Weekly Report: Sweet Trip To Hershey

Details
The Checkers went into Hershey over the weekend for a big test against the defending champs and emerged with three out of a possible four points.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Team Statistics

  • Overall record
    6-1-0-1
  • Home record
    3-1-0-0
  • Road record
    3-0-0-1
  • Last week's record
    1-0-0-1
  • Last 10 games
    6-1-0-1
  • Division Standings
    2nd
  • Conference Standings
    3rd
  • League Standings
    5th

Checkers 4, Bears 2

A three-point night from John Leonard helped propel the Checkers in their first matchup against Hershey this season. After falling behind by a goal early, Leonard netted back-to-back tallies to push the visitors ahead by the end of the first, then Kyle Criscuolo banged in a shot from the slot early in the third to extend Charlotte’s lead. The Bears would strike once more but couldn’t solve Ken Appleby beyond that, and a Rasmus Asplund empty netter sealed the deal for Charlotte.

Bears 4, Checkers 3 (SO)

The Checkers got on the board first in the next night’s rematch, but three consecutive strikes in the middle frame from the home team gave Hershey a 3-1 lead heading toward the end of the second. Charlotte wouldn’t roll over, though, as Mike Benning converted on a two-man advantage late in the second and Ryan McAllister knocked home a loose puck early in the third to knot the score and send the game beyond regulation. After a scoreless overtime, the first five attempts in the shootout were all denied, until Pierrick Dube beat Checkers netminder Cooper Black to snag Hershey the extra standings point.

QUICK HITS

STARTING STRONG

The Checkers are 6-1-0-1 to start the season, tying them for the second-best points percentage in the Eastern Conference and the fourth-best in the AHL overall. They are one of six teams with only a single regulation loss so far and currently slot in at second in the Atlantic Division - the first-place Bears hold a two-point lead over them but have played three more games than Charlotte.

That 6-1-0-1 record is tied for the second-best record through eight games in franchise history, trailing only the 2018-19 team’s 7-1-0-0 mark (that squad would win its next two games as well to set the best 10-game start as well with a 9-1-0-0 record).

Across the franchise’s history, the Checkers have posted 13 points through 10 games once, 14 points three times, 15 points once and 18 points once. Charlotte currently has 13 points through eight games with a pair of contests against Toronto ahead next weekend.

POWERING UP

Charlotte has been deadly on the man advantage to start this season. Going 3-for-6 over the weekend in Hershey, the Checkers are now converting on 40.5 percent of their man advantages - a clip that leads the league by nearly 13 percentage points.

The Checkers have recorded a power-play goal in every game thus far and have notched more than one on four different occasions.

CARRICK KEEPS SCORING

Trevor Carrick has been a consistent contributor since rejoining the Checkers this summer. The blue liner is riding a seven-game point streak - having recorded at least one point in every game he has suited up for this season - and sits at eight points (2g, 6a), which is tied for third among all AHL defensemen.

HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK

Ryan McAllister comes through in the clutch to hammer in a rebound and tie up Sunday's game in Hershey!

Transactions

Incoming

  • Nov. 1 - Patrick Giles assigned from Florida (NHL)

Outgoing

  • None

By the Numbers

CATEGORY RECORD AHL RANK
Power play 40.5% 1st
Penalty kill 87.8% t-8th
Goals per game 4.63 1st
Shots per game 32.50 6th
Goals allowed per game 2.75 12th
Shots allowed per game 25.00 t-1st
Penalty minutes per game 13.88 16th

LEADERS

CATEGORY LEADER(S)
Points Aidan McDonough, Kyle Criscuolo (9), Three tied (8)
Goals Aidan McDonough (7), Rasmus Asplund (5), Kyle Criscuolo (4)
Assists Trevor Carrick (6), Mike Benning, Kyle Criscuolo, Ryan McAllister (5)
Power play goals Aidan McDonough, Kyle Criscuolo (3), Three tied (2)
Shorthanded goals Rasmus Asplund (2), MacKenzie Entwistle, Mike Benning (1)
Game-winning goals Aidan McDonough (3), Ryan McAllister (2), Kyle Criscuolo (1)
Shots on goal Matt Luff (23), Rasmus Asplund, John Leonard, Mike Benning (21)
Penalty minutes Riley Bezeau (16), Marek Alscher (13), Wilmer Skoog, Will Lockwood (10)
Plus/minus Mike Benning (+5), Kyle Criscuolo, John Leonard, Aidan McDonough (4)
Wins Chris Driedger (3)
Goals-against average Ken Appleby (1.68)
Save percentage Ken Appleby (.932)