Game Preview: Checkers at Texas (Jan. 31, 2015)

The Checkers will look to salvage something from this weekend's road trip as they wrap up their season series with the division rival Texas Stars tonight.

Charlotte started off on the wrong foot in their first game back from the All-Star break on Friday, having surrendered three first-period goals to fall into an early hole during an eventual 5-2 loss in San Antonio. Texas can relate, having also fell victim to to the Rampage in their most recent game on Thursday.

Following tonight's game, the Checkers return to Charlotte to gear up for their annual Pink in the Rink event starting Friday.

Charlotte

Charlotte’s first game action since the break started very much how they might have feared. Playing against a team that played and traveled the night before but was also able to shake off post-vacation rust prior to Friday, the Checkers fell behind 3-1 after 20 minutes and were never able to catch up.

The visiting team’s power play, which had shown improvement in recent games with Zach Boychuk, Michal Jordan and Brody Sutter returning to action and Justin Shugg moving to the point, was unable to cash in on any of its six opportunities. Those included back-to-back chances in the third period and a major penalty to San Antonio with just under four minutes remaining, during which time they were unable to further test Rampage backup goalie Michael Houser.

Alex Aleardi, who has five points in seven games since returning from the ECHL earlier this month, and Chad LaRose, who extended his point streak to a season-best six games, scored for Charlotte.  Drew MacIntyre made 28 saves and could very well give way to John Muse given the short turnaround and travel leading to tonight.

The Checkers will be closely monitoring the status of rookie forward Brock McGinn, who San Antonio’s Connor Brickley crushed from behind along the boards late in the game, leading to the aforementioned major penalty and a game misconduct. The Checkers did not have a healthy extra available at the position on Friday, though Brendan Woods, who is recovering from his own illegally devastating hit suffered in the previous game, is on the trip.

Together, Woods (18 points) and McGinn (13) represent two of the Checkers’ top seven scorers. If both are unable to play, the Checkers could avoid having to make a recall or professional tryout signing by utilizing Beau Schmitz, who is healthy but has not played since Dec. 8, as a seventh defenseman.

Texas

Completing a love triangle of sorts between the three teams, Texas returns to action tonight for the first time since losing to the Checkers’ previous opponent, San Antonio, on Thursday. The Stars led that game 2-0 near the midway point before the Rampage stormed back in the third period – scoring twice and winning the shots battle 25-6 - to tie it and eventually win in overtime.

Though not ideal, the result gave the Stars points in each of their last three games (2-0-1), putting them just two points away from the conference’s final playoff spot.

Texas has a pair of award-winning players from last season’s championship team back in the fold, most notably reigning league MVP Travis Morin, who has four points in his last three games. Having spent a chunk of this season with the parent Dallas Stars, he has only faced the Checkers twice this season, scoring four points. Despite playing just 33 of the club’s 43 games this season, he still leads the way with 35 points.

Last season’s Rookie of the Year, Curtis McKenzie, is also back from his most recent NHL stint and has three points in his last four outings.

Veteran Jussi Rynnas has seemingly taken hold of the No. 1 job in goal over 2010 first-round draft pick Jack Campbell, having started six of Texas’ last seven games. After shutting the Checkers down in each of his first three head-to-head starts, he made an early exit from the most recent meeting after giving up four goals on 24 shots on Jan. 4.

Checkers Notes

Against Texas

Tonight’s game marks the eighth and final meeting between the Checkers and Texas this season. At 3-4-0, Charlotte has a chance to earn a split in this season’s series with a victory against the defending Calder Cup champions. Charlotte has never won a season series against Texas, having earned an even 2-2-0 split in the inaugural 2011-12 matchup before dropping each of the last two.

In 27 all-time contests between the two clubs, the Checkers hold an 11-12-4 record, including a 4-6-3 mark in Texas.

Justin Shugg leads all Checkers skaters with five points against the Stars this season and is tied with Jared Staal for most goals (3). Texas forward Brendan Ranford leads the Stars with seven points against the Checkers this season and is one of three active Texas skaters (Derek Hulak, Greg Rallo) with three goals in the season series.

In goal, Charlotte's Drew MacIntyre has played five games against the Stars, going 3-2-0 with a 2.67 goals-against average and .922 save percentage. John Muse has played three games, going 0-2-0 with a 3.55 GAA and .878 SV%. For the Stars, Jussi Rynnas is 3-1-0 with a 2.46 GAA and .919 SV%, while Jack Campbell is 0-1-0 with a 1.52 GAA and.950 SV% in two appearances.

The Checkers are just 1-for-26 (3.8 percent) on the power play against the Stars this season, marking their lowest percentage of any team they have played more than once.

LaRose Takes Over

With one point scored in each of his last six games (3g, 3a), Chad LaRose has taken sole posession of the team scoring lead with 25 points (12g, 13a). The alternate captain has put up 14 of those points in his last 17 games (8g, 6a). In addition to being the team's overall points leader, he also leads the team in shorthanded points (three - t-4th AHL), is tied for second in power-play points (six) and leads the team in shots on goal (112).

LaRose's point streak marks the Checkers' longest of the season, eclipsing his own previous five-game run and another by Ryan Murphy, both of which occurred in December. It ties the longest of his professional career set during his previous AHL season (4g, 7a for Lowell between Nov. 18-26, 2005) and puts him one away from tying Oklahoma City's Anton Lander and Hershey's Jim O'Brien for the longest active streak in the AHL.

LaRose, a 32-year-old veteran of 508 NHL games with Carolina, is playing in the AHL for the first time since 2005-06 after taking last season away from hockey. He now has 109 points (53g, 56a) in 171 career AHL games with Lowell and Charlotte.

Penalties Killed

Including a perfect 4-for-4 performance in their last game in San Antonio on Jan. 30, the Checkers have negated 20 of their opponents' last 21 power players (95.2 percent) over their last five games dating back to Jan. 16. During that time, they have risen to ninth in the AHL with a season-long percentage of 85.4.

The Checkers have also been able to produce offense while shorthanded as evidenced by their six shorthanded goals that rank tied for fourth in the league and are two more than their league-low total from all of last season. Chad LaRose has been their most productive shorthanded player with a league-leading three points while shorthanded (t-4th AHL).

Road Trippin'

The Checkers, who suffered a franchise-record, eight-game road winless streak (0-7-1) lasting from Oct. 25-Dec. 12, have earned points in four of their last six road games (2-2-2) dating back to Jan. 7.

Despite the recent turn in the right direction, the Checkers' 14 points earned away from home this season still marks the second-lowest total in the AHL behind Rochester (nine).

MacIntyre Cracks Top 10

Since becoming the 12th goaltender in the AHL's 78-year history to reach 200 wins on Dec. 13, Checkers goalie Drew MacIntyre, who has picked up 13 of the Checkers' 16 wins this season, has recorded five more victories to take sole possession of 10th on the league's all-time wins list.

MacIntyre, a 31-year-old veteran now playing his 12th professional season with his eighth AHL club, is just 27 wins away from tying Frederic Cassivi for fifth on the all-time list. He has a 205-130-25 record, 2.44 goals-against average, .936 save percentage and 16 shutouts in 383 career AHL games dating back to the 2004-05 season.

He currently ranks fourth in the league in saves (825) saves and minutes played (1,723) this season. The Checkers have earned points in eight of MacIntyre's last 10 starts dating back to Dec. 19 (5-2-3). Including a perfect 3-for-3 performance in Rockford on Jan. 13, he has stopped 13 of 14 shootout attempts this season, helping the Checkers to a 2-1 record despite just two total goals of support.

Overtimes

Six of the Checkers' nine overtime games this season have been decided prior to the shootout. Charlotte is 1-5 in those games, tying it with Texas (2-10) for the AHL's lowest winning percentage in games decided during the seven-minute period. Meanwhile, the Checkers are 2-1 in the shootout.

Including their most recent overtime game in Norfolk on Jan. 21, the Checkers gave up the tying goal with less than 3:30 remaining in regulation in four of their last five overtime losses.

Streaks

• Chad LaRose has points in each of his last six games (Jan. 15-30: 3g, 3a)
• Michal Jordan has assists and points in each of his last two games (Jan. 23-30: 0g, 2a)

Quick Hits

• Chad LaRose's eight shots on goal on Jan. 30 ties the most by a Checker this season (Brock McGinn - Nov. 14 at San Antonio).
• The Checkers' single shorthanded goal allowed puts them in a three-way tie (Manchester, Milwaukee) for the fewest in the league.
• Charlotte is one of two AHL clubs (Iowa) that has yet to shut out an opposing team.
• Kyle Hagel leads the AHL in major penalties (15).

Injuries

• Brendan Woods - missed one game starting 1/30
• Gabriel Desjardins - missed 11 games starting 1/4
• Greg Nemisz - missed 23 games starting 12/8 (out for season)

Milestones

• Zach Boychuk is one shy of 150 AHL assists
• John Muse is two shy of 50 AHL wins
• Ben Holmstrom is four shy of 450 professional penalty minutes
• Ben Holmstrom is two shy of 300 professional games
• Drew MacIntyre is three shy of 450 professional games
• Kyle Hagel recorded his 950th professional penalty minute at SA (1/30)

Transactions

Incoming

• None

Outgoing

• Jan. 27 - (D) Ryan Murphy recalled to Carolina (NHL) from Charlotte