November 23, 2011 6:15 AM
The Checkers interrupt a rare run of home games with their only road contest in a nine-game span tonight in Norfolk. The fourth meeting of the two teams marks the Checkers’ only midweek game of the season, as their previous 18 contests have all been played on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday.
Charlotte (10-6-2) will be looking to take the lead in the standings for the GEICO Challenge Cup, which will be awarded to the team that has the most points at the conclusion of the eight-game season series between the two regional rivals. Norfolk (10-7-1) currently holds a one-point lead over the Checkers, having taken four points (2-1-0) to the Checkers’ three (1-1-1).
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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 | @PaulBranecky |
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SEASON SERIES |
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Friday, Oct. 7: Norfolk 6, Chalotte 5 (OT) |
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Saturday, Oct. 8: Norfolk 4, Charlotte 3
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Sunday, Oct. 23: Charlotte 3, Norfolk 1
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Wednesday, Nov. 23 at 7:15 p.m. (Norfolk) |
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Tuesday, Jan. 24 at 7:15 p.m. (Norfolk) |
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Sunday, Feb. 12 at 6 p.m. (Charlotte) |
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Friday, March 16 at 7 p.m. (Charlotte) |
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Sunday, March 18 at 3 p.m. (Charlotte) |
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CHECKERS STATS |
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RECORD
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10-6-1-1 |
3rd Western Conference
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GOALS / GAME
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2.72 |
21sth AHL |
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GOALS ALLOWED / GAME
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2.56
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6th AHL |
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POWER PLAY |
17-90 (18.9%)
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13th AHL |
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PENALTY KILL
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61-75 (81.3%) |
16th AHL |
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PIM / GAME
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15.28 |
10th AHL |
“For me, they’re one of the best teams we’ve played so far this year,” said Checkers coach Jeff Daniels of Norfolk. “They’ve got good team speed and know how to score, so we’ve just got to stay within our game because they throw everything on net.”
Following the holiday break, the Checkers begin an uninterrupted six-game home stand on Saturday that will last until Dec. 9.
CHARLOTTE
With improved goal scoring a focus for the Checkers over the last few weeks, the arrival of Zach Boychuk and Zac Dalpe from the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes comes at a good time. Two of the team’s top four scorers from a season ago, each made an impact during short stints in the AHL this season. Boychuk scored 4 goals in just seven games to open the season, while Dalpe factored in on both goals during the Checkers’ 3-2 shootout loss to Rockford last Friday.
While those two instantly take their place among the biggest offensive threats on a team that ranks 21st in the league in goals per game, it’s possible that the Checkers could lose something on the defensive end, with captain Brett Sutter recalled to Carolina. Sutter, arguably the team’s top penalty-killing forward and scorer of its only shorthanded goal this season, recorded 6:10 of ice time in the Hurricanes’ 4-2 win in Philadelphia Monday night.
Goaltender Mike Murphy, who left Sunday’s win over Rockford with an injury after the first period, practiced Tuesday and will be available tonight, although colleague Justin Peters has a .952 save percentage and 1.48 goals-against average during the month of March. Defenseman Bobby Sanguinetti made the trip with the team and is a possibility to suit up in the building in which he’s recorded 3 of his 6 points this season, though ECHL recall Chris Murray remains with the team as insurance.
Center Cedric McNicoll, who Daniels said is still at least a week away from returning, is the only player to have been definitively ruled out.
NORFOLK
 As the Checkers found out in the first two games of the season at Norfolk, the Admirals, who scored 10 goals that weekend, are one of the league’s most dangerous offensive teams. They rank second in the AHL with an average of 3.67 goals per game while leading the league with an average of 35.7 shots.
Even though the Checkers, led by Murphy, were able to limit the Admirals to one goal in the most recent meeting in Charlotte on Oct. 23 (a 3-1 Checkers win) they did allowed a season-high 45 shots. The Checkers’ three highest shot totals against this season have all come against the Admirals, who took 44 in each of the first two meetings.
Much of Norfolk’s damage has been done by first-year players, as the boast they league’s two highest-scoring rookies in Cory Conacher (21 points in 17 games, including an active seven-game point streak) and Carter Ashton (19 points in 18 games). Those two, along with veteran Trevor Smith (20 points), give the Admirals three of the AHL’s top nine overall scorers. With 12 goals, Ashton, a 2009-first round pick by the parent Tampa Bay Lightning and former junior teammate of Boychuk with the Lethbridge Hurricanes, finds himself in a four-way tie for first in the league.
The Admirals also like to get their defensemen involved in the rush, led by Mark Barberio. The second-year blueliner leads all AHL defensemen in scoring (16 points in 16 games), power-play points (11 on the league’s No. 4 power play) and ranks third in plus/minus (+11). In goal, Norfolk has split games evenly between Jaroslav Janus and Dustin Tokarski, with Janus owning a slight edge in save percentage (.908) and Tokarski getting the nod in goals-against average (2.70).
Last weekend, the Admirals earned a split against the AHL-leading St. John’s IceCaps, taking a 6-2 decision on Friday before losing Saturday’s rematch by a 3-1 score.
CHECKERS NOTES
 • The Checkers have scored first in just seven of their 18 games this season, tying them for the second-fewest amount of “first goals” in the league. When they do record the first goal, the Checkers are 6-1-0.
• Following a stretch in which he recorded just 4 points in 10 games, Checkers leading scorer Jon Matsumoto has begun to heat up again, recording 4 points (3g, 1a) in his last four contests. He most recently recorded a goal and an assist during Sunday’s win against Rockford, marking his fifth multi-point game of the season. Matsumoto currently leads the team in goals (7 – tied with Jerome Samson) assists (10) and points (18).
• Though well behind his goal-scoring pace from last season, Checkers forward Chris Terry is on track for 42 assists, a mark that would top his previous career high by 12. Terry is currently tied with Jerome Samson for second on the team in assists (9), one behind leader Jon Matsumoto. The third-year forward has assists in each of his last four games, tying his career-long streak set during his rookie season with Albany in 2009-10. His run of helpers ties him for the second-longest active streak in the AHL.
• With 3 goals, Charlotte defenseman Michal Jordan is already just 1 goal shy of matching his rookie total from last season. Jordan recorded a goal and an assist during Friday’s game against Rockford, marking his second multi-point game of the season, and has points in each of his last two games (1g, 2a). The Czech Republic native leads all Checkers defensemen in goals, points (8) and plus/minus (+4), while ranking tied for second in assists (5).
TRANSACTIONS
Charlotte
• Nov. 21 - (C) Brett Sutter recalled by Carolina (NHL) from Charlotte
• Nov. 21 - (LW) Zach Boychuk reassigned to Charlotte from Carolina (NHL)
• Nov. 21 - (C) Zac Dalpe reassigned to Charlotte from Carolina (NHL)
• Nov. 19 - (C) Zac Dalpe recalled to Carolina (NHL) from Charlotte
• Nov. 18 - (D) Chris Murray recalled to Charlotte from Florida (ECHL)
• Nov. 18 - (F) Scott Pitt released from professional tryout agreement
• Nov. 17 – (D) Justin Faulk recalled to Carolina (NHL) from Charlotte
• Nov. 17 – (C) Zac Dalpe reassigned to Charlotte from Carolina (NHL)
Norfolk
• Nov. 18 – (D) Jean-Philippe Cote signed to a PTO
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