With half the season in the rear view, the Checkers have nearly four months of hockey to reflect and the coaching staff has gotten a true feel for the team’s makeup.
“I think our identity is that we never give up,” said head coach Mike Vellucci. “We’re always in the game no matter the score. If we’re down early, we can fight back.”
A big part of that confidence in the team stems from Charlotte’s ability to put the puck in the net. The Checkers have taken residence as one of the AHL’s top three highest-scoring teams for much of the season.
“Goal scoring, obviously,” said Vellucci of his team’s biggest strength through the first half. “Our forwards are very skilled and we started off hot.”
An unheralded aspect of the Checkers’ strong attack during the first half is how evenly it has been spread across their roster. Only three other teams currently boast more 20-point scorers than the eight on Charlotte’s roster – Andrew Miller, Warren Foegele, Valentin Zykov, Lucas Wallmark, Andrew Poturalski, Nicolas Roy, Trevor Carrick and Aleksi Saarela.
“That’s very helpful,” said Vellucci. “With young guys it’s showed a lot of promise. Z has 21, Foegs has 20, Miller is putting up a lot of points, so we’re spreading it out. I think part of it up front is that we have that depth and we can roll all four lines.”
That offensive firepower helped push the Checkers out to a scorching start in the standings, but as the team has come back to Earth with a slow January, it has become evident just how tight the Atlantic Division is.
After sitting in the top four of the division for most of the year, a sweep at the hands of the Marlies earlier this month left the Checkers sitting outside of the playoff picture looking in. That moment was fleeting as Charlotte was able to pull off two wins against Bridgeport, the club that briefly leapt them in the standings, but it drilled home the idea of what it will take to stay in contention during the second half of the season.
“I think the guys already know that this is a tough division,” said Vellucci. “We don’t need to tell them. Everybody looks at the standings and sees how it jumps every day. We can’t take any points for granted and that’s been my message all year. Every little point means something.”
The Checkers will take on a divisional rival in Hartford over the weekend with a critical four points up for grabs. After that the team will enjoy a much-deserved rest, albeit a quick one at that, before it’s back to work.
“Obviously it’s a long year,” said Vellucci. “I always tell everybody that it’s a marathon, not a sprint. Everyone wants to get out to that great start, but you have to play well consistently. Three days is not that big of a deal off the ice. Make sure you stay in shape and get refreshed and come back with the mentality that every point matters.”
ALL-STAR DUO
Zykov was named to the 2018 AHL All-Star Classic earlier this month and now he’ll have some company on the trip from Charlotte. With several initial selections dropping out of the game, Warren Foegele has been named an AHL All Star, giving Charlotte multiple forward representatives for the first time since 2012.“We’re kind of a kept secret down here in the South,” said Vellucci. “I believe both of them deserved the opportunity right from the get-go. But I’m proud of both of them, they’ve had a great year so far.”
Foegele is the first rookie in franchise history to be named to the AHL All-Star game and one of four first-year pros on the Atlantic Division team. Just 40 games into his pro career, it’s a nice accolade to back up the young forward’s red-hot start.
“It’s pretty cool and humbling to achieve that,” said the 21-year-old. “But I couldn’t have done it without my teammates throughout this year. Kudos to them for helping me achieve this individual success. It’ll be a lot of fun.”
Zykov, who netted a pair of tallies in the team’s most recent contest including a highlight reel overtime winner, is tied for the league lead in goals, while Foegele leads all AHL rookies and sits just one marker behind his teammate.
“They’ve competed hard and worked hard,” said Vellucci of his two All Stars. “Z goes to all those tough areas and takes a beating, so it’s great to go to an All-Star game and play three-on-three and not get beat up. And Foegs, here’s a guy who scores 20 goals and everyone says coach is an idiot because he doesn’t play him on the power play. But he hasn’t complained and he’s worked hard and he’s progressed as the season’s gone on. They both deserve it and I’m happy for them.”
The tandem will head to Utica, NY, after the Checkers’ series in Hartford this weekend, partaking in a skills competition Sunday followed by a three-on-three tournament Monday. Despite missing out on the quick break in the schedule, the event should be a special moment for both Foegele and Zykov.
“It’ll be fun,” said Foegele. “I have some other friends that will be there so it’ll be cool to see them. And then it’ll be cool to learn from the older guys. But it’ll definitely be a treat to go with Z.”
ON THE ROAD
After a 3-3-0 home stand that saw the Checkers win three of their last four, the club is heading back on the road this weekend, something that hasn’t been kind as of late.The Checkers have lost eight of their last 11 contests away from home, getting outscored 36-12 during those losses and bringing their overall road record to 11-9-0 this season.
The team has shown flashes of their old selves during that road skid, including wins that saw them score seven and five goals, respectively, and seems confident in its ability to get back on the winning side of things.
“We’ve played a lot on the road and that last stretch we were shorthanded with call ups and things like that,” said Vellucci. “Early on we were a great road team and we had all of our bodies. I expect to get back to that here. If we can get healthy and get everybody going, good things should happen.”
This upcoming two-game series in Hartford could prove to be a perfect catalyst for the Checkers. The Wolf Pack is mired in seventh place in the Atlantic Division and is the lone club with a record below .500 on home ice. They are also 2-4-0 in their last six home contests, with both wins coming in overtime.
Getting a sweep over Hartford would be especially clutch for Charlotte, but the team is making sure not to get ahead of itself.
“We want to get the first one,” said Vellucci. “You can’t have both of them if you don’t get the first one. We have to make sure we’re ready for that first game. Hartford has been playing well as of late so we need to make sure that we get a jump on them.”
