Game Preview: Checkers vs. Hamilton (Oct. 30, 2014)

The Checkers get their Halloween festivities off to an early start with a 12 p.m. matinee against the Hamilton Bulldogs on Friday.

The event marks the first-ever meeting between Charlotte and Hamilton, despite this being their third year as Western Conference rivals. The clubs play a four-game series this season, continuing with another afternoon game this Sunday at 1 p.m. Charlotte will be looking for its first home victory of the season, while the Bulldogs will be looking to snap a three-game losing skid.

Kids 12 and under get in free to Friday’s game. Those who bring a non-perishable food item can earn a free ticket to the game on Dec. 21 and a coupon for free chips and queso at Salsarita’s.

Charlotte

The Checkers will have three new players since their last game, a 4-1 setback in Iowa last Saturday. Joining the club from the parent Carolina Hurricanes, whose injury situation has improved of late, are centers Patrick Brown and Brody Sutter and defenseman Ryan Murphy.

With Brown, Sutter and the recently re-signed A.J. Jenks joining alternate captain Ben Holmstrom, the Checkers are set to have the deepest lineup they’ve had all season in terms of centers.

“It gets guys more to their natural position and also to where they need to be in the lineup as opposed to being out of position,” said coach Jeff Daniels, who is now able to move Greg Nemisz and Brendan Woods back to their preferred position on the wings. “This gives us more balance up front.”

Meanwhile, Murphy, the Hurricanes’ first-round pick in 2011, should improve the team’s ability to move the puck up ice while posing more of an offensive threat from the blue line. The 21-year-old scored 22 points (3g, 19a) in 22 Checkers games last season, setting club records for longest assist and point streaks (12 games) in the process.

“We had some guys that can make that good first pass, but I think (Murphy)’s a guy that can come up the ice with speed and is capable of making a high-end play,” said Daniels. “In saying that, he knows he has to come down here and keep it simple like he did last year. Don’t try to do too much and jump in when it’s necessary. As much as we talk offense, he’s also down here to be sound defensively.”

The influx of players this week, partially offset by the team releasing Mike Aviani from his professional tryout contract on Wednesday, leaves the Checkers with one extra forward and two extra defensemen for Friday’s game.

If recent history is any indication, the Checkers may turn to veteran goalie Drew MacIntyre, who has started five of the team’s first seven games. His partner, John Muse, took the loss on Saturday.

Hamilton

As a team that has spent time in both the Eastern and Western Conference, the Checkers have seen a wider variety of opponents than most over the last four seasons. That makes it even more unusual that they’ve managed to avoid Hamilton for this long.

“It’s one of those funny things with the schedule,” said Daniels. “You go to Toronto and you don’t even go down to play Hamilton.

“Some of the guys we know from throughout the league, but systems-wise we’ll be watching video to see what they’re looking to do. I’m sure they’re a lot like Montreal (their parent club) where they’ve got a lot of skill and speed. We’ve got to be willing to skate and put the effort in.”

One player that Daniels and the Checkers know well is forward Drayson Bowman, who played 130 games for the club between 2010-2013. After becoming a full-time NHL player at the conclusion of the last lockout, Bowman attended Montreal’s training camp as a free agent tryout before earning a two-way deal and joining the Bulldogs.

“He’s a shooter,” said Daniels of Bowman, who ranks third among Hamilton skaters with five points (1g, 4a) in seven games. “He fits into their mold because he can skate and make plays.”

Other weapons on the Bulldogs roster include veteran center T.J. Hensick, a three-time AHL All-Star who has four points thus far. Charles Hudon leads the team with seven points, tying him for third among AHL rookies, and a plus-seven rating.

In goal, the experienced Joey MacDonald has started five games while posting a 2.97 goals-against average and .886 save percentage.

Checkers Notes

Against the Bulldogs

Friday's game marks the first-ever meeting between Charlotte and Hamilton, despite both teams playing in the Western Conference for each of the last three seasons. Following Friday's game, 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. 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 Friday. 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 set several franchise-lows in terms of offensive production throught the first five games, but turned that around for at least one game this weekend, putting a season-high five on the board against Iowa on Friday. After following that up with their fourth one-goal performance of the season the next night, hey now sit tied at 28th with an even two per game.

The Checkers rank last in the AHL with an average of 22.7 shots per game. 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 the lowest single-period total seen in the league this season.

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 four teams 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 five starts thus far, which is the most a Checkers goaltender has ever recorded in the first seven games of a season. A 12th-year pro who appeared in 48 games for the Toronto Marlies last season, MacIntyre currently ranks fourth in the AHL with 162 saves.

Quick Hits

• Forward Kyle Hagel is tied for the league lead in major penalties (4)
• 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 second-fewest of any AHL team
• Phil Di Giuseppe's 20 shots on goal are at least seven more than any other Checker

Streaks

• Greg Nemisz has goals and points in each of his last two games (Oct. 24-25: 2g, 1a)

Injuries

• Justin Shugg - missed four games starting 10/17

Milestones

• Beau Schmitz is one shy of 50 AHL games
• Greg Nemisz is three shy of 100 professional points and four shy of 100 AHL points
• Keegan Lowe is 10 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)
• Oct. 24 - (C) A.J. Jenks signed to a professional tryout contract from Toledo (ECHL)

Outgoing

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