Game Preview: Checkers vs. Iowa (Nov. 29, 2015)

Fresh off one of their most exciting wins of the season, the Checkers look to make it a clean sweep as they host a rematch with the Iowa Wild this afternoon.

Here are some things to watch as Charlotte looks to make it four wins in its last five games:

1. COMEBACK KIDS

Saturday’s win over Iowa marked the fourth time the Checkers have erased a deficit of at least two goals in the third period this season. Two of those came against Iowa, both of which were three-goal deficits. All four games resulted in wins, three of which came during regulation and one of which came in a shootout.

Charlotte now has three wins when trailing after two periods, which is tied with Chicago for most in the AHL. The Checkers have 32 third-period goals, a total that accounts for 52 percent of the team’s total and is tied for the most by any AHL team in any period (Texas also has 32 in the third).

2. PRETTY GOOD PERIOD

The Checkers’ six-goal outburst on Saturday marked the highest single-period total of any AHL team this season. It was actually two shy of tying the franchise record of eight set against Syracuse during the inaugural 2010-11 campaign.

3. ANOTHER MILESTONE FOR BOYCHUK

Zach Boychuk, who passed Chris Terry to become the franchise’s all-time scoring leader last month, again passed his former teammate to become the first to play 300 games as a Checker on Saturday. He can cross yet another milestone off his list today, as his next point will be his 300th in the AHL.

Boychuk, who ranks fourth in the AHL with 66 shots on goal, has three goals in his last two outings since ending a career-long, 16-game goal drought with his first of the season on Tuesday. He currently leads the team with 10 assists.

4. RUNNING WILD

Including last night and a two-game sweep in Iowa to start this regular season on Oct. 10 and 11, the Checkers have won seven consecutive games against the Wild, with the last loss coming nearly one full year ago on Dec. 8 of last season. The Checkers have an all-time record of 11-4-0 against Iowa.

The Checkers, who routinely host the same team for consecutive games, have won both games just three times in the last two seasons. Two of those sweeps were against Iowa.

5. TOUGH TIMES IN IOWA

The Wild, whose .205 winning percentage ranks last in the league, enter tonight’s game on an 12-game winless streak (0-11-1). It is already longer than any winless streak posted by any AHL team last season and is the longest since Bridgeport also went 12 games without a victory in 2013-14. The most recent streak lasting longer than that was when Springfield went 17 games without a win in 2009-10.

During their slide, the Wild have scored more than two goals just twice – a three-goal outing on Nov. 14 and last night’s four-goal effort. They currently rank 29th in the AHL in goals per game (1.77) and are last in power-play percentage (8.6).

6. WE KNOW THOSE GUYS

The Wild boast a trio of players whose names may be familiar to Checkers fans and, in particular, Checkers players. Unfortunately, two of those, Zac Dalpe, who ranks fourth on Charlotte’s all-time scoring list, and Marc Hagel, brother of Kyle, are missing this weekend’s games due to injury.

Former captain Brett Sutter, however, is in the lineup and managed to score his first goal against his former team to make it 4-1 last night – a lead that was taken away thanks in part to his cousin Brody, who would later make it 4-3. Brett Sutter, who ranks third on Charlotte’s all-time scoring list, has five points in 22 games this season.

7. GOOD THINGS COME IN PAIRS

Brock McGinn has scored two goals in a game three times this season. Those mark the only AHL games in which he has scored a goal, as opposing teams have prevented him from finding the back of the net in his other five outings. McGinn, who scored his first two NHL goals with Carolina this season, now has five career two-goal games in the AHL.

8. MURPHY’S BACK

Defenseman Ryan Murphy rejoins the Checkers as he continues to rehab from a concussion suffered while playing for the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes on Nov. 14. In his first AHL game since Jan. 23 of last season, Murphy recorded a pair of assists to help spark the Checkers’ comeback on Saturday.

An AHL All-Star with the Checkers last season, Murphy has 43 points (3g, 41a) in 51 career AHL games dating back to the 2012-13 season. He holds Charlotte’s all-time records for longest assist streak and longest point streak, both of which lasted 12 games in 2013-14.

9. MUSICAL GOALIES

The Checkers used Drew MacIntyre, either as a starter or in relief, for their first 11 games of the season. Since his first full night off on Nov. 8, it has been more of an even split with rookie Rasmus Tirronen playing five of a possible eight games.

For the season, Tirronen holds a 4-1-0 record, 3.01 goals-against average and .878 save percentage while winning three of his last four decisions. Meanwhile, MacIntyre, who on Saturday tied Red Almas for eighth on the AHL’s all-time wins list (218), now holds a 6-8-0 record, 3.20 GAA and .885 SV% on the season.

Saturday marked the third time that both goalies played in the same game this season.

10. CLIMBING THE CHARTS

Justin Shugg, who has 10 points in 12 games this season, on Saturday tied Jerome Samson for fifth on the club’s all-time goals list (53). Meanwhile, Brody Sutter needs one goal to tie Jacob Micflikier for 10th (29) and Danny Biega is set to play his 150th AHL game.