Weekly Report: Feb. 17, 2015

The Checkers broke out of their worst slump of the season in a big way, taking two of three games this week.

After seeing their losing streak hit a season-worst four games, the Checkers finally reversed course, splitting a road series with the Lake Erie Monsters before returning to Charlotte with a huge shootout victory.

The team will now prepare for back-to-back contests with the Iowa Wild this week. Facing the lone team below them in the standings, the Checkers will be looking to emerge from this week with the full four points.

Week in Review

Checkers 2, Lake Erie 1

Stuck in a season-worst four-game losing streak, the Checkers broke out of their rut, downing the Lake Erie Monsters 2-1. Strikes from Phil Di Giuseppe and Alex Aleardi put the Checkers on top 2-0 heading into the final frame. The Monsters cut that advantage in half just 26 seconds into the third and continued to buzz all around the Charlotte net looking for the tying goal. The Checkers dug in, however, and kept them at bay, holding Lake Erie off and securing their first win since before the All-Star break. Full recap

Lake Erie 3, Checkers 2

After snapping their losing skid the night before, the Checkers were unable to repeat that success, falling to Lake Erie in a tightly fought contest. The visitors found the scoreboard first once again, courtesy of a red-hot Alex Aleardi. The two squads then traded goals to head into the third all knotted at two. Neither team could find the net in the third until Trey Bourke was taken down midway through the frame and was awarded a penalty shot. Bourke pulled a nifty deke and slid one past Drew MacIntyre to put the Monsters on top 3-2. The Checkers could not find an answer and the penalty shot stood as the game-winning goal as Lake Erie escaped with a 3-2 victory. Full recap

Checkers 4, Norfolk 3

Returning home for the first time since a rough two-game sweep by the Chicago Wolves, the Checkers found a better result, surviving a late rally to prevail 4-3 in a shootout. The home team came out firing, running out to a 3-0 lead in the second period thanks to strikes from Aleardi (his third-straight game with a goal), Brock McGinn and Zach Boychuk. The Admirals would not go easily, however, roaring back with three unanswered tallys, including the game-tying goal with under five to go in regulation. After neither team broke through in a frantic overtime that saw no whistles in the final four minutes, the game proceeded to a shootout. Each team’s first shooter scored, then the goalies took over and turned aside the next two shots. The Checkers sent out McGinn for the fourth round and the rookie beat Jason LaBarbera with a nifty deke to put the home team up one. With the game on the line, John Muse flashed his glove and denied Max Friberg’s attempt, icing a 4-3 win for the Checkers. Full recap

Notables

Welcome Back Alex

Since returning from the ECHL's Florida Everblades on Jan. 4, forward Alex Aleardi has posted ten points (6g, 4a) in 13 games, including four in his last three (3g, 1a), and is on a three-game goal streak. Even though Aleardi did not dress for four games since that recall, he is tied for the Checkers scoring lead during that time with Chad LaRose (17 games).

Aleardi, an undrafted forward who the Checkers signed to an AHL contract during the offseason, has 33 points (16g, 17a) in 70 career AHL contests with Springfield and Charlotte. He scored 19 points (8g, 11a) in 16 ECHL games with the Everblades this season.

We Meet Again

This past week's series against Lake Erie marked the 19th time the Checkers have faced the same opponent in two consecutive games this season. They are a combined 4-11-4 in the first halves of those series and 10-8-1 in the second.

In those two-game series, the Checkers have won both games once (against Milwaukee on Nov. 29 and 30) and have suffered four sweeps (vs. Grand Rapids on Oct. 17-18, at San Antonio on Nov. 14-15, at Oklahoma City on Nov. 21-22 and vs. Chicago on Feb. 6-7).

MacIntyre's Workload

Checkers goalie Drew MacIntyre, who has started six of the Checkers' last eight games, ranks sixth in the AHL in minutes played (1,935) and third in saves (940). With 34 games played, he would only have to appear in 14 of the Checkers' last 26 to tie the single-season club record set by Justin Pogge in the inaugural 2010-11 campaign.

MacIntyre, a 31-year-old veteran now playing his 12th professional season with his eighth AHL club, ranks 10th on the league's all-time wins list with 205 and is just 27 wins away from tying Frederic Cassivi for fifth. He has a 205-134-25 record, 2.45 goals-against average, .936 save percentage and 16 shutouts in 387 career AHL games dating back to the 2004-05 season.

LaRose Takes Over

During a current stretch that has seen him score 16 points (10g, 6a) in his last 23 games, Chad LaRose has taken sole possession of both the team's scoring and goals lead with 27 points (14g, 13a). In addition to being the team's overall points leader, he also leads the team in power-play points (eight), shorthanded points (three - t-4th AHL) and shots on goal (131).

LaRose's six-game point streak from Jan. 15-30 marked the Checkers' longest of the season, eclipsing his own previous five-game run and another by Murphy, both of which occurred in December. It also tied the longest of his professional career set during his previous AHL season (4g, 7a for Lowell between Nov. 18-26, 2005).

LaRose, a 32-year-old veteran of 508 NHL games with Carolina, is playing in the AHL for the first time since 2005-06 after taking last season away from hockey. He now has 111 points (55g, 56a) in 176 career AHL games with Lowell and Charlotte.

Lack Of Firepower

After totaling just 11 goals in regulation in their last seven games, the Checkers have fallen back to the AHL cellar in terms of total goals (107) and goals per game (2.14). The Checkers, who have scored two goals or less in six of their last seven games dating back to Jan. 30, are the only team in the AHL with two or fewer 20-point scorers on their roster (Chad LaRose and Justin Shugg). LaRose's 27 points are tied for the second-lowest for a team leader in the AHL.

The Checkers also rank last in the league on the power play with a season-long percentage of 10.7. The lowest recorded power-play percentage for a season in AHL history is 10.4, set by the Rochester Americans in 2001-02.

Ranks

• Kyle Hagel ranks third in the AHL in major penalties (16)
• Chad LaRose is tied for the AHL lead in shorthanded assists (3)
• Greg Nemisz is tied for second in the league in shooting percentage (25.0%)
• Drew MacIntyre ranks third in the AHL in saves (940) and third in minutes (1877)

Injuries

• Gabriel Desjardins - missed 17 game starting 1/4
• Greg Nemisz - missed 29 games starting 12/8 (out for season)

Milestones

• Rasmus Rissanen recorded his 300th AHL/pro PIM on 2/16
• Brock McGinn played in his 50th pro game on 2/7

Transactions

Incoming

• None

Outgoing

• Feb. 14 - (C) Jason Bast released from PTO
• Feb. 13 - (D) Michal Jordan recalled by Carolina (NHL)

Coming Up

By the Numbers

Team Statistics
CATEGORY	RECORD	AHL RANK	LAST WEEK
Power play	10.7%	30th	30th
Penalty kill	84.7%	t-11th	10th
Goals per game	2.14	30th	30th
Shots per game	28.96	24th	24th
Goals allowed per game	2.98	22nd	22nd
Shots allowed per game	32.78	28th	26th
Penalty minutes per game	18.10	23rd	23rd

Team Leaders
CATEGORY	LEADER(S)
Points	Chad LaRose (27), Justin Shugg (22), Brendan Woods (18)
Goals	Chad LaRose (14), Justin Shugg (13), Brendan Woods, Alex Aleardi, Greg Nemisz (8)
Assists	Chad LaRose (13), Danny Biega (11), Brendan Woods, Trevor Carrick, Rasmus Rissanen (10)
Power play goals	Chad LaRose (6)
Shorthanded goals	Greg Nemisz, Brendan Woods (2)
Game-winning goals	Brendan Woods, Greg Nemisz, Chad LaRose (2)
Shots on goal	Chad LaRose (134), Phil Di Giuseppe (112), Brock McGinn (101)
Penalty minutes	Kyle Hagel (116), Keegan Lowe (102), Brendan Woods (78)
Plus/minus	Dennis Robertson (+4), Beau Schmitz (+3), Greg Nemisz (+1)
Wins	Drew MacIntyre (13)
Goals-against average	John Muse (2.69)
Save percentage	John Muse (.918)