October 28, 2011 7:30 AM
Paul Branecky
One week after completing a five-game home stand, the Checkers now depart for a season-long stretch of nine consecutive games on the road. The first leg of that trip, a three-in-three set that begins Friday and runs through Sunday, will take the team through Oklahoma City, San Antonio and Houston – cities the team has never before visited.
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GAME INFORMATION |
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VIDEO: www.AHLLive.com |
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RADIO: WBCN 1660 AM | www.AHLLIVE.com |
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TWITTER: @CheckersHockey |
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SEASON SERIES |
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Friday, Oct. 28 at 8 p.m. (Oklahoma City) |
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Friday, Nov. 11 at 8 p.m. (Oklahoma City)
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Saturday, Nov. 12 at 8 p.m. (Oklahoma City) |
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Sunday, Dec. 18 at 6 p.m. (Charlotte) |
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Tuesday, Dec. 20 at 7 p.m. (Charlotte) |
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Friday, Feb. 3 at 8 p.m. (Oklahoma City) |
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Friday, Feb. 24 at 7 p.m. (Charlotte) |
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Saturday, Feb. 25 at 7 p.m. (Charlotte) |
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CHECKERS STATS |
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RECORD
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4-2-1-0 |
5th Western Conference
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GOALS / GAME
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3.14 |
t-10th AHL |
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GOALS ALLOWED / GAME
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2.71
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t-11th AHL |
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POWER PLAY |
8-36 (22.2%)
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11th AHL |
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PENALTY KILL
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22-28 (78.6%) |
20th AHL |
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PIM / GAME
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14.71 |
t-6th AHL |
Tonight’s game against Oklahoma City will mark Charlotte’s first road game since the season’s opening weekend on Oct. 7-8, during which it went 0-1-1 in Norfolk. Since then, the Checkers have won four of five at home to improve their overall record to 4-2-1 and move a three-way-tie for third place in the Western Conference.
It just so happens that one of the teams they’re tied with is Oklahoma City, which has played one fewer game but has also earned nine points by way of a 4-1-1 record.
CHARLOTTE
The Checkers have made a flurry of transactions in the last week, with rookie forward Justin Shugg's arrival from Florida the most recent. The reigning ECHL Player of the Week was recalled on Thursday to give the team a full group of 12 forwards, which it had been lacking ever since Zach Boychuk's recall to Carolina. Checkers coach Jeff Daniels said that Shugg, Carolina's fourth-round pick in 2010, will start in the top nine.
Other moves have seen fellow rookie Justin Faulk, himself a 2010 draft pick, recalled and returned to Charlotte in the matter of two days. Much as he did during the Checkers homestand last weekend, Faulk, who scored 2 points (1g, 1a) in three games, should finish each game as one of the team's leaders in ice time.
In goal, the Checkers may again turn to Mike Murphy to play all three contests, as fellow netminder Justin Peters did not make the trip out west. Peters left last Friday’s game with a lower-body injury and did not return, with doctors advising Wednesday that a further week of rest is needed. Rookie John Muse, recalled over the weekend, remains with the team and could see his first AHL start of the season and second of his career, though Daniels has said he would not have a problem using Murphy in all three of this weekend's games.
OKLAHOMA CITY
The Barons currently hold a five-game point streak, having not lost in regulation since their season opener on Oct. 9. Their four-game winning streak was snapped in their most recent game, a 3-2 shootout loss to Grand Rapids on Saturday. Tonight’s game will be the final contest in a five-game home stand as they, like the Checkers, are beginning a three-in-three set that also features games in Houston and San Antonio.
The Barons, who are the Edmonton Oilers’ AHL affiliate, are led by Philippe Cornet on offense (five goals in five games) and Yann Danis in goal. Danis, a 30-year-old veteran who has played in the NHL with Montreal, the New York Islanders and New Jersey, ranks fifth in the league in goals-against average among goaltenders that have played more than one game.
Oklahoma City has been involved in two of the league’s most lopsided results this season, having suffered a 7-0 loss to Texas in their first game before exacting revenge in the form of a 10-1 victory in the following week’s rematch. Since allowing seven goals to the Stars in a single game, they've allowed that same total over their subsequent five contests, including one shutout by Danis.
CHECKERS NOTES
All rankings through games of Oct. 26
 • Friday’s game will mark the beginning of Charlotte’s second three-in-three set. The team is scheduled to play eight such clusters this season, with six of those coming on the road. The team is currently in the middle of a stretch that will see it play three-in-three sets on four consecutive weekends between Oct. 21 and Nov. 13. The Checkers are 3-4-2 all-time in game one, including a regulation loss to Houston last week.
• In two starts last weekend, goaltender Mike Murphy stopped 68 of 70 shots to record a .971 save percentage and 0.96 goals-against average. Among goaltenders who have played more than one game, Murphy, who was named the game’s first star in each start, now ranks tied for second in the AHL in save percentage (.943), trailing Connecticut’s Chad Johnson by .001. Murphy has allowed just one goal in three of his four starts, and is one of just three AHL goaltenders who are perfect in the shootout (5-5).
• Despite recording just one assist in the Checkers’ three games last week, center Jon Matsumoto still ranks tied for fifth in AHL scoring with 10 points (3g, 7a) in seven games. The fifth-year pro has recorded it least one point five of Charlotte’s seven games, including back-to-back three-point efforts to start the season.
• Forward Jerome Samson’s 35 shots on goal currently rank second in the AHL, one behind Hershey’s Chris Bourque. Samson, who finished last season ranked fifth in the league in total shots with 245 despite playing in just 53 games, has posted at least four shots in each of the Checkers’ games this season. With an average of five shots per game, he’s on pace to eclipse his marks from last season, when he averaged 4.62 shots per contest. Charlotte currently ranks sixth shots on goal per game with an average of 33 per contest.
TRANSACTIONS
Charlotte
Oct. 27 – (F) Justin Shugg recalled by Charlotte from Florida (ECHL)
Oct. 26 – (D) Justin Faulk reassigned to Charlotte from Carolina (NHL)
Oct. 25 – (RW) Zach Boychuk recalled by Carolina (NHL) from Charlotte
Oct. 24 – (D) Justin Faulk recalled by Carolina (NHL) from Charlotte
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