December 06, 2011 2:22 PM
Overall record: 15-8-2 (Home 9-3-1 | Road 6-5-1)
Last week’s record: 2-2-0 | Last 10 games: 6-3-1
Standings: 1st Midwest Division | 2nd Western Conference
 The Checkers concluded their six-game home stand, which featured two games apiece against Milwaukee, Texas and Lake Erie, with a record of 4-2-0. Now with a record of 9-3-1 at Time Warner Cable Arena, the Checkers have earned more points during their home games (19) than any other AHL team, with their recently-broken seven-game point streak at home ranking as the third-longest in the league this season.
Another home stand, this one four games long, is on tap prior to the 10-day holiday break that commences on Dec. 20. First, the Checkers head back on the road for a two-game set against Texas (Friday) and San Antonio (Sunday), which will mark the team’s first road contests since ending its team-record nine-game road swing on Nov. 12.
Charlotte begins the week with a five-point lead in the Midwest Division and a hold on the Western Conference’s No. 2 seed.
Charlotte 3, Texas 2 - Recap
Jon Matsumoto scored the eventual game-winner midway through the second period as the Checkers topped Texas by a 3-2 score on Wednesday in the first-ever meeting between the two clubs. In his first game back from the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes, team captain Brett Sutter scored late in the first period to tie the game at 2-2 and answer a two-goal rally by Texas that erased an early Checkers lead provided by Zac Dalpe. Mike Murphy made 25 saves in goal, 13 of which came in the third period.
Texas 4, Charlotte 2 - Recap
The Stars scored three unanswered goals, two of which came on the power play in the last five minutes of the second period, to snap the Checkers’ team-record winning streak at five games on Saturday after Brett Sutter and Drayson Bowman had scored to give Charlotte a 2-1 lead. Justin Peters, playing his first game since winning the AHL’s Goaltender of the Month award for November, made 25 saves as the Checkers split their two-game series with the Stars.
Charlotte 4, Lake Erie 3 - Recap
Chris Durno scored the game-winning goal with 1:33 left in the third period to give the Checkers a 4-3 win against his former team on Sunday, answering a two-goal, third-period rally by Lake Erie. Jon Matsumoto, Drayson Bowman and Chris Terry each scored to give Charlotte a 3-1 lead at the second intermission, with Mike Murphy making 27 saves to earn his second consecutive victory.
Lake Erie 3, Charlotte 1 - Recap
The Checkers concluded a cluster of three games in three nights with a 3-1 loss to Lake Erie on Monday that also wrapped up the team’s six-game home stand. The Monsters’ Greg Mauldin broke a 1-1 tie with a power-play goal late in the third period before Tyson Barrie added an empty-net goal that sealed the Monsters’ run of three unanswered goals. Jerome Samson opened the scoring for the Checkers with his 10th goal of the season, with Justin Peters making 34 saves in goal.
 • With nine points (4g, 5a) in his last eight games, Checkers forward Jon Matsumoto has moved into a five-way tie for seventh in AHL scoring (24 points). The fifth-year pro is tied for the team lead in goals (10), is one shy of the team lead in assists (14) and is tied for the team lead in plus/minus (+7). He has recorded seven multi-point games this season, the most of any Checkers player.
• The Checkers currently hold a share of the league lead in shorthanded goals scored with a total of four, including two last week. Defenseman Mathieu Roy has factored in on three of those (1g, 2a), tying him for the overall league lead in shorthanded points. Charlotte also allowed two shorthanded goals last week, bringing their season total to three.
• Charlotte forward Jerome Samson is the AHL’s leader in shots on goal once again with 112 – 15 more than any other player. He has recorded five or more shots in 14 of his 24 games this season, including a season-high nine on Oct. 30. Samson broke a five-game goal drought that matched his season high during Monday’s loss to Lake Erie, tying him with Jon Matsumoto with 10 goals on the season. The fith-year pro also leads the Checkers with five power-play goals.
• The Checkers have been the AHL’s best second-period team this season, sporting a +14 goal differential in the middle frame. Their 30 goals scored in the second period are tied with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton for the most in the league, while their 16 goals allowed are the third-fewest. The third period has been a different story, with the Checkers -12 differential ranking as the third-worst in the AHL.
| CATEGORY |
RECORD |
AHL RANK |
LAST WEEK |
| Power play: |
18.4% |
16th |
5th |
| Penalty kill: |
81.1% |
17th |
18th |
| Goals per game: |
2.92 |
18th |
t-14th |
| Shots per game: |
31.4 |
9th |
7th |
| Goals allowed per game: |
2.56 |
5th |
3rd |
| Shots allowed per game: |
31.2 |
21st |
24th |
| Penalty minutes per game: |
14.3 |
5th (fewest) |
7th |
| CATEGORY |
LEADER(S) |
| Points: |
Jon Matsumoto (24), Jerome Samson (21), Chris Terry (20) |
| Goals: |
Jon Matsumoto, Jerome Samson (10), Drayson Bowman (8) |
| Assists: |
Chris Terry (15), Jon Matsumoto (14), Jerome Samson (11) |
| Power play goals: |
Jerome Samson (5) |
| Shorthanded goals: |
Drayson Bowman, Mathieu Roy, Brett Sutter, Chris Terry (1) |
| Game-winning goals: |
Jon Matsumoto, Matthew Pistilli, Jerome Samson (2) |
| Shots on goal: |
Jerome Samson (112), Drayson Bowman (66), Jon Matsumoto (60) |
| Penalty minutes: |
Justin Soryal (49), Nicolas Blanchard (44), Chris Terry (35) |
| Plus/minus: |
Drayson Bowman, Jon Matsumoto (+7), Justin Krueger (+6) |
| Wins: |
Mike Murphy (9), Justin Peters (6) |
| Goals-against average: |
Justin Peters (2.32), Mike Murphy (2.44) |
| Save percentage: |
Justin Peters (.928), Mike Murphy (.922) |
• Nov. 29 – (C) Brett Sutter reassigned to Charlotte from Carolina (NHL)
• Dec. 6 - (G) Mike Murphy recalled to Carolina (NHL)
• Friday, Dec. 9 at Texas (8:30 p.m.)
• Sunday, Dec. 11 at San Antonio (4:30 p.m.)
Start your week off with a cup of Magnolia Coffee, the official coffee of the Checkers. For more information, visit their website, call Magnolia Coffee at 704-654-5393 or email jay@magnoliacoffeeco.com.
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