Game Preview: Checkers vs. San Antonio (Feb. 10, 2016)

The Checkers look to break out of the toughest stretch of their season as they conclude a four-game series with the San Antonio Rampage tonight.

Here are 10 Things to Know about the matchup:

1. HITTING THE SKIDS

The Checkers were unable to snap out of their recent funk Monday night, falling to San Antonio 5-2 to run their winless streak to a season-long six games. It is the team’s longest since it lost seven consecutive games in regulation in November of 2013 and is tied with Syracuse for the longest active winless streak in the AHL.

Prior to their current slide, the Checkers had gone 14-1-3 over an 18-game stretch from Dec. 9-Jan. 23

2. OFFENSIVE DROUGHT

Despite still being ranked in the top 10 in the AHL in terms of goals per game, the Checkers have just four total goals in their last four contests and have failed to score more than two goals in five of their last six.

The Checkers struggles have been magnified at even strength, as they have not scored a 5-on-5 goal since Jan. 30, a span of four games.

3. SPECIAL TEAMS STRUGGLES

The Checkers’ penalty kill has hovered around the middle of the pack for the majority of the season so far but has fallen off as of late. With San Antonio’s three-goal outburst Monday, the Checkers have now surrendered six power-play goals in their last four contests. 

On the other side, the Checkers’ otherwise lethal power play also slowed during this stretch. Though still third in the league at 22 percent, Charlotte has gone 3-for-24 (12.5 percent) over the last five games, including a 2-for-11 effort Monday night.

4. MURPHY RETURNS

After being assigned by Carolina on Monday, Ryan Murphy is slated to slide back into the Checkers’ lineup tonight. A consistent offensive force in the AHL, Murphy ranks third among team defensemen in scoring this season and had seven points in his last seven games before his recall. His presence allowed the Checkers to release defenseman Sean Escobedo from his professional tryout contract on Tuesday.

5. SO DOES SANDLAK

The Checkers reinforced their roster on Tuesday by recalling Carter Sandlak from the ECHL’s Florida Everblades. With Justin Shugg injured and Phil Di Giuseppe in Carolina, Charlotte, which is preparing to play three games in four days, did not have an extra forward on the roster prior to the recall.

6. NO LOVE IN FEBRUARY

After going a combined 14-5-4 in December and January, the Checkers have started the month of February at 0-3-0. In the last three seasons, the Checkers are 8-15-2 in February games.

7. MAJOR MILESTONES

A trio of Checkers are expected to hit games played milestones tonight. They are led by veteran forward Kyle Hagel, who would dress for his 400th professional game tonight, while David Wohlberg is set to play his 200th AHL/prossional contest and Brendan Woods is one away from 150 AHL outings.

8. ON A RAMPAGE

San Antonio forward Mikko Rantanen continued a blistering stretch of offense with two goals against the Checkers on Monday, giving him 39 points (16g, 23a) in just 30 games this season. The 19-year-old rookie, who the Colorado Avalanche selected with the 10th overall pick in the most recent NHL Entry Draft, leads the Rampage and all AHL rookies both in scoring and with a plus-26 rating.

9. SIEMENS RELEASED FROM HOSPITAL

According to Rampage, their defenseman Duncan Siemens, who left Monday’s game on a stretcher in the final minutes of third period, was released from a Charlotte-area hospital early Tuesday morning. He is reportedly “doing well,” though there is no set date on how long he will remain out of the lineup.

10. SEASON SERIE

The Checkers hold a 2-1-0 edge in the four-game season series with San Antonio that concludes tonight. So far, the road team has won all three games, with Charlotte picking up a pair of dramatic victories in Texas earlier this season and the Rampage taking their first-ever game at Bojangles’ Coliseum on Monday.