Weekly Report: California Trip Continues

The Checkers split a weekend series with the San Jose Barracuda to start their California road trip, extending their win streak to five games with a victory on Friday before suffering a setback in Sunday’s rematch.

In terms of points percentage, the Checkers now find themselves third in the Atlantic Division with a record of 7-4-0 to start the season. Their trip concludes with games against the San Diego Gulls, against whom the Checkers won back-to-back overtime games against earlier this month, this Wednesday and Friday.

The team will then gear up for a busy stretch at home on Thanksgiving week, hosting Cleveland on Monday and Wednesday before welcoming Wilkes-Barre/Scranton for the second time this season on Friday and Saturday.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Checkers 5, Barracuda 3

Lucas Carlsson was the hat trick hero in the first meeting between these teams since December of 2015, with his second and third goals of the game breaking open a 2-2 game midway through the second period in an eventual 5-3 victory that marked the Checkers’ fifth in a row. Jonah Gadjovich, on a conditioning loan from Florida, scored in his Checkers debut, and Ryan McCallister found the back of the net for the third straight game. Spencer Knight made a season-high 35 saves to earn the win.

Barracuda 5, Checkers 1

The Checkers suffered their most lopsided loss of the season in Sunday’s rematch, with a 5-1 defeating ending their win streak at five games. After the Barracuda jumped out to a 2-0 first-period lead, Ryan McAllister scored for the fourth straight game to get his team within one, only to see the home team pull away over the remainder of the contest.

QUICK HITS

HECK OF A RUN

The Checkers’ now-concluded, five-game win streak marked their longest since rattling off six in a row from Jan. 25-Feb. 10 – a streak that marked the team’s only streak of five wins or more last season. It also tied for the longest posted by any AHL team this season. Since starting the campaign with a record of 2-3-0, the team has won five of six.

CARLSSON CASHES IN

Lucas Carlsson’s hat trick on Friday marked the first of his career. Through 11 games, he leads the Checkers and all AHL defensemen with seven goals. Four of those were game winners, the most of any AHL player.

OFFENSIVE DEFENSE

Thanks to Carlsson and defensive partner Santtu Kinnunen, who leads the Checkers and is tied for second among AHL defensemen with nine assists, the Checkers are the only team in the league whose top two scorers are defensemen. Michael Benning has also contributed, as his three goals are tied for the most by an AHL rookie blueliner.

MCALLISTER STREAKS

Ryan McAllister found the back of the net for the fourth straight game on Sunday, tying Eetu Luostarinen (2019-20) and Brock McGinn (2014-15) for the second-longest goal streak by a rookie in team history. The team record in that category is held by current Checkers captain Zac Dalpe, who scored in five straight games during the 2010-11 campaign. McAllister’s streak is the longest active goal streak in the AHL.

KILLING IT

The Checkers enter the week with the league’s No. 1 ranked penalty kill at 89.6 percent. A power-play goal by San Jose in the team’s most recent game on Sunday ended a streak of 20 consecutive penalties killed that spanned parts of five games. Previously, the team had not allowed a power-play goal since the Oct. 27 game against Bridgeport.

HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK

It might technically be three highlights, but we don’t care.

Transactions

Incoming

• Nov. 13 – Will Lockwood reassigned from Florida (NHL)
• Nov. 13 – Dennis Cesana recalled from Florida (ECHL)
• Nov. 11 – Rasmus Asplund reassigned from Florida (NHL)
• Nov. 7 – Jonah Gadjovich assigned on conditioning from Florida (NHL)
• Nov. 7 – Mark Senden recalled from Florida (ECHL)

Outgoing

• Nov. 13 – Zach Uens reassigned to Florida (ECHL)

By the Numbers

CATEGORY	RECORD	AHL RANK
Power play	17.0%	21st
Penalty kill	89.6%	1st
Goals per game	3.27	14th
Shots per game	29.1	18th
Goals allowed per game	2.91	14th
Shots allowed per game	27.7	9th
Penalty minutes per game	11.5	25th

LEADERS

CATEGORY	LEADER(S)
Points	Lucas Carlsson (11), Santtu Kinnunen (9), four tied at (7)
Goals	Lucas Carlsson (7), Ryan McAllister (5), Jake Wise (4)
Assists	Santtu Kinnunen (9), Gerry Mayhew, Justin Sourdif (5)
Power play goals	Jake Wise, Mike Benning (2)
Shorthanded goals	None
Game-winning goals	Lucas Carlsson (4), Gerry Mayhew (2), Patrick Khodorenko (1)
Shots on goal	Lucas Carlsson (47), Zac Dalpe (28), Gerry Mayhew (23)
Penalty minutes	Casey Fitzgerald (15), Riley Bezeau (14), Lucas Carlsson (12)
Plus/minus	Brendan Perlini, Mike Benning (5), Patrick Khodorenko (4)
Wins	Spencer Knight (4), Ludovic Waeber (2), Mack Guzda (1)
Goals-against average	Mack Guzda (2.02), Spencer Knight (2.74), Ludovic Waeber (2.96)
Save percentage	Mack Guzda (.930), Spencer Knight (.899), Ludovic Waeber (.895)