Weekly Report: Bumpy Stretch

It was a week to forget for the Checkers, who escaped a busy stretch with three of a possible eight points to wrap up a tough home stand.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Admirals 5, Checkers 2

A big third period sunk the Checkers in front of a sold-out Bojangles Coliseum Tuesday night. Holding a 2-0 lead going into the final frame, Charlotte surrendered three goals in the first nine minutes of the period to lose the lead, then watched Milwaukee cash in on two empty-net opportunities to seal the lopsided final score.

Checkers 4, Admirals 2

The Checkers flipped the script in their rematch with Milwaukee the next night. After finding themselves down by a goal in the later stages of the second, the Checkers got a clutch equalizer from Will Lockwood before the intermission, then struck 90 seconds into the third as Kyle Criscuolo pushed the home team back ahead. Charlotte shut down the Admirals down the stretch, and a long-distance empty netter from Rasmus Asplund slammed the door and clinched a series split for the Checkers.

Wolf Pack 3, Checkers 2 (OT)

Hartford came to town for the first time this season and went back and forth with the Checkers throughout the contest. After the visitors took a 2-1 lead midway through the third, John Leonard came through with five minutes left in regulation to pot a beautiful tally and force the contest to overtime. The extra frame featured end-to-end action, but it was the Wolf Pack who got the last laugh and picked up the second standings point.

Wolf Pack 3, Checkers 0

The Checkers came up empty in the home stand’s finale, firing 34 shots on goal but nothing past Hartford netminder Dylan Garand. The Wolf Pack picked up two quick strikes late in the first and another late in the middle frame, which gave them more than enough ride out a shutout win over Charlotte.

QUICK HITS

ROUGH PATCH

On Dec. 21 the Checkers throttled the Islanders 6-2 to pick up their ninth win in 11 games and move to 16-6-1-2 on the season. Since then, the Checkers are 4-5-2-0 and have one win in their last six contests.

A red-hot start gave the Checkers a boost early on in the season, so even with this skid Charlotte sits in third place in the Atlantic. Still, the Checkers’ 45 points put them just one ahead of both the fourth-place Penguins (who have played three fewer games than Charlotte) and the fifth place Phantoms (who have played four more games than Charlotte).

The Checkers - who have yet to drop more than two games in regulation in a row this season - will look to turn things around as they embark on a road trip through the Midwest against Iowa and Milwaukee.

SEARCHING FOR OFFENSE

The Checkers spent most of the season up to this point as the league’s top offense, but the aforementioned 11-game stretch has dropped them to the number five spot.

Over the last 11 games the Checkers have scored 25 goals - a total that includes a six-goal outburst against Lehigh Valley but also seven instances of two-or-fewer goals.

WILL POWER

One bright spot on the offensive side of things has been Will Lockwood. After missing nearly two months with injury, the forward has jumped back in with five points in the seven games since returning.

HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK

Justin Sourdif forces a turnover down low and gets it to Kyle Criscuolo, who buries it for the game winner against Milwaukee!

What a setup! pic.twitter.com/YShf0wsn4X

— Charlotte Checkers (@CheckersHockey) January 16, 2025

Transactions

Incoming

• Jan. 16 - Dennis Cesana recalled from Savannah (ECHL)

Outgoing

• None

RANKINGS

• Trevor Carrick leads the league in power-play points (19)
• Trevor Carrick leads the league in power-play assists (13)
• John Leonard leads the league in shorthanded points (5)
• Ken Appleby is tied for the league lead in shutouts (4)
• Trevor Carrick is tied for the league lead among defensemen in points (30)
• Mike Benning is tied for the league lead among defensemen in shorthanded goals (1)
• Trevor Carrick is tied for second among AHL defensemen in power-play goals (6)
• John Leonard is tied for second in the AHL in shorthanded goals (3)
• John Leonard ranks fourth in the AHL in shots on goals (120)
• Trevor Carrick ranks fourth among AHL defensemen in assists (23)
• Joh Leonard is tied for fourth in the AHL in shorthanded assists (2)
• Ken Appleby ranks sixth in the AHL in goals-against average (2.12)
• Trevor Carrick is tied for seventh among AHL defensemen in goals (7)
• Jaycob Megna is tied for seventh in the AHL in plus-minus (+15)
• Kyle Criscuolo is tied for eighth in the AHL in power-play goals (6)
• Trevor Carrick is tied for eighth in the AHL in assists (23)
• Matt Kiersted is tied for eighth among AHL defensemen in plus-minus (+14)
• John Leonard is tied for 10th in the AHL in goals (16)

By the Numbers

CATEGORY	RECORD	AHL RANK
Power play	27.0%	1st
Penalty kill	86.0%	4th
Goals per game	3.42	5th
Shots per game	31.69	4th
Goals allowed per game	2.86	11th
Shots allowed per game	24.17	1st
Penalty minutes per game	13.06	17th

LEADERS

CATEGORY	LEADER(S)
Points	John Leonard (33), Trevor Carrick (30), Kyle Criscuolo (27)
Goals	John Leonard (16), Kyle Criscuolo (13), Rasmus Asplund (12)
Assists	Trevor Carrick (23), John Leonard (17), Mike Benning, Kyle Criscuolo (14)
Power play goals	Kyle Criscuolo, Trevor Carrick (6), John Leonard, Rasmus Asplund (4)
Shorthanded goals	John Leonard (3), Rasmus Asplund, Patrick Giles (2)
Game-winning goals	Aidan McDonough, John Leonard, Kyle Criscuolo (3)
Shots on goal	John Leonard (120), Trevor Carrick, Wilmer Skoog (83)
Penalty minutes	Oliver Okuliar (53), Justin Sourdif (48), Patrick Giles (35)
Plus/minus	Jaycob Megna (+15), Matt Kiersted (+14), John Leonard (+13)
Wins	Ken Appleby (10)
Goals-against average	Ken Appleby (2.12)
Save percentage	Ken Appleby (.907)