Game Preview: Checkers vs Hartford (Dec. 17, 2019)

The Checkers face a tough test on home ice as they welcome the first-place Hartford Wolf Pack to town. Here's everything you need to know before tonight’s puck drop.

1. STRINGING THEM TOGETHER

The Checkers made progress by claiming victories of three out of four games before falling in their most recent outing against Syracuse. The Checkers have won back-to-back games twice this season but haven’t been able to put together a streak longer than that.

“That’s kind of been our M.O.,” said head coach Ryan Warsofsky. “If you look at some of our losses, we’re beating ourselves. We’re finding ways to lose games. We stop playing for a few minutes and that’s it. A lot of our losses are because we just don’t play a total game.”

On the flip side, the Checkers have shown a strong ability to bounce back, as they have posted back-to-back regulation losses just twice and have no such streaks longer than that.

“Don’t get me wrong, from game one to game 26 it has gotten better,” said Warsofsky. “But until that’s in our DNA, we have to keep learning.”

2. KUOKKANEN HEATS UP

Janne Kuokkanen is coming off his most productive weekend of the season. The Finnish forward posted a pair of helpers on Friday against Syracuse, then followed that up with a two-goal, one-assist performance the next night to give him five points over his last two contests.

“It’s huge,” said Warsofsky. “Since probably Rochester, over those six or seven games he’s been really good. The goals are going to come, he’s a gifted player with a great skill set. When he competes hard he’s a difference maker and that’s what we’re seeing right now.”

3. POWERING UP

The Checkers’ power play has been clicking as of late. They have recorded at least one power-play goal in four of their last five games and have notched a pair in three of those. With seven goals on their last 21 man advantages, the Checkers have vaulted up to the sixth spot on the AHL’s power-play rankings.

“We’re holding onto pucks and not forcing plays, getting pucks on net when we can,” said Warsofsky. “You get guys like [Jake] Bean and [Chase] Priskie who are really deadly on power plays no matter who they’re playing against. They’ve been really good for us. We’ve been lucky enough to get a couple in, now we need to build on it.”

The Checkers will look to keep that momentum going against a Hartford squad that ranks 11th on the penalty kill and has been shorthanded the third-fewest times in the AHL.

4. AND OUT COME THE WOLF PACK

Hartford enters tonight’s contest as the Atlantic Division leaders, boasting the second-highest points percentage in the Eastern Conference.

“They’re really well structured and really well coached,” said Warsofsky. “They have some good young players and then some experience with guys like Di Giuseppe and Beleskey.”

The Wolf Pack got the best of Charlotte in the season opener 5-3, but the Checkers will get another crack at a Hartford squad that has been stellar at home (11-1-2) but far worse on the road (5-4-5). Even at just 5-3-2 over their last 10 games, the Wolf Pack present a big test for the Checkers.

“They’re another really good team, best team in our division,” said Warsofsky. “There’s no nights off in the American Hockey League.”

5. SOLVING SHESTERKIN

Hartford’s biggest weapon this season has been netminder Igor Shesterkin. A star in the KHL, the Russian goaltender made the jump to North America this season and has been lights out for the Wolf Pack, leading the AHL in goals-against average with a staggering 1.81 mark through 17 games. He is 4-0-1 with six total goals allowed in his last five appearances, so the Checkers will need to find a way to break through during this two-game series with Hartford.

“We have to make his job difficult,” said Warsofsky. “We have to get to the net and get in front of his eyes. He’s a goalie who’s obviously extremely hot, and both of their goalies have been playing well. So we have to make it tough. Not just for him but for their defense, to box us out and to drag us down so we can get on the power play. There’s some things that we can do to make his job tough and we need to make sure we do that in waves and come at him.”

6. WELCOME TO CHARLOTTE

After coming to the Canes organization last week in a trade for Kyle Wood, Oliwer Kaski could make his Checkers debut tonight. The Finnish blueliner had a slow start to his first North American season with five points (2g, 3a) in 19 games for Grand Rapids, but he is just a year removed from posting one of the most impressive campaigns by a defenseman in the history of Finland’s top league.

The Checkers will also be without forward Hunter Shinkaruk, who was released from his contract Monday as he departs for the KHL.

7. THE GOAT RETURNS

After another stint in the NHL, Julien Gauthier has returned to Charlotte, where he has been an offensive force. The forward leads the Checkers with 10 goals, including lighting the lamp three times over his last three contests – all of which came in the first periods. Gauthier also leads the team in power-play goals, with two of his last three tallies coming on the man advantage.

8, OFFENSIVE SPARKS

After a bit of a drought, the Checkers have been able to pour in goals over their most recent stretch of games. They have scored at least three goals in four of their last five games, posting a 3-1-0 record over that run. Throughout the season, the Checkers are 9-2-2 when scoring at least three goals and 2-10-1 when falling below that threshold.

9. STRONG STARTS

It’s no secret that the Checkers have enjoyed their most success this season when finding the scoresheet early, posting a 10-3-1 record in those situations while going 1-9-2 when surrendering the first goal. Additionally they are 7-1-1 when holding a lead after 20 minutes of play, and 10 of their 11 wins on the season have come in games where they were either leading or tied heading into the first intermission.

10. 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!