Game Preview: Checkers vs. Oklahoma City (April 3, 2015)

A so-far unsuccesful home stand continues tonight as the Checkers finish a back-to-back set and a 12-game season series against the Oklahoma City Barons.

Despite a spirited effort on Thursday, the Checkers fell 3-2 in overtime to the Barons to mark their third loss in as many games to begin their six-game run at Time Warner Cable Arena. Meanwhile, the Barons' win was just their second in their last nine games, both of which came at the expense of Charlotte.

Following tonight's game, the Checkers will enjoy a seven-day break between games, their longest of the entire season, before hosting the Rockford IceHogs next Saturday and Sunday.

Charlotte

A 5-1 loss to Lake Erie last Sunday wasn't pretty, but the Checkers didn't have a whole lot to complain about in the other two losses of their current home stand. They enjoyed the lion's share of the scoring opportunities in a previous 3-2 loss to Lake Erie and Thursday's loss to the Barons, but ultimately came away with just a single point in those two contests.

"I saw a great effort," said coach Jeff Daniels following Thursday's loss. "I couldn't have asked them to play any better than they did. Almost 50 shots and we just couldn't find a way to score on some of the chances, but without a doubt they played the way we wanted them to play."

In out-shooting the Barons 49-28 on Thursday, the Checkers set a season high for shots on goal. While their finishing let them down on a few occasions, several unlucky bounces and several great saves by visiting netminder Laurent Brossoit also had a hand in the team not being able to walk away with a deservedly higher goal total.

"I thought we had a really good game," said defenseman Keegan Lowe. "It's tough to say that in a loss,
but we battled hard and peppered them with pucks. I thought we had a few that probably should have went in that (Brossoit) didn't see, but that's just puck luck."

The Checkers will have a few options to change their lineup as they look to avoid extending their current home winless streak to four games for the first time since losing their first six of the 2013-14 season at Time Warner Cable Arena in regulation. Friday's morning's release of Sean Dolan from his professional tryout contract gives them one less forward, though Alex Aleardi is still available after sitting out Thursday's game. The same is true of defenseman Mike Cornell and a trio of late-season tryouts in defenseman Josh Wesley and goaltenders Alex Nedeljkovic and Rasmus Tirronen, all of whom are awaiting their professional debuts.

If Thursday's game was any indication, another recent addition, defenseman Brett Pesce, will likely stay in the lineup. The University of New Hampshire product who the Carolina Hurricanes signed to an entry-level deal just last week logged heavy minutes in his professional debut, including time on the power play, penalty kill and even the three-on-three portion of overtime.

"He's here to play," said Daniels on Thursday night. "He's a guy that Carolina is real high on. He has a chance right now to get his feet wet and we put him in those situations. I thought it was a real good first pro game."

Oklahoma City

While the Barons have struggled mightily in the last month, they've still managed to continue their season-long success against Charlotte.

Oklahoma City, once a contender for the top spot in the AHL, has fallen to fifth in the Western Conference by going 2-5-2 in its last nine games since March 15. It just so happens that both of those victories were against the Checkers - a 6-1 triumph in Oklahoma City to start that stretch and last night's overtime victory.

Though not mathematically assured of making the playoffs just yet, the Barons will more than likely qualify barring a continuation of recent struggles and what would amount to a stunning last-minute collapse. With seven games remaining on their schedule, Thursday's victory gives them a six-point cushion over eighth-place Milwaukee, which has played one more game.

The need to reverse the team's fortunes and further solidify that playoff spot illustrated why the Edmonton Oilers recalled seldom-used backup Tyler Bunz rather than Brossoit prior to Thursday's game. Though Brossoit is certainly the better prospect and more deserving of an NHL recall at this point, that decision is likely what won that game for the Barons. Brossoit, who is expected to start his 24th consecutive game tonight, is 5-3-0 against the Checkers with a 2.10 goals-against average, .925 save percentage and one shutout.

On the offensive side of the puck, the Barons, who have been hit by the recalls of leading scorer Andrew Miller (56 points in 58 games) and defenseman Brandon Davidson and injuries to a handful of other players, relied on new captain Ryan Hamilton on Thursday. He opened the scoring in a first period that saw the Checkers enjoy an 18-6 shots advantage and then struck again with just over a minute left in overtime to seal the victory.

Checkers Notes

Against Oklahoma City

Tonight's game in Charlotte concludes the 12-game season series against the Oklahoma City Barons. Oklahoma City has won eight of 11 meetings thus far, pushing the Checkers' all-time record to 20-15-14 against the Barons. This will be the last-ever game between the clubs, with the Barons ceasing operations and the parent Edmonton Oilers moving their AHL affiliation to Bakersfield next season.

Brock McGinn (11 games), Justin Shugg (nine) and Brody Sutter (five) 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 11 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 1-3-1 with a 3.75 GAA and .870 SV%. Oklahoma City's Laurent Brossoit is 5-3-0 with a 2.10 GAA and .925 SV%. One of backup Kent Patterson's seven career AHL games was in Charlotte, when he stopped 21 of 23 to earn the win with Lake Erie on March 16, 2014.

Three Up, Three Down

Immediately after winning three in a row on the road for the first time this season, the Checkers have tied their longest home winless streak of the season by going 0-2-1 in their last three games. They set their previous streak by starting the campaign 0-3-0 at home from Oct 17-31.

The Checkers, who are now halfway through a season-long, six-game home stand that includes their last-ever games at Time Warner Cable Arena, have not endured a home winless streak lasting more than three games since setting a franchise record with a six-game slide to start last season (0-6-0 from Oct. 19-Nov. 14, 2013).

Sutter Strikes

With six in his last six games, center Brody Sutter has more than doubled the five goals he scored in his first 36 games of the season. Of his 23 points, 13 (6g, 7a) have come in his last 14 games dating back to March 1. During that time, he has notched his only two multi-goal games aside from when he scored twice in a playoff game at Oklahoma City on April 26, 2013, and a career-high, three-point effort (2g, 1a) at Iowa on March 21.

Sutter, who has been limited to just 42 games this season due to injury, has set a new career high of 11 goals, eclipsing the eight he scored in 69 games last season.

MacIntyre's Workload

Checkers goalie Drew MacIntyre, who has played in 10 of the team's last 12 games, ranks third in the AHL with 2,757 minutes played and is second with 1,361 saves. His last appearance against Oklahoma City on April 2 was his 48th of the season, tying Justin Pogge's franchise record, set in 2010-11, for most games played by a goaltender in a single season.

MacIntyre's 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 211-141-26 record, 2.49 goals-against average, .934 save percentage and 16 shutouts in 401 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 .920 save percentage in overtime games this season (46 saves on 50 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 14 points (3g, 11a) in his last 15 games, Trevor Carrick currently leads all Charlotte defensemen in goals (seven), assists (21) and points (28), all of which are new records for a Checkers roookie defenseman. Of his five multi-point outings this season, four occurred during the month of March, including a trio of two-assist efforts in his last eight games.

Carrick currently ranks 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).

Quick Hits

• The Checkers' 49 shots on goal on April 2 marked their highest total since firing 53 against Norfolk on Jan. 19, 2013.
• Justin Shugg's 10 shots on April 2 marked a new career high and the most by a Checker this season.
• The Checkers are 2-6 in games decided during the seven-minute overtime and 5-1 in shootouts.
  
• Charlotte is 0-for-10 on the power play over their last three games.
• Kyle Hagel ranks second in the AHL in major penalties (22).
• Chad LaRose is tied for the AHL lead in shorthanded assists (three) and is tied for third in shorthanded points (four).
• Phil Di Giuseppe ranks tied for third among AHL rookies in shots (158) and trails Justin Shugg by one for the team lead.

Injuries

• Greg Nemisz - missed 49 games starting 12/8 (out for season)

Milestones

• Jared Staal is one shy of 100 AHL penalty minutes
• Ben Holmstrom is 10 shy of 500 professional penalty minutes
• Kyle Hagel is two shy of 350 professional games

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

• April 3 - (C) Sean Dolan released from PTO
• March 30 - (D) Jordan Henry released from PTO