IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Team Statistics
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Overall record2-2-0-0
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Home record0-0-0-0
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Road record2-2-0-0
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Last week's record1-1-0-0
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Last 10 games2-2-0-0
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Division Standings5th
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Conference Standings10th
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League Standings20th
Bruins 6, Checkers 2
The Checkers hung around with the Bruins for much of their tilt on Saturday, with a buzzer-beating tally from Nate Bastian pulling them within one goal heading into the final frame. They couldn’t chase down the equalizer, though, and Mikey Eyssimont lit the lamp with under four minutes to play to extend Providence’s lead. The Bruins then tacked on two more empty netters - including a hat trick-clinching goal for Eyssimont - to put the game away.Checkers 2, Bruins 1 (SO)
The following night’s matchup in Springfield was another tight battle - one that took over 65 minutes to decide. The Thunderbirds started the scoring midway through the second with a shorthanded strike, then Cole Schwindt evened the score early in the third period via a stellar individual effort. Those would be the only conversions across the entirety of regulation and an overtime period, sending the contest to a shootout. Angus Crookshank opened things up with a blistering shot to put the visitors on the board, and Kirill Gerasimyuk took it from there. The netminder shut the door on all three Springfield shooters, claiming a key two points for the home side in the process.QUICK HITS
KILLING IT
The penalty kill appears to be a strong suit for Charlotte once again this season. The Checkers are one of three teams in the AHL that have yet to surrender a power-play goal, as they have successfully killed all 14 times they’ve been shorthanded. That sits one shy of the franchise’s best start on the PK for a season, which was set in 2023-24 when the team killed their first 15 penalties to start the year.LOOKING FOR GOALS
Goals have been a bit hard to come by early on this season for the Checkers, who fall in the bottom half of the league in terms of goals per game. After racking up five in the season-opening win over Hershey, the Checkers have scored five total goals in regulation over the last three games. Across those three contests Charlotte has faced a pair of top-10 defenses (Hershey and Springfield) and a Providence squad that opened the year by holding each of its first four opponents to two goals each.DIVINE START FOR DEVINE
Jack Devine has started off his second pro season on the right foot. With a helper on Cole Schwindt’s game-tying goal yesterday, the 23-year-old forward has registered a point in three of four games to begin this campaign.HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK
Kirill Gerasimyuk pulled off a highlight-reel save in Sunday's game to force things to a shootout and ultimately a big Checkers win!Transactions
Incoming
- 10/8 - Alex Petrovic - Assigned from Florida (NHL)
- 10/8 - MacKenzie Entwistle - Assigned from Florida (NHL)
Outgoing
- 10/7 - Tyler Muszelik - Assigned to Savannah (ECHL)
By the Numbers
| CATEGORY | RECORD | AHL RANK |
| Power play | 16.7% | t-17th |
| Penalty kill | 100.0% | t-1st |
| Goals per game | 2.75 | t-19th |
| Shots per game | 30.75 | t-9th |
| Goals allowed per game | 3.00 | t-16th |
| Shots allowed per game | 28.75 | t-15th |
| Penalty minutes per game | 13.50 | t-14th |
LEADERS
| CATEGORY | LEADER(S) |
| Points | Nate Smith, Jack Devine (3), Five tied (2) |
| Goals | Nate Smith (3), Jack Devine (2), Five tied (1) |
| Assists | Cole Reinhardt, Donovan Sebrango (2), Nine tied (1) |
| Power play goals | Jack Devine, Robert Mastrosimone (1) |
| Shorthanded goals | None |
| Game-winning goals | Nate Smith (1) |
| Shots on goal | Nate Smith, Jack Devine, Will Bitten (6) |
| Penalty minutes | Casey Fitzgerald (16), Marek Alscher (10), Donovan Sebrango, Angus Crookshank (4) |
| Plus/minus | Tobias Bjornfot (+4), Will Bitten (+2), Mikulas Hovorka (+1) |
| Wins | Cooper Black, Kirill Gerasimyuk (1) |
| Goals-against average | Kirill Gerasimyuk (0.92) |
| Save percentage | Kirill Gerasimyuk (.962) |
LOOKING AHEAD
Oct. 16 & 17
The Checkers return to Bojangles Coliseum for Opening Night presented by Novant Health! The festivities kick off at 5:30 p.m. with Fan Fest in front of the Coliseum - featuring inflatables, face painting, street hockey and more - plus fans can get a free magnet schedule courtesy of Novant Health when they enter the building while supplies last. Individual tickets and a $55 ticket & Seeing Red shirt package are both available now.Saturday's game is the annual My First Checkers Game promotion, which features $5 kids tickets. It is also Book Club Night, for which fans can add on a special-edition mug and pregame drink ticket for $25 to their ticket purchase. Additionally college students and teachers and school employees can get discounted tickets with valid email addresses.
Oct. 23 & 24
Later in the month the Checkers will be hosting Oktoberfest - which features a pregame tasting in front of the Coliseum and a $55 ticket and Beer Twig package - and 90s Night - featuring throwback content and special-edition merch.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.
