Game Preview: Checkers vs Cleveland (Nov. 26, 2019)

The Checkers are back on their home ice as they look to keep their momentum going and make up some ground in the standings. Here's everything you need to know before puck drop.

1. STRINGING THEM TOGETHER

Charlotte has been caught in a pattern of alternating wins and losses to start the season, leaving the club at .500 currently. They’ll have the chance to buck that trend today against Cleveland, as the Checkers are coming off a convincing 1-0 win over the red-hot Penguins on the road last weekend.

“I thought winning in Wilkes-Barre was a big one for this club,” said head coach Ryan Warsofsky. “That’s how we have to win. We were focused and energized for 60 minutes, everyone was pulling the rope and we’re going to need that same focus tonight.”

The victory snapped a three-game winless skid for the Checkers and showcased the team’s main strengths.

“The first two periods in Wilkes were probably our best of the year,” said Warsofsky. “Aside from us not scoring, defensively we were really good and really detailed. We were winning races and playing within our structure and I think we gave up scoring chances in the first two periods there. So that was a positive.”

If the Checkers want to climb their way back up the Atlantic Division standings, the key now will be to replicate that performance and start banking some points.

“Now we have to build on it,” said Warosfsky. “This can’t be an up-and-down season, we have to start building games. Our work ethic has been there for these last five or six games, now it’s going to be up to the details and focus to be there every night.”

2. MONSTER HUNTING

The Monsters come to town having erased a five-game winless skid by beating Chicago in each of their last two games. Cleveland currently sits sixth in a tough North Division but remains a tough opponent.

“They’re really good,” said Warsofsky. “We have to be on our toes tonight. We can’t sit back and feel this game out. We need to dictate the pace and dictate how this game goes. It’s up to us to have a good start.”

They may slot in near the middle of the pack when it comes to the AHL’s offensive rankings, but the Monsters boast plenty of firepower – including a few familiar faces – as evidenced in their last meeting with Charlotte when Cleveland hung five goals on the visitors.

“They’re well-coached, structured, and they’ve got a ton of experience with [Nathan] Gerbe and [Zac] Dalpe. They’re an offensive team so when they have the puck we need to make sure we’re detailed and focused and not giving clear rushes and turning this into a track meet.”

The Checkers will also face some formidable foes in goal, as a recent swap has brought highly-touted netminder Elvis Merlizkins to the AHL. He’ll team up between the pipes with Veini Vehvilainen, who has the second-lowest goals-against average in the league.

3. BLUE LINE HEATS UP

A big part of Charlotte’s solving the Cleveland netminders will be production from the blue line. The Checkers house no shortage of skill in their defensive corps, and it has come out as of late, with Jake Bean scoring twice in Friday’s overtime loss to Lehigh Valley and Chase Priskie netting the game-winning power-play goal the next night.

“They’re moving pucks out of our own end really well so that helps us carry offense into the zone,” said Warsofsky. “And then both of them on the power play are really dangerous. Bean is playing at a really high level right now, these last two games were the best of his career. We need to build on it and not take a step back.”

4. MAXED OUT

With a goal in Friday’s overtime loss and an assist in Saturday’s win, Max McCormick continues to heat up offensively. The forward has now recorded a point in five of the last six games and has already matched his 25-game point total with Colorado last season (8) through his first 13 games with the Checkers.

“He’s been good,” said Warsofsky. “He can play up and down the lineup, he plays a 200-foot game, he goes to the dirty areas. When he’s moving his feet he’s a difference maker. He’s done a good job of that lately. It’s important that he keeps doing that. And it’s not just goals, it’s his leadership, he’s been through the league a bit and understands what it takes to win every night.”

5. RYCHEL STEPS IN

The Checkers added a significant piece in the middle of that last road trip, signing forward Kerby Rychel to an AHL contract. The 19th overall pick in 2013, Rychel has nearly 300 AHL games under his belt and has proven to be a producer offensively, something the Checkers are desperately searching for.

“He’s a guy who can score in this league,” said Warsofsky. “He had 23 goals last year, he’s a big body who’s good in front of the net. He’s got good details down low and can make plays. He gives us a little more scoring up front.”

6. KILLING IT

The Checkers continue to dominate when it comes to the penalty kill. They were perfect across their three-game week and have now successfully killed 41 of their last 42 times shorthanded. Boasting the top-ranked penalty kill in the league, the Checkers have allowed just five power-play goals all season and just two in their last 10 games.

“When you kill a few in a row, you get some momentum out of it,” said Warsofsky. “Guys don’t want to give up one. That’s been our focus. Each team does something a little different and Patty’s done a good job of working out what teams are doing and prescouting them. When we get a chance to clear pucks, we need to make sure they go 200 feet, we’ve done a good job of that. Everyone’s buying in to what we have to do to make it work at a successful rate.”

7. TUNE IN

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 or this link, so tune in and tweet Jason Shaya to let him know you’re listening!