Game Preview: Checkers vs. Hamilton (Nov. 2, 2014)

The Checkers continue their search for the first home win of the season with a Sunday afternoon rematch with the Hamilton Bulldogs.

Today's matchup is the second of four this season between the two clubs, with the Bulldogs snapping a three-game losing skid Friday with a 3-1 win, handing the Checkers their second consecutive loss and third straight defeat at Time Warner Cable Arena.

Charlotte

The Checkers will take the Time Warner Cable Arena ice for the fourth time this season on Sunday with nothing to show in the standings from the first three.

After getting swept by the Grand Rapids Griffins on opening weekend, the team returned to Charlotte for a four-game home stand. The Checkers' offensive struggles continue to haunt the team, especially at home, where they have been outscored 9-3 through three games. In eight contests this season, Charlotte has scored just one goal in five of them, all resulting in a loss.

Forwards Greg Nemisz and Chad LaRose could provide the spark the team desperately needs today, as both have been the most productive Checkers recently. LaRose has been looking to get his legs back under him after not playing professional hockey last year, has marked three points in the last three games after beginning the season pointless through the first five, including a late-period tally Friday that gave the team the lead heading into the intermission.

Nemisz was held without a point Friday, but totaled three points in the two-game series at Iowa the weekend before, and has been one of the most consistent performers for the team so far this season. He also holds a share of the scoring lead on the team along with Phil Di Giuseppe and Brendan Woods, both of whom have been scoreless since the win at Iowa on October 25.

Drew MacIntyre has been the main fixture in goal for the Checkers, getting the starting nod in six of the eight contests so far. MacIntyre has been strong in the crease, ranking tied for fifth in the AHL in saves and leading the team to both of its wins, but has not gotten much support in terms of scoring, as the Checkers registered just one goal in half of his starts. In each of his four losses, he has put the team in a position to win, with the Checkers either tied or down by one in all four contests.

John Muse could see his third start of the season with Sunday's afternoon tilt, depending on how head coach Jeff Daniels decides to handle it. In the past Daniels has stated his intention to use both goalies, especially in weekend series, but the last home stand saw MacIntyre get back-to-back starts, and with the off day between games, he could be pegged to go again Sunday. Should Muse get the nod, he will be in search of his first win of the season.

Hamilton

The Bulldogs snapped a three-game losing streak with their 3-1 win Friday in Charlotte. After surrendering the first goal in the final moments of the first, Hamilton struck twice in the span of 54 seconds in the second to take the lead that it would not relinquish. The visitors then added an empty netter to cement the victory.

Sven Andrighetto and rookie Charles Hudon have been the driving force of the Bulldogs offense so far this season, each scoring at nearly a point per game pace, but it was the team's secondary scorers that lead the way on Friday. Christian Thomas tallied his third goal of the season with a nice finish on a breakaway caused by a tripped-up Checkers defenseman, then rookie defenseman Darren Dietz ripped a one-timer from the top of the circle to register his first professional goal. Blueliners Joe Finley and Mac Bennett each were credited with helpers, putting them on the score sheet for the first time this season, and for Bennett, his pro career. The depth of their offense is exemplified by the fact that they have seven players with four or more points on the season, compared to three for the Checkers.

In goal, Mike Condon stood tall in just his third career start, turning aside 26 of 27 shots and earning his first professional win. Perhaps the biggest moment in the game for him and his defensive corps came when the Checkers were awarded a four-minute power play with just over six minutes to play and down by one goal. The home team's unit could not get any kind of rhythym going against the Bulldogs, who killed the penalty and iced the game.

Hamilton enters today's game looking to string together two consecutive wins for the first time this season.

Checkers Notes

Shorthanded

The Checkers will be without at least one big piece of their squad on Sunday, and it could possibly be more. Rookie Brock McGinn was suspended for one game by the AHL for an illegal hit to the head of a Bulldogs player on Friday. The suspension is the first doled out to the Checkers this season and the first in the young career of McGinn. The 20-year-old has two points this season (1g, 1a) and has been strong out of the gate, showing a physical style of play through eight games.

The other player that the team could be missing for Sunday's matchup is alternate captain Ben Holmstrom. Holmstrom left Friday's game with and apparent upper-body injury that forced him to head straight to the locker room and not return for the remainder of the game. After the game, Daniels had no information on the injury, so his status for today is up in the air.

Should he not be healthy enough to go, the Checkers could find themselves a forward short, as rookie Carter Sandlak was the only extra forward on Friday, following the release of Mike Aviani from his professional tryout contract.

Against the Bulldogs

Friday's game marked the first-ever meeting between Charlotte and Hamilton, despite both teams playing in the Western Conference for each of the last three seasons. Currently, Rochester and Utica will be the only Western teams that the Checkers have never faced, something that will not change this season.

Checkers forward Kyle Hagel is originally from Hamilton and appeared in 67 games for the Bulldogs in 2012-13. Bulldogs forward Drayson Bowman played 130 games for Charlotte between 2010-13, scoring 78 points (39g, 39a). Bowman still holds the Checkers' record for most consecutive games with at least one goal scored (eight during the 2012-13 campaign).

Close Call

After starting the season losing four of the first five games, the Checkers narrowly avoided the slowest start in franchise history, set in the inaugural 2010-11 season, with their win over Iowa on Oct. 24. The 2010-11 team, which went on to set franchise records for highest point total (97) and deepest run into the playoffs (Eastern Conference Final), didn't find its second win until the seventh game of that season, whereas this year it came in the sixth.

Offensive Struggles

The Checkers, who average 1.88 goals per game thus far (29th AHL), have been held to a single goal in five of their eight games this season, all losses. That includes back-to-back, one-goal peformances that came on the heels of their best offensive showing of the season in 5-1 victory at Iowa on Oct. 24.

Two of the four lowest shot totals seen in the AHL this season belong to the Checkers, who took a franchise-record 15 against Chicago on Oct. 11. Their single shot in the first period of that game also set a franchise record and is tied for the lowest single-period total seen in the league this season. The Checkers rank last in the AHL with an average of 23.3 shots per contest.

Coming Home

The Checkers return to Time Warner Cable Arena this weekend in search of their first win at home this season. Last season, they set a franchise record for consecutive home losses by losing each of their first six. Charlotte and Hamilton are among just three teams (Grand Rapids) that have yet to earn their first win on home ice this season.

Depth Contributions

With his four assists thus far, Brendan Woods has already surpassed his total from 42 games last season and is halfway to the eight points he scored in 42 games as a rookie last season. He leads the team in assists, is tied for the lead in points (4) and ranks second in penalty minutes (30).

Jared Staal, who holds a share of the goal-scoring lead with two, has already matched his total from 50 games last season and is halfway to his career high of four set in the 2012-13 campaign. He currently has more goals than all of his brothers (NHLers Eric, Jordan and Marc) combined.

MacIntyre's Workload

Drew MacIntyre has six starts thus far, which is the most a Checkers goaltender has ever recorded in the first eight games of a season. A 12th-year pro who appeared in 48 games for the Toronto Marlies last season, MacIntyre currently ranks tied for fifth in the AHL with 182 saves.

Quick Hits

• Forward Kyle Hagel leads the league in major penalties (5)
• Defenseman Trevor Carrick has two major penalties, which ties him for third among AHL rookies
• The Checkers' three third-period goals are tied for the fewest of any AHL team
• Phil Di Giuseppe's 23 shots on goal are at least eight more than any other Checker

Injuries

• Justin Shugg - missed five games starting 10/17

Milestones

• Greg Nemisz is three shy of 100 professional points and four shy of 100 AHL points
• Keegan Lowe is eight shy of 100 AHL/professional penalty minutes

Transactions

Incoming

• Oct. 30 - (D) Ryan Murphy assigned to Charlotte from Carolina (NHL)
• Oct. 29 - (C) Brody Sutter reassigned to Charlotte from Carolina (NHL)
• Oct. 28 - (C) Patrick Brown reassigned to Charlotte from Carolina (NHL)

Outgoing

• Oct. 29 - (C) Mike Aviani released from professional tryout contract to Florida (ECHL)