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The Checkers’ return home went much like their season-opening, nine-game road swing, with the Checkers beating Chicago 4-1 at Time Warner Cable Arena to reclaim the AHL’s best record at 7-2-1.

That finished the two-game week on a high note, with the Checkers having earlier lost the final game of their October schedule, 5-4 in Milwaukee on Wednesday. That game marked just the team’s second regulation loss of the season, both of which have come by one goal.

Charlotte continues its first home stand of the season this week, beginning with Tuesday’s rematch with Chicago and a back-to-back set with Peoria starting Thursday. After a four-game trip the following week, the Checkers will then begin their longest home stand of the season, a 10-game stand beginning Nov. 24.

Week in Review

Milwaukee 5, Checkers 4

The Checkers finished their team-record-tying, nine-game road swing with a 5-4 loss in Milwaukee on Wednesday. Drayson Bowman extended his franchise-best goal streak to seven games to take sole possession of the league lead and Justin Faulk had two points (1g, 1a) in a back-and-forth affair that saw the teams trade goals until the Admirals struck last with eight minutes remaining in the third period. Reigning AHL Player of the Week Dan Ellis made 25 saves but suffered his first regulation loss of the season in goal. Full Recap

Checkers 4, Chicago 1

Playing their first home game since April and the latest home opener of any AHL team, the Checkers picked up where they left off on the road with a 4-1 win over the Chicago Wolves on Sunday. Drayson Bowman scored for the eighth game in a row (9g), Brett Sutter scored for the third game in a row (5g) and Justin Faulk had two assists to extend his points streak to five games (2g, 8a) as the Checkers’ reclaimed the league’s best record at 7-2-1. Coming off a 19-save shutout one week earlier, Justin Peters made 27 saves for his second win in a row. Full Recap

Notables

Fast Start

The Checkers' 7-2-1 start (15 points) is the best start in the team's three AHL seasons, narrowly eclipsing the 6-3-1 record that the team posted in its first 10 games last season. Charlotte now has a one-point lead for the best record in the league and the Western Conference and has a three-point lead in the South Division. Additoinally, the Checkers' +16 goal differential is tied with Springfield for the best in the AHL.

Bowman's Goals

Forward Drayson Bowman has scored in each of the Checkers' last eight games, including a two-goal performance in Rockford on Oct. 20, to set a new team record. He is now ranks second in the league with nine total goals, one fewer than Abbotsford's Roman Horak, who recorded a natural hat trick on Saturday. Bowman's eight-game streak the longest posted by any player in the league this season and longest since Norfolk's Tyler Johnson scored in nine consecutive games in March of last season. Bowman recorded a power-play goal in four consecutive games between Oct. 19 and Oct. 26, tying him with teammate Zach Boychuk for the AHL lead with four power-play goals. Bowman is already over halfway to his AHL career high of 17 goals, set during his rookie season back in 2009-10.

Faulk on Fire

Defenseman Justin Faulk, a member of the NHL's All-Rookie Team last season, recorded two assists on Sunday to give him 10 points (2g, 8a) during an active five-game point streak and five-game assist streak, the second of which is the longest active streak in the AHL. Faulk, who now ranks second in the AHL in overall scoring, two behind Oklahoma City blueliner Justin Schultz, has now recorded five multi-point outings in just eight games played. Faulk leads the AHL with 11 assists, two more than teammate Marc-Andre Gragnani, who ranks tied for second.

Power Surge

The Checkers went 1-for-4 on the power play against Chicago on Sunday, giving them at least one power play goal in nine of their 10 games played. Charlotte leads the AHL with a 32.7 percent success rate on the man advantage (16 goals on 49 chances), which is nearly eight points higher than second-place Connecticut (25.0 percent).

Though the team has had several contributors (10 different Checkers have scored at least one power-play goal, at least two more than any other AHL team), it also features some of the league's top individual performers on the man advantage. Drayson Bowman and Zach Boychuk are tied for the league lead in goals (4), Marc-Andre Gragnani leads the league in assists (7) and Boychuk is tied for the league lead in total points (8).

Sutter Streak

Including his goal against Chicago on Sunday, Checkers captain Brett Sutter has now scored in three consecutive games, the longest streak in his six professional seasons. Despite not having scored any goals heading into the game in Peoria on Oct. 27, Sutter's hat trick that night, the first of his career and third in team history, set the stage for a productive week that now has him ranked third on the team with five total goals. Additionally, his shooting percentage of 35.7 ranks third among all AHL skaters. Last season, Sutter set a new career high with 13 goals, three more than he scored with Quad City in 2008-09.

Feeling-out Process

There have been just 11 total goals (for and against) scored in the first periods of Checkers games this season. Meanwhile, there have been 24 total goals in their second periods and 28 total goals in their thirds. No other team has scored as many goals in any period than the Checkers' 18 third-period goals.

A Big Plus

The Checkers' boast three players who are among the league's leaders in plus/minus in various categories. Forward Jerome Samson's +9 rating is tied for fourth among all skaters, Victor Rask's +7 is second among AHL rookies and Brett Bellemore's +8 is tied for third among all defensemen.

Streaks

• Drayson Bowman has goals and points in each of his last eight games (Oct. 19-Nov. 4; 9g, 1a)
• Justin Faulk has assists and points in each of his last five games (Oct. 21-Nov. 4; 2g, 8a)
• Chris Terry has points in each of his last three games (Oct. 21-27; 3g, 1a)
• Brett Sutter has goals and points in each of his last three games (Oct. 28-Nov. 4; 5g, 0a)
• Justin Peters has wins in each of his last two games (Oct. 28-Nov. 4)

Injuries

• None

Coming Up

By the Numbers

Team Statistics
CATEGORY	RECORD	AHL RANK	LAST WEEK
Power play	32.7%	1st	36.6% (1st)
Penalty kill	89.4%	5th	90.0% (4th)
Goals per game	4.00	2nd	4.00 (3rd)
Shots per game	32.6	4th	32.6 (2nd)
Goals allowed per game	2.40	4th	2.25 (3rd)
Shots allowed per game	30.2	17th	30.5 (18th)
Penalty minutes per game	14.7	4th (fewest)	15.8 (9th)

Team Leaders
CATEGORY	LEADER(S)
Points	Justin Faulk (13), Drayson Bowman, Zach Boychuk (10)
Goals	Drayson Bowman (9), Zach Boychuk (6), Brett Sutter (5)
Assists	Justin Faulk (11), Marc-Andre Gragnani (9), Jerome Samson (6)
Power play goals	Drayson Bowman, Zach Boychuk (4), eight tied with (1)
Shorthanded goals	Chris Terry (1)
Game-winning goals	Zach Boychuk (3), Drayson Bowman, Chris Terry (2)
Shots on goal	Jerome Samson (35), Drayson Bowman, Zach Boychuk (33)
Penalty minutes	Nicolas Blanchard (21), Rasmus Rissanen (18), Brett Bellemore (14)
Plus/minus	Jerome Samson (+9), Brett Bellemore (+8), Victor Rask (+7)
Wins	Justin Peters (4), Dan Ellis (3)
Goals-against average	Dan Ellis (1.91), Justin Peters (2.63)
Save percentage	Dan Ellis (.940), Justin Peters (.907)

Checkers in the ECHL

Florida Everblades
Player	POS	GP	G	A	PTS	PIM	+/-	NOTES
Matt Beca	F	9	3	3	6	6	-4	t-5th on team in scoring
Tommi Kivisto	D	9	1	5	6	6	-6	2nd team D in scoring
David Rutherford	C	6	3	2	5	20	-3
Beau Schmitz	D	9	0	1	1	11	-4
Justin Shugg	F	9	5	4	9	8	+1	Leads team in goals
Brody Sutter	F	5	1	0	1	2	-6

Goaltender	GP	RECORD	GAA	SV%	SO	NOTES
John Muse	5	1-3-0	4.44	.872	0

San Francisco Bulls
Player	POS	GP	G	A	PTS	PIM	+/-	NOTES
Joe Sova	D	6	0	0	0	2	-6	On loan

Evansville IceMen
Goaltender	GP	RECORD	GAA	SV%	SO	NOTES
Rob Madore	6	1-4-0	2.85	.903	0	On loan