Weekly Report: Feb. 17, 2020

The Checkers started off a busy week at home strong before slumping over the weekend.

Week in Review

Checkers 4, Rochester 2

The Checkers locked in a tough battle with the Rochester Americans, traded tallies until a Morgan Geekie third-period strike pushed them ahead for good. Full recap

Checkers 5, Rochester 2

The next night’s rematch had a similarly tight start before things erupted in the middle frame. The Checkers went off for five goals in that period alone, using that offensive explosion to coast their way to victory. Full recap

Checkers 3, Springfield 4 (OT)

The Checkers found themselves in a 3-1 hole midway through their meeting with Springfield, but clawed back send the game to overtime and collect a point in the standings. The Thunderbirds came away with the victory, however, thanks to a pair of power-play chances in the extra frame. Full recap

Checkers 3, Springfield 4

The Checkers flipped the script and claimed a 2-1 lead midway through Sunday’s rematch, but the Thunderbirds came alive for three unanswered tallies to sail away with the two points. Full recap

Three Stars Of The Week

NOTABLES

1) STREAK HALTED

All-in-all the Checkers turned in a very strong home stand, coming away with nine of a possible 12 points over the last two weeks. Sunday’s loss brought an end to a stellar run, however, as the Checkers had been on a six-game point streak that was tied for their longest of the season. It also stood as just the fifth regulation loss that Charlotte has posted since Dec. 22.

2) OVERTIME STRUGGLES

The Checkers had their seventh game of the season go beyond regulation on Saturday, and it was the fifth to be decided in overtime. The loss moved them to 1-4 in games that have ended in overtime this season, tying them for the fewest overtime victories in the AHL. Springfield’s victory was its sixth of the season, tying the Thunderbirds to the most overtime wins in the AHL.

3) POWER'S BACK

After tying their season-long drought by going three straight games without a power-play goal, the Checkers were able to convert in each contest against Springfield, going 2-for-9 on the man advantage over the weekend. That surge keeps Charlotte near the top of the league rankings, with the Checkers clocking in at number three with a 22.6 percent success rate.

SINGLE-SEASON RECORD WATCH

• Julien Gauthier - 26 goals (Franchise record: Zach Boychuk - 36 goals in 13-14)
• Jake Bean - 32 assists (Franchise record: Andrew Poturalski - 47 assists in 18-19)
• Jake Bean - 32 assists (Defensemen franchise record: Bobby Sanguinetti - 40 assists in 11-12)
• Jake Bean - 39 points (Defensemen franchise record: Bobby Sanguinetti - 50 points in 11-12)
• Steven Lorentz - +23 (Forward franchise record: Morgan Geekie - +24 in 18-19)
• Morgan Geekie - 5 game-winning goals (Franchise record: Aleksi Saarela - 9 in 18-19)
• Chase Priskie - 25 assists (Rookie franchise record: Martin Necas - 36 in 18-19)
• Chase Priskie - 25 assists (Rookie defensemen franchsie record: Jake Bean - 31 in 18-19)
• Chase Priskie - 31 points (Rookie defensemen franchise record: Jake Bean - 44 in 18-19
• Oliwer Kaski - 10 goals (Defensemen franchise record: Jake Bean - 13 in 18-19)
• Alex Nedeljkovic - 4 shutouts (Franchise record: Justin Peters - 6 in 12-13)

RANKS

• Julien Gauthier is tied for third in the AHL in goals (26)
• Jake Bean is tied for the league lead among defensemen in points (39), ranks third among league defensemen and is tied for sixth in the AHL in assists (32)
• Steven Lorentz leads all AHL forwards and is tied for second overall in plus-minus (+23)
• Gustav Forsling is tied for eighth in the AHL and tied for sixth among defensemen in plus-minus (+21) and is tied for seventh among league defensemen in goals (8)
• Max McCormick ranks second in the AHL in penalty minutes (114)
• Morgan Geekie is tied for fifth in the AHL in game-winning goals (5)
• Chase Priskie is tied for fourth among AHL rookies in assists (25) and is tied for 10th in points (31) and is tied for 10th among league defensemen in both assists (25) and points (31)
• Oliwer Kaski ranks second among AHL defensemen in goals (10) and is tied for fith in power-play goals (4)

INJURIES

• Colin Markison - Missed nine games starting 1/25
• Brian Gibbons - Missed 11 games starting 1/19

Transactions

Incoming

• None

Outgoing

• Feb. 13 - Cedric Lacroix - Assigned to Greenville (ECHL)

Coming Up

By the Numbers

CATEGORY	RECORD	AHL RANK	LAST WEEK
Power play	22.6%	3rd	3rd
Penalty kill	86.5%	3rd	2nd
Goals per game	3.39	6th	t-6th
Shots per game	32.04	5th	5th
Goals allowed per game	2.80	8th	7th
Shots allowed per game	28.55	7th	4th
Penalty minutes per game	14.10	4th	6th

LEADERS

CATEGORY	LEADER(S)
Points	Janne Kuokkanen (42), Jake Bean (39), Julien Gauthier, Steven Lorentz (37)
Goals	Julien Gauthier (26), Morgan Geekie (18), Steven Lorentz (17)
Assists	Jake Bean (32), Janne Kuokkanen (30), Chase Priskie (25)
Power play goals	Julien Gauthier (8), Morgan Geekie (7), Janne Kuokkanen (5)
Shorthanded goals	Eight tied (1)
Game-winning goals	Morgan Geekie (5), Julien Gauthier (4), Steven Lorentz (3)
Shots on goal	Julien Gauthier (126), Jake Bean (116), Morgan Geekie (114)
Penalty minutes	Max McCormick (114), Clark Bishop (47), Morgan Geekie (44)
Plus/minus	Steven Lorentz (+23), Gustav Forsling (+21), Fredrik Claesson (+15)
Wins	Alex Nedeljkovic (15)
Goals-against average	Alex Nedeljkovic (2.53)
Save percentage	Alex Nedeljkovic (.905)