Game Preview: Checkers vs Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (April 20, 2018)

The Checkers kick off their first-round matchup with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton with Game 1 tonight at Bojangles’ Coliseum.

1. QUEST FOR CALDER

The Checkers are back in the Calder Cup Playoffs for the fourth time in their eight seasons as an AHL franchise and the first time in consecutive years. Charlotte made its deepest run in the inaugural 2010-11 campaign when the team advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals. The other two postseason appearances saw them exit in the first round.

The Checkers enter the postseason as the league’s hottest team. They carry a seven-game win streak, which ties a franchise record, and a 10-game point streak (9-0-1), which is their longest since a franchise-best 12-game run in 2015-16 and have lost in regulation just twice since March 3 (15-2-1). They also logged the franchise’s best regular season ever, posting 96 points and a .632 points percentage.

“It’s nice for us to be playing our best hockey at the right time right now,” said Greg McKegg. “I like the game we’ve been playing. We’ve got a lot of skilled players on this team and we’ve been playing a fast game.”

Even with all that success, however, the team’s sights remain squarely forward.

“I think it’s a hard reset, to be honest with you,” said head coach Mike Vellucci. “The regular season means nothing, nobody has any points, nobody has any goals, nobody has any assists, it’s a whole new season now. It doesn’t matter what our record was, it doesn’t matter how many goals we scored, it only matters what we do in the playoffs. That’s our mentality.”

2. HOME SWEET HOME

The first round of the Calder Cup Playoffs is unique in that it is a best-of-five series where the lower seed plays the first two games at home. That gives the Checkers a pair of chances to gain a substantial lead by taking care of business on their home ice. The team was a force to be reckoned with at Bojangles’ Coliseum during the regular season, with its 26 home wins standing as the second most in the AHL.

“You have to take care of business on home ice,” said Brenden Kichton. “We’ve been doing a good job of that all year and I feel like we’re really comfortable at home. We’re just going to play our game and continue to get wins at home.”

“It’s good to start at home,” said Vellucci. “We have great crowds and we have a great home record. They’ve been able to get us pumped up. I think it’s a good thing to have.”

3. SCOUTING THE PENS

By surging ahead to the third seed late in the season, the Checkers set up a first-round matchup with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. The Pens finished three points ahead of the Checkers in the standings but the Checkers took three of the clubs’ four meetings during the regular season, though Vellucci doesn’t put much of any weight in those contests.

“I don’t read anything into it,” he said. “Two were really early so nobody really has their lineups. And then the last time they didn’t have all their guys. So I don’t really read into that. The regular season is over, now it’s playoff time.”

The Checkers have spent the past week studying the Penguins’ gameplan, looking for the best way to handle the talented team.

“They have very good defense,” said Vellucci. “They’re big, they’re strong and they’re kind of nasty. They’re going to play that way. We have to match up with our speed and our skill and have the same, I don’t want to say nastiness, but tenacity. We have to be the first ones to pucks and stay hard on pucks.”

4. LET'S GET PHYSICAL

The Checkers’ and Penguins’ four-game regular season saw the Penguins log a total of 92 penalty minutes, including two tilts with more than 30 each. While the playoffs tend to bring about fewer calls, the Checkers are prepared for another physical onslaught from their opponent.

“They’re tough and they’re going to take some extra shots at our fast, skilled guys,” said Vellucci. “We just have to make sure we play hard between the whistles and don’t get into all the scrums after. When the play is on you’re competing. We’ll let them take the penalties.”

5. OPPONENT SPOTLIGHT

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton has been powered all season by Daniel Sprong. The rookie forward finished one shy of Valentin Zykov for the league’s goals title and registered 65 points in as many games, leading the next closest Penguin by 15 points.

“He’s a very high skilled player who shoots a ton,” said Vellucci. “He’s a good skater. He pretty much runs their offense. We’ll see how we’re going to match our D against him. You just have to be aware of him when he’s on the ice and make sure you’re on the right side of the puck when he’s out there and realize that he’s a shooter so you’re going to have to block a lot of shots.”

The Penguins have a strong talent between the pipes as well in Tristan Jarry. With experience at both the NHL and AHL levels, the young netminder has had a bit of a rough go with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton this season, but still represents a tough challenge for Charlotte.

“We have to get traffic in front of him,” said Vellucci. “He’s a really good goalie when he sees the puck, all goalies are right? So we need to take his eyes away from him. He’s a good goalie and when you play against good goalies you have to make sure to do the little things.”

7. LINEUP NOTES

The Checkers were dealt a tough blow when Marcus Kruger exited last Friday’s contest with an injury that will end the forward’s postseason before it begins.

“He’s out for the year,” said Vellucci. “I think he’s having surgery [Thursday] or he’s at least seeing the doctor. But he’s out for the rest of the year.”

Even without Kruger, however, the Checkers have a plethora of depth up front. With Andrew Miller returning to action last weekend, Charlotte has 16 healthy options at forward heading into Game 1.

The Checkers possess similar depth on the back end as well. Even without Jake Chelios, who has returned to practice with a yellow no-contact jersey but has not been cleared to play, and Tyler Ganly, who has mono and is out for the playoffs, Charlotte boasts eight eligible skaters for their blue line. That includes Matt Finn, who remains with team after being recalled from the ECHL’s Florida Everblades earlier this month.

The Checkers sent rookie netminder Callum Booth back to Florida earlier this week, likely signaling that Alex Nedeljkovic was ready to return after missing the last seven games with an injury. Vellucci has now confirmed that the second-year goalie is ready for Game 1, though he declined to confirm who would be his Game 1 starter – Nedeljkovic, who tied for the league lead with 31 wins this season, or veteran Jeremy Smith, who has won each of his last five appearances.

8. GET THE APP

The Checkers app got a fresh new set of paint during the offseason but functions just the same. Follow along with scoring updates as well as play the Top Line interactive game.

You will also be able to listen to the radio broadcast via the app or this link. Jason Shaya’s pregame show starts 15 minutes prior to puck drop, tune in and tweet Jason to let him know you’re listening.