Overall record: 30-18-2-4 (Home 15-10-1-4, Away 15-8-1-0)
Last week’s record: 2-0-1-0
Previous 10: 6-3-1-0
Standings: 3rd – East Division, 5th – Eastern Conference
The Checkers continued their six-game home stand last week with victories over the Providence Bruins and the Albany Devils, spaced around an overtime loss to Albany Saturday. Charlotte is now 4-0-1 in the last five games and will embark on a four game road trip after hosting Albany tonight.
Charlotte earned points in all three of its games this week despite constant changes to its lineup. There were 10 player transactions, which included three players being called up to Carolina and sent back to Charlotte (Carson, Dalpe, Sutter), Jerome Samson getting called up to the Hurricanes, Zach Boychuk being returned to Charlotte from Carolina, and both Ethan Graham and Mike McKenzie being called up to the Checkers from the Florida Everblades.
WEEK IN REVIEW
Game 52: Tuesday, Feb. 8 – vs. PRO (W, 4-1)
Firing on All Cylinders, Checkers Down Bruins
After taking control with the game’s first four goals, Charlotte defeated Providence, 4-1, at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mike Murphy earned first-star honors by making 31 saves on 32 shots, while Charlotte’s offense was led by a one-goal, two-assist performance from Jerome Samson. Antoine Roussel was the Bruins’ goal scorer, and Matt Dalton took the loss in Providence’s third straight defeat overall.
Game 53: Saturday, Feb. 12 – vs. ALB (L, 4-3 OT)
Checkers Drop OT Thriller
Adam Henrique scored 3:12 into overtime as Albany came from behind to defeat Charlotte, 4-3, in front of 12,236 fans at Time Warner Cable Arena. Rob Davison, David McIntyre and Steve Zalewski also had goals for Albany, while goalie Dave Caruso earned the win by stopping 27 Charlotte shots. Zac Dalpe, Drayson Bowman and Jacob Micflikier scored for the Checkers and Justin Pogge took the loss after stopping 23 shots.
Game 54: Sunday, Feb. 3 – vs. ALB (W, 3-2)
Bellemore’s Blast Boosts Checkers
Brett Bellemore’s goal with 3:38 remaining in the third period was the difference as the Checkers one-upped the Devils, 3-2, in front of more than 8,000 fans at Time Warner Cable Arena. Jon Matsumoto and Brett Carson recorded the Checkers’ other two goals, and Mike Murphy earned his 13th win in his last 15 starts by stopping 26 of 28 shots. Brad Mills and Steve Zalewski scored for Albany and Dave Caruso made 29 saves in a losing effort.
THIS WEEK’S GAMES
Tue., Feb 15 vs. Albany Devils, 7 p.m.
Fri., Feb 18 at Binghamton Senators, 7:05 p.m.
Sat., Feb 19 at Adirondack Phantoms, 7 p.m.
Sun., Feb 20 at Hershey Bears, 5 p.m.
A LOOK AHEAD
Tuesday vs. Albany Devils, 7 p.m.
Watch/Listen: AHLLive.com, WBCN 1660AM
Promotion: Wet Your Whistle Weekday, $3 12oz. Bud Lights
Charlotte finishes its three-game series with Albany on Tuesday night. The Checkers and Devils have split the opening two games of their series, while Charlotte is 2-1-1-0 against the Albany this season. This will be the clubs’ final matchup in The Queen City and they are due to battle once more in New York’s capital on Apr. 2.
Friday at Binghamton Senators, 7:05 p.m.
Watch/Listen: AHLLive.com
The Checkers continue their swing through upstate New York with a visit to Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena to play the division-rival Senators. Friday’s game is shaping up to have huge playoff implications as Charlotte and Binghamton enter the week separated by four points in the Atlantic Division standings. The surging Senators are 5-0-1-0 in their last six games and their red-hot goaltender, Barry Brust, leads the AHL with six shutouts.
Saturday at Adirondack Phantoms, 7 p.m.
Watch/Listen: AHLLive.com, WBCN 1660AM
Charlotte goes for its fourth straight win against Adirondack at Glens Falls Civic Center on Saturday. The Checkers previously swept a two-game series with the Phantoms at Time Warner Cable Arena in November and earned a hard-fought 2-1 win in Adirondack on Jan. 28. Although the Phantoms enter the week in last place of the AHL, they have gone 11-7-4 since Joe Paterson was named the team’s third head coach of the season on Dec. 20.
Sunday at Hershey Bears, 5 p.m.
Watch/Listen: AHLLive.com, WBCN 1660AM
The defending-champion Bears enter the week as one of the hottest teams in the AHL, having earned points in 11 of their last 13 games. Hershey has won the last two against Charlotte to take a 4-3 edge in the season series one year after the Bears swept the Checkers’ predecessor, the Albany River Rats, in the second round of the 2010 Calder Cup playoffs. This is the final meeting between the squads in the regular season, but if it was to end today, they’d be due to face each other in the first round playoffs.
NOTABLES
- Forward Jon Matsumoto has seven points (4g, 3a) in the last five games and the Checkers are 13-1-0 when he scores a goal.
- Forward Drayson Bowman has three goals in his last four games.
- Mike Murphy is on a four-game win streak and is 13-2-0 in his last 15 starts.
- Defenseman Brett Carson is on a three-game point streak (2g, 2a).
- When Brett Sutter played for the Hurricanes on Feb. 12, it was the first time that two Sutters played in the same NHL game since Oct. 31, 1997.
- The Checkers are 18-3-1-1 following a loss and 11-14-1-3 following a win.
- The Checkers are 23-7-1-4 when giving up 30 or more shots, but 7-11-1-0 when giving up less than 30.
- Charlotte is the only AHL team with five 40-point scorers and three 20-goal scorers.
ACTIVE LEADERS
Goals: Micflikier (21)
Assists: Osala (28)
Points: Micflikier (43)
PIM: FitzGerald (156)
Plus/Minus: Carson/Jordan (+12)
Wins: Murphy/Pogge (15)
GAA: Murphy (2.94)
Save %: Pogge (.908)
