Weekly Report: A Wild Sweep

Details
The Checkers returned home in triumphant fashion, beating the Wild in back-to-back contests to run their point streak to five games.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Team Statistics

  • Overall record
    10-4-1-2
  • Home record
    6-2-0-0
  • Road record
    4-2-1-2
  • Last week's record
    2-0-0-0
  • Last 10 games
    4-3-1-2
  • Division Standings
    3rd
  • Conference Standings
    6th
  • League Standings
    12th

Checkers 5, Wild 3

A big third period propelled the Checkers in their first meeting with Iowa since 2017. After trading goals and entering the second intermission deadlocked at two, the Checkers potted two quick strikes from Rasmus Asplund and Marek Alscher to jump ahead. Iowa clawed back within one but the Checkers would stave them off, and a long-distance empty-netter from Asplund sealed the victory for Charlotte.

Checkers 3, Wild 0

The following night’s rematch was a scoreless stalemate for over 40 minutes of play, with neither side able to find the back of the net. The Checkers earned a two-man advantage early in the third and pounced on it, with Trevor Carrick hammering a slapshot from the top of the circles to break the ice and John Leonard threading a low-angle shot past the Iowa netminder to push Charlotte ahead. The Wild couldn’t find a spark for their comeback, as Cooper Black stood tall between the pipes and earned a 23-save shutout - his first as a pro.

QUICK HITS

PILING UP POINTS

After turning things around late in their most recent road trip, the Checkers now find themselves on a bit of a hot streak. The team is riding a five-game points streak (3-0-1-1), which is tied for the third longest active such streak in the league.

The Checkers are currently sitting in third place in the highly competitive Atlantic Division with 23 points through 17 games. That ties them with second-place Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (who have played one fewer game) and puts them eight points behind division leader Hershey (who have played five more games). Behind the Checkers are a log jam of formidable teams in Lehigh Valley (22 points), Springfield (21 points) and Hartford (19 points).

LOCK IT UP

Charlotte’s defense has clamped down on opponents as of late, helping to power the team’s recent success. Following a run of seven straight games surrendering at least four goals, the Checkers have allowed a total of five tallies over their last three games - all of which have been wins.

CONSISTENT PRODUCERS

Kyle Criscuolo and Trevor Carrick have been near-constant contributors to Charlotte’s high-powered offense thus far. The duo rank first and second on the team in scoring, respectively, and neither player has been held off the scoresheet in consecutive games. In fact, there have only been two games in which neither skater registered a point - and one of those was because Carrick didn’t play.

POWERING UP

The tandem of Criscuolo and Carrick have been especially deadly on the man advantage. Carrick leads the league in both power-play assists and points, while Criscuolo is tied for the league lead in power-play goals and ranks second in points. Those contributions have the Checkers reigning as the top power play in the AHL - the unit bounced back from being held scoreless in back-to-back games for the first time all season by converting twice on four attempts in Saturday’s win over Iowa.

HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK

This blast from Trevor Carrick not only triggered the annual Teddy Bear Toss, it ended up serving as the game winner!

Transactions

Incoming

  • Dec. 2 - Mackie Samoskevich assigned from Florida (NHL)
  • Nov. 30 - Riley Hughes recalled from Savannah (ECHL)

Outgoing

  • Dec. 2 - Chris Driedger recalled by Florida (NHL)

RANKINGS

  • Trevor Carrick leads the league in power-play assists (10)
  • Trevor Carrick leads the league in power-play points (15)
  • Kyle Criscuolo is tied for the league lead in power-play goals (6)
  • John Leonard is tied for the league lead in shorthanded assists (2)
  • Trevor Carrick is tied for the lead among AHL defensemen in power-plays goals (5)
  • Kyle Criscuolo ranks second in the league in power-play points (12)
  • Trevor Carrick is tied for second among AHL defensemen in points (18)
  • Patrick Giles is tied for second in the AHL in shorthanded goals (2)
  • Rasmus Asplund is tied for second in the AHL in shorthanded goals (2)
  • Trevor Carrick is tied for second among AHL defensemen in assists (13)
  • Trevor Carrick is tied for third in the AHL in power-play goals (5)
  • Aidan McDonough is tied for fourth in the AHL in game-winning goals (3)
  • Trevor Carrick is tied for fifth among AHL defensemen in goals (5)
  • Sandis Vilmanis is tied for sixth among AHL rookies in power-plays assists (5)
  • Kyle Criscuolo is tied for seventh in the AHL in goals (10)
  • Aidan McDonough is tied for seventh in the AHL in goals (10)
  • Marek Alscher is tied for seventh among AHL defensemen in game-winning goals (1)
  • Trevor Carrick is tied for seventh among AHL defensemen in game-winning goals (1)
  • Kyle Criscuolo is tied for eighth in the AHL in scoring (21)
  • John Leonard is tied for eighth in the AHL in power-play goals (4)
  • Ryan McAllister is tied for ninth in the AHL in power-play assists (6)
  • Kyle Criscuolo is tied for ninth in the AHL in power-play assists (6)
  • Trevor Carrick is tied for 10th in the AHL in assists (13)

By the Numbers

CATEGORY RECORD AHL RANK
Power play 36.1% 1st
Penalty kill 82.2% 18th
Goals per game 3.94 1st
Shots per game 33.12 2nd
Goals allowed per game 3.06 t-16th
Shots allowed per game 25.12 2nd
Penalty minutes per game 13.35 14th

LEADERS

CATEGORY LEADER(S)
Points Kyle Criscuolo (21), Trevor Carrick (18) Aidan McDonough, John Leonard (16)
Goals Aidan McDonough, Kyle Criscuolo (10), Three tied (7)
Assists Trevor Carrick (13), Kyle Criscuolo (11), Mike Benning, John Leonard (9)
Power play goals Kyle Criscuolo (6), Trevor Carrick (5), John Leonard (4)
Shorthanded goals Rasmus Asplund, Patrick Giles (2), MacKenzie Entwistle, Mike Benning (1)
Game-winning goals Aidan McDonough (3), Ryan McAllister (2), Four tied (1)
Shots on goal John Leonard (51), Aidan McDonough, Wilmer Skoog (40)
Penalty minutes Justin Sourdif (29), Wilmer Skoog (18), Riley Bezeau, Oliver Okuliar (16)
Plus/minus John Leonard (+8), Matt Kiersted (+6), Jaycob Megna (+5)
Wins Chris Driedger (5)
Goals-against average Ken Appleby (2.64)
Save percentage Ken Appleby (.890)