Game Preview: Checkers vs Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (Jan. 24, 2020)

The Checkers welcome their division rivals to town as they face down a two-game set with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Here's everything you need to know before puck drop.

1. CHECKERS KEEP RISING

On Dec. 6 the Checkers were shut out in Rochester and fell to 9-11-3, putting them in last place in the Atlantic Division and second-to-last place in the Eastern Conference. Since then the Checkers have won 15 of their last 18 contests – including their current run of 11 wins in their last 12 – and now sit in a playoff spot with 50 points. The three teams ahead of Charlotte in the division standings – Providence (52), Hershey (55) and Hartford (55) – have all played between one and three more games than the Checkers.

2. OFFENSE ON A ROLL

Charlotte’s offensive attack has been their biggest weapon as of late, pouring in goals and vaulting into a tie for the seventh-best goals-for average in the AHL. The Checkers have scored at least four goals in five consecutive games and 13 of their last 16 contests, and have hit at least three goals 27 times with a 22-3-2 record in those situations.

3. JANNE'S HELPING HAND

Janne Kuokkanen continues to rack up the points while facilitating Charlotte’s surging offense. The forward notched back-to-back three-assist outings against Hershey earlier in the week, then came out in the first Toronto matchup with a goal and two more helpers to give him nine points over the four-game week. In fact since Dec. 13, Kuokkanen has compiled 23 points in 17 games, pushing him into the team lead and just six shy of his career-high point total.

4. SHINING STAR

Jake Bean, Charlotte’s representative at the upcoming AHL All-Star Classic, rounded back into form in a big way this week. The blueliner found the scoresheet in each of the four contests, recording seven points (2g, 5a) along the way. Bean has emerged as one of the most productive defensemen in the AHL, currently sitting with 31 points in 39 games thus far.

5. GEEKIE KEEPS GOING

Morgan Geekie has hit his offensive stride as of late, consistently figuring into Charlotte’s offensive outbursts. The forward has now found the scoresheet in seven straight games, tied for the second-longest such streak by a Checker this season and the longest active streak in the AHL. Most recently Geekie lit the lamp twice in Charlotte’s Sunday win over Toronto, his second two-goal game of the season and first since Oct. 12.

6. FAMILIAR FACES

This weekend’s series brings a pair of familiar faces back to the Queen City. One is Pens head coach Mike Vellucci, who was behind the bench in Charlotte for two seasons and helped lead the team to the Calder Cup a season ago. The other is Dustin Tokarski, a late addition to last year’s squad who was a perfect 12-0-0 in a Checkers sweater during the regular season and playoffs.

7. SCOUTING THE PENS

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton sits just outside of the Atlantic Division playoff race after posting a 3-4-3 record over the last 10 games. The Pens have been on the upswing as of late, however, currently riding a three-game point streak in which all three contests required more than regulation.

One of the Penguins’ biggest weapons has been in goal as Casey DeSmith, who spent the entirety of last season in the NHL, has been a workhorse between the pipes. Alongside DeSmith has been Tokarski, who boasts a goals-against average below two, and rookie Emil Larmi.

8. REINFORCEMENTS COMING

With the NHL heading into the All-Star break, the Penguins received a slew of bodies just in time for this weekend’s series. Forwards Andrew Agozzino, Joseph Blandisi and Sam Lafferty are all back in the lineup for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, as is veteran blueliner Kevin Czuczman.

9. 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!