After a quick breather for the All-Star Break, the Checkers are jumping right back into the action with a visit to Hartford and Bridgeport this weekend.
THE MATCHUP
- Record/Standings
- CLT - 24-13-3-2 (3rd Atlantic)
- HFD - 18-21-4-1 (7th Atlantic)
- Power Play / Penalty Kill
- CLT - 24.8% (2nd) / 86.7% (2nd)
- HFD - 16.2% (26th) / 77.7% (27th)
- Offense / Defense
- CLT - 3.36 GF/Game (t-7th) / 2.79 GA/Game (t-9th)
- HFD - 2.84 GF/Game (t-24th) / 3.27 GA/Game (t-25th)
- Head-To-Head
- 0-2-1-1
THE STORYLINES
STRINGING THEM TOGETHER
Prior to the All-Star Break the Checkers pulled off a successful road trip through the Central Division before splitting a home set against the Penguins. During that stretch Charlotte rattled off three straight wins - marking the team’s first consecutive victories since the end of December into the start of January. The Checkers - who fell to the Penguins in their last outing - have also not registered back-to-back regulation losses since Jan. 11 and 14 and haven’t dropped any more consecutive losses beyond that at all this season.BLACKOUT
Cooper Black got the nod Tuesday in Iowa and Friday at home, marking the first time this season that he has started consecutive games. The rookie netminder won both of his outings last week and is now on a three-game winning streak that has seen him surrender four total goals.Black doesn’t have enough minutes logged this season to be considered qualified - he has 481 minutes played and the required threshold is 840 - but among rookie netminders with at least 300 minutes he boasts the best save percentage and goals-against average. He is also one of three rookies to record two shutouts thus far.
HUNTING FOR GOALS
After long reigning atop the AHL’s offensive rankings, the Checkers have dropped into a tie for seventh in goals scored per game.Through the first 25 games of the season, the Checkers registered five or more goals nine different times. In the 16 games since then, the Checkers have hit that mark just once.
AGAINST THE PACK
The Checkers have had a rough go this season against Hartford, earning a point in two of the four meetings but failing to record a win yet.Historically the Checkers have enjoyed plenty of success against the Wolf Pack, though, going 7-1-0-0 against them last season and holding a 17-5-3-1 head-to-head record over the last five years.
The Checkers will look to right the ship Friday in Hartford against a Wolf Pack squad that sits in the second-to-last spot in the Atlantic Division and has two regulation wins over their last 10 contests.
THE INFO
This weekend's games - along with every game this season - are available via the new AHLTV on FloHockey! Click here to get a subscription.For the full list of broadcast options, click here!
