Game Preview: Checkers vs. Oklahoma City (April 2, 2015)

The Checkers hope to turn their home stand around as they host the first of back-to-back games against the Oklahoma City Barons tonight.

Charlotte began its run of six consecutive home games, the last it will ever play at Time Warner Cable Arena, with a pair of losses to the Lake Erie Monsters last week. After a close encounter on Friday, the Monsters ran away with a 5-1 victory in Sunday's rematch. Meanwhile, the Barons, once in contention for the top spot in the Western Conference, have fallen to fifth by going 2-6-2 in their last 10 games.

This week's games conclude the 12-game season series between Charlotte and the division rival Barons. Oklahoma City has won seven of 10 meetings this season.

Charlotte

After returning home on a three-game winning streak, the Checkers ran into a tough Lake Erie team that upended them in back-to-back contests. They will now welcome the Barons to town looking to put themselves back on the right track.

While the first matchup with the Monsters hinged on a controversial call in the final minute that took away the would-be tying goal from Charlotte, the rematch was a lopsided affair that showcased several of the Checkers’ shortcomings that have plagued them for most of the year. The Checkers surrendered three goals in the opening frame, marking the ninth time this season they have allowed at least three goals in the first period and the third time in their last seven contests.

Drew MacIntyre, who has again taken control of the crease for the time being, was in net for all three of those instances, getting pulled from two of them. Although he has struggled, going 2-4-0 with a 4.64 goals-against average in his last six starts, MacIntyre has not gotten much help from the group in front of him. Of the five goals he allowed in Sunday’s loss, two came on breakaways and another on a two-on-one.

That defensive corps could be getting an infusion of new blood for this last stretch, as newcomers Brett Pesce and Josh Wesley have signed amateur tryout contracts and could see action as soon as tonight. Pesce, a 20-year-old third-round pick that Hurricanes’ GM Ron Francis called “a big, puck-moving defenseman," recently wrapped up his three-year career at the University of New Hampshire and made the decision to turn pro.

The 19-year old Wesley, son of Hurricanes great Glenn Wesley, is still too young to make the jump to the AHL next season and will return to junior if he doesn’t make the NHL out of training camp. But he could still see his first taste of the pro game here late in the season with Charlotte, similar to what Brock McGinn did two seasons ago. In addition to the two blue liners, the Checkers are also carrying two extra ATO goalies in Rasmus Tirronen and Alex Nedeljkovic who could see game action before the season ends.

Offensively, after a four-game stretch of solid output, the Checkers have regressed back into their old ways, notching just three goals in their last two games combined. In order to break out of that funk, they will need the likes of Justin Shugg, who has six points in his last six games, and Brody Sutter, who has 11 in his last 11, to continue to roll, while getting more out of their proven producers such as Chad LaRose, who has just two points in his five games since returning from injury, and Brock McGinn.

Oklahoma City

After spending significant time this season sitting atop both the West Division and the Western Conference, the Barons have hit a nasty skid, currently finding themselves in the midst of a seven-game winless streak. That spiral has knocked the Barons out of the division lead and pushed them down to fifth in the conference.

One of the biggest contributing factors of that free fall has been their inability to keep the puck out of their net. During that seven-game skid, the Barons have allowed four or more goals five times, including a disastrous seven-goal performance by the Adirondack Flames in OKC’s last contest.

Laurent Brossoit has taken on full duty in the OKC crease, being tabbed as the starter in each of the last 22 games. While still holding a record above .500 and decent numbers, the rookie netminder has struggled during this stretch, going 1-6-2 in his last nine appearances while turning in a goals-against average of 3.23. The team in front of him hasn’t done Brossoit any favors though, as he has been peppered with over 30 shots in four of his last six starts.

The Barons offense has fallen off considerably as well. While still ranking in the top 10 in the AHL in terms of goals per game, the Barons have been held to two goals or fewer in 10 of their last 17 contests, including four times in their last five games.

A big part of that that drop-off is the absence of OKC’s leading scorer, Andrew Miller. Miller was recalled to Edmonton on March 18, and that loss has been felt by the Barons. With him out of the lineup, the Barons have had to lean on their secondary scorers to fill that void. Veteran Jason Williams has still been a force, with his 49 points leading the current roster, while former ECHL Checker Matthew Ford has stepped up and pumped in 11 points in his last 11 games. Brad Hunt continues to rule the OKC blue line, with his 45 points in 54 games leading all team defensemen and ranking third among AHL defensemen, but he has managed just two points in his last seven outings.

Checkers Notes

Against Oklahoma City

This week's games in Charlotte conlude the 12-game season series against the Oklahoma City Barons. Oklahoma City has won seven of 10 meetings thus far, pushing the Checkers' all-time record to 20-14-14 against the Barons. These will be the last-ever games between the clubs, with the Barons ceasing operations and the parent Edmonton Oilers moving their AHL affiliation to Bakersfield next season.

Brock McGinn (10 games) and Justin Shugg (eight) pace the Checkers with five points (2g, 3a) apiece against the Barons this season. With Andrew Miller (12 points in 10 games) in the NHL, former ECHL Checker Matthew Ford leads all active Oklahoma City skaters with 10 points (2g, 8a) in 10 games.

In goal, John Muse has appeared in six matchups, going 2-3-1 with a 2.35 goals-against average and .930 save percentage, while Drew MacIntyre is 1-3-0 with a 4.03 GAA and .864 SV%. Oklahoma City's Laurent Brossoit is 4-3-0 with a 1.69 GAA and .941 SV%, while backup Tyler Bunz has never faced Charlotte.

Slow Starts

Sunday's first period against Lake Erie marked the ninth time this season that the Checkers have allowed three or more goals in the opening frame of a game. It was also the third time in the last seven games that has happened.

On the other side, the Checkers have only scored more than two goals in the opening frame once this season, while they have been held to one or fewer goals in the first period in 60 of their 69 games.

Sutter Strikes

With five in his last five games, center Brody Sutter has doubled his goal output from the first 36 games of the season. He has seven total points during his recent four-game run, including two multi-goal games that are his only such games in the AHL aside from a two-goal effort in his first professional playoff game at Oklahoma City on April 26, 2013.

Sutter's four-game point streak (5g, 2a), which came to an end when he was held of the score sheet Sunday against Lake Erie, was the longest of his career, eclipsing a three-game run (0g, 3a) set from Dec. 27-30 of last season.

Sutter, who has been limited to just 41 games this season due to injury, has set a new career high of 10 goals, eclipsing the eight he scored in 69 games last season. He had four multi-point games in March including a career-high, three-point effort (2g, 1a) at Iowa on March 21.

MacIntyre's Workload

Checkers goalie Drew MacIntyre, who has played in nine of the team's last 11 games, ranks fourth in the AHL with 2,691 minutes played and is second with 1,336 saves. He would only need to appear in one of the team's last eight games to tie the franchise record for games played by a goaltender in a single season (48 by Justin Pogge in 2010-11).

His most recent victory in Norfolk on March 25 was the 211th of his career, moving him into a tie with Nick Damore for ninth in AHL history. He is now just 21 away from tying Frederic Cassivi for fifth. MacIntyre, a 31-year-old veteran now playing his 12th professional season with his eighth AHL club, has a 211-141-25 record, 2.49 goals-against average, .934 save percentage and 16 shutouts in 400 career AHL games dating back to the 2004-05 season.

Though he has yet to record a shutout, MacIntyre has won five games by a 2-1 score. He owns a .933 save percentage in overtime games this season (42 saves on 45 shots) and has stopped 21 of 23 in the shootout. He is tied for the league lead in shootout victories this season (4-1 record).

Carrick Lights It Up

With 13 points in his last 14 games, Trevor Carrick currently leads all Charlotte defensemen in goals (six), assists (21) and points (27), all of which are new records for a Checkers roookie defenseman. Of his five multi-point outings this season, four have occurred during the month of March, including a trio of two-assist efforts in his last seven games.

Carrick currently ranks tied for third on the team in scoring and leads the team in assists. Eleven of his assists have come on the power play, a total that leads the Checkers, is tied for fourth among all AHL rookies and is first among AHL rookie defensemen.

A fourth-round pick in 2012, the 20-year-old Carrick put up 51 points in his final season of junior last year, split between Mississauga and Sudbury, and ranked second among OHL defensemen in goals (22).

Shugg Takes Over

By scoring 17 points (6g, 11a) in his last 21 outings, Justin Shugg has taken over the Checkers' leads in goals (19, a new career high) and points (38). He ranks second on the team in assists with 19, two behind rookie defenseman Trevor Carrick.

With a helper in Sunday's contest against the Monsters, Shugg, 23, passed Jerome Samson for fifth on the franchise's all-time points list with 110 points (47g, 63a) in 205 games played.

Quick Hits

• Kyle Hagel ranks second in the AHL in major penalties (22)
• Chad LaRose is tied for the AHL lead in shorthanded assists (3) and tied for third in shorthanded points (4)
• Phil Di Giuseppe leads the Checkers and ranks fourth among AHL rookies in shots (154)

Injuries

• Greg Nemisz - missed 48 games starting 12/8 (out for season)

Milestones

• Jared Staal is one shy of 100 AHL penalty minutes
• Ben Holmstrom is 12 shy of 500 professional penalty minutes
• Sean Dolan is two shy of 200 professional games
• Kyle Hagel is three shy of 350 professional games
• Drew MacIntyre played in his 400th AHL game on 3/30
• Justin Shugg moved into fifth on the Checkers all-time scoring list on 3/29
• Mike Cornell recorded his 200th AHL penalty minute on 3/25
• Drew MacIntyre moved into a tie for ninth place on the AHL's all-time wins list on 3/25

Transactions

Incoming

• March 31 - (G) Alex Nedeljkovic signed to amateur tryout contract
• March 31 - (D) Brett Pesce signed to amateur tryout contract
• March 31 - (D) Josh Wesley signed to amateur tryout contract
• March 29 - (LW) Carter Sandlak recalled from Florida (ECHL)
• March 28 - (G) Rasmus Tirronen signed to amateur tryout contract

Outgoing

• March 30 - (D) Jordan Henry released from PTO