QUICK HITS
ON A ROLL
The Checkers enter Monday’s contest on a three-game winning streak after dispatching the Islanders on Saturday 4-1. This marks the longest winning streak of the season since the team started the season with four consecutive victories.Charlotte - which has won its last two games by a combined 8-2 score - is now set to go toe-to-toe with a Penguins club that has one win in their last six outings.
HOME SWEET HOME
The Checkers are returning to Bojangles Coliseum, where they are 5-1-0-0 this season – including a perfect start through their first five home contests. Charlotte’s five home wins are tied for the third most in the AHL at this point in the season, and they’ll put that home-ice advantage to the test against a Wilkes-Barre/Scranton squad that has been better on the road thus far - holding a 4-2-0-0 record away from their building.POWERING UP
After failing to record a power-play goal in two consecutive games for just the second time this season, the Checkers righted the ship on Saturday by converting on one of their three opportunities. Charlotte now ranks eighth in the AHL with a 23-percent conversion rate on the man advantage.LOCKING IT UP
The Checkers netminders have been lights out over the most recent stretch of games. Charlotte has allowed just four goals over the last three contests – a run that includes two starts by Alex Lyon and one by Mack Guzda – and has surrendered just a single goal in each of the last two.On the other side of the ice is a Penguins team that is allowing the fewest goals per game in the AHL. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton has hit a bit of a snag in that defensive run, surrendering at least three goals in four of their last five games, but they’re led by former Checker Dustin Tokarski - who leads the AHL with a staggering 1.38 goals-against average so far this season.
QUOTES
Checkers Assistant Coach Bobby Sanguinetti on Charlotte winning its last three games on the road trip"We just came together and played a team game. We look at that trip, it’s not the easiest for guys and I think we came together. When you get on the road you have to play a ceratin style of game and I think we did a good job of simplifying things a little bit. We got goals in big moments and we’ll just continue back here at home."
Sanguinetti on the play of Alex Lyon and Mack Guzda in net
"They’ve been great. To be able to rely on them every night with some of the grade-A chances that we gave up, that’s a big part of it. They’re rocks back there for us. Moving forward it’s just about trying to eliminate those chances. But they’ve been great so far and we’re happy to have them, that’s for sure."
Sanguinetti on facing the Penguins
"They’re a good team positionally, but I think it’s more about us and what we are as a team as we continue to figure that out. For us, it’s about getting pucks low and continuing to work their D down there and get pucks to the front of the net - as well as bodies - and try to score some dirty goals. From there, things open up and there starts to be more breakdowns."
COMING IN
CLT: 4-1-0-0 in last five gamesWBS: 1-4-0-0 in last five games
WHO TO WATCH
CLT
Riley Nash - 6 points in last 6 gamesAnton Levtchi - 6 points in last 5 games
Chris Tierney - 6 points in last 6 games
WBS
Xavier Ouellet - 4 points in last 4 gamesFilip Hallander - 5 points in last 3 games
Valetteri Puustinen - 4 points in last 5 games
SEE YOU THERE!
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TUNE IN
Tonight's game starts at 7 p.m. If you can't be at the Coliseum, you can tune in to the broadcast with a subscription to the league’s streaming platform AHLTVThe radio broadcast will be available via the Checkers app on iPhone or Android.
Additionally, our friends over at Ed's Tavern on 2200 Park Road are going to be showing the game on their TVs!
