QUICK HITS
GETTING FAMILIAR
This weekend marks the first time this season that the Checkers and Phantoms will face off. Moving forward the Atlantic Division rivals will play a total of eight times this season, including four times in the next five games over an eight-day stretch.EXTRA SPECIAL TEAMS
The Checkers remain as one of just three teams in the AHL to boast a top-10 power play and a top-10 penalty kill. This comes after a week when the Checkers converted nearly 31 percent on the man advantage over four games and killed seven of their last eight times shorthanded.They’ll look to keep that momentum going against a Lehigh Valley club that slates in last in the AHL when it comes to killing penalties and middle of the pack on the power play.
HOME COOKING
After taking five of a possible eight points during the week of Thanksgiving, the Checkers are now 7-2-1-0 on home ice this season. On the flip side, Lehigh Valley is 4-4-0-1 on the road thus far, including dropping each of their last two.DEL ZOTTO DELIVERS
Michael Del Zotto has been pouring in the production from the blue line as of late. The veteran defenseman is riding a five-game point streak - the longest by any Checker this season - and has amassed six points (1g, 5a) over that stretch.QUOTES
Checkers Captain Zac Dalpe on where his team stands"If you look at last year we had a good team but we were still only .500 around this time. And then you look at this year and how good our division has been - we’ve managed pretty well. The schedule throws you for a little bit of a loop, but the chemistry is getting there and guys are really starting to figure each other out."
Dalpe on Charlotte's high number of overtime games so far
"That’s just hockey, that’s just the way it works. You look at the NHL, there’s a 9-8 game the other night and then you have a lot of shootouts. Those are kind of playoff hockey games. You don’t really want to get into them as much as we have been but at the same time that’s how you want to play in the month of May."
COMING IN
CLT: 3-1-1-0 in last five gamesLV: 2-2-0-1 in last five games
WHO TO WATCH
CLT
Zac Dalpe - 4 goals in last 5 gamesRiley Nash - 3 points in last 3 games
Michael Del Zotto - 6 points in last 5 games
LV
Jackson Cates - 3 points in last 3 gamesOlle Lycksell - 6 points in last 3 games
Kevin Connauton - 3 points in last 2 games
SEE YOU THERE!
CLICK HERE TO BUY TICKETS TO FRIDAY'S GAME
CLICK HERE TO BUY TICKETS TO SATURDAY'S GAME
TUNE IN
Tonight's game starts at 7 p.m. If you can't be at the Coliseum, you can tune in to the broadcast with a subscription to the league’s streaming platform AHLTVThe radio broadcast will be available via the Checkers app on iPhone or Android.
Additionally, our friends over at Ed's Tavern on 2200 Park Road are going to be showing the game on their TVs!
