Game Preview: Checkers vs Belleville (Nov. 20, 2018)

After wrapping up an extensive road trip the Checkers are back in the Queen City to kick off a busy holiday week. Here are nine things to know before tonight’s puck drop.

1. CARDIAC CHECKERS

The Checkers showed a flair for the dramatic last week, with all three contests being decided by one goal – two of which ended in overtime. Additionally, all three games featured the Checkers scoring a go-ahead or game-tying goal in the second half of the third period.

“If we’re behind, we’re going to empty the tank and throw everything at the net,” said head coach Mike Vellucci. “We got a huge power-play goal there in Wilkes and had a couple big kills that gave us momentum.”

Nine of Charlotte’s 17 games this season have been decided by one goal, with the Checkers holding a 7-1-1 record in those contests, with those seven wins tying them for the most in the league.

“The other part is that when you’re up you have to be smart with the puck,” said Vellucci. “We talk to them and do video daily about puck management and making sure you’re backchecking all the time and not taking any unnesscary risks when you’re up. That’s the key.”

2. SUCCESS ON THE ROAD

The Checkers’ six-game road trip started out a bit bumpy, with the team going 1-2-0 over the first week, but Charlotte rebounded nicely in week two of the trek. The Checkers pulled out a point in Lehigh Valley before getting back on track with a two-game sweep of the division rival Penguins to finish the trip with a 3-2-1 record.

“Obviously you want to win every game but we fought back after a tough three-in-three,” said Vellucci. “I felt like we gave the Binghamton game away, that’s the one that really stung to me. Big win in Lehigh and then we went to Bridgeport and I thought we should have won that game, especially with them playing the night before. Overall it was alright but it can always be better.”

No team has played more games away from home this season than the Checkers, whose 10 wins on the road are double any other team in the AHL.

“The overtime game in Lehigh was a big one, to come back and tie it and compete, we played really well,” said Vellucci. “And then in Wilkes-Barre, those were wars. They were going hard at us there and taking runs at us and trying to get us off our game. But we stuck with it and battled through. With six games in nine nights and down 4-1 in the last one, we could have rolled over. I’m really proud of the guys for sticking with it and battling and doing the right things to come back with a huge win.”

3. BACK HOME

Now the Checkers return to Bojangles’ Coliseum for four games this week after logging the fewest home games thus far this season.

Despite the lack of home games this season, the Checkers currently have the fifth-best points percentage in the AHL by virtue of going 3-1-0 at Bojangles’ Coliseum.

4. DYNAMIC DUO

Charlotte’s offense has been propelled largely by Andrew Poturalski and Janne Kuokkanen, who have battled neck-and-neck atop the team’s scoring race.

“I think points follow hard work and playing the game the right way and I think both of them are competitive people,” said Vellucci. “They want to win and they want the puck on their sticks. They’ve competed extremely hard on a consistent basis and the points have followed.”

Consistency has been key for both forwards, as Poturalski has been held scoreless just three times all season and Kuokkanen four times. In fact, 16 of the 17 games the Checkers have played this season have featured at least one of Poturalski or Kuokkanen recording a point. In his second pro season Kuokkanen is already nearly halfway to his 60-game point total from a season ago, while Poturalski is on pace to top his career high of 52 points from 2016-17. Both players are tied for ninth in the AHL in scoring.

5. KILLING IT

One of the Checkers’ biggest goals this season was to improve the penalty kill. Through the first two months, they’ve done just that. Charlotte boasts the fifth-ranked penalty kill in the AHL and have successfully killed 36 of their last 41 penalties.

“[Assistant coach] Ryan Warsofsky has done a great job instilling that it’s a mentality as much as a system,” said Vellucci. “We’re not going to give up a goal no matter what. We’re going to do things the right way and sacrifice our bodies. [Josiah] Didier blocks a shot and breaks his hand and now he’s out but it was a huge five-on-three kill and we don’t win that game if we don’t kill it. It’s mentally and physically putting yourself on the line every kill. He’s done a great job.”

The Checkers will be put to the test this week as they face a Belleville team that ranks sixth in power-play percentage.

6. SCORING DEPTH

While Kuokkanen and Poturalski have emerged as two of the league’s most dangerous scorers, the Checkers have mining production from throughout their lineup. In fact, only Toronto has more players this season with at least 10 points than the Checkers’ eight.

“It’s huge,” said Vellucci. “And it says that we play four lines, I’m not just relying on one line. We have two power-play units that are both putting up goals, not just one. It’s a big advantage. Last year we went into the playoffs and we were getting production from that top line that’s all gone and that top power-play unit. This year I can play all four lines and two units and they all contribute.”

7. SCOUTING THE SENS

Belleville travels to Charlotte for the first time this season locked in the middle of the North Division standings. The Senators have been through their fair share of ups and downs this season, logging an even 5-5-0 record through their last 10 contests.

The Senators offense ranks in the middle of the pack but comes to Charlotte without one of its biggest pieces in Drake Batherson. The rookie leads the team in scoring with a staggering 20 points through his first 14 games but was recalled to Ottawa last week where he has continued to thrive, logging five points in three NHL games. The Sens will look to their other high-end scorers in three-time 30-point scorer Adam Tambellini and veteran Paul Carey to replace that production.

Belleville’s offense has been prone to booms and busts, with the team having scored four or more goals eight times in 17 games, but also having been held to two or fewer goals eight times.

The other side of the puck has fared worse for the Senators this season, with the team posting the seventh-worst goals per game average in the AHL. With Mike Condon and Marcus Hogberg both on the shelf with injuries and veteran Mike McKenna in the NHL, Belleville has turned to Swedish rookie Filip Gustavsson in net with Jake Paterson backing him up. Gustavsson, who is 4-5-0 this season, has appeared in seven of the Sens’ last nine games and surrendered at least four goals in each of his last five.

8. INJURY UPDATE

Injuries hit the Checkers hard over the course of their two-week road trip.

The good news is Nicolas Roy, who has been in and out of the lineup with an ailment, took part in this morning’s skate and should return to the lineup tonight.

The bad news is the Checkers will be missing a handful of others for various durations. Patrick Brown has missed the last four games after being slew-footed during the team’s first visit to Lehigh Valley and, despite not taking part in today’s practice, Vellucci put his captain’s status as day-to-day.

Following the aforementioned slew-foot, Smallman jumped in to stick up for Brown but ended up injured himself. Vellucci said the second-year-forward is slated to undergo ACL surgery in the next week or two and is likely done for the season.

The Checkers will also be without Josiah Didier on the back end for “a week or two” after the blue liner broke his hand while blocking a shot in Friday’s win over Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

9. TUNE IN

If you can't make it to Bojangles' Coliseum, you can tune in to tonight's broadcast with a subscription to the league’s new streaming platform AHLTV. Sign up here and catch the action on the road.

As always, the radio broadcast will be available via the Checkers app or this link, so tune in and tweet Jason Shaya to let him know you’re listening!