Game Preview: Checkers at Lehigh Valley (Nov. 22, 2019)

The Checkers are back in Lehigh Valley looking for revenge against their divisional foe. Here's everything you need to know before puck drop.

1. BOUNCE BACK

The Checkers are coming off a tough 3-2 defeat at the hands of the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, giving them consecutive regulation losses for the first time this season.

In situations where they have played the same team in back-to-back games, the Checkers have yet to come away from both meetings without a point. They’ll have a chance to keep that pattern going as they face Lehigh Valley again Friday night.

2. SEARCHING FOR SCORING

Charlotte’s scoring woes continue to trouble them, having totaled 15 goals over the team’s last eight games and having not scored more than three goals in a game since Oct. 19.

It’s no surprise that the Checkers have enjoyed their most success this season when their offense starts clicking, with five of the team’s six wins coming in games where they scored three or more goals.

3. START STRONG

Part of Charlotte’s struggles have come from slow starts and falling behind early. The Checkers have allowed the first goal six times this season and are 0-4-2 in those situations, while all six of their regulation wins have come in games where they open the scoring.

That goal drought has made it difficult for the Checkers to erase those early deficits, with the team holding zero wins when trailing at either intermission.

4. SHINKARUK STEPS UP

After entering the lineup late due to an illness to Janne Kuokkanen, Hunter Shinkaruk broke through Wednesday for his best offensive performance of the season. The forward posted a goal and an assist for his first multi-point game since Dec. 28, 2018, and now has four points through 12 games played.

5. BAILEY CHIPS IN

Brought on via a PTO, Casey Bailey has made an impact on the scoresheet in his short time with the Checkers thus far. The forward notched a two-point game of his own Wednesday night, picking up a goal and an assist, to give him three points in three games wearing a Checkers sweater.

6. KILLING IT

Wednesday’s game didn’t feature many trips to the box – the combined 10 penalty minutes were the fewest in a game for Charlotte this season – but the Checkers continued to shine on the penalty kill. They successfully thwarted all three of the Phantoms’ man advantages on the night to keep their reign atop the league rankings alive.

The Checkers have allowed a power-play goal in just one of their last seven games and have successfully killed 31 of their last 32 times shorthanded.

7. TUNE IN

You can tune in to every broadcast this season with a subscription to the league’s streaming platform AHLTV.

As always, the radio broadcast will be available via the Checkers app or this link, so tune in and tweet Jason Shaya to let him know you’re listening!