Hometown Weekly Report: Oct. 17

The 2016-17 campaign is now officially underway, with the Checkers stumbling out of the gate in their season-opening series in Texas.

After a week of practice to regroup, Charlotte will head to Iowa for a two-game set with the Wild on Friday and Saturday.

Week in Review

Texas 6, Checkers 2

The Checkers opened the season with a visit to their former division rival Texas Stars. The home team struck first, finding the back of the net seven minutes into regulation, but the two teams would then find themselves locked in a stalemate for much of the remainder of the frame. That changed when Nick Ebert connected on a two-on-one rush with 71 seconds left to double the lead and open the floodgates. The Stars would pop in another one with 20 seconds to go and then yet another goal with a fraction of a second remaining on the game clock. The late flurry put Texas on top 4-0 after one period of play. Rookie Alex Nedeljkovic, who was starting his first AHL game, would see his night come to an end after that, with veteran Michael Leighton taking over crease duties in the second. Derek Ryan would swing the momentum some midway through the frame when he lit the lamp to break up Maxime Lagace’s shutout bid, but the Stars would again strike late in the period, pumping in two goals in the last four minutes to build a five-goal advantage through 40 minutes. Andrew Poturalski would tack one more goal on for the visitors early in the third, but it was too little, too late, and the Stars held on for a lopsided 6-2 victory. Full recap

Texas 4, Checkers 2

In the rematch, the Checkers avoided a repeat of the night before, but couldn’t quite muster up enough to topple Texas. Poturalski opened the scoring with his second goal in as many games, but the Stars evened things up two minutes later, then took the lead late in the frame. Patrick Brown struck shorthanded early on in the middle frame to draw the score even once again, but the Stars quickly responded to regain their one-goal advantage. The Checkers pressed in the third, outshooting their opponent 18-4, but couldn’t beat Lagace, and a late empty netter sealed a 4-2 final. Nedeljkovic again made the start and played the entire game, making 17 saves. Full recap

Three Stars Of The Week

Notables

Stumbling Out Of The Gate

The Checkers found themselves on the wrong side of a series sweep to open the season for just the second time in the franchise’s history this past weekend. They now sit with a 3-3-1 record all time in first and second games of the season, with Friday’s 6-2 loss standing as the team’s biggest loss in a season opener.

No Checkers team has ever started the season 0-3.

Poturalski Comes Out Hot

Andrew Poturalski has come out firing in his first full pro season. The rookie recorded a goal in each game against the Stars, tying him for the AHL rookie lead. The franchise record for goals in a single season by a rookie is 23, set by Zac Dalpe in 2010-11.

Dating back to last season, Poturalski put up six point (3g, 3a) in his last 11 games.

Road Struggles

The Checkers’ tough end to last season on the road seems to have carried over to the new campaign.

Dating back to last season, Charlotte has lost five consecutive games away from home and is 5-11-3 over the last 19.

Firing Rubber

The Checkers recorded two goals in each of their first two contests, putting them in the bottom half of the league in terms of goals per game, but that’s not due to a lack of offensive pressure.

They lead the league with an average of 40.50 shots per game, including ripping 45 shots on goal during Saturday’s loss to Texas, equal to their highest total in any game last season.

Individually, several Checkers have let loose through the first two games. Brock McGinn’s team-best 11 shots on goal are tied for the fourth highest total in the AHL, while Haydn Fleury is tied for second among league rookies with eight and tied for fourth among AHL defensemen alongside Trevor Carrick.

Brown's Shorthanded Strikes

Patrick Brown continued his strong run on the penalty kill, notching a shorthanded goal in Saturday’s contest. The tally gives the forward five shorthanded points in his career, moving him into a tie with Chad LaRose for fourth in Checkers history.

The most shorthanded points in a single season in five, set by LaRose in 2014-15.

Brickley Keeps Rolling

A late addition to the Checkers’ roster thanks to a trade with Florida, Connor Brickley hasn’t missed a beat jumping in with his new team. The forward marked an assist in each of the two contests in Texas, putting him in a tie for the team point lead.

Dating back to last season with Portland, Brickley has now recorded a point in six straight games and has 19 (7g, 12a) in his last 19 games.

Ranks

• Andrew Poturalski is tied for the rookie lead and tied for fourth overall in goals (2) and is tied for fifth among league rookies in points
• Patrick Brown is tied for the league lead in shorthanded goals and points (1)
• Brock McGinn is tied for fourth in the league in shots (8)
• Derek Ryan is tied for fifth in the AHL in power-play goals (1)
• Haydn Fleury is tied for second among league rookies in shots (8)

Injuries

• N/A

Transactions

Incoming

• Oct. 14 - (D) Roland McKeown assigned by Carolina (NHL)
• Oct. 13 - (LW) Sergey Tolchinsky assigned by Carolina (NHL)

Outgoing

• Oct. 12 - (F) Levko Koper assigned to Florida (ECHL)
• Oct. 12 - (F) Brant Harris released from tryout
• Oct. 12 - (D) Kevin Raine assigned to Florida (ECHL)

Coming Up

By the Numbers

Team Statistics
CATEGORY	RECORD	AHL RANK	LAST WEEK
Power play	9.1%	19th	N/A
Penalty kill	75.0%	22nd	N/A
Goals per game	2.00	t-16th	N/A
Shots per game	40.50	1st	N/A
Goals allowed per game	5.00	t-28th	N/A
Shots allowed per game	29.00	17th	N/A
Penalty minutes per game	17.50	18th	N/A

Team Leaders
CATEGORY	LEADER(S)
Points	Andrew Poturalski, Patrick Brown, Connor Brickley (2)
Goals	Andrew Poturalski (2), Patrick Brown, Derek Ryan (1)
Assists	Connor Brickley (2), Five tied (1)
Power play goals	Derek Ryan (1)
Shorthanded goals	Patrick Brown (1)
Game-winning goals	N/A
Shots on goal	Brock McGinn (11), Haydn Fleury, Trevor Carrick (8)
Penalty minutes	Mitchell Heard (12), Kyle Hagel (7), Eight tied (2)
Plus/minus	Andrew Poturalski, Patrick Brown, Connor Brickley (+1)
Wins	N/A
Goals-against average	Michael Leighton (3.00)
Save percentage	Michael Leighton (.875)