Game Preview: Checkers vs. Grand Rapids (March 5, 2016)

The Checkers look to shake off a tough loss to Grand Rapids as they prepare for tonight’s rematch with their Central Division rival at Bojangles’ Coliseum.

Here are eight things to know about the game:

1. TROUBLE AT HOME

Friday’s 4-0 loss to the Griffins extended Charlotte’s winless streak at home to seven games (0-6-1), marking the longest active streak of its kind in the AHL and a new franchise record. The team, which took one point from a six-game home stand to begin February and began another six-game run at the coliseum with last night’s loss, has not won at home since Jan. 23. Immediately prior to their current winless streak, the Checkers had gone 7-1-1 in their previous nine games at home.

2. OFFENSIVE QUESTIONS

Long mired in an offensive funk, the Checkers were unable to provide answers for further questions caused by the loss of top goal scorers Derek Ryan and Brock McGinn and offensive-minded defenseman Ryan Murphy to NHL recalls earlier in the week. Friday marked their fifth shutout of the season, three of which have come in their last 14 games. In that 14-game stretch, the Checkers have scored three or more goals just twice.

3. SPECIAL TEAMS NEEDED

As much as the Checkers have struggled on offense, a notable exception has been their power play, which ranks second in the AHL at 22.6 percent. In the team’s last 18 outings, it has more goals on the man advantage (19) than it does at even strength (18). Charlotte went 0-for-3 against the Griffins on Friday, which marked just the second time in 12 games that it has come up empty on the power play.

4. MISSING PIECES

Ryan and McGinn, who are also expected to miss tonight’s game, rank first and third on the team in scoring, respectively, and are the top two in goals and power-play goals. In their absence, Patrick Brown and Brody Sutter are tied for the team’s goals lead with 10 apiece, while defensemen Trevor Carrick (35 points) and Jake Chelios (26) lead all active Checkers in points.

5. NET PRESENCE

Friday’s game also saw the Checkers pull their starting goaltender for the fifth time in their last 14 games. This time, Daniel Altshuller left midway through the second period after allowing four goals on 18 shots, marking the third time in six starts that he has left a game before its completion. John Muse, reacquired in a trade with Texas earlier in the week, stopped all 12 shots he faced in his season debut with the club and first game for any team since Jan. 5.

6. PLAYOFF PICTURE

The Checkers, who had a winning percentage of .663 and an opportunity to claim first place in the Central on Jan. 27, have posted a 2-11-3 record since that day to fall to fifth with a winning percentage of .536. That has them outside of a playoff spot as of today, as they trail fourth-place Lake Erie (.621) by a significant margin but have a better opportunity of claiming a crossover spot in the Pacific Division by catching San Jose at .559.

7. GRIFFINS ON FIRE

Friday’s game marked the seventh win in a row for the Griffins, who have not dropped points since allowing the Checkers to end their franchise-record, 10-game winless streak in Grand Rapids on Feb. 19. The Griffins now hold the double honor of having the longest active win streak in the AHL and the longest win streak posted by any team at any time this season, which was a 15-game run in November and December.

Tonight’s game concludes the eight-game season series with the Griffins, who have won the last two meetings to improve to 4-3-0.

8. STUCK IN THE MIDDLE

The Griffins were able to break last night’s game open by scoring three times in the second period, a period that has statistically been the Checkers’ weakest this season. The team now holds a -24 goal differential in the second period as compared to a relatively even goal differential in the first (-4) and a positive margin in the third (+10).