Game Preview: Checkers at Manitoba (Feb. 27, 2016)

The Checkers conclude their six-game road swing with their first-ever games in Manitoba starting tonight.

Here are 12 things to know about the upcoming back-to-back set against the Moose:

1. A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION

The Checkers entered their recent three-in-three set against division rivals Grand Rapids and Chicago mired in the longest winless streak in team history, a 10-game slide that lasted more than three weeks. Including a win over the Griffins that snapped the streak and a subsequent shootout loss in the Windy City, the Checkers took three of a possible six points from that grueling stretch.

2. PLAYOFF PICTURE

Despite gaining that point in Chicago, the Checkers nonetheless fell out of a playoff position they had held for most of the previous three months. They remain fifth in the Central Division with a winning percentage of .547 but no longer hold the crossover advantage over the fourth-place team in the Pacific, with San Diego and San Jose currently tied at .561.

With a win and tonight’s head-to-head matchup between San Diego and San Jose decided in regulation, the Checkers would reclaim that spot as soon as tonight.

3. MUSICAL GOALIES

After starting three different goalies in three consecutive games for the second time this season last weekend, the Checkers are back to what could arguably be called their top tandem of Drew MacIntyre and Daniel Altshuller for this weekend. MacIntyre is available after missing the last two games to a minor injury picked up in last Friday’s win in Grand Rapids that ended the losing skid, while Altshuller is back from a week-long journey that saw him dress for games in the NHL, AHL and ECHL, filling in for injured players in each case.

Dating back to Nov. 28, MacIntyre has won six of his last 11 decisions, while Altshuller enters this weeend on a personal eight-game winless streak going back to Jan. 27.

4. WEREK TO STICK AROUND

Checkers forward Ethan Werek is set to play his first games since upgrading from a professional tryout contract to a standard AHL contract over the course of the last week. Werek, who the Checkers initially brought in just after Christmas, has posted 11 points (8g, 3a) in 22 games this season, including three in his last three games. Since joining the team, the New York Rangers’ second-round pick in 2009 has posted the longest goal streak by a Checker this season (four games in January) and has set a franchise record for most shots in a single game (13 on Jan. 13).

5. STARVED FOR OFFENSE

After spending much of the beginning of this season near the top of the AHL in terms of goals per game, they have now fallen out of the top 10 for the first time. Charlotte has a record of 3-16-3 when scoring two or fewer goals this season, something it has done in nine of its last 11 contests. When scoring three or more, the team is a much-improved 23-5-3.

6. POWERING UP

Though the Checkers’ overall offense may have slowed, they have maintained a high level of success on the man advantage. They are converting at a 25 percent pace (10-for-40) in their last nine games, finding the back of the net at least once in all but one of those games. In the team’s last 15 outings, it has almost as many goals on the power play (16) as it does at even strength (17).

7. CARRICK STREAKING

With four points over the course of an active three-game streak that marks the longest of any Checker, defenseman Trevor Carrick has shot up into a tie for sixth among AHL defensemen in scoring with 34 points in 50 games. Carrick, who ranks second on the team in scoring behind fellow AHL All-Star Derek Ryan, has already surpassed his goal and point totals from his 76-game rookie campaign last season.

8. MANITOBA SHAKEUP

The parent Winnipeg Jets’ decision to kick off the busy period before Monday’s NHL’s trade deadline with their trade of Andrew Ladd had an impact on the Moose, who lost forward Matt Fraser and defenseman Jay Harrison, a former Carolina Hurricane, in the deal. To replace those two and forward Matt Halishuck, who recently joined the Jets, Manitoba recalled forwards Axel Blomqvist and Jimmy Lodge, neither of whom has recorded a point a combined 40 AHL games this season, from ECHL Tulsa.

Forward Marko Dano, who the Jets acquired in the trade for Ladd, reported to Winnipeg.

9. MOOSE HIT BOTTOM

Manitoba has struggled in its return to the AHL following a four-year hiatus as it currently ranks last in the AHL with a winning percentage of .380. The team recently put together an impressive six-game point streak that included a pair of wins at Central leaders Rockford and another at Milwaukee, but went on to lose twice against Iowa in its two most recent outings.

10. HELLEBUYCK RETURNS

The Moose have recently regained the services of Connor Hellebuyck, a top goaltending prospect who began the season in the AHL but had been with the Jets since November. Hellebuyck, who shut out the Checkers in their home opener, is 3-2-0 with a 2.03 goals-against average and .931 save percentage for the Moose since his return.

11. HEAD TO HEAD

The Checkers are 3-1-0 in four games against Manitoba, all of which took place in Charlotte. Since suffering a 3-0 defeat in the Bojangles’ Coliseum opener on Nov. 7, Charlotte has won three straight.

12. HERE AND THERE

The Checkers are 15-9-3 on the road and 11-12-3 at home … Defenseman Danny Biega has missed the last 21 games due to injury … After winning each of their first five overtime games to start the season, Charlotte has lost six of its last eight, including four straight … The Checkers hold a nearly even goal differential in the first period (-2) but are -19 in the second period and +11 in the third.