Weekly Report: Jan. 7, 2020

The Checkers came away with another perfect week on the road to extend their season-best winning streak to five games.

Week in Review

Checkers 3, Cleveland 1

The Checkers wrapped up 2019 with a matinee rematch against the Monsters and once again emerged victorious, with Oliwer Kaski breaking a 1-1 deadlock midway through the third period. Full recap

Checkers 4, Providence 0

The Checkers got their revenge on the Bruins in their first visit to Providence, coming away with a lopsided 4-0 victory behind a three-point night from Steven Lorentz and a 25-save shutout from Alex Nedeljkovic. Full recap

Checkers 4, Providence 1

The Checkers kept their winning ways going in their rematch with the Bruins, jumping out to a 4-0 lead thanks to Jacob Pritchard’s first two tallies of the season and then riding Anton Forsberg’s stellar, near-perfect performance to another blowout victory. Full recap

Three Stars Of The Week

FIVE NOTABLES

1) GOING STREAKING

After having never strung more than two wins together this season, the Checkers have won each of their last five games to pull themselves right back into the thick of the Atlantic Division race. They technically sit fifth in the division, three points shy of fourth-place Springfield and four shy of third-place Providence, but have played four fewer games than both of those teams, giving Charlotte the third-best points percentage in the Atlantic Division.

2) GOATS GOT GOALS

Julien Gauthier set a career high with 27 goals in 75 games last season, but he seems dead-set on topping that mark this year. The forward currently leads the team and is tied for sixth in the AHL with 16 goals through 28 games. Gauthier has nine goals in his last nine contests and has found the scoresheet in six of his last seven. The 22-year-old is looking to become the fifth Checker in franchise history to reach the 30-goal mark, while Zach Boychuk holds the franchise record with 36 in 2013-14.

3) BRICK WALLS

A key part of Charlotte’s success as of late has been the play between the pipes, with the tandem of Alex Nedeljkovic and Anton Forsberg turning in stellar performance after stellar performance. Nedeljkovic is coming off his third shutout of the season and has allowed just a single goal in his last two outings, pushing him into the AHL’s top 10 in terms of goals-against average. Forsberg nearly pulled off his first shutout of the season on Sunday but nevertheless has allowed a single goal in five of his last seven games, picking up wins in four straight appearances and six of his last seven. Together, the duo has given up five goals over the last five games, all of which have been wins.

4) LORENTZ BREAKS OUT

Steven Lorentz has found his offense this season, already more than doubling his output from a year ago with 20 points in 34 games. The third-year forward has 10 points in his last nine games, including notching multi-point efforts in three of his last five contests.

5) CLAESSON CASHES IN

After recording two assists through the first 20 games of the season, Fredrik Claesson has caught fire offensively. The blueliner has eight points in his last eight games, including a pair of goals – his first in the AHL since 2015-16.

RANKS

• Julien Gauthier is tied for sixth in the AHL in goals (16) and tied for fifth in power-play goals (7)
• Max McCormick is tied for the league-lead in major penalties (6) and ranks second in penalty minutes (80)
• Alex Nedeljkovic ranks eighth in the AHL in goals-against average (2.36) and is tied for third in shutouts (3)
• Chase Priskie is tied for 10th among AHL rookies in scoring (21) and tied for third in assists (16). He also ranks third among rookie defensemen and tied for 12th among all league defensemen in scoring
• Jake Bean is tied for ninth among AHL defensemen in scoring (22)

INJURIES

• Stelio Mattheos - Missed 24 games starting 11/8
• Kerby Rychel - Missed 14 games starting 12/1

Transactions

Incoming

• None

Outgoing

• 1/1 - Cedric Lacroix - Assigned to Greenville (ECHL)

Coming Up

By the Numbers

CATEGORY	RECORD	AHL RANK	LAST WEEK
Power play	19.9%	11th	6th
Penalty kill	90.1%	1st	1st
Goals per game	2.50	t-15th	14th
Shots per game	30.79	7th	8th
Goals allowed per game	2.88	6th	t-7th
Shots allowed per game	28.67	5th	5th
Penalty minutes per game	15.35	2nd	3rd

LEADERS

CATEGORY	LEADER(S)
Points	Julien Gauthier, Janne Kuokkanen, Jake Bean (22)
Goals	Julien Gauthier (16), Steven Lorentz, Max McCormick (9)
Assists	Jake Bean (17), Chase Priskie (16), Janne Kuokkanen (14)
Power play goals	Julien Gauthier (7), Morgan Geekie, Jake Bean, Janne Kuokkanen (3)
Shorthanded goals	Six tied (1)
Game-winning goals	Morgan Geekie, Julien Gauthier (3), Chase Priskie, Steven Lorentz (2)
Shots on goal	Julien Gauthier (84), Jake Bean (77), Morgan Geekie, Roland McKeown (69)
Penalty minutes	Max McCormick (80), Brian Gibbons (38), Roland McKeown (36)
Plus/minus	Gustav Forsling, Steven Lorentz (+12), Fredrik Claesson (+8)
Wins	Anton Forsberg (10)
Goals-against average	Alex Nedeljkovic (2.36)
Save percentage	Alex Nedeljkovic (.910)