Weekly Report: Nov. 3, 2014

After dropping their third straight home game on Friday, the Checkers bounced back in Sunday's rematch and earned their first win at Time Warner Cable Arena this season.

The Checkers faced off with the Hamilton Bulldogs twice this weekend, both matinee games. Charlotte got on the board first in both contests, but squandered the lead each time. While they couldn't overcome that in the first matchup, the Checkers answered in the second game, scoring more than one goal at home for the first time this season.

The team will now look to build on the victory in practice this week in preperation for the Texas Stars this weekend. The teams will square off twice, the first on Saturday at 7 pm and the rematch Monday at 6 pm.

Week in Review

Hamilton 3, Checkers 1

The Checkers returned to Time Warner Cable Arena on Halloween for the start of their second home series of the season after getting swept by the Grand Rapids Griffins on opening weekend. Despite taking a lead courtesy of a late first period tally from Chad LaRose, the Checkers were undone by two Hamilton strikes in the second that came within a minute of each other. The Bulldogs added an empty-netter to seal a 3-1 victory. Drew MacIntyre got the start, turning aside 20 of the 22 shots he faced and was saddled with his fourth loss of the season.Full recap

Checkers 2, Hamilton 1

Tempers boiled over in the rematch between the two teams two days later, resulting in five fights and 98 combined penalty minutes. The Checkers once again found the scoreboard first, with Greg Nemisz cleaning up a loose puck in front to give the Checkers a 1-0 lead that they carried into the second intermission. The Bulldogs evened the score in the third with a fluky goal from behind the net that somehow trickled in, but it was Nemisz again who came through and potted the game-winner, picking up a powerplay goal to give the Checkers their first win at home this season. MacIntyre was in net for the second straight contest, stopping 24 shots and earning his third win of the season.Full recap

Notables

Shorthanded

The Checkers were without two big pieces of their squad on Sunday. The AHL announced Saturday night that Rookie Brock McGinn would be suspended for one game for an illegal hit to the head of a Bulldogs player on Friday. The suspension is the first doled out to the Checkers this season and the first in the young career of McGinn. The 20-year-old has two points this season (1g, 1a) and has been strong out of the gate, showing a physical style of play through eight games.

Alternate captain Ben Holmstrom was also absent from Sunday's rematch with Hamilton. Holmstrom left Friday's tilt with an apparent upper-body injury that forced him to head straight to the locker room and not return for the remainder of the game. There have been no specifics on Holmstrom's injury or return, but following Sunday's game, head coach Jeff Daniels stated that he was "defintely out" and "wasn't a question mark".

With those two players out of the lineup and Justin Shugg still injured, the Checkers were short one forward heading into Sunday's game, prompting the signing of Andrew Rowe to a professional tryout contract on Sunday morning. Rowe, who has produced at over a point-per-game level the last two seasons in the ECHL, has appeared in seven games this season for the South Carolina Stingrays and recorded eight points (4g, 4a). The 26-year-old registered four shots on goal on Sunday, his fourth game in four days.

Offensive Struggles

The Checkers, who average 1.89 goals per game thus far (29th AHL), have been held to a single goal in five of their eight games this season, all losses. That includes one goal in each of their first three home games this season.

Two of the four lowest shot totals seen in the AHL this season belong to the Checkers, who took a franchise-record 15 against Chicago on Oct. 11. Their single shot in the first period of that game also set a franchise record and is tied for the lowest single-period total seen in the league this season. The Checkers rank 28th in the AHL with an average of 24.33 shots per contest.

Despite those struggles, the Checkers have seen an improvement in their firepower recently. Their win on Sunday, the fourth home game of the season, marked the first time that the team had scored more than one goal at Time Warner Cable Arena. Charlotte has also outshot their opponent in the last three contests after not having done so in the first six games.

Heating Up

While the overall production has been down this season, Greg Nemisz has started to get the ball rolling with his offensive game. A pair of goals Sunday, including the game-winner, gives Nemisz five points in four games and sole possesion of the team scoring lead. Since being acquired from the Abbotsford Heat last season, the 24-year-old now has 17 points (7g, 10a) in 23 games with Charlotte.

Veteran Chad LaRose has also showed signs of getting his game going, tallying three points (2g, 1a) in his last four games.

Depth Contributions

With his four assists thus far, Brendan Woods has already surpassed his total from 42 games last season and is halfway to his previous point total. He leads the team in assists, is tied for third in points (4) and ranks second in penalty minutes (35).

Jared Staal has already matched his goal total of two from 50 games last season and is halfway to his career high of four set in the 2012-13 campaign. He currently has more goals than all of his brothers (NHLers Eric, Jordan and Marc) combined.

Dropping The Gloves

With five fights in Sunday's game against Hamilton, the Checkers find themselves ranked third in the league with 16 major penalties and fifth in penalty minutes per game. Forward Kyle Hagel leads the AHL in major penalties with five, and defenseman Trevor Carrick is tied for the major penalties lead among rookies with three.

In The Crease

Drew MacIntyre has started seven of the first nine games, the first instance in Checkers history, going 3-4-0. MacIntyre, a 12th-year pro who appeared in 48 games for the Toronto Marlies last season, currently ranks fourth in the AHL with 206 saves.

Ranks

• Goalie Drew MacIntyre ranks fourth in the AHL in saves with 206.
• Forward Kyle Hagel leads the league in major penalties (5)
• Defenseman Rasmus Rissanen leads all defensemen and ranks second in the league overall in minor penalties (9)
• Defenseman Trevor Carrick leads AHL rookies in major penalties

Injuries

• Justin Shugg - missed six games starting 10/17
• Ben Holmstrom - missed one game starting 11/2

Suspensions

• Brock McGinn - missed one game due to suspension on 11/2

Milestones

• Patrick Brown earned his first professional point with an assist against Hamilton on 11/2

Transactions

Incoming

• Nov. 2 - (LW) Andrew Rowe signed to professional tryout contract from South Carolina (ECHL)
• Oct. 30 - (D) Ryan Murphy assigned to Charlotte from Carolina (NHL)
• Oct. 29 - (C) Brody Sutter assigned to Charlotte from Carolina (NHL)
• Oct. 28 - (C) Patrick Brown assigned to Charlotte from Carolina (NHL)

Outgoing

• Oct. 29 - (C) Mike Aviani released from his professional tryout contract to Florida (ECHL)

Coming Up

By the Numbers

Team Statistics
CATEGORY	RECORD	AHL RANK	LAST WEEK
Power play	9.8%	t-26th	23rd
Penalty kill	87.0%	t-10th	17th
Goals per game	1.89	29th	t-27th
Shots per game	24.33	28th	30th
Goals allowed per game	2.67	12th	t-13th
Shots allowed per game	31.33	22nd	27th
Penalty minutes per game	25.33	5th	8th

Team Leaders
CATEGORY	LEADER(S)
Points	Greg Nemisz (6), Phil Di Giuseppe (5), Alex Aleardi, Chad LaRose (4)
Goals	Greg Nemisz (4), Phil Di Giuseppe, Chad LaRose, Jared Staal (2)
Assists	Brendan Woods (4), Phil Di Giuseppe, Alex Aleardi (3)
Power play goals	Alex Aleardi, Phil Di Giuseppe, Chad LaRose, Greg Nemisz (1)
Shorthanded goals	none
Game-winning goals	Ben Holmstrom, Carter Sandlak, Greg Nemisz (1)
Shots on goal	Phil Di Diuseppe (26), Alex Aleardi (18), Chad LaRose (16)
Penalty minutes	Kyle Hagel (39), Brendan Woods (35), Chad LaRose (22)
Plus/minus	Phil Di Giuseppe (+6), Greg Nemisz, Rasmus Rissanen (+2)
Wins	Drew MacIntyre (3)
Goals-against average	Drew MacIntyre (2.29)
Save percentage	Drew MacIntyre (.928)