Game Preview: Checkers vs Providence (Nov. 30, 2019)

The Checkers are looking to keep their momentum going as they host their Atlantic Division rival Providence Bruins for the first time this season. Here's everything you need to know before puck drop.

1. TALE OF TWO GAMES

The Checkers have made a habit of alternating wins and losses this season, and that pattern was evident this past week. After a disappointing loss Tuesday in which they couldn’t seem to get anything going, the Checkers came out Wednesday and delivered one of their best performances of the season to earn a decisive victory.

So what was the difference between the two games?

“We worked harder, we were more desperate, we played toward our structure more, better puck support,” said head coach Ryan Warsofsky. “Bascially everything was better. We’re finding our way here and what our identity is. I thought Wednesday night was our best game of the year.”

2. START FAST

Charlotte put an emphasis on ensuring a good start Wednesday and followed through, netting the game’s first goal and riding that momentum to a win. That has been a key factor in the team’s wins this season, as all eight victory the Checkers have earned this season have come in games where they opened the scoring. On the flip side, the Checkers are 0-5-2 when allowing the first goal.

“If you start on time you find your game quick and you’re not chasing,” said Warsofsky. “I thought that was a big thing. On Tuesday we chased the game, we got down 3-0 early and then you’re squeezing your stick a little tight. It doesn’t matter if it’s a Tuesday night or a sold-out barn, we have to play towards our identity.”

3. SHUFFLING THE DECK

Wednesday’s win featured some of the most drastic changes to the forward lines, with big shifts including Janne Kuokkanen playing on what was listed as the fourth line and Julien Gauthier moving to a pair of new linemates. The moves worked, however, as the offense came alive for a strong showing.

“We were just trying to spread it out a little bit,” said Warsofsky. “Losing [Brian] Gibbons in the first period doesn’t help but we got Kuokkanen going with a nice goal there, hopefully he can get going, he’s a guy who when he has confidence he’s a difference maker in this league. And then Goat, [Steven] Lorentz and [Kerby] Rychel is a big line that’s hard to play against so we thought that would give us a little bit of a different matchup, especially being at home. Loading up one line doesn’t really help our cause so we were just spreading it around a little bit.”

4. EETU RETURNS

The loss of Clark Bishop to NHL recall is a tough break for Charlotte, but the Checkers got a significant boost down the middle in return with Eetu Luostarinen rejoining the team. The rookie forward was a force early on in the season before spending a chunk of time in the NHL.

“He’s a guy who holds onto pucks and can make plays,” said Warsofsky. “He isn’t afraid of contact, he’s a smart player who plays a 200-foot game. He has to bring it every night. He came back and played in Hershey and I thought he was kind of looking around too much instead of making it happen for himself and his teammates. These are a couple big games for him to make sure he doesn’t lose his stride, that kind of thing can happen when guys are sent down.”

5. SUFFOCATING DEFENSE

The Checkers have exceled this season when limiting their opponents shots on goal. They have allowed just 22 shots on goal in three of the last five games and are 6-4-2 this season when outshooting the opposition.

“The quicker we can get out of our own zone, the quicker we can play offense and we keep our energy,” said Warsofsky. “When we chase the game we don’t make good decisions, we can’t get out of our own end and then it becomes hard to establish any kind of forecheck or possession. We’re a different team when we’re breaking it out well.”

6. SCOUTING THE BRUINS

This marks the first of eight meeting between these division foes, with the Bruins coming to town as one of the Atlantic’s top squads. Providence is 3-0-1 in its last four games and have notched between four and seven goals in each of those contests.

“They’re a high offensive team,” said Warsofsky. “They’ve got a good mix of young talent with some experienced guys and some big defensemen who can skate and break out pucks like Dids [Josiah Didier] and [Chris] Breen there. We have to have that same mentality that we had Wednesday, it can’t change game to game. Hopefully we can find that again.”

7. KILLING IT

The Checkers finally saw an opponent break through on their red-hot penalty kill, as the Monsters notched a pair of power-play goals in Wednesday’s win to snap a streak of 44 kills over the previous 45 man advantages. Despite those blemishes – the first time Charlotte has allowed multiple power-play goals in a single game – the Checkers still boast the league’s best penalty kill by nearly four whole percentage points.

8. LORENTZ LIGHTS IT UP

With a goal and an assist on Wednesday, Steven Lorentz continues the best offensive start to a season in his young career. The forward now has 10 points through the first 19 games, marking a career high and eclipsing his AHL career total entering the season of nine points in 32 games.

9. POWERING UP

The Checkers only had a pair of man advantages on Wednesday, but they made sure they counted by tallying a goal. That pushed Charlotte’s power play to seventh in the AHL, as the unit has goals in six of the team’s last eight games and is seven for their last 30 attempts.

10. TUNE IN

You can tune in to every broadcast this season with a subscription to the league’s streaming platform AHLTV.

As always, the radio broadcast will be available via the Checkers app or this link, so tune in and tweet Jason Shaya to let him know you’re listening!