Weekly Report: Nov. 12, 2018

The Checkers battled through a tough three-in-three weekend with contests in three different cities, but came away with just two points.

Week in Review

Checkers 3, Binghamton 4

The Checkers returned to Binghamton for the second time after defeating the Devils in overtime last month, but couldn’t replicate their success. Charlotte’s special teams drove the visitors out to a 3-1 lead midway through regulation, but the Devils would turn the tide with back-to-back goals to even the score through 40 minutes of play. The home team kept that momentum rolling with an early shorthanded tally to take their first lead of the night, and that would prove to be enough. Former Cane Eddie Lack shut down the Checkers’ rally attempt to lift the Devils over the Charlotte and hand Alex Nedeljkovic his second loss of the season. Full recap

Checkers 7, Lehigh Valley 4

The Checkers then moved on to Lehigh Valley for a rematch of last season’s second-round playoff matchup. The wild contest saw the two squads trading blows back and forth until they entered the second intermission with Charlotte ahead 5-4. Nicolas Roy found the back of the net for the second time less than 90 seconds into the final frame and that nail shut the Phantoms’ comeback attempt, with a Saku Maenalanen empty netter icing the contest for Charlotte. Full recap

Checkers 2, Bridgeport 4

A grueling thee-in-three weekend came to a close Sunday afternoon in Bridgeport with the Checkers struggling to muster up any more offense. After the Sound Tigers jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first, strikes from Andrew Poturalski and Janne Kuokkanen evened the score heading into the third. The home side would reestablish their lead quickly in the final frame, however, and the Checkers failed to find a way past netminder Christopher Gibson down the stretch. An empty netter sealed the deal for Bridgeport and Callum Booth, making his second start of the season, was saddled with the loss. Full recap

Three Stars Of The Week

Notables

BUSY WEEKEND

The Checkers completed the first of three three-in-three scenarios on their slate this season, going 1-2-0 to take two out of a possible six points. That moves them to 59-42-13 all time in three-in-three scenarios. Last season the Checkers went 6-5-1 over their four three-in-three series.

KUOKKANEN KICKS IT UP A NOTCH

After a strong rookie showing as a teenager last year, Janne Kuokkanen has ramped up his production early on in year two. The 20-year-old has recorded at least one point in all but three games this season and is in the midst of a seven-game point streak, the longest by a Checkers this season and tied for the fifth-longest in the AHL.

With a team-leading 16 points, Kuokkanen has factored in to 30 percent of Charlotte’s goals so far this season.

POTTING POINTS

Not to be outdone, Andrew Poturalski has carried more than his fair share of the offensive load for Charlotte this season. The forward has racked up 15 points in 14 games this season and leads the team with 11 helpers. After a quick two-game skid with no points, Poturalski has found the scoresheet in each of his last four games, his second streak of at least that length this season.

NECAS FINDS HIS TOUCH

After notching points in just one of his first six games with the Checkers, Martin Necas seems to have found his scoring touch. The youngest player on Charlotte’s roster has notched at least one assist in each of his last four games to help push his total to seven points (1g, 6a) in his last six contests.

ROY'S BIG NIGHTS

With two goals and an assist in Saturday’s win over Lehigh Valley, Nicolas Roy recorded his third three-point performance in just nine games this season. The second-year-pro is tied for the team lead in goals and tied for third in scoring despite playing only nine games due to NHL recalls.

The franchise record for the most games in a season with at least three points is eight, a feat accomplished by Zach Boychuk in 2013-14 and 2010-11.

Ranks

• Janne Kuokkanen is tied for 8th in the AHL in scoring (16), tied for 11th in goals (7) and tied for the league lead in power-play points (9)
• Andrew Poturalski is tied for 12th in the AHL in scoring (15) and tied for 8th in assists (11)
• Saku Maenalanen is tied for the league lead in shorthanded goals (2) and points (3)
• Alex Nedeljkovic leads the league in wins (9), tied for second in minutes and ranks seventh in saves (264)
• Jake Bean is tied for the lead among league rookies in plus-minus (+7) and ranks fourth in shots on goal (38)
• Morgan Geekie is tied for second among league rookies in shooting percentage (33.3%), tied for the lead in shootout-winning goals and tied for 12th in goals (5)
• Trevor Carrick is tied for 11th among league defensemen in scoring (10), tied for 10th in goals (3), tied for fourth in power-play goals (2) and tied for fifth in power-play assists (5) and power-play points (7)
• Roland McKeown is tied for third among league blue liners in plus-minus (+10)
• Michal Cajkovsky is tied for the league lead among defensemen in shorthanded goals (1) and points (2)

INJURIES

• Greg McKegg - Missed four games starting 11/3
• Patrick Brown - Missed one game starting 11/11
• Spencer Smallman - Missed one game starting 11/11

Transactions

Incoming

• Nov. 11: (C) Steven Lorentz - Recalled from Florida (ECHL)
• Nov. 7: (C) Nicolas Roy - Assigned from Carolina (NHL)

Outgoing

• Nov. 7: (LW) Phil Di Giuseppe - Recalled by Carolina (NHL)
• Nov. 7: (C) Clark Bishop - Recalled by Carolina (NHL)

Coming Up

By the Numbers

CATEGORY	RECORD	AHL RANK	LAST WEEK
Power play	23.0%	8th	5th
Penalty kill	86.8%	t-6th	8th
Goals per game	3.86	6th	8th
Shots per game	29.29	17th	20th
Goals allowed per game	2.64	3rd	2nd
Shots allowed per game	26.21	3rd	t-4th
Penalty minutes per game	18.43	3rd	2nd

LEADERS

CATEGORY	LEADER(S)
Points	Janne Kuokkanen (16), Andrew Poturalski (15), Three tied (10)
Goals	Janne Kuokkanen, Nicolas Roy (7), Julien Gauthier, Morgan Geekie (5)
Assists	Andrew Poturalski (11), Janne Kuokkanen (9), Greg McKegg, Trevor Carrick (7)
Power play goals	Janne Kuokkanen (4), Four tied (2)
Shorthanded goals	Saku Maenalanen (2), Patrick Brown, Nicolas Roy, Michal Cajkovsky (1)
Game-winning goals	Nicolas Roy (3), Seven tied (1)
Shots on goal	Jake Bean (38), Julien Gauthier, Andrew Poturalski (34)
Penalty minutes	Josiah Didier (31), Trevor Carrick (29), Phil Di Giuseppe (19)
Plus/minus	Roland McKeown (+10), Jake Bean (+7), Nicolas Roy (+6)
Wins	Alex Nedeljkovic (9)
Goals-against average	Alex Nedeljkovic (2.65)
Save percentage	Alex Nedeljkovic (.901)