Weekly Report: Hot Start

Details
The Checkers kicked off the 2024-25 season in thrilling fashion, picking up a pair of hard-fought road wins in very different fashions.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Team Statistics

  • Overall record
    2-0-0-0
  • Home record
    0-0-0-0
  • Road record
    2-0-0-0
  • Last week's record
    2-0-0-0
  • Last 10 games
    2-0-0-0
  • Division Standings
    1st
  • Conference Standings
    1st
  • League Standings
    1st

Checkers 7, Penguins 6

The season opener was a wild one for the Checkers, as they went into Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and locked into an explosive offensive battle. It was a back-and-forth affair until a power-play tally early in the third pushed the Penguins ahead 5-3. Trevor Carrick responded with a power-play goal of his own shortly after, however, and that strike kickstarted his squad. The Checkers would notch three more goals in a row from there - including two from Aidan McDonough to complete his hat trick - and despite one last push by the home side, Charlotte ultimately pulled off an opening-night victory.

Checkers 3, Islanders 0

The next day’s tilt with Bridgeport featured significantly fewer fireworks. Aidan McDonough kept his hot start rolling by notching the game’s first tally early on in the second period, and that strike would hold up as the eventual game winner thanks to a perfect 21-save performance from netminder Ken Appleby. Rasmus Asplund sealed the deal with a pair of goals in the final two minutes of regulation and the Checkers rode out of the weekend on a convincing shutout win over the Islanders.

QUICK HITS

MCDONOUGH LIGHTS THE LAMP

Aidan McDonough made quite the first impression during his debut weekend with the Checkers. The second-year-pro recorded his first pro hat trick in the season opener against the Penguins, then added another tally against Bridgeport - collecting the game-winning-goal in each contest.

McDonough’s hat trick was the first by a Checker since Brendan Perlini in December of last season.

APPLEBY SLAMS THE DOOR

McDonough wasn’t the only one to turn in a spectacular Checkers debut. Ken Appleby stood tall in his first start Sunday, denying all 21 shots he faced and helping the Checkers stifle all seven Bridgeport power plays across the contest.

The shutout was the eighth of Appleby’s AHL career.

NEW YEAR, NEW LOOK

The start of nearly every AHL season brings with it plenty of new faces, and the 2024-25 campaign is no different. Over the two games on the weekend 17 different skaters made their Checkers debuts, as well as the starting goalie in each contest.

ON THE KILL

The Checkers ran into some penalty trouble over the weekend, finding themselves shorthanded seven times in each contest. Fortunately, the Charlotte penalty kill came out of the gates strong and killed 13 of those 14 man advantages. The Checkers were even able to flip the script on their opponents by netting three shorthanded goals over the weekend - a pair from MacKenzie Entwistle and Rasmus Asplund on Saturday and another from Asplund on Sunday.

HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK

Aidan McDonough cleans up a rebound to complete his hat trick and clinch the Checkers' season-opening victory!

Transactions

Incoming

  • Oct. 9 - Chris Driedger assigned from Florida (NHL)
  • Oct. 9 - MacKenzie Entwistle assigned from Florida (NHL)

Outgoing

  • Oct. 11 - Patrick Giles recalled by Florida (NHL)
  • Oct. 9 - Spencer Knight recalled by Florida (NHL)

By the Numbers

CATEGORY RECORD AHL RANK
Power play 22.2% t-9th
Penalty kill 92.9% 9th
Goals per game 5.00 t-1st
Shots per game 38.00 2nd
Goals allowed per game 3.00 t-15th
Shots allowed per game 29.00 t-14th
Penalty minutes per game 14.00 t-19th

LEADERS

CATEGORY LEADER(S)
Points Aidan McDonough (4), Rasmus Asplund, Jaycob Megna (3)
Goals Aidan McDonough (4), Rasmus Asplund (3), Three tied (1)
Assists John Leonard, Jaycob Megna (2), Seven tied (1)
Power play goals Trevor Carrick, Rasmus Asplund (1)
Shorthanded goals Rasmus Asplund (2), MacKenzie Entwistle (1)
Game-winning goals Aidan McDonough (2)
Shots on goal Rasmus Asplund (9), Aidan McDonough (8), Mike Benning (7)
Penalty minutes Marek Alscher, Tobias Bjornfot, Mikulas Hovorka, Wilmer Skoog (4)
Plus/minus John Leonard (+4), Aidan McDonough (+3), Three tied (+2)
Wins Chris Driedger, Ken Appleby (1)
Goals-against average Ken Appleby (0.00)
Save percentage Ken Appleby (1.000)