During the season, Checkers broadcaster TJ Chillot checks in with a weekly blog highlighting everything Checkers hockey, presented by Charlotte Eye Ear Nose & Throat Associates!
Cookin' At Home
The Checkers completed their most recent homestand with some great success on Bojangles Coliseum ice. Over the course of six games from Feb. 10 - 19, the Checkers went 4-2-0-0 earning eight out of a possible 12 points. The Checkers have been cookin’ at home this year with a 16-10-1-1 record, meaning they’ve earned points in 18 of 28 total home games this season.
Bearing Down Without Bunnaman
It was hard to swallow the Checkers’ 6-3 loss on Saturday night at the hands of the Hershey Bears. Charlotte battled back on numerous occasions to bring the game close, but two empty-net goals for Hershey put the game out of reach. In the loss, Checkers’ forward Connor Bunnaman left the ice late in the second period due to injury. With Bunnaman having one of his best seasons in the AHL this year, how the team responds in his absence will be something to monitor as we get through the home stretch. I’m curious to know how Gerry Mayhew and Logan Hutsko react to their missing linemate. That trio has been the Checkers best line in the last month and the two remaining players will look to recreate that magic while Bunnaman is sidelined.
Random Stat: Guzda's Shootout Skills
It’s a small sample size, but Mack Guzda has been more than solid in the shootout this season. Though he’s only been tasked with backstopping the Checkers in two games this year that went into the shootout, Guzda has only allowed one goal on seven shooters. In both games the Checkers earned the two points thanks to their rookie netminder.
Carlsson's +/-
Many people will tell you that the plus/minus stat is a dying analytic. Don’t tell that to Lucas Carlsson, who’s top-10 in the AHL among defensemen in the category with a +16. In my humble opinion, plus/minus is even more valuable these days, especially when looking at a defender on paper. It shows that they’re contributing offensively while also not being a liability defensively. For Carlsson, his last three games he went +2, +1 and +1. In fact, you’d have to go back a full month to January 22 to find his last game with a minus. Oh, by the way, Carlsson is tied for second in the league in goals scored by a defenseman with 10.
7 Looking For 10
The Charlotte Checkers have won their last seven games on the road. As they get set to take on Providence, Bridgeport, and Springfield this weekend as part of a three-in-three, they’re looking to extend that streak. The Checkers current streak is the longest active road-winning streak along with Calgary, who’s also won seven in a row. The highest road game win streak this season was set by the Toronto Marlies from November 25, 2022 to January 21, 2023 when they won 10 straight.
No Quit
How many Checkers games have you seen this season where they just refused to give in? For me, more than I can count. This team has absolutely zero quit, and it’s a huge testament to the leadership group and the coaching staff lead by Head Coach Geordie Kinnear. A few games that immediately stick out to me, and maybe it’s recency bias, are the come-from-behind OT win against the Toronto Marlies a couple of weeks ago and their battle-back effort this past Sunday against Hershey. In both games the Checkers netted the equalizer late in the game after climbing a seemingly insurmountable hill, only to win the game in extra time. These are the qualities you look for when trying to identify a team and whether or not they have the right makeup to make a deep playoff run. For me, I’m liking what I’m seeing out of their character, their drive, and their no-quit attitude.
Difficult Stretch
The Checkers are coming up on one of their most difficult stretches of the season. Not only are they embarking on a three-in-three where they’ll play three different teams in three different states in three different nights, but they’re going against some of the best the Atlantic Division has to offer. Up first is Providence on Friday night. The P-Bruins lead the Atlantic Division with 70 points and are one of only three teams in the league that have crested the 70-point plateau. What’s more, they’re 7-2-1-0 in their last 10 games, and have points in eight of their last nine. On Saturday, the Checkers will battle it out with the Bridgeport Islanders from Connecticut. Like the Bruins, Bridgeport has a winning record in their last 10 - going 5-4-1-0. The Islanders have also won their last three straight, and that could be four straight if they take down Belleville on Friday night. Then the Checkers wrap up their weekend with the Springfield Thunderbirds, a team they’ve only seen once this year. That game came back in November and ended up with Charlotte on top, 4-1. Since then, the T-Birds have found their stride and have become one of the most difficult teams to face in the entire league. Following the return of Matthew Peca and the emergence of Mitchell Hoelscher, the Thunderbirds have won 8 of their last 10.
