Hometown Weekly Report: March 5

The Checkers made it through a jam-packed weekend on the road with some strong showings and momentum for the upcoming home stand.

Week in Review

Providence 6, Checkers 3

The Checkers kicked off their final three-in-three of the season against the team directly ahead of them in the Atlantic Division standings. The Bruins built themselves a 2-0 lead midway through regulation, but the visitors used a late tally in the second and a quick one in the third to draw the score even. Providence would take over from that point, however, regaining the lead shortly after before notching two goals within minute of each other to blow the game wide open. Sergey Tolchinsky would pull the Checkers back within two late in regulation, but an empty netter by Providence would put an end to Charlotte’s comeback hopes and seal the Bruins 6-3 victory. Full recap

Checkers 3, Springfield 2 (OT)

The Checkers would flip the script the next night in Springfield, using strikes from Valentin Zykov and Aleksi Saarela to build a two-goal lead through 20 minutes of play. The home squad would push back, however, netting goals in the second and third to knot the score at the end of regulation. The extra frame didn’t last long though, as Valentin Zykov buried the rebound of a Greg McKegg shot just a minute into overtime to pick up the two points in the standings for Charlotte. Full recap

Checkers 4, Hartford 3

Playing in a different city for the third straight night, the Checkers again fell behind early against the Hartford Wolf Pack, but Warren Foegele’s breakaway conversion in the middle frame proved to be a spark for the visitors. Brenden Kichton launched a power-play goal later in the frame to kick off the first of three Charlotte tallies over the span of just two minutes to net the Checkers a two-goal lead heading into the final frame. Hartford would get one back on a two-man advantage midway through the third, but that would be all the home team could muster. Alex Nedeljkovic closed out the night with 32 stops and earned his 25th win of the season in a 4-3 triumph over the Wolf Pack. Full recap

Three Stars Of The Week

Notables

TURNING THINGS AROUND

The Checkers were able to reverse their fortunes away from home over the weekend, taking two of three contests on the road. That not only pulled their road record above .500 for the season, but the victories on Saturday and Sunday were the team’s first consecutive wins away from home since Dec. 8 and 9.

THREE-IN-THREE

Charlotte wrapped up its fourth and final three-in-three set of the season this past weekend. The team went 2-1-0 during the series, matching their best such record this season and moving the franchise’s all-time record in three-in-threes to 58-40-13.

The Checkers went 6-5-1 over the four three-in-threes this season and enjoyed the most success in the finales with a 3-1-0 record.

Z LEADS THE WAY

Valentin Zykov snapped out of his scoring funk in a big way over the weekend. After being held scoreless for seven straight games, the forward lit the lamp twice against Springfield on Saturday – including the overtime winner, his second of the year – and then added another game-winning tally in Sunday’s victory over Hartford. That burst of goals pushed Zykov back to the top of the AHL, with his 28 markers this season putting him three ahead of Grand Rapids’ Eric Tangradi and Utica’s Reid Boucher for the league lead.

Zykov’s scoring touch continues to help him work his way into Charlotte’s record book. The 22-year-old Russian is tied with Chris Terry’s 2013-14 campaign for the fourth-most goals in a single season by a Checker and needs just two more to become the third 30-goal scorer in franchise history, as well as just eight to tie Zach Boychuk’s franchise record.

FRESHMAN PHENOM

With his breakaway tally to open the scoring in Hartford on Sunday, Warren Foegele continues to impress in his first pro season. That marked his 24th goal of the season, a total that not only currently leads all AHL rookies but ties Foegele for the franchise single-season record for goals by a rookie. The 21-year-old forward needs one goal to eclipse Lucas Wallmark’s mark from just a season ago.

NED STAYS WINNING

After dropping two of his previous three appearances, Alex Nedeljkovic returned to his winning ways with a strong performance Sunday in Hartford. Turning in his second straight 30-save showing, the netminder picked up his 25th win of the season to remain the AHL’s leader in the category.

Not to be outdone by his forward counterparts, Nedeljkovic is on the verge of putting his stamp on the franchise record book as well. His 25 wins are the second-most in a single season by a Charlotte netminder and put Nedeljkovic just two shy of matching John Muse’s record of 27.

Ranks

• Valentin Zykov leads the lead in goals (28), power-play goals (14) and shooting percentage (28.3) and is tied for the league lead in game-winning goals (7)
• Andrew Miller is tied for third in the AHL in scoring (51) and fourth in assists (36) despite missing the last seven games
• Warren Foegele leads all rookies and is tied for fourth overall in goals (24), is tied for second in the AHL in shorthanded goals (4), is tied for the league lead in shorthanded points (6), is tied for third in the AHL in game-winning goals (6), is tied for third among league rookies in plus-minus (+19), ranks third among rookies in shooting percentage (18.5) and ranks fifth among league rookies in scoring (40)
• Philip Samuelsson ranks second in the AHL in plus-minus (+29)
• Roland McKeown is tied for fifth in the AHL in plus-minus (+27)
• Alex Nedeljkovic leads the AHL in wins (25), ranks second in shutouts (5) and ranks third in minutes played (2276)
• Aleksi Saarela ranks fifth among league rookies in goals (20) and is tied for second among rookies in power-play goals
• Trevor Carrick is tied for 10th among league blue liners in scoring (29), is tied for third among defensemen in power-play assists and ranks fifth among blue liners in power-play points

INJURIES

• Andrew Miller missed seven games starting 2/18
• Jake Chelios missed five games starting 2/24
• Marcus Kruger missed three games starting 3/2

Transactions

Incoming

• Feb. 26: (C) Greg McKegg acquired from Pittsburgh (NHL)

Outgoing

• None

Coming Up

By the Numbers

CATEGORY	RECORD	AHL RANK	LAST WEEK
Power play	19.6%	4th	t-5th
Penalty kill	82.3%	t-19th	16th
Goals per game	3.30	4th	5th
Shots per game	29.83	t-18th	19th
Goals allowed per game	2.90	t-14th	t-12th
Shots allowed per game	27.05	3rd	3rd
Penalty minutes per game	12.17	8th	10th

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CATEGORY	LEADER(S)
Points	Andrew Miller (51), Valentin Zykov (44), Warren Foegele (40)
Goals	Valentin Zykov (28), Warren Foegele (24), Aleksi Saarela (20)
Assists	Andrew Miller (36), Trevor Carrick, Janne Kuokkanen (23)
Power play goals	Valentin Zykov (14), Aleksi Saarela (9), Andrew Poturalski (5)
Shorthanded goals	Warren Foegele (4), Nicolas Roy, Clark Bishop (2)
Game-winning goals	Valentin Zykov (7), Warren Foegele (6), Andew Poturalski (5)
Shots on goal	Warren Foegele (130), Trevor Carrick (123), Aleksi Saarela (118)
Penalty minutes	Trevor Carrick (81), Josiah Didier (60), Zack Stortini (55)
Plus/minus	Philip Samuelsson (+29), Roland McKeown (+27), Warren Foegele (+19)
Wins	Alex Nedeljkovic (25)
Goals-against average	Alex Nedeljkovic (2.51)
Save percentage	Alex Nedeljkovic (.905)