Game Preview: Checkers vs. Milwaukee (Nov. 30, 2013)

The Checkers will look to make up some ground in the standings as they begin a 10-game home stand against the Milwaukee Admirals tonight.

Tonight’s game is the first of a back-to-back set against Milwaukee, who the Checkers have not yet faced this season. Following the long run of home games, which ties the longest in franchise history, Charlotte travels to Milwaukee to play the Admirals in its next game on Dec. 27, leaving just one more match-up in the season series in April.

Charlotte

After a 5-2 setback in their most recent game in Norfolk on Wednesday, the Checkers have now lost two consecutive games since ending their record seven-game slide last weekend, giving them nine losses in their last 10 games dating back to Nov. 2.

Despite the struggles, many of the recent losses have been close, suggesting that better results aren’t entirely out of reach. In each of their last three defeats, they were tied 2-2 early in the third period before allowing the opposing teams to pull away.

“Like Sunday’s game (a 4-3 loss to Rockford), I thought we played well going into the third, but we made more mistakes and they capitalized on them,” said coach Jeff Daniels. “We just can’t beat ourselves.”

“As a team we battled,” said Philippe Cornet, who has three points (1g, 2a) in three games since joining the Checkers in a trade with San Antonio. “If we can do the little things right we can turn it around. I think we have it in us. No one’s down about it and not wanting to come to the rink anymore. We’re treating each game like it’s a new season.”  

Though the team will need to continue to find ways to produce offense – it has an 0-9-1 record when scoring two or fewer goals – better results on the penalty kill will also be crucial. The Checkers gave up two goals on five opportunities Wednesday and now rank 28th in the league at 76.7 percent – a surprising development given that last year’s team with many of the same penalty killers finished third.

“It’s a funny thing,” said Daniels. “We have guys that take pride in it and believe they can get it done, but they’re going to have to start doing that.”

Given the short turnaround between tonight’s game and Sunday’s 1:30 p.m. rematch, it’s very possible that the Checkers use both John Muse and Rob Madore against Milwaukee in a yet-to-be-determined order. Both goaltenders finished last season on the Checkers’ playoff roster and started this season in the ECHL before coming back on professional tryout contracts.

Muse has started 10 of a possible 15 games since his return, posting a 2.55 goals-against average, .912 save percentage and two shutouts. Madore did not play Wednesday, his only game since rejoining the team one day earlier.

Mike Murphy, the third member of the reunited tandem from last season, will not play this weekend. The same is likely true of defenseman Michal Jordan, who missed the last four games but returned to Friday’s practice in a non-contact jersey.

Sean Dolan, the team’s checking center who missed Wednesday’s game due to personal reasons, will again be available.

Milwaukee

One of the AHL’s hottest teams out of the gate with six wins in their first eight games, the Admirals have cooled, winning three of their last 10 to enter tonight’s match-up at 9-4-5, good for fifth in the Western Conference. Like the Checkers, they most recently played Wednesday, dropping a 2-1 overtime decision at Rockford.

A defensive team that takes on many of the characteristics of its parent team, the Nashville Predators, the Admirals rarely have an array of high scorers on their roster, with this season being no different. Rookie Colton Sissons, a second-round draft pick in 2012, leads the team with 13 points (7g, 6a) in 18 games. Austin Watson, a first-round pick in 2010, has 10 points.

No Admirals skater has recorded more than one point in the team’s last three games, during which time it scored four total goals while going 1-1-1.

Milwaukee does have an offensive-minded player on its blue line in former Checkers captain Bryan Rodney, who leads team defensemen with seven points. Since leaving Charlotte, Rodney, 29, has spent the bulk of his time in the AHL with Syracuse, Oklahoma City and Manchester.

In goal, Magnus Hellberg, who went 5-1-0 against the Checkers last season, has played in 12 of the team’s games, posting a 3-8-1 record, putting him on the hook for each of the team’s losses despite a 2.80 goals against average and .912 save percentage. Rookies Scott Darling (1-0-0), who signed a pro tryout with Charlotte two seasons ago but did not play, and Marek Mazanec (5-0-0) are undefeated.

Mazanec is currently in the NHL with Nashville, as is Filip Forsberg, the 11th overall pick in the 2012 draft who has six points in four games with the Admirals this season.

Checkers Notes

Home Again

The Checkers' current 10-game home stand ties the longest in franchise history, a record originally set from Nov. 25-Dec. 15 of last season. The Checkers began that home stand with five consecutive losses, which stood as a franchise record for longest home and overall losing streaks until the team topped those marks with an overall losing streak of seven games and a home losing streak of six games this season.

Dating back to Nov. 7, the Checkers are in the midst of a stretch in which they play 16 of 19 games at Time Warner Cable Arena. Their two points earned at home this season (1-7-0) are the fewest of any AHL team.

Floodgates Open

After scoring five goals in his first six games this season, defenseman Mark Flood broke a 10-game drought with goals in back-to-back games against Rockford last weekend. His seven goals are tied with Chris Terry for the team lead and good for second among all AHL defensemen, while his four power-play goals are tied for second among league blueliners. Flood has four points (2g, 2a) in his last three games, more than any other Checkers player during that time.

Flood, who scored one goal in 52 games in the Russian KHL last season, is already closing in on his AHL career high of 11 set in 63 games with Manitoba in the 2010-11 campaign.

Goalies Galore

Should Rob Madore, who signed a professional tryout contract with the Checkers on Tuesday, get into the lineup, he would become the seventh goaltender used by the Checkers this season. The team's current total of six, which was achieved in just eight games, is already a franchise record and ties it with Oklahoma City for most used by an AHL team this season.

Goaltenders to play at least one game for the Checkers this season are Justin Peters, Mike Murphy, Jesse Deckert, John Muse, Allen York and Rick DiPietro.

Welcome to the Club

Forward Philippe Cornet, a former AHL All-Star acquried via trade with San Antonio on Nov. 22, recorded three points (1g, 2a) in his first three games as a Checker. Cornet, who was playing with ECHL Cincinnati at the time of the trade, now has 97 points (47g, 50a) in 184 career AHL games with Oklahoma City, San Antonio and Charlotte - all members of the current West Division.

PK Trouble

The Checkers gave up two power-play goals on five chances at Norfolk on Wednesday, marking the seventh time they have allowed multiple power-play goals in the same game this season. After finishing third in the AHL with a penalty-killing percentage of 86.5 last season, the Checkers now rank 28th at 76.7 percent this season.

Against Milwaukee

In 16 previous meetings between Charlotte and Milwaukee, the Checkers have a record of 7-8-1. Charlotte has yet to win a season series with the Admirals on two previous attempts, having gone 4-4-0 in 2011-12 and 3-4-1 last season. The teams will play each other just four times this season, down from eight in each of the Checkers' first two seasons in the Western Conference.

Divided Division

In 19 games, the Checkers have played against their own division, the West, just three times (2-1-0) and will not play another game against a West team until hosting San Antonio on Dec. 10. No other AHL team has played fewer games within its own division.

Quick Hits

• The Checkers' .500 winning percentage when scoring the game's first goal is tied with Bridgeport for the lowest in the AHL. Charlotte has scored first in 13 of 19 games this season and is 6-6-1 in those games, though it has yet to earn a victory (0-6-0) when not scoring first.
• Charlotte has both scored (19) and allowed (26) more goals in the third period than in any other period
• Prior to this season (nine losses), the Checkers had not lost more than three games during the month of November in any of their three previous AHL seasons
• The Checkers' one overtime game is tied with Iowa for the fewest in the league
• Charlotte is one of three teams that have yet to score a shorthanded goal

Player Streaks

• none

Milestones

• Nicolas Blanchard is 2 goals away from 25 Checkers goals

Transactions

Incoming

• Nov. 26 - (G) Rob Madore signed to professional tryout contract

Outgoing

• Nov. 26 - (G) Rick DiPietro released from professional tryout contract