QUICK HITS
PERFECT START
The Checkers enter the weekend as the AHL’s only undefeated team, holding a 4-0-0 record through the first four contests. The franchise record for consecutive wins to start a season is five, which the 2018-19 club rattled off before dropping their sixth game.TIGHT BATTLES
Of the four games that the Checkers have played this season, three have been decided by a single goal. The Checkers have found a variety of ways to pull off their wins - they have trailed in the third period twice, been deadlocked in a tie throughout the third once and entered the third with a lead once.DALPE DELIVERS
After missing the start of the season due to injury, Zac Dalpe made a splash in Charlotte’s sweep of Hershey last weekend by racking up two goals and two assists over the two games. Dating back to last season and including the playoffs, Dalpe - who led the Checkers in goals in 2021-22 - has lit the lamp 16 times in his last 20 games with Charlotte.As it stands, Dalpe needs 10 goals to tie Chris Terry for second on the franchise goals list.
SPECIAL TEAMS SUCCESS
The Checkers have been lethal on the man advantage to begin the season, tying for second in the AHL with a 33.3 percent clip. They have recorded a power-play goal in three of their four outings thus far and put up a pair in two of those contests. On the flip side, Charlotte has successfully killed off eight of its last nine penalties and is tied for eighth in the AHL in terms of penalty-kill percentage.The Checkers are one of just three teams in the AHL that have a top-10 power play and penalty kill right now.
AGAINST THE BRUINS
While both teams have drastically remade rosters from a season ago, the Checkers still head into Providence having won four straight games against the Bruins. Charlotte held a 4-2-0 during the six matchups last season, with five of the six meetings being decided by a single goal.The new-look Bruins have plenty of familiar faces on their roster, particularly on the back end - Connor Carrick, Josiah Didier and Dan Renouf have all suited up for the Checkers in the past.
QUOTES
Checkers defenseman Johnny Ludvig on the team's strong start"We picked up a good four wins to start the season and we’re going to try to keep rolling with that."
Checkers Head Coach Geordie Kinnear on keeping that momentum
"I want to make sure we don’t look behind us, because those games are over with now and we’re going into some tough buildings."
Kinnear on facing the Bruins for the first time this season
"Providence is an elite team, they’ve always been an elite team, so we’re going to have our hands full."
Ludvig on building chemistry on the road
"It’s huge [going on a road trip early], that’s what you rely on a lot of the time. When guys get to know each other and get used to playing with each other, things happen quick."
Ludvig on the focus of practice this week
"The more we learn our systems and get used to them, the more we can just play hockey. That’s a big thing that they preach - we trust our system and then on game days we just go out and play the game."
COMING IN
CLT: 4-0-0-0 to start the seasonPRO: 3-1-1-0 to start the season
WHO TO WATCH
CLT
Zac Dalpe - 4 points in last 2 gamesAnton Levtchi - 6 points in last 4 games
Riley Nash - 6 points in last 4 games
PRO
Georgii Merkulov - 5 points in last 5 gamesFabian Lysell - 6 points in last 3 games
Vinni Lettieri - 5 points in last 5 games
