Game Preview: Checkers vs Milwaukee (Feb. 28, 2017)

After another strong weekend, the Checkers are looking to keep their climb to the playoffs alive with a pivotal series against the Admirals. Here are 11 things to know about tonight's game:

1. GAINING GROUND

With a 6-3-1 mark over their last 10 games, the Checkers are back within striking distance of the final playoff spot in the Central Division. By taking three of a possible four points from them over the weekend, the Checkers now trail Cleveland by just one point, but with one game in hand they have identical point percentages. Currently in the final playoff spot is Iowa, who sit six points ahead of the Checkers but have played three more games. This week will see that change, as the Checkers will play four games between now and Sunday compared to the Wild’s one.

2. HOME-ICE ADVANTAGE

With another pair of wins at Bojangles’ Coliseum over the weekend, Charlotte’s home record sits at 17-6-1. That .729 winning percentage on home ice, where they have won seven of their last eight games, is the sixth-best such mark in the league. The team’s best-ever points percentage at home for an entire season is .613, set in the 2010-11 season. The good news for the Checkers is that 14 of their final 23 games this season will be played at home.

3. OFFENSE CATCHES FIRE

Despite still ranking in the bottom third of the league’s rankings, the Checkers appear to have turned a corner on the offensive front. With their six-goal outburst on Saturday, the Checkers have now eclipsed the four-goal mark in each of their last three games. So far this season Charlotte has reached that mark 14 times, but have only done it in consecutive games one other time, on Nov.10 and 11.

Over that three-game stretch, the Checkers have totaled 15 goals.

4. IT'S MILLER TIME

After suffering an injury that sidelined him for more than a month earlier this season, Andrew Miller appears to have found his scoring groove in a big way as of late.

In the three games since Feb. 19, Miller has racked up a whopping eight points (1g, 7a), more than any other player in the AHL over that time span. Half of those points came in Saturday’s game, when Miller notched a career-high four helpers in the Checkers’ blowout victory.

5. GOING STREAKING

With the feed on Dennis Robertson’s first period goal Saturday night, Andrew Poturalski is now currently in the midst of an eight-game point streak, breaking Brock McGinn’s (technically still active) mark for the longest by a Checker this season.

The longest point streak in franchise history is 12 games, set by Ryan Murphy in the 2013-14 season. Should Poturalski pick up a point Tuesday against Milwaukee, he would become just the third player in franchise history to record a nine-game point streak, alongside Murphy and Bobby Sanguinetti, who rang up an 11-game point streak in 2011-12.

6. FRESHMAN PHENOMS

Along with leading the team in goals and points, rookie forwards Andrew Poturalski and Lucas Wallmark are zeroing in on the Checkers’ record book. Poturalski’s team-leading 38 points are already the third-most in franchise history by a rookie. With 23 games remaining on the slate, the forward needs one more to match Victor Rask’s 2013-14 effort and 19 more to catch Zac Dalpe’s team record.

Wallmark, on the other hand, needs just four goals over the last 23 games to tie the franchise rookie record, also set by Dalpe.

7. KRISTO FITTING IN

After being acquired by Carolina in a trade with Pittsburgh earlier this week, Danny Kristo stepped straight into the lineup and contributed for the Checkers this weekend.

The fourth-year pro picked up a pair of assists in his debut Friday, including feeding Andrew Poturalski with a slick cross-ice feed for the overtime winner.

“He did good,” said head coach Ulf Samuelsson on Kristo’s first weekend. “He’s still trying to figure out a few small things with our tactical game plan, but he’s a skilled player and he’ll adapt quickly.”

8. AGAINST MILWAUKEE

Tuesday and Wednesday will be the final two times that the Checkers and Admirals square off during the regular season. In the six previous meetings the Admirals have had the upper hand, winning five of them. The Checkers have been able to salvage points, however, as three of Milwaukee’s wins were decided in overtime.

Aside from the three overtime games, the contests between Milwaukee and Charlotte haven’t been very close, as the other three were decided by at least three goals.

9. TOP ADMIRALS

The two players sitting atop the Milwaukee scoring lead are especially familiar with the Checkers, who they have torn up all season. Vladislav Kamenev and Frederick Gaudreau have tallied seven and eight points, respectively, in five games against Charlotte this season. In fact, one of the two have recorded three points in each of the last three matchups with the Checkers.

Between the pipes, Marek Mazanec has been perfect against Charlotte, picking up four wins in his four outings this season.

10. BLACKOUT

The Checkers will wear their black alternate jerseys tonight and Wednesday. You can pick up a black jersey at the merch stand for 20% off for the remainder of the season.

11. TUNE IN!

You can tune in to hear Jason Shaya's call live from Bojangles' Coliseum tonight! Pregame show kicks off at 6:45.

You can also download the new Checkers App, available for both iPhones and Androids, for score updates and to play the new Top Line game!