Checkers Stumble into Break with 5-1 loss in Iowa

Otherwise red hot for much of the previous two months, the Checkers headed into the All-Star break on a disappointing note as a 5-1 loss in Iowa extended their winless streak to three games.

Brock McGinn scored the only goal for the Checkers, who took just one point from this week’s three-game road trip through Rockford and Iowa. Though still 14-3-4 since Dec. 9, the team has just one victory from its last five games.

The Checkers, with the exception of All-Stars Derek Ryan and Trevor Carrick, will now enjoy a five-day break before returning to action in Charlotte next Friday. The All-Stars will head to Syracuse to participate in Sunday’s skills competition and Monday’s game.

When Iowa’s Zack Mitchell and McGinn traded goals just 27 seconds apart inside the game’s first four minutes, it seemed as though this game might resemble the 5-4 track meet that marked the Wild’s overtime victory one night earlier.

However, the Wild commanded the rest of the game, scoring two power-play goals in the first period to chase Charlotte goaltender Drew MacIntyre from the game and two more against Daniel Altshuller in the opening 10 minutes of the second.

Shortly after allowing Iowa’s fifth goal, the Checkers switched goalies once again as a melee sparked by Grayson Downing’s boarding penalty against Charlotte defenseman Ryan Murphy resulted in a rare goalie fight between Altshuller and Iowa’s Steven Michalek.

Though initially restrained by linesmen as he attempted to go the length of the ice to meet Michalek, who was making his AHL debut, Altshuller eventually found the opening he was looking for as the two squared off in a bout that ultimately resulted in both players crashing to the ice. Michalek would remain in the game, while Altshuller, who received a two-minute minor for leaving his crease in addition to the obvious fighting major, did not return.

The rest of the game passed mostly without incident, marking the Checkers’ most lopsided defeat since another 5-1 loss, this one against Ontario on Dec. 6, that immediately preceded a franchise-record, 12-game point streak.

The Checkers were playing short one forward as Zach Boychuk (injury) and Ethan Werek (illness) both missed the game after playing Saturday. They joined Justin Shugg and defenseman Danny Biega as roster players unable to take place in this contest. Late in this game, Checkers defenseman Keegan Lowe was hit in the head with a puck and did not return.

NOTES

This marked the Checkers’ first regulation loss to Iowa since Dec. 8, 2014. They had gone 9-0-2 in the interim … The season series against the two Central Division clubs has now concluded, with Charlotte claiming a 5-1-2 advantage … The Checkers allowed five goals in three of their last four games … Charlotte’s three-game winless streak ties its longest of the season, an 0-3-0 run from Nov. 13-20 … Jake Chelios picked up an assist to extend his assist/point streak to three games (3a). He and McGinn are tied for third on the team in scoring behind Ryan and Carrick.