March 25, 2012 6:23 AM
The Checkers will look to avoid the sweep in their four-game season series with Hershey when they take the ice for a rematch of Saturday’s loss today at 5 p.m.
Hershey (36-20-10) was able to take a 2-1 win in the first meeting of the weekend thanks to third period goals by Cody Eakin and Ryan Potulny that canceled out Bobby Sanguinetti’s strike in the first period. Mike Murphy made 25 saves for Charlotte (33-24-8), which suffered the loss despite dominating the early portion of the game, including a 14-4 shots advantage in the opening frame.
Though the loss dropped Charlotte from seventh to ninth in the Western Conference, they could get all the way back to fifth with a victory today.
CHARLOTTE
Despite losing by the slimmest of margins on Saturday, the one-goal difference resulted in a five-seed swing in the Western Conference playoff race. Had they won, they would have entered today in fourth place with 76 points. Instead, the loss has them in ninth and out of playoff position for the time being with 74.
However, the close race in the west could give as much as it’s taken away during a recent segment of the Checkers’ schedule that has seen them post a record of 4-8-4 since Feb. 10. They’d need some luck on their side in terms of results around the league, but a victory today could potentially jump them four spots and actually improve on their position from yesterday. The Checkers also have at least one game in hand on every team in the race.
As they look to build on the good aspects of Saturday’s performance, namely a start that saw them control the pace of the game but did not result in more than one goal, the Checkers will likely have to do so without veteran winger Nicolas Blanchard. Blanchard, one of the Checkers’ alternate captains, left Saturday’s game early in the third period after a hard hit along the boards and did not return. He is not expected to play today, and will be reevaluated to determine whether he can play in the team’s next contest in Grand Rapids on Friday.
One of two rookie forwards, Justin Shugg and Brody Sutter, would enter the lineup in place of Blanchard. Shugg, who is not on the team’s Clear Day roster, has not played since March 11. Sutter, who recently joined the Checkers at the conclusion of his junior hockey career, is awaiting his professional debut.
In goal, Justin Peters will likely get his turn in a rotation that has seen coach Jeff Daniels give each of his goalies two consecutive starts at a time. Murphy went 1-1-0 over the team’s last two games, posting a 2.05 goals-against average and .927 save percentage.
HERSHEY
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BEARS STATS |
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RECORD
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36-20-10 |
5th Eastern Conference
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GOALS / GAME
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3.30 |
2nd AHL |
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GOALS ALLOWED / GAME
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2.88
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18th AHL |
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POWER PLAY |
26.3%
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1st AHL |
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PENALTY KILL
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85.2% |
t-3rd AHL |
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PIM / GAME
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21.0 |
29th AHL
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The home crowd at Giant Center went from second-period boos to third-period cheers in support of the Bears during their late rally on Saturday that showed why they’re one of the better offensive teams in the league.
Though they rank second in the AHL with an average of 3.30 goals per contest, the Bears were missing three of their top five scorers in Keith Aucoin (NHL recall), Jacob Micflikier and Graham Mink (injury). As it turned out, their remaining offensive weapons were able to shoulder the load, with Eakin, who returned from the Washington Capitals earlier in the day, and Potulny, who tied for the team lead with his 25th goal, finally breaking through Murphy in the third period.
AHL points leader Chris Bourque (83 points in 63 games) also factored in, recording the primary assist on his team’s first goal as he found Eakin behind the Checkers’ defense for a one-on-one chance that beat Murphy.
Goalie Dany Sabourin was a key factor in limiting the Checkers to one goal on eight power-play chances, including a 21-second, five-on-three power play after Hershey had tied the game midway through the third period. Sabourin, who has made six consecutive starts with Braden Holtby in the NHL, is 5-0-1 in that span with a 1.79 goals-against average and .939 save percentage.
CHECKERS NOTES
 SANGUINETTI STARS: Defenseman Bobby Sanguinetti recorded the Checkers’ lone goal on Saturday, giving him eight points (2g, 6a) in his last five games and 12 points (3g, 9a) in his last 10. Though he has missed 12 games, Sanguinetti ranks second on the Checkers in scoring with 40 points (9g, 31a) in 53 games and is on pace to set new AHL career highs in goals (10), assists (37) and points (47). Among league defensemen, he ranks tied for fifth in points and third in power-play points (26).
BOYCHUK IN BUNCHES: Charlotte’s Zach Boychuk recorded his 18th and 19th goals of the season on Wednesday, surpassing Jerome Samson for the team lead. Boychuk now has five goals in his last five games, including two separate two-goal games. He has five two-goal games this season, the most of any Checkers player, and last season recorded one of two hat tricks in the team’s two-year history. Prior to Boychuk’s recent run, he had not scored a goal in seven games
TOUGH DRAW: Including tonight’s opponent in Hershey, each of the Checkers’ last three opponents have entered the game with winning streaks of four or more games. Their previous opponent, Peoria, won the first game to extend its winning streak to five games before losing the second meeting, while Norfolk won both meetings to set an all-time AHL record with its 18th consecutive victory. With Saturday’s win, Hershey carries a five-game streak into tonight’s game.
STREAKS
• (D) Bobby Sanguinetti has points in each of his last five games (March 16-March 24; 2g, 6a)
• (LW) Chris Terry has points in each of his last three games (March 20-24; 1g, 3a)
• (LW) Evgenii Dadonov has assists and points in each of his last two games (March 21-24; 3a)
INJURIES
• (LW) Justin Soryal – missed five games, last played March 11 vs. Chicago (out for season)
• (D) Justin Krueger - missed 12 games, last played Feb. 18 at Chicago
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
Charlotte
• March 21 – (D) Ryan Donald reassigned to Florida (ECHL) from Charlotte
• March 19 – (D) Bobby Sanguinetti reassigned to Charlotte from Carolina (NHL)
• March 18 – (D) Ryan Donald recalled to Charlotte from Florida (ECHL)
• March 18 – (D) Bobby Sanguinetti recalled to Carolina (NHL) from Charlotte
Hershey
• March 24 – (C) Cody Eakin reassigned to Hershey from Washington (NHL)
• March 23 – (F) David Civitarese signed to amateur tryout contract
• March 23 – (C) Cody Eakin recalled to Washington (NHL) from Hershey
• March 20 – (G) Matt Tendler signed to amateur tryout contract
• March 19 – (G) Billy Sauer released from professional tryout contract
• March 18 – (G) Billy Sauer signed to professional tryout contract |
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