Weekly Report: Feb. 27, 2023

The Checkers completed the first of back-to-back three-in-three weekends on the road, finding an array of results and taking home three of six possible points.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Checkers 5, Bruins 6 (OT)

Checkers 5, Islanders 2

Checkers 2, Thunderbirds 5

Three Stars Of The Week

QUICK HITS

BUSY WEEKEND

This weekend marked the second of three three-games-in-three-nights scenarios for the Checkers. They are now 2-3-1-0 in those games thus far, with both regulation wins coming in the middle leg. Charlotte is headed straight into their final three-in-three of the season this coming weekend - and the second consecutive one to feature three games in three different cities.

ROAD SUCCESS

By snagging a point in Friday’s matchup with Providence and beating Bridgeport on Saturday, the Checkers ran their road points streak to nine games - matching a franchise record. That run came to an end on Sunday however, when Charlotte dropped a 5-2 final to Springfield.

Even so, the Checkers are 14-8-2-1 away from home this season and 10-2-1-0 on the road since Christmas.

CARLSSON MAKES HISTORY

Lucas Carlsson had himself a weekend. The blue liner lit the lamp twice in Friday’s contest and kept his momentum rolling with a goal in each of the next two games as well. That four-goal weekend pushed Carlsson up to 14 on the season - setting a franchise record for most goals by a defenseman in a single season, previously shared by Jake Bean (2018-19) and Mark Flood (2013-14). That surge has also propelled Carlsson into the league lead among all AHL blue liners in goals.

Carlsson now sits at 31 points this season - having posted 17 points in his last 18 games and found the scoresheet in 14 of those contests. The single-season mark for points by a defenseman belongs to current assistant coach Bobby Sanguinetti, who racked up 50 points in 2011-12.

BOWLBY BURIES IT

After scoring five goals through his first 43 games this season, Henry Bowlby has caught fire over this last stretch. The forward has posted six goals in the last eight games, rattling off two separate three-game goal streaks over that run. Bowlby has also done most of his work at even strength, as his 10 five-on-five goals sit just two behind the team lead.

BERUBE COMES UP BIG

While J-F Berube’s usage has been fairly sporadic this season, the veteran netminder has come up big when called upon as of late. He is 3-0-1 in his last four starts while allowing nine total goals and making at least 30 saves in three of those outings. Berube was also brought on in relief on Sunday and made 18 saves on the 19 shots he saw to finish the weekend with 50 saves on 53 shots.

HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK

Still can't believe this J-F Berube save tbh

ARE YOU KIDDING ME J-F??? pic.twitter.com/noE503JqNf

— Charlotte Checkers (@CheckersHockey) February 26, 2023

RANKS

• Lucas Carlsson leads all AHL defensemen in goals (14)
• Riley Bezeau is tied for the lead among rookies and tied for second in the AHL in major penalties (8)
• Riley Nash is tied for second in the AHL in shorthanded assists (2)
• Riley Bezeau is tied for third among AHL rookies in penalty minutes (62)
• Justin Sourdif is tied for third among AHL rookies in shorthanded points (2)
• Matt Kiersted is tied for third among league defensemen in shorthanded goals (1)
• Anthony Bitetto is tied for third among league defensemen in shorthanded goals (1)
• Riley Nash is tied for fourth in the AHL in shorthanded points (4)
• Justin Sourdif is tied for fifth among AHL rookies in shorthanded assists (1)
• Lucas Carlsson is tied for fifth among league defensemen in game-winning goals (2)
• Connor Bunnaman is tied for sixth in the AHL in shorthanded goals (2)
• Riley Nash is tied for sixth in the AHL in shorthanded goals (2)
• Santtu Kinnunen is tied for sixth among league defensemen in power-play goals (3)
• Lucas Carlsson ranks sixth among league defensemen in shots on goal (129)
• Mack Guzda is tied for seventh among rookie goalies in wins (13)
• Justin Sourdif is tied for seventh among AHL rookies in shorthanded goals (1)
• Patrick Giles is tied for seventh among AHL rookies in shorthanded goals (1)
• Johnny Ludvig is tied for ninth among AHL rookies in plus-minus (+10)
• Johnny Ludvig ranks ninth among AHL rookies in penalty minutes (54)
• Lucas Carlsson is tied for ninth among league defensemen in plus-minus (+17)

Transactions

Incoming

• Feb. 25 - Xavier Cormier - Recalled from Florida (ECHL)
• Feb. 25 - Oliver Chau - Signed to PTO

Outgoing

• Feb. 24 - Zac Dalpe - Recalled by Florida (NHL)
• Feb. 24 - Grigori Denisenko - Recalled by Florida (NHL)

By the Numbers

CATEGORY	RECORD	AHL RANK
Power play	17.5%	t-23rd
Penalty kill	83.4%	6th
Goals per game	3.17	t-14th
Shots per game	31.49	6th
Goals allowed per game	3.02	15th
Shots allowed per game	28.77	7th
Penalty minutes per game	13.34	t-12th

LEADERS

CATEGORY	LEADER(S)
Points	Riley Nash (42), Aleksi Heponiemi (34), Lucas Carlsson (31)
Goals	Riley Nash (18), Gerry Mayhew (17), Lucas Carlsson, Zac Dalpe (14)
Assists	Aleksi Heponiemi (25), Riley Nash (24), Santtu Kinnunen (18)
Power play goals	Zac Dalpe, Gerry Mayhew (5), Riley Nash (4)
Shorthanded goals	Riley Nash, Connor Bunnaman (2), Four tied (1)
Game-winning goals	Five tied (3)
Shots on goal	Lucas Carlsson (129), Santtu Kinnunen (111), Gerry Mayhew (110)
Penalty minutes	Riley Bezeau (62), Anthony Bitetto (58), Gerry Mayhew (56)
Plus/minus	Lucas Carlsson (+17), Connor Bunnaman, Riley Nash (+11)
Wins	Mack Guzda (13)
Goals-against average	Alex Lyon (2.62)
Save percentage	Alex Lyon (.906)