QUICK HITS
BREAKING THE SKID
After a tough three-in-three weekend, the Checkers enter tonight’s contest on a three-game losing streak and a four-game winless skid - both of which stand as the longest such stretches for Charlotte this season. They’ll be looking to snap that skid against a Hershey team that has dropped three of its last four contests - although the lone victory was an impressive shutout win over the Utica Comets.FITTING RIGHT IN
Two of Charlotte’s newest additions have been driving the offense since joining the squad. Owen Tippett has helpers in two of his last three contests in a Checkers sweater, giving him six assists in four games this season, while Dennis Cholowski has pumped in six points (2g, 4a) over his nine games with the club since being claimed by Seattle off of waivers and assigned to Charlotte.SPECIAL TEAMS TRENDING UP
The Checkers went perfect on the PK Sunday, killing off both of Bridgeport’s man advantages to snap a run of six consecutive games in which the Checkers allowed a power-play goal. Similarly, despite going 0-for-4 on Sunday, the Checkers have seen an uptick in their power-play production as of late, notching four power-play goals over the last four games.Opposite Charlotte will be a Hershey squad that is strong in both facets of special teams, ranking eighth in the AHL on both the power play and the penalty kill - in fact, the Bears are the only team in the league to rank in the top 10 in both categories.
FIRE AWAY
The Checkers have been launching a high volume of pucks on net over this most recent stretch of games. They recorded a season-high 40 shots on Saturday in Springfield, then followed that up by posting another 40-shot effort the next night in Bridgeport. The Checkers have now registered at least 34 shots in each of their last four contests.They’ll have their work cut out for them against a stingy Bears team, however, as Hershey has allowed the third-fewest shots on goal this season.
COMING IN
CLT: 1-3-1-0 in last five games this seasonHER: 2-3-0-0 in last five games this season
WHO TO WATCH
CLT
Owen Tippett - 6 points in last 5 gamesAlexander True - 5 points in last 5 games
Max McCormick – 5 points in last 5 games
HER
Mike Vecchione – 10 points in last 11 gamesAlex Alexeyev – 3 points in last 3 games
Brian Pinho – 4 points in last 4 games
TUNE IN
Tonight's contest starts at 7 p.m. in Hershey, and as always you can listen to the game for free via the Checkers app on iPhone or Android. You can also watch via the league’s AHLTV service.And new for this season, our friends over at Ed's Tavern on 2200 Park Road are going to be showing the game on their TVs!
