Game Preview: Checkers vs. Milwaukee (Nov. 13, 2015)

After splitting last weekend's home-opening series with the Manitoba Moose, the Checkers are right back at it, hosting the red-hot Milwaukee Admirals for back-to-back contests.

Here are some things to know heading into the matchup:

1. STRINGING THEM TOGETHER

Since starting the season with three straight wins, the Checkers have not won consecutive games. In fact, in their last three games following wins they have been outscored 9-2, including being shut out twice.

2. STREAKING ADMIRALS

Milwaukee enters tonight's contest as one of the hottest teams in the league, having won each of their last four and earned a point in six of their last seven. The Admirals have outscored their opponents 15-9 during that four-game streak, propelled by the trio of Viktor Arvidsson, Pontus Aberg and Adam Payerl, each of whom have at least three points during that stretch. In net, rookie Juuse Saros has taken over the crease with Marek Mazanec heading to Nashville and has impressed, winning each of his last three starts.

That's a far cry from the team that the Checkers faced in their third game of the season. In the two clubs' first meeting, the Checkers exploded for a 7-2 blowout victory.

3. CARDIAC CHECKERS

There has been no shortage of drama so far in the Checkers' season. Charlotte has scored the game-tying or game-winning goal inside the final two minutes of regulation four times this season, including Sunday against Manitoba.

4. BROCK'S BACK

After a 12-game stint in the NHL, Brock McGinn is back in Charlotte. McGinn impressed during his stay, netting three points (2g, 1a), but began to see his ice time dwindle as the Hurricanes began to have players return from injury. Now he will go back to being a top option for the Checkers, looking to build off a hot start that saw him two points in as many AHL games. His return should help the Checkers kickstart their uneven offense and balance out some of the holes in the roster this weekend. Speaking of which...

5. CHECKERS HURTING

The Checkers could be without several key pieces when they welcome the Admirals to town this weekend. The situation up front isn't too bad, with Brody Sutter and Zach Boychuk returning to practice after being absent earlier in the week. T.J. Hensick has yet to practice, however, leaving his status for tonight as an unknown. Luckily for Charlotte, they will enjoy the return of McGinn just in time, as well as Justin Shugg, who returned last weekend after missing seven games.

The blue line is where the Checkers are really feeling the injuries start to pile up. Danny Biega, Keegan Lowe and Tyler Ganly have all been unable to practice all week, leaving them questionable for the Milwaukee matchup. Those losses left the Checkers with just four healthy defensemen until making some moves yesterday. Rookie Justin Agosta, who filled in nicely on Saturday in his AHL debut, was again recalled from Florida, while another Florida Everblade, Mike Cornell, was signed to a PTO. Cornell spent 18 games in Charlotte last year, provided some grit on the blue line.

6. SHUGG BOUNCES BACK

For the second consecutive year, Justin Shugg was sidelined early on due to injury. But that hasn't slowed down last year's scoring leader, who has five points in five games this season. In his second game back from injury Sunday, Shugg notched two spectacular assists, including the seeing-eye saucer pass to Jake Chelios for the game-winner.

7. STILL SEARCHING

12 games into the season, Zach Boychuk is still looking for his first goal of the season. In his previous five years with Charlotte, his longest drought to start a season was five games in 2010-11. In every other season, he scored his first goal in either his first or second game.

Despite being unable to find the back of the net, Boychuk has been able to factor into games in other ways. He has notched six assists on the year, four of which have come on the man advantage.

9. POWER SURGE

After beginning last season with near-historic struggles on the man advantage, the Checkers have rebounded nicely this season with an electric power play. They have recorded 12 power-play goals in 12 games with a percentage of 20.7, tied for seventh in the league overall. Including Sunday's three-goal performance, they have notched more than one power-play goal in a game three times this season. Last year they were only able to accomplish that seven times in 76 games, with the first instance not occuring until January.

10. BUILDING A LEAD

Of their seven wins this season, they Checkers scored the first goal in six of them. Additionally, they have not lost a game in which they were leading at either intermission.

Much of the team's success can be traced back to their ability to put pucks on net. The Checkers are third in the AHL with 34.25 shots per game and have outshot their opponent in six of their seven wins.