Weekly Report: Feb. 2

The Checkers are looking to bounce back at home as they welcome the AHL-leading Grand Rapids Griffins to the Coliseum for a two-game series!

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Checkers 7, Wolf Pack 1

Riese Gaber posted a career-high four points (one goal, three assists) in Charlotte’s 7-1 drubbing of the Hartford Wolf Pack Wednesday night in Hartford. The win extended the Checkers point streak at the time to eight games, going 7-0-1 over that stretch. Brett Chorske scored twice, and Nate Smith, Ben Steeves, Wilmer Skoog and Jack Studnicka tallied, as well. Eamon Powell notched multiple points in an AHL game for the first time in his career, recording two assists. Cooper Black picked up his 17th win of the season, making 27 saves on 28 shots. Wednesday marked MacKenzie Entwistle’s 300th professional game. The Checkers went 3-0 on their three-game road trip in Lehigh Valley, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and Hartford.

Bruins 4, Checkers 1

Charlotte’s aforementioned point streak came to a close on Saturday afternoon against Providence at home. Fueled by Riley Tufte’s three-point performance (two goals, one assist), the Bruins defeated the Checkers 4-1. Brett Chorske scored the home team’s lone goal shorthanded, adding his ninth tally of the season at 13:03 of the third period. The rookie forward leads all Checkers players with two shorthanded goals in the 2025-26 season. Studnicka extended his point streak to four games with an assist on Chorske’s goal; Jake Livingstone added the secondary apple. Michael DiPietro made 19 saves for Providence in the victory; Black stopped 17 shots in the loss. Charlotte struggled in the special team department, going 0-for-4 on the power play and 0-for-1 on the penalty kill.

Bruins 3, Checkers 0

Providence took down Charlotte again on Sunday afternoon, shutting out the Checkers 3-0. Matej Blumel scored twice for the Bruins while Victor Soderstrom added one goal and one assist. Bruins starting goaltender Simon Zajicek left the game due to injury following the first period, but DiPietro held down the fort in 40 minutes of action. Charlotte outshot Providence 31-17, including 13-4 in the third period, but couldn’t solve the Bruins netminders. Louis Domingue made 14 saves in the loss on Sunday, snapping his personal three-game winning streak. Charlotte went 2-for-2 on the penalty kill on Sunday, but did not get a chance on the power play. Providence swept the season series, winning all four games against the Checkers in the 2025-26 season.

QUICK HITS

GRIFFINS INCOMING

The Checkers schedule doesn’t get any easier as the Grand Rapids Griffins will make the trek to the Queen City for a two-game series beginning on Friday night. Grand Rapids leads the AHL in wins (33) and points (69), giving up a staggering 1.93 goals/game. Former Checkers forward John Leonard leads the Griffins with 26 goals and 40 points, despite only appearing in 32 games this season.

Charlotte is 1-0-1 against the Griffins this season, taking three points out of four in a two-game road series in November. The Checkers handed Grand Rapids their first regulation loss of the season on November 21, winning 2-1, led by Black’s career-high 40 saves. However, the Griffins responded with a 2-1 overtime victory the next night, courtesy of Ian Mitchell’s game-winning goal.

SNOW DAY

Charlotte’s game on Sunday afternoon in Providence was played in front of zero fans, as the game was closed to the public due to unsafe driving conditions created by the winter storm in the area. Only front office, hockey operations and building operations staff were allowed entry into the Coliseum, creating an odd atmosphere for the Checkers and the Bruins.

“Since Christmas, we’ve had some real tough travel and we really haven’t been home, so you kind of get excited to come home and get some energy from your fans,” Checkers head Geordie Kinnear said. “But, there weren’t a lot of fans for obvious reasons and safety reasons. [It was] a tough environment, but [there were] two really good hockey teams and a bit of a chess match at times. You’ve got to give them credit because they’re a really good hockey team.”

HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK

Riese Gaber puts the finishing touches on a career-high four-point night with his seventh goal of the season on Wednesday night in Hartford!

"What is going on??" 😂 pic.twitter.com/9QyGLWKz5D

— Charlotte Checkers (@CheckersHockey) January 29, 2026

Transactions

Incoming

• Jan. 31 - Kirill Gerasimyuk - Assigned by Florida (NHL) from Savannah (ECHL)

Outgoing

• Jan. 28 - Cole Krygier - Released from SPC

Injury Notes

• Nolan Foote suffered an upper-body injury on Saturday afternoon against Providence and is day-to-day
• Robert Mastrosimone suffered a lower-body injury on Saturday afternoon against Providence and is day-to-day
• Jack Devine returned to the Checkers lineup on Sunday afternoon after missing two games due to injury

RANKINGS

• Mikulas Hovorka is tied for the league lead among defensemen in shorthanded goals (1)
• Cooper Black is second in the AHL in wins (17)
• Brett Chorkse is tied for first among AHL rookies in shorthanded goals (2)
• Jack Devine is tied for fifth among AHL rookies in game-winning goals (3)
• Colton Huard is tied for fourth among AHL rookie defensemen in game-winning goals (1)
• Nolan Foote is tied for ninth in the AHL in game-winning goals (4)
• Kirill Gerasimyuk is tied for seventh in the AHL in shutouts (2)
• Jack Devine is fifth among AHL rookies in points (29)
• Jack Devine is tied for eighth among AHL rookies in goals (12)
• Jack Devine is sixth among AHL rookies in assists (17)
• Mitch Vande Sompel and Jake Livingstone are tied for ninth among AHL defensemen in shorthanded assists (1)
• Trevor Carrick ranks 12th among AHL defensemen in shots on goal (87)
• Mikulas Hovorka is tied for 15th among defensemen in plus-minus (+14)
• Jack Devine is tied for fifth among AHL rookies in plus-minus (+14)
• Nolan Foote is 15th in the AHL in shots on goal (110)
• Colton Huard is tied for 13th among AHL rookie defensemen in goals (3)

By the Numbers

CATEGORY	RECORD	AHL RANK
Power play	17.3%	20th
Penalty kill	84.8%	2nd
Goals per game	3.38	4th
Shots per game	30.33	6th
Goals allowed per game	2.81	9th
Shots allowed per game	24.6	1st
Penalty minutes per game	12.02	22nd

LEADERS

CATEGORY	LEADER(S)
Points	Jack Devine (29)
Goals	Ben Steeves, Wilmer Skoog (16)
Assists	Jack Devine (17)
Power play goals	Ben Steeves (6), Robert Mastrosimone (3)
Shorthanded goals	Brett Chorkse (2), Mikulas Hovorka, Jack Devine, Jack Studnicka, Sandis Vilmanis (1)
Game-winning goals	Nolan Foote (4), Jack Devine, Brett Chorske, Ben Steeves(3)
Shots on goal	Nolan Foote (110), Ben Steeves (105), Wilmer Skoog (96)
Penalty minutes	Ben Steeves (58), Nolan Foote (34), Jack Devine (33), Riese Gaber, Mike Benning (30)
Plus/minus	Jack Devine, Mikulas Hovorka (+14), Jake Livingstone, Gracyn Sawchyn (+11)
Wins	Cooper Black (17)
Goals-against average	Kirill Gerasimyuk (2.33)
Save percentage	Kirill Gerasimyuk (.904)