Weekly Report: Nov. 2

The Checkers trekked out West for a four-game swing through Colorado and Iowa and now return home with six of a possible eight points.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Checkers 6, Eagles 3

TThe Checkers kicked off the trip with their first ever matchup against the Eagles, and despite surrendering the opening goal less than a minute into the game, the visitors punched back to build a 4-2 lead early in the third. Colorado would tack on one more in the waning minutes of regulation, but it was sandwiched by a pair of empty netters that Charlotte used to put the contest away for good.

Eagles 3, Checkers 0

Things swung the opposite way for Charlotte in the following night’s rematch. After a tightly contested, scoreless first period, the Eagles broke the ice late in the second and then twice in the first half of the final frame. That advantage would be more than enough, as the Checkers could not find a way to put anything behind Colorado goalie Trent Miner - who was perfect on all 27 shots he faced - and suffered their first shutout of the season.

Checkers 6, Wild 3

Charlotte’s offense came back to life in Iowa, where the Checkers traded blows with the Wild for the first 30 minutes of play. Brett Chorske netted one late in the second to give the visitors a two-goal lead, and that would prove to be enough. Iowa struck once more before the second horn sounded, but a Johnny Beecher tally early in the third reestablished Charlotte’s multi-goal lead and an empty netter from Jack Devine sealed the deal.

Checkers 5, Wild 4 (OT)

The Checkers closed out the road trip in dramatic fashion in Iowa. After going back and forth with the Wild, Charlotte found itself trailing 4-2 with under seven minutes remaining. That was when Jack Devine kickstarted the visitors with his eighth goal of the year, followed by Nate Smith evening the score with 49 ticks left and sending the game to overtime. The Checkers then took advantage of a power play in the extra frame, as Gracyn Sawchyn pulled off a slick toe drag around a defender and buried a shot to claim a weekend sweep for Charlotte.

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Sunday’s victory was Charlotte’s first game to be decided in overtime this season. The Checkers have had one game finish in overtime and one in a shootout, and they picked up the win in both instances - making them one of six teams in the AHL to be undefeated while playing at least two games beyond regulation.

CARDIAC CHECKS

The first-place Checkers have been outscored in both the first (11-8) and second (12-11) periods this season. They’ve flipped the script in a big way in the third period, though, where they are outscoring their opponents 17-9. Only four teams have scored more goals than that in a single period, and it leaves the Checkers tied for fourth in the AHL in goal differential for the third period.

BIG THREE

The Checkers were paced offensively during this trip by a trio of forwards. Gracyn Sawchyn racked up six points (2g, 4a) over the four games - including the overtime winner on Sunday - while Jack Devine (4g, 1a) and Robert Mastrosimone (1g, 4a) each compiled five points. Over that stretch, only one player in the AHL scored more points than any of those three - Tucson’s Cameron Hebig (7 points in 3 games).

HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK

Gracyn Sawchyn called game on Sunday!

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Rankings

• Jack Devine ranks second in the AHL in shots on goal (43)
• Jack Devine is tied for fifth in the AHL in goals (8)
• Kirill Gerasimyuk is tied for fifth in the AHL in wins (4)
• Brian Pinho is tied for eighth in the AHL in plus-minus (+8)
• Angus Crookshank is tied for ninth in the AHL in shots on goal (35)

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By the Numbers

CATEGORY	RECORD	AHL RANK
Power play	17.4%	17th
Penalty kill	89.1%	3rd
Goals per game	3.17	t-12th
Shots per game	31.08	6th
Goals allowed per game	2.67	t-10th
Shots allowed per game	25.08	5th
Penalty minutes per game	13.25	22nd

LEADERS

CATEGORY	LEADER(S)
Points	Jack Devine (11), Gracyn Sawchyn (9), Robert Mastrosimone (8)
Goals	Jack Devine (8), Nate Smith (6), Gracyn Sawchyn (3)
Assists	Angus Crookshank, Robert Mastrosimone, Gracyn Sawchyn (6)
Power play goals	Jack Devine (3), Five tied (1)
Shorthanded goals	Will Bitten, Hunter St. Martin (1)
Game-winning goals	Gracyn Sawchyn (2), Five tied (1)
Shots on goal	Angus Crookshank, Jack Devine (25), Nate Bastian (23)
Penalty minutes	Casey Fitzgerald (21), Marek Alscher (17), Robert Mastrosimone (12)
Plus/minus	Brian Pinho (+7), Tobias Bjornfot, Donovan Sebrango (+6)
Wins	Kirill Gerasimyuk (4)
Goals-against average	Kirill Gerasimyuk (2.35)
Save percentage	Kirill Gerasimyuk (.894)

LOOKING AHEAD

The Checkers are making their triumphant return to Bojangles Coliseum on Nov.6 for Military Appreciation Night! Fans can get a special-edition shirt and ticket to the game for just $60 here. Additionally it is a Family Game, meaning fans can save $10 per ticket when purchasing at least four from this link.

The next night is Hockey Fights Cancer, which will honor all of those affected by cancer. Tickets for that game can be purchased here.

Following that are the first two weekday home games of the season. There's Throwback Ticket Night presented by CEENTA on Tuesday, Nov. 10, featuring tickets as low as $1.44 that can be purchased here while supplies last! Then there's the first Winning Wednesday presented by Michelob Ultra, with $2 draught beers and a free ticket to the next Wednesday game if the Checkers win! Tickets to that game can be purchased here, as well as discounted tickets for both college students and teachers and school employees.

All Checkers games are also available to stream via AHLTV on FloHockey here. The radio broadcast is also available on the Checkers App or online.