Weekly Report: March 2, 2020

Amidst a tumultuous stretch for their roster, the Checkers came away with a split week while ending things on a high note.

Week in Review

Checkers 1, Hershey 6

The Checkers couldn’t keep up with the division-leading Bears in this weekday matchup, surrendering five unanswered tallies with Jeremy Helvig making his first career AHL start to fall in lopsided fashion. Full recap

Checkers 3, Lehigh Valley 5

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 4, Lehigh Valley 2

The Checkers righted the ship the next night, however, powering out to a commanding 4-0 lead in the third period. The Phantoms struck twice late but couldn’t continue their momentum, as Callum Booth skated away with the win in his first AHL start of the season. Full recap

Checkers 6, Hershey 3

Facing the Atlantic’s top team for the second time in a week, the Checkers flipped the script and left the Bears in the dust. Powered by Morgan Geekie’s first career hat trick, Stelio Mattheos’ first career multi-goal game and three helpers from Jake Bean, the Checkers shut down any chance of a comeback for the Bears and picked up the win in Keith Kinkaid’s Charlotte debut. Full recap

Three Stars Of The Week

NOTABLES

1) GEEKIE'S GOT GOALS

With a lot of offensive pieces leaving at the NHL trade deadline, Morgan Geekie has stepped up to keep Charlotte’s attack afloat. Geekie racked up seven points over the four games this week – the most by any player in the AHL over that stretch – and recorded his first career hat trick in Sunday’s win over Hershey. He is the second Checker this season to net a hat trick and the 13th in franchise history.

2) BEAN LENDS A HELPING HAND

Jake Bean picked up a trio of helpers in Sunday’s win over the Bears, marking the third time he’s hit that mark in a single game this season. The blueliner has eight points in his last five games to claim the team scoring lead and has positioned himself as the AHL’s highest-scoring defensemen, leading the second-ranked Brennan Menell by three points.

3) COOPER MAKES HIS MARK

One of several new additions to the forward group, Mark Cooper has been a positive influence on the scoresheet since joining the Checkers. A standout for the South Carolina Stingrays who had 37 AHL games to his name at the time of his signing, Cooper has posted three points (1g, 2a) in four games wearing a Charlotte sweater.

4) GOALIE CAROUSEL

It’s been a wild week between the pipes for the Carolina organization. As a part of the trickle down from the Hurricanes losing both Petr Mrazek and James Reimer to injury in the same game, the Checkers have had a different goalie start each of their last six games – Alex Nedeljkovic, Anton Forsberg, Jeremy Helvig, Mike Condon, Callum Booth and Keith Kinkaid. With Nedeljkovic and Forsberg currently in Carolina, Helvig returned to the ECHL and Condon recalled by Tampa Bay, Charlotte’s current tandem stands as Booth and Kinkaid. Each member of that duo – who have 15 and 157 AHL games under their respective belts – won their Checkers debut this season.

SINGLE-SEASON RECORD WATCH

• Morgan Geekie - 22 goals (Franchise record: Zach Boychuk - 36 goals in 13-14)
• Jake Bean - 37 assists (Franchise record: Andrew Poturalski - 47 assists in 18-19)
• Jake Bean - 37 assists (Defensemen franchise record: Bobby Sanguinetti - 40 assists in 11-12)
• Jake Bean - 46 points (Defensemen franchise record: Bobby Sanguinetti - 50 points in 11-12)
• Steven Lorentz - +22 (Forward franchise record: Morgan Geekie - +24 in 18-19)
• Morgan Geekie - 5 game-winning goals (Franchise record: Aleksi Saarela - 9 in 18-19)

RANKS

• Morgan Geekie is tied for 12th in the AHL in goals (22) and is tied for seventh in game-winning goals (5)
• Jake Bean leads all defensemen and is tied for 13th in the AHL overall in points (46), ranks second among defensemen and is tied for fourth in the AHL overall in assists (37), is tied for fourth in the AHL in power-play assists (17) and is tied for sixth among league defensemen in goals (9)
• Steven Lorentz ranks third among forwards and tied for sixth overall in plus-minus (+22)
• Gustav Forsling is tied for eighth among defensemen and tied for 12th overall in plus-minus (+19)
• Max McCormick ranks third in the AHL in penalty minutes (116)
• Joey Keane is tied for 10th among all rookies in points (34), is tied for sixth among league defensemen in goals (9) and is tied for eighth among defensemen in points (34)
• Derek Sheppard is tied for second among all rookies in penalty minutes (63)
• Oliwer Kaski ranks second among all defensemen in goals (13) and is tied for second among defensemen in power-play goals (6)

INJURIES

• Joey Keane - Missed one game starting 3/1
• Colin Markison - Missed 15 games starting 1/25
• Brian Gibbons - Missed 17 games starting 1/19

Transactions

Incoming

• Feb. 29 - Keith Kinkaid - Assigned by Montreal (NHL)
• Feb. 28 - Alexis D'Aoust - Acquired from Manitoba (AHL)
• Feb. 25 - Boston Leier - Signed to PTO
• Feb. 24 - Blake Winiecki - Signed to PTO
• Feb. 24 - Mark Cooper - Signed to PTO

Outgoing

• Mar. 1 - Mike Condon - Recalled by Tampa Bay (NHL)
• Feb. 27 - Jeremy Helvig - Assigned to Greenville (ECHL)
• Feb. 24 - Janne Kuokkanen - Traded to New Jersey (NHL)
• Feb. 24 - Fredrik Claesson - Traded to New Jersey (NHL)
• Feb. 24 - Eetu Luostarinen - Traded to Florida (NHL)
• Feb. 24 - Chase Priskie - Traded to Florida (NHL)

Coming Up

By the Numbers

CATEGORY	RECORD	AHL RANK	LAST WEEK
Power play	22.9%	3rd	3rd
Penalty kill	87.3%	2nd	3rd
Goals per game	3.40	6th	6th
Shots per game	31.96	6th	5th
Goals allowed per game	2.88	t-9th	8th
Shots allowed per game	28.46	6th	7th
Penalty minutes per game	13.79	8th	4th

LEADERS

CATEGORY	LEADER(S)
Points	Jake Bean (46), Morgan Geekie, Steven Lorentz (43)
Goals	Morgan Geekie (22), Steven Lorentz (21), Max McCormick (15)
Assists	Jake Bean (37), Joey Keane (25), Steven Lorentz (22)
Power play goals	Morgan Geekie (8), Oliwer Kaski (6), Max McCormick (5)
Shorthanded goals	Steven Lorentz (2)
Game-winning goals	Morgan Geekie (5), Steven Lorentz (4), Clark Bishop, Oliwer Kaski (2)
Shots on goal	Jake Bean (133), Morgan Geekie (129), Oliwer Kaski (118)
Penalty minutes	Max McCormick (116), Derek Sheppard (63), Clark Bishop (57)
Plus/minus	Steven Lorentz (+22), Gustav Forsling (+19), Dave Gust (+11)
Wins	Callum Booth, Keith Kinkaid (1)
Goals-against average	Callum Booth (2.00)
Save percentage	Callum Booth (.913)