October 29, 2011 9:03 AM
Paul Branecky
Having kicked off their longest road trip of the season on the right foot with Friday’s 2-1 win over Oklahoma City, the Checkers will hope to carry that momentum into tonight’s match-up in San Antonio (8 p.m.).
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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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Saturday, Oct. 29 at 8 p.m. (San Antonio) |
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Sunday, Dec. 11 at 4:30 p.m. (San Antonio)
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Tuesday, Jan. 3 at 7:00 p.m. (Charlotte)
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Wedneday, Jan. 4 at 7:00 p.m. (Charlotte) |
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CHECKERS STATS |
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RECORD
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5-2-1-0 |
4th Western Conference
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GOALS / GAME
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3.00 |
t-14th AHL |
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GOALS ALLOWED / GAME
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2.50
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t-8th AHL |
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POWER PLAY |
9-40 (22.5%)
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10th AHL |
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PENALTY KILL
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24-30 (80.0%) |
18th AHL |
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PIM / GAME
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14.25 |
6th AHL |
Charlotte is in the midst of arguably its most arduous portion of the schedule, having to play nine straight on the road and four three-games-in-three-days sets over four consecutive weekends. Still in the early stage of both of those stretches, the Checkers can feel good about their start, having won three in a row overall – one short of tying the longest winning streak in the AHL this season.
Friday’s win marked the Checkers’ first road victory of the season, having dropped both games of their season-opening road trip in Norfolk on Oct. 7-8, including one overtime loss. They’ll have a chance to make it a winning streak in their first-ever meeting with new Western Conference opponent San Antonio.
CHARLOTTE
In a move that occurred simultaneously with the final buzzer of the Checkers’ last-gasp victory in Oklahoma City, one in which forward Matt Pistilli scored his first goal of the season and the third power-play goal of his AHL career to win the game with 44 seconds on the clock, the Hurricanes reassigned Checkers captain Brett Sutter to the AHL.
Sutter, who played the Checkers' first four games before suiting up for the next four in the NHL, could arrive at an opportune time. Charlotte center Cedric McNicoll left Friday’s game with an injury in the second period and did not return, meaning that the team would be one forward short in the event that both he and Sutter were unavailable. Charlotte coach Jeff Daniels does have an extra defenseman at his disposal and would still be able to dress 20 skaters, but he’s said that he prefers the traditional allotment of 12 forwards and six blueliners.
Should Sutter arrive in time, his appearance would mark the 300th of his professional career, including 23 games at the NHL level.
Left wing Drayson Bowman also left the game in Oklahoma City with an injury in the third period, but did return to the bench just in time for Pistilli’s winner. The team’s only other known injury is to goaltender Justin Peters, who did not make the trip out west with a lower-body ailment. Mike Murphy, who has won his last four starts, including a 22-save effort Friday, could play all three games on this trip.
SAN ANTONIO
The Rampage is also in the midst of a three-in-three set, though all of its match-ups come at home as the team makes a six-game home stand. They’ve lost both games to open that stretch, including a 4-2 setback to Houston on Friday night, to cancel out wins in their previous two contests, and are tied for the league’s longest active home losing streak (three).
The Rampage’s top scorers are forwards Michal Repik and Mark Cullen, brother of former Hurricane Matt Cullen (4 points each), with center Bracken Kearns leading the team in goals (3) despite missing two games due to a recall to the NHL’s Florida Panthers. Brian Foster has been in net for all three Rampage wins, posting a 3.11 goals-against average and .891 save percentage.
Two of San Antonio’s three victories have come by way of shootout, tying it for the league lead in that category. Kearns is tied with former Checker Stefan Chaput for the league lead with a 50 percent conversion rate (3-6), having accounted for all but one of the team’s shootout goals, while goalie Brian Foster allowing just one goal on 15 attempts.
Though San Antonio holds a negative goal differential in all three periods, it is most vulnerable in the third, having scored two goals against seven allowed. The Checkers will also look to take advantage of their power plays, with the Rampage sporting the league’s worst penalty kill to date (65.7 percent).
With an overall record of 3-3-0, San Antonio is the only team on the Checkers’ weekend set that will be out of playoff position at the time of puck drop. The Rampage currently sits in 12th place in the conference, though it has played fewer games than all but two of its teams.
CHECKERS NOTES
 • The Checkers are scheduled to play eight three-in-three sets season, with six of those coming on the road. They are 6-2-1 all-time in game two, including a win against Houston last week.
• Charlotte goaltender Mike Murphy has allowed just one goal in each of his past four starts, all wins. His 1.91 goals-against average ranks seventh in the AHL among goaltenders who have played more than one game, while his .944 save percentage is tied for second. He is one of just three AHL goaltenders who are perfect in the shootout (5-5).
• Forward Jerome Samson’s 42 shots on goal are currently tied with Hershey’s Chris Bourque for first in the AHL. Samson took a season-high seven shots against Oklahoma City on Friday, tying himself for the team lead in goals with four. 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 5.25 shots per game, he’s on pace to eclipse his mark 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. 28 – (C) Brett Sutter reassigned by Carolina (NHL) to 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
San Antonio
Oct. 26 – (C) Wacey Rabbit recalled by San Antonio from Cincinnati (ECHL)
Oct. 23 – (C) Bracken Kearns reassigned by Florida (NHL) to San Antonio |
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