Bojangles Game Preview: Nov. 24 vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton

Before the Checkers take the ice this season, we’re breaking down everything fans need to know with the Bojangles Game Preview!

---

THE MATCHUP

The Checkers’ jam-packed holiday schedule continues this weekend as they host the Penguins for a pair of tilts on Friday and Saturday - marking the last legs of a grueling four-games-in-six-nights stretch.

Charlotte is aiming to get back to its winning ways after suffering a two-game sweep at the hands of Cleveland earlier this week, while the Penguins enter the weekend having won two of their last three contests to crawl up the extremely tight Atlantic Division standings.

THE STORYLINES

BOUNCING BACK

The Checkers are currently mired in a two-game losing skid following the sweep by Cleveland. This marks just the second time that they have dropped consecutive contests this season - the first came on the road in late October. The Checkers have not had any losing streaks longer than that this season.

PK POWER

Cleveland was able to break through on the power play in their tilt with Charlotte earlier this week, but that blemish doesn’t tarnish the hot streak that the Checkers’ penalty-kill units is currently riding. Heading into the weekend the Checkers have successfully killed 16 of their last 17 times shorthanded across the last three games, catapulting them into the upper tier of AHL teams. This weekend will put strength against strength, though, as the Penguins currently boast the best PK in the AHL - just ahead of the second-ranked Checkers.

WAEBER STANDS TALL

Although he heads into the weekend on a two-game losing streak, Ludovic Waeber has been a consistently strong presence in the crease for Charlotte. Facing an increased workload due to injuries to Mack Guzda and Spencer Knight, The Swiss netminder has started four straight games for Charlotte, surrendering a total of eight goals over that stretch. His most recent outing, an unfortunate loss to the Monsters, also saw him hit a season-high for saves with 34.

FAMILIAR FACES

For the first time this season the Checkers are welcoming a team back to Bojangles Coliseum for a second series. The Penguins visited the Queen City for the first two games of the season and came away from that stint with a split.

THE PROMOS

THE INFO

Puck drops on today’s game at 4 p.m. with doors opening one hour before that. If you can't be at the game, you can watch it on AHLTV or listen for free on the Checkers app!