Game Preview: Checkers vs Cleveland (March 10, 2020)

The Checkers are looking to shrug off a tough weekend and get back on track with a pair of matchups against the Cleveland Monsters.

THREE STORYLINES

MORE NEW FACES

The Checkers added another slew of players to the roster this week, bringing in Kamerin Nault and Max Zimmer up front and Tom Parisi on the blue line. With those additions, the Checkers’ current roster houses six players on PTOs or ATOs and 10 players who were added within the last month.

Those additions have proven productive, as each of the Checkers’ three goals over the last two games have come from a newcomer.

BEAN BLOWS UP

Jake Bean continues to be a scoring machine on the Charlotte blue line, averaging over a point-per-game over the last seven to establish himself as the team’s leading scorer. Bean is currently tied with Iowa’s Brennan Menell as the league’s top-scoring defenseman and is looking to join Bobby Sanguinetti as the only Charlotte blue liners to record 50 points in a single season – Sanguinetti set the franchise record of 50 in 2011-12.

SPECIAL TEAMS BATTLE

With Ryan Bourque’s power-play deflection in Saturday’s matchup with Utica, the Checkers snapped a three-game drought on the man advantage. They’ll face a Cleveland penalty kill that has surrendered a power-play goal in each of its last five contests.

On the other side, the Checkers saw their five-game streak of perfect penalty kills snapped on Saturday when Utica converted twice on three chances. That marked just the fourth time the Checkers have allowed multiple power-play goals in a single game and the first since Jan. 24.

COACH'S QUOTES

Head coach Ryan Warsofsky on what to expect from Cleveland
"They work really hard, they’re heavy and they’re going to get on the forecheck. They’ve got good goaltending so it’s going to be a tough night. This time of year every game is important, so Tuesday is the biggest one of the year."

On getting Alex Nedeljkovic back from the NHL
"We have two experienced goaltenders now. Ned played really good against Pittsburgh the other night, hopefully he can build off that and stay sharp and when his name is called again he’s feeling good about himself. He’ll come down with a great attitude and be positive. He’s a great pro, he’s going to do whatever it takes to get himself ready."

On adjusting to all the new faces in the lineup
"We started the year with a whole new group, we had some changes halfway through the year, now we have more changes. Every time we’ve had changes we’ve responded with how we have to play with our identity. Now is another challenge to get back to how we have to play."

On the defensive corps stepping up without Gustav Forsling
"Keep it simple, we’re not asking anyone to be something they’re not. We have to make sure that when we have the puck we’re making the right reads. And when it’s time to defend we’re making it tough on them. Be the best version of yourself, we’re not asking anyone to be the next Bobby Orr out there, we’re asking them to be the best Jake Bean or the best Derek Sheppard shift to shift."

On getting the offense going
"Quicker shots to the net, less watching and more moving. Getting pucks deep, getting bodies in front of the net."

PREVIOUS MATCHUPS

Nov. 1 – Charlotte 1 at Cleveland 2 (OT)

CHA Standouts: Alex Nedeljkovic (31 saves), Eetu Luostarinen (1 goal), Kyle Wood (1 assist)

CLE Standouts: Nathan Gerbe (GWG), Dillon Simpson (1 goal), Sam Vigneault (1 assist)

Nov. 3 – Charlotte 1 at Cleveland 5

CHA Standouts: Steven Lorentz (1 goal), Roland McKeown (1 assist), Jake Bean (1 assist)

CLE Standouts: Adam Peeke (1g, 1a), Paul Bittner (1g, 1a), Dillon Simpson (1 goal)

Nov. 26 – Cleveland 3 at Charlotte 1

CHA Standouts: Cavan Fitzgerald (1 goal), Anton Forsberg (30 saves), Brian Gibbons (1 assist)

CLE Standouts: Marko Dano (2 goals), Adam Peeke (1 goal), Stefan Matteau (1 assist)

Nov. 27 – Cleveland 2 at Charlotte 5

CHA Standouts: Roland McKeown (2 assists), Steven Lorentz (1g, 1a), Jake Bean (1g, 1a)

CLE Standouts: Matiss Kivlenieks (34 saves), Adam Clendening (1 goal), Jakob Lilja (1 goal)

Dec. 28 – Charlotte 5 at Cleveland 1

CHA Standouts: Gustav Forsling (1g, 1a), Fredrik Claesson (1g, 1a), Chase Priskie (2 assists)

CLE Standouts: Matiss Kivlenieks (37 saves), Sam Vigneault (1 goal), Adam Clendening (1 assist)

Dec. 30 – Charlotte 3 at Cleveland 1

CHA Standouts: Steven Lorentz (2 assists), Oliwer Kaski (1 goal), Dave Gust (1 goal)

CLE Standouts: Derek Barach (1 goal), Adam Clendening (1 assist), Trey Fix-Wolansky (1 assist)

COMING IN

CHA: 2-game winless streak, 3-5-2 in last 10

CLE: 5-game winless streak, 1-7-2 in last 10

WHO TO WATCH

CHA

Mark Cooper - 3 points in last 3 games

Jake Bean - 8 points in last 7 games

Alexis D'Aoust – 2 points in last 3 games

CLE

Adam Clendening – 4 points in last 5 games

Kole Sherwood – 2 goals in last 4 games

Derek Barach – 2 points in last 3 games

PROMOS

TUNE IN

Tonight's game starts at 7 p.m. If you can't be at the Coliseum you can tune in to every broadcast this season with a subscription to the league’s streaming platform AHLTV.

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