Game Preview: Checkers vs Cleveland (February 19, 2022)

The Checkers are looking to keep their winning ways going this weekend as they welcome North Division foe the Cleveland Monsters to town.

QUICK HITS

ON A ROLL

The Checkers enter Saturday’s tilt as winners of three straight. That matches the team’s longest win streak of the season, a mark that has been reached four times. It also sits tied for the third-longest active such streak in the AHL.

They'll take on a Monsters squad that sits in last place in the North Division and has dropped four of their last five contests, but are coming off an impressive win over the conference-leading Comets.

CILMBERS

The Checkers have a chance to push up the Atlantic Division tonight, as a Charlotte win paired with a Hershey loss would leapfrog the Checkers over the Bears for fourth place.

RETURN OF THE MONSTERS

Tonight marks the first time the Checkers have faced the Monsters since March 11, 2020 – the last game before the 19-20 season was cancelled. Dating back to that campaign the Checkers have won five consecutive games against Cleveland.

FILLING THE NET

The Checkers hung nine goals on the Penguins during their weekday sweep of Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, furthering their status as one of the league’s top offensive units. The Checkers have scored at least four goals in nine of their last 15 games, and eight of their last nine wins have seen the team hit that mark.

LIND LIGHTS IT UP

With a helper in Wednesday win, Kole Lind has now recorded a point in each of his last five games – putting him one shy of matching the longest such streak by a Checker this season. Lind now has 14 points in his last 14 games and has found the scoresheet in 13 of his last 16 contests.

QUOTES

Checkers forward Serron Noel after Wednesday's game on the play of Joey Daccord
"He’s our rock. He’s so solid in net and we’re always confident when he’s in the net. He’s a great goalie and we’re lucky to have him."

Noel on this series against Cleveland
"It's a tough test, we've got to stay focused and come with a good game plan. We're watching film on them and making sure we're prepared physically."

Head Coach Geordie Kinnear afer Wednesday's game on his team's starts
"I thought we came out in our last three or four games at home and hadn’t looked like we were on top of it and had great energy. [Wednesday night] at the start was how we want to play."

COMING IN

CLT: 3-2-0-0 in last five games this season

CLE: 1-3-1-0 in last five games this season

WHO TO WATCH

CLT

Scott Wilson - 15 points in last 15 games

Kole Lind - 14 points in last 14 games

Cale Fleury – 11 points in last 12 games

CLE

Carson Meyer – 3 points in last 3 games

Justin Scott – 5 points in last 3 games

Tyler Angle – 3 goals in last 3 games

PROMOS

TUNE IN

Tonight's game starts at 6 p.m. If you can't be at the Coliseum, you can tune in to every broadcast this season with a subscription to the league’s streaming platform AHLTV.

As always, the radio broadcast will be available via the Checkers app on iPhone or Android.