to the NHL: Lucas Wallmark and Valentin Zykov.

Wallmark, in his first North American pro season, has quietly pushed his way up the team scoring ranks, moving into fourth thanks to three helpers in his last four games. The rookie has also seen time on the man advantage as the coaching staff looks to spark that group.

Zykov thrived early on this season playing on the top line alongside Brock McGinn and Derek Ryan, but his production hasn’t dipped following their departures. The Russian forward has three goals in his last five games and continues to be a nightmare in front of the net for opponents.

6. BANGED UP BLUE LINE

The Checkers saw another big piece fall to injury this past weekend, as Haydn Fleury exited Sunday’s game after crashing into the end boards. According to head coach Ulf Samuelsson, the rookie is week-to-week and did not join the team on the trip to California. In addition, Trevor Carrick did not skate with the team on Tuesday, and his status for the trip is unclear.

With a couple pieces missing, the Checkers have reached to their ECHL affiliate to plug those holes.

Josh Wesley returns after a strong start to his rookie year with the Everblades, recording four points in eight games. With the Checkers, the blue liner has spent more time than not serving as a healthy extra, appearing in just one game so far this season.

The other recall is a new one for Charlotte, as Kevin Raine joins the club for the first time this season. The third-year pro is no stranger to the AHL, as he spent the entirety of his first two seasons in the Los Angeles Kings system, capturing a Calder Cup with Manchester along the way.

Should Carrick be unable to go, the Checkers would still have seven healthy options on the blue line, as Ryan Murphy remains with the club on a conditioning stint.

7. NEW FACES UP FRONT

In addition to those new pieces on the back end, recalls and injuries have forced the Checkers to reload up front as well.

Samuelsson confirmed that neither Patrick Dwyer nor Connor Brickley would be joining the team on the trip. That combined with the long-term injury to Brendan Woods and the recall of Phil Di Giuseppe left the Checkers’ forward corps very thin. Unlike their strategy on defense, the Checkers filled those holes via professional tryouts.

Charlotte inked a pair of forwards to PTOs over the last few days. The first was Cason Hohmann, who was with the team over the weekend but served as a healthy extra. The second-year pro out of Boston University is a highly skilled player, leading Elmira in scoring as a rookie last season, and could be looked at to provide some offense for the otherwise starved Checkers. Samuelsson even pointed to Hohmann as a possible option on the power play.

The other signing was a more familiar one around AHL circles, as the Checkers brought in Kris Newbury and his nearly 800 games.

Newbury, in his 14th year as a pro, was released from a PTO with Bakersfield earlier this week and almost immediately snapped up by Charlotte. At 34-years-old, the veteran brings the team a big boost of experience, but he has shown over his last few seasons that he is still capable of producing at this level, recording 26 points in 44 games with Ontario last season.

8. SPECIAL TEAMS STRUGGLES

After a 1-for-17 showing during this four-game homestand, the Checkers’ power play sits at 11.8%, the third lowest success rate in the AHL, just 0.2% higher than the cellar-dwelling Cleveland Monsters.

Dating back to Nov. 12, the Checkers have recorded power-play goals in just two of their last eight games, which amounts to 29 man advantages.

On the other side, the Checkers’ penalty kill, which ranked near the top of the league early on in the season, has been in a free fall, currently sitting at 18th in the AHL.

It has been a particularly rough last four games for Charlotte’s penalty kill, allowing a power-play goal in all four and at least two in three of the contests. After Iowa pumped in three this past Sunday, the Checkers have allowed eight power-play goals in their last 21 opportunities.

9. FIGHT CLUB

Kyle Hagel drew in for Sunday’s afternoon contest after sitting as a healthy extra the night before and dropped the gloves twice. He know sits with four fighting majors, tied for the league lead. With the AHL’s new rules, a player’s 10th fighting major and beyond carries suspensions of increasing lengths.

10. ON THE ROAD

The Checkers have been a markedly better team at home this season, holding a 6-2-0 record at Bojangles’ Coliseum as opposed to a 3-6-1 record on the road.

Charlotte is winless in four straight on the road, totaling just four goals over that skid. The Checkers have scored two or fewer in seven of their 10 games away from home, going 0-6-1 in those contests. Their three road wins have come from them scoring eight, five and four goals. All three wins came against Iowa.

11. AGAINST STOCKTON

Tonight marks the first time that the Checkers will face Stockton, who is in its second AHL season.

The last time the Checkers faced an affiliate of the Calgary Flames was 2013-14, when they went 1-3-0 against the Abbotsford Heat. In 12 total meetings between the two affiliations, the Checkers hold a 5-7-0 record.

12. TUNE IN!

It's going to be a late one tonight, so throw on some coffee and follow along! Follow @CheckersInGame on Twitter for updates and head here to listen to Jason Shaya's call of the game!