Weekly Report: Jan. 30, 2023

The Checkers trekked out into the North Division and came away with a perfect week on the road.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Checkers 4, Comets 0

Checkers 4, Americans 2

Checkers 5, Americans 3

Three Stars Of The Week

QUICK HITS

ROAD WARRIORS

The Checkers started their current road swing on a great note, earning three straight victories - one in Utica and two in Rochester. Charlotte has now won five consecutive games on the road and is 7-1-0-0 in their last eight contests away from home.

SHUTTING IT DOWN

Mack Guzda earned his first pro shutout on Wednesday, giving the Checkers their second clean sheet in three games. On this road swing the Checkers have given up a total of five goals over the three contests, and they have surrendered two or fewer in four of their last seven games.

BUNNAMAN AND MAYHEW CATCH FIRE

Playing alongside each other, Connor Bunnaman and Gerry Mayhew have lit up the scoresheet over the most recent stretch of games. Bunnaman is in the midst of a five-game point streak - having racked up eight points (4g, 4a) over that run - while Mayhew has seven points (5g, 2a) across that same five-game run.

CARLSSON DIALS IN

Over the last few games Lucas Carlsson has turned in one of the more impressive runs from the blue line that you’ll see. The defenseman rattled off a six-game point streak that just came to an end on Saturday, piling up eight points (4g, 4a) along the way.

Carlsson’s eight goals so far this season put him just one away from cracking the franchise’s top 10 single-season goal total by a blue liner - Jake Bean and Mark Flood hold the record with 13 tallies.

HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK

Grigori Denisenko and Justin Sourdif took advantage of a turnover and netted the game-winner to keep the Checkers' week perfect!

Denisenko and Sourdif make them pay! pic.twitter.com/AQ6WEguzIs

— Charlotte Checkers (@CheckersHockey) January 29, 2023

RANKS

• Riley Nash is tied for fifth in the AHL in shorthanded goals (2)
• Riley Nash is tied for the league lead in shorthanded assists (2)
• Lucas Carlsson is tied for fifth among league defensemen in goals (8)
• Santtu Kinnunen is tied for fourth among league defensemen in power-play goals (3)
• Anthony Bitetto is tied for third among league defensemen in shorthanded goals (1)
• Lucas Carlsson ranks fifth among league defensemen in shots on goal (101)
• Johnny Ludvig is tied for fifth among league rookies and ranks third among rookie defensemen in plus-minus (+11)
• Riley Bezeau ranks fifth among league rookies in penalty minutes (52)
• Patrick Giles is tied for fifth among league rookies in shorthanded goals (1)
• Patrick Giles is tied for fourth among league rookies in shorthanded assists (1)
• Justin Sourdif is tied for ninth among league rookies in game-winning goals (2)
• Johnny Ludvig ranks seventh among rookie defensemen in penalty minutes (34)
• Mack Guzda is tied for seventh among rookie goalies in shutouts (1)
• Mack Guzda ranks fourth among rookies goalies in goals-against average (2.55) and save percentage (.911)

Transactions

Incoming

• 1/29 - Mack Guzda - Assigned from Florida (NHL)
• 1/27 - Grigori Denisenko - Assigned from Florida (NHL)

Outgoing

• 1/27 - Cam Johnson - Assigned to Florida (ECHL)

By the Numbers

CATEGORY	RECORD	AHL RANK
Power play	19.0%	19th
Penalty kill	85.0%	4th
Goals per game	3.00	21st
Shots per game	31.62	5th
Goals allowed per game	2.90	10th
Shots allowed per game	28.36	4th
Penalty minutes per game	12.81	17th

LEADERS

CATEGORY	LEADER(S)
Points	Riley Nash (36), Aleksi Heponiemi (24), Lucas Carlsson (22)
Goals	Riley Nash (16), Zac Dalpe (11), Gerry Mayhew (10)
Assists	Riley Nash (20), Aleksi Heponiemi (16), Santtu Kinnunen, Lucas Carlsson (14)
Power play goals	Zac Dalpe (5), Riley Nash (4), Three tied (3)
Shorthanded goals	Riley Nash, Connor Bunnaman (2), Anthony Bitetto, Patrick Giles (1)
Game-winning goals	Zac Dalpe, Riley Nash, Anton Levtchi (3)
Shots on goal	Lucas Carlsson (101), Santtu Kinnunen (94), Riley Nash (92)
Penalty minutes	Riley Bezeau (52), Anthony Bitetto (50), Givani Smith (49)
Plus/minus	Riley Nash, Lucas Carlsson, Johnny Ludvig (+11)
Wins	Mack Guzda (10)
Goals-against average	Alex Lyon, Mack Guzda (2.55)
Save percentage	Mack Guzda (.911)