Game Preview: Checkers at Utica (Nov. 9, 2017)

The Checkers are riding their three-game winning streak back into Utica for the two clubs’ fourth and final meeting of the season. Here are 9 things to know heading into tonight’s tilt.

1. GOING STREAKING

With a 5-2 victory over the Utica Comets on Wednesday, the Checkers secured their first three-game winning streak of the season. Prior to that win, the team had followed a pattern of two wins then a loss for the first 9 games of the year.

Charlotte’s streak of three consecutive wins is the second-best active one in the Eastern Conference, falling behind only Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s current eight-game point streak.

2. OFFENSE ROLLING

The Checkers’ hot start offensively has shown no signs of slowing down. The team is averaging a whopping four goals a game, tied with the Penguins for the best mark in the AHL, while Charlotte’s 48 total goals trail only Laval and Lehigh Valley, who have played one and two more games, respectively. Additionally, the Checkers have scored at least five goals in seven of their 12 games so far this season, a mark that they hit 10 times during the entirety of the last season.

Perhaps the most impressive part of Charlotte’s attack is the production at five-on-five. 38 of the Checkers’ 48 goals have come at even strength, the second-highest total in the AHL.

3. Z LIGHTS THE LAMP

It was another game, another goal for Valentin Zykov on Wednesday. The third-year pro now has eight in the first 12 games of this season, tying him for second in the AHL. Zykov, who leads the Checkers in goals and sits just three points behind Lucas Wallmark for the team scoring lead, is already halfway to his career-high goal total of 16, which he set last season.

Zykov has thrived in front of opposing nets, scoring his eight goals on just 18 shots, giving him the third-best shooting percentage in the AHL. The Russian forward has also been the main catalyst for Charlotte’s power play, leading the team with six points on the man advantage and sitting tied for second in the league with four power-play goals.

4. KING LUCAS

Lucas Wallmark is continuing to show that his hot start was no fluke. The second-year pro picked up his 14th and 15th points of the season Wednesday in Utica, putting him in a tie for fourth in the AHL, while his 11 helpers are tied for third.

Wallmark has been the picture of consistency thus far, recording at least a point in nine of 12 games this season with none of his scoreless games coming consecutively. Additionally, the Swede has notched five multi-point games this season, the most on the Checkers.

5. LOCKDOWN D

While their offense has garnered most of the headlines this season, the Checkers’ defense has buckled down over the span of this winning streak. Despite ranking 14th in the league in goals-against per game, the Checkers have surrendered just four total goals over their last three games, all of which they won.

So far this season the Checkers have held their opponent to two or fewer goals in seven of their 12 games and have gone a perfect 7-0-0 in those contests.

6. PHIL IT UP

Phil Di Giuseppe has found his scoring touch over the past few games and become a lethal offensive weapon for the Checkers. The forward has racked up seven points over the last five games, giving him 11 on the year. That gives the 24-year-old, who has 88 points in 156 AHL games over four AHL seasons, his best point total through 12 games in his young career.

7. BAD NEWS FOR BACHMAN

Thatcher Demko has been a brick wall between the pipes for the Comets this season, logging the third-best goals-against average in the AHL and accounting for four of Utica’s five wins. Unfortunately for the Comets, the netminder is currently in the NHL with Vancouver and his counterpart, Richard Bachman, has had his fair share of struggles against the Checkers this season.

In two appearances opposite the Checkers, Bachman – a nine-year pro with over 200 AHL games under his belt – has allowed nine goals on 42 shots in a pair of lopsided losses. Those contests saw the Checkers light the lamp in a flurry, netting at least three goals in a single period in each game.

The other goalie on the Comets’ roster is Michael Garteig, who went 0-4-1 in eight appearances with Utica as a rookie a year ago. The 26-year-old netminder spent the majority of last season in the ECHL and began this year there as well, going 2-0-0 with the Kalamazoo Wings. Garteig has not played in a game for the Comets this season.

8. GO FOR GOLDOBIN

Utica’s offensive attack hasn’t set the world on fire thus far this season, coming in with the 23rd ranked goals-per-game average in the league, but they possess a dangerous scoring weapon in Nikolay Goldobin. The 22-year-old Russian has racked up 13 points through the first 11 games of this season, leading Utica and putting him in a tie for eighth in the AHL.

Goldobin, who topped the 40-point mark in each of his first two AHL seasons with San Jose, has been the most prominent offensive threat for the Comets against the Checkers this season, potting four points (2g, 2a) in three matchups.

9. GET THE APP

The Checkers app got a fresh new set of paint during the offseason but functions just the same. Follow along with scoring updates as well as play the Top Line interactive game in order to win exclusive prizes.

You will also be able to listen to the radio broadcast via the app or this link. Jason Shaya’s pregame show starts 15 minutes prior to puck drop, tune in and tweet Jason to let him know you’re listening.