Game Preview: Checkers vs Bridgeport (Jan. 15, 2019)

The Checkers will host the Bridgeport Sound Tigers in front of a sold-out Bojangles’ Coliseum. Here are 8 things to know before pucks drops tonight.

1. HEAVYWEIGHT BATTLE

Tonight’s matchup features the top two teams in the AHL going head to head. It’s the fourth meeting this season between the Checkers and Sound Tigers, with Bridgeport taking the first two contests by a combined score of 10-3 before the Checkers fought back to win the most recent matchup.

“The key is just to play our game the right way,” said head coach Mike Vellucci. “We have to play it like a playoff game. These are the kinds of games that you have to learn how to win and self-motivate yourself to get a good start.”

2. STRONG START

The coaching staff has been harping over the last few weeks on the Checkers’ need to start games strong and they’ve seem some positive results as of late.

After going through a stretch in which they scored just one first-period goal in nine games, the Checkers have recorded 10 first-period goals in their last six games, including at least one in nine of them, and have scored multiple first-period goals in three of their last four.

“We’ve got to make sure we have a good start,” said Vellucci. “It’s easy to say that, I say it all the time, but we have to have a good start. It’s a mental approach to the game. We have a young team and like I said, credit to our older guys, they keep them focused. I need to continue to remind them that we have to start on time. When you’re a pro, even when you’re a young guy, you have to be a pro. That means mentally approaching it from the first shift that it’s going to be a tough game and you have to compete and do the right things.”

3. DEEP BLUE LINE

TThe Checkers boast an increasingly strong corps of defensemen, with Bobby Sanguinetti’s recent signing adding even more depth that has given the coaching staff plenty of talent to work with.

“It’s the ebbs and flows of the American League, you have five D dressing one day and nine guys available the next day,” said Vellucci. “We spread out the ice time, we even went with seven D for a bit. But they’ve all played well. When you have that many guys you have to perform because we could go with any of those guys.”

On top of that, another big piece is getting closer and closer to returning as Josiah Didier was a full participant in practice over the last few days, though it may take a bit more time for him.

“He’s good to go I’m just waiting on the right time to get him in,” said Vellucci. “I don’t want to rush him. He’s a very important piece of our team, he competes so hard so I want to make sure he’s 110% healthy. We don’t need to force him back in in the middle of the year.”

The Checkers will be without another mainstay on the blue line for at least tonight as Trevor Carrick is out with the flu. Additonally, Derek Sheppard has been assigned back to the ECHL’s Florida Everblades.

4. OFFENSE CLICKING

The Checkers have been averaging 3.48 goals per game this season, good for eighth in the AHL but have been on an even hotter streak as of late. Charlotte has scored at least four goals in six of their last seven games, logging a 5-1-1 record over that stretch, and have hit the five-goal mark in three of their last four.

5. GAUTHIER'S GOALS

Julien Gauthier matched his career high with three points against the Penguins on Saturday to keep his red-hot stretch alive. The second-year forward has five goals and seven points over his last five games, recording at least a point in four of those. Gauthier has already surpassed his 65-game assist total from a year ago and is three shy of matching his point total.

6. NED STANDS TALL

With his 18th victory of the season on Saturday, Alex Nedeljkovic continues to reign as the AHL’s wins leader. The netminder has also notched at least 30 saves in each of his last three starts, stopping 96 of 100 shots over those games and picking up three victories.

7. FAMILIAR FACES

The Sound Tigers’ roster currently features a trio of former Checkers. Ben Holmstrom spent the 2014-15 season with Charlotte, serving as an alternate captain and logging 20 points (5g, 15a) and 92 penalty minutes in 62 games. Mike Cornell played two seasons for the Checkers from 2014 to 2016 and put up 14 points (4g, 10a) and 208 penalty minutes over 69 games. The most recent former Checker is Jeremy Smith, who went 13-13-1 in net for Charlotte a season ago.

8. TUNE IN

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!