Weekly Report: April 8, 2024

The Checkers wrapped up their final home series of the regular season in dominant fashion, hammering Hartford in back-to-back games for some crucial standings points.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Checkers 4, Wolf Pack 0

The Checkers kept their winning ways going to kick off the weekend. Powered by a 20-save shutout from Magnus Hellberg and a pair of tallies from Gerry Mayhew, the Checkers ran over the Wolf Pack 4-0.

Checkers 4, Wolf Pack 1

The following day’s rematch was a similarly one-sided affair. The Checkers claimed a lead in the first and never relinquished it, going ahead 4-0 before the Wolf Pack finally found the back of the net with just three seconds remaining. Even so, the Checkers closed out the home portion of their regular-season schedule with a big sweep of Hartford.

QUICK HITS

PLAYOFF PICTURE

The Checkers officially punched their postseason ticket before even hitting the ice over the weekend thanks to Springfield’s loss to Belleville on Friday. With their two wins over Hartford, the Checkers have now locked themselves into one of the top four seeds in the Atlantic Division.

The Checkers (81 points with five games left) are tied with the Penguins (81 points with five games left) but sit behind them in fourth place by virtue of the tiebreaker - regulation wins, a category in which Charlotte can not catch Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Both of those positions come with home-ice advantage in the opening round of the playoffs - the third seed would play the sixth seed (currently Lehigh Valley, who has 67 points and five games left) and the fourth seed would play the fifth seed (currently Hartford, who has 70 points with five games left).

There’s also still a chance for the Checkers to move up into the second seed and earn themselves a bye past the first round. Providence occupies that spot currently with 85 points and six games left.

ON A HEATER

A two-game sweep of the Wolf Pack has the Checkers on a red-hot run down the stretch of the regular season - riding a seven-game point streak and having won nine of their last 11.

Going back even further, the Checkers are 16-3-3-0 since Feb. 8 - the best record in the Eastern Conference since that point and tied for the second best in the league, trailing only Coachella Valley.

LOCKING IT DOWN

One of the biggest pieces of Charlotte’s hot streak has been their stellar play defensively. The Checkers have allowed just five goals over the last seven games and 23 over the last 14 contests.

HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK

An unreal passing play capped off by a top-shelf laser from Will Lockwood! 😮‍💨

😍 pic.twitter.com/0mAEImtcMp

— x - Charlotte Checkers (@CheckersHockey) April 7, 2024

Transactions

Incoming

• April 5 - Riese Gaber signed to ATO
• April 2 - Cooper Black signed to PTO
• April 2 - Gracyn Sawchyn signed to ATO
• April 2 - Kai Schwindt assigned from Sarnia (OHL)

Outgoing

• April 3 - Uvis Balinskis recalled by Florida (NHL)

By the Numbers

CATEGORY	RECORD	AHL RANK
Power play	15.8%	30th
Penalty kill	83.4%	9th
Goals per game	3.00	19th
Shots per game	32.75	3rd
Goals allowed per game	2.78	t-8th
Shots allowed per game	26.04	2nd
Penalty minutes per game	11.25	23rd

LEADERS

CATEGORY	LEADER(S)
Points	Mackie Samoskevich (48), Rasmus Asplund (41), Lucas Carlsson (39)
Goals	Mackie Samoskevich (20), Wilmer Skoog (19), Gerry Mayhew (18)
Assists	Rasmus Asplund (34), Mackie Samoskevich (28), Lucas Carlsson (24)
Power play goals	Gerry Mayhew (7), Wilmer Skoog, Zac Dalpe (6)
Shorthanded goals	Patrick Giles (2), Justin Sourdif, Rasmus Asplund (1)
Game-winning goals	Gerry Mayhew (7), Lucas Carlsson (5), Mackie Samoskevich, Wilmer Skoog (4)
Shots on goal	Lucas Carlsson (207), Zac Dalpe (156), Mackie Samoskevich (147)
Penalty minutes	Casey Fitzgerald (65), Justin Sourdif (60), Riley Bezeau, Lucas Carlsson (54)
Plus/minus	Casey Fitzgerald (+19), Matt Kiersted (+12), Patrick Khodorenko (+11)
Wins	Spencer Knight (24)
Goals-against average	Spencer Knight (2.39)
Save percentage	Spencer Knight, Magnus Hellberg (.906)