Weekly Report: Up And Down

The Checkers began last week with a convincing road trip-finale win in Iowa before carrying that momentum home for a showdown with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton that resulted in a series split.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Checkers 4, Wild 2

The Checkers capped off a solid road trip with another impressive win over the Wild. After the home team erased Charlotte’s 2-0 lead and sent the game into the third period tied, Justin Sourdif pulled the visitors back ahead with a coast-to-coast beauty early in the final frame. That set the Checkers on course for victory, and an empty netter from Sourdif sealed a season-series sweep for Charlotte over Iowa.

Checkers 3, Penguins 2

The Checkers brought those winning ways home with them, taking down the Penguins 3-2 for a huge divisional win. A shorthanded strike from John Leonard in the first and a marker from Will Lockwood gave the home side the lead midway through regulation, and Charlotte would not relinquish it. The Penguins would convert on a power play in the back half of the second, but a highlight reel move from Sandis Vilmanis put the Checkers back in control going into the third. The Penguins would find the back of the net once more, but it wasn’t enough to rattle the Checkers, who rolled through the remainder of the contest and claimed two points in the standings.

Penguins 3, Checkers 2

The hot streak came to an end in the final contest before the All-Star Break. The two sides traded blows in a wild first period that ended with a deadlocked score of 2-2, then neither team could step up to reclaim the lead. That lasted until a shorthanded conversion by the Penguins midway through the third - a breakthrough that would ultimately be the difference in the tightly contested battle.

QUICK HITS

LOCKDOWN

Will Lockwood has been on a tear since returning from an injury that sidelined him for a month and a half. In the 13 games since rejoining the lineup, Lockwood has racked up 11 points (6g, 5a) - including a run of five points in his last three contests.

Lockwood has lit the lamp seven times this season, and in those seven games in which he scored the Checkers are 5-1-1-0.

BLACKOUT

Cooper Black got the nod Tuesday in Iowa and Friday at home, marking the first time this season that he has started consecutive games. The rookie netminder won both of his outings last week and is now on a three-game winning streak that has seen him surrender four total goals.

Black doesn’t have enough minutes logged this season to be considered qualified - he has 481 minutes played and the required threshold is 840 - but among rookie netminders with at least 300 minutes he boasts the best save percentage and goals-against average. He is also one of three rookies to record two shutouts thus far.

HUNTING FOR GOALS

After long reigning atop the AHL’s offensive rankings, the Checkers have dropped into a tie for seventh in goals scored per game.

Through the first 25 games of the season, the Checkers registered five or more goals nine different times. In the 16 games since then, the Checkers have hit that mark just once.

HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK

Goal of the Year candidate from John Leonard!

This might be the sickest goal we've ever scored 😱 https://t.co/xstL2rwhSa pic.twitter.com/hg9GCe7POv

— Charlotte Checkers (@CheckersHockey) February 1, 2025

Transactions

Incoming

• None

Outgoing

• Jan. 16 - Dennis Cesana assigned to Savannah (ECHL)

RANKINGS

• Trevor Carrick leads the AHL in power-play points (20)
• Trevor Carrick leads the AHL in power-play assists (14)
• John Leonard leads the AHL in shorthanded points (6)
• Trevor Carrick leads AHL defensemen in points (34)
• Ken Appleby is tied for the league lead in shutouts (4)
• John Leonard ranks second in the AHL in shorthanded goals (4)
• John Leonard is tied for second in the AHL in shots on goal (138)
• Matt Kiersted is tied for second among AHL defensemen in shorthanded assists (2)
• Matt Kiersted is tied for second among AHL defensemen in shorthanded points (2)
• Trevor Carrick ranks third among AHL defensemen in assists (27)
• Patrick Giles is tied for third in the AHL in shorthanded goals (3)
• Ken Appleby ranks third in the AHL in goals-against average (2.17)
• Rasmus Asplund is tied for third in the AHL in shorthanded points (4)
• Trevor Carrick ranks fourth among AHL defensemen in power-play goals (6)
• Matt Kiersted is tied for sixth in the AHL in plus-minus (+18)
• Trevor Carrick is tied for sixth in the AHL in assists (27)
• Rasmus Asplund is tied for seventh in the AHL in shorthanded goals (2)
• John Leonard is tied for eighth in the AHL in goals (19)
• Kyle Criscuolo is tied for eighth in the AHL in power-play goals (7)
• John Leonard is tied for 10th in the AHL in plus-minus (+16)

By the Numbers

CATEGORY	RECORD	AHL RANK
Power play	24.8%	2nd
Penalty kill	86.7%	2nd
Goals per game	3.36	t-7th
Shots per game	31.83	4th
Goals allowed per game	2.79	t-9th
Shots allowed per game	23.67	1st
Penalty minutes per game	12.81	16th

LEADERS

CATEGORY	LEADER(S)
Points	John Leonard (36), Trevor Carrick (34), Kyle Criscuolo (28)
Goals	John Leonard (19), Kyle Criscuolo (14), Rasmus Asplund (13)
Assists	Trevor Carrick (27), John Leonard (17), Mike Benning (16)
Power play goals	Kyle Criscuolo (7), Trevor Carrick (6), John Leonard, Rasmus Asplund (4)
Shorthanded goals	John Leonard (4), Patrick Giles (3), Rasmus Asplund (2)
Game-winning goals	John Leonard (4), Aidan McDonough, Kyle Criscuolo (3)
Shots on goal	John Leonard (138), Trevor Carrick (98), Wilmer Skoog (93)
Penalty minutes	Oliver Okuliar (55), Justin Sourdif (48), Wilmer Skoog (45)
Plus/minus	Matt Kiersted (+18), John Leonard (+16), Jaycob Megna (+15)
Wins	Ken Appleby (10)
Goals-against average	Ken Appleby (2.17)
Save percentage	Ken Appleby (.901)