Weekly Report: Feb. 3, 2020

The Checkers split their weekend in Toronto but are heading back to the Queen City on a high note.

Week in Review

Checkers 2, Toronto 6

Despite netting the game’s first goal, the Checkers ran into a barrage of offense from the Marlies, including three straight goals over a 90-second span in the second, and couldn’t muster the firepower to overcome the deficit. Full recap

Checkers 4, Toronto 3

The Checkers came out hot in the rematch, building a 3-0 lead and then responding to Toronto’s opening tally to hold a 4-1 advantage through 40 minutes of play. The Marlies would punch back in the third with a pair of strikes, but the Checkers would hold on down the stretch and emerge with a victory. Full recap

Three Stars Of The Week

FIVE NOTABLES

1) SKID SNAPPED

Charlotte’s loss to Toronto on Friday extended the team’s losing streak to three games, their longest such skid of the season. The Checkers were able to pull themselves out of that slump the following night to end the streak there, and sit at six wins in their last 10 games, tied for the most over that stretch in the division.

2) GOAT'S GOALS

Julien Gauthier pulled off a stunning individual effort on Saturday to score the first shorthanded goal of his career. The tally was his 22nd of the season, moving him into sole possession of fifth place in the AHL. Gauthier is just three away from moving into the franchise’s top-10 single-season goal totals and eight away from becoming the fourth Checker to score 30 goals in a season. With 31 games remaining in the season, Gauthier needs 14 goals to match Zach Boychuk’s franchise record set in 2013-14.

3) POWERING UP

After striking in both contests against Toronto, the Checkers have now recorded a power-play goal in 10 of their last 11 games and 10 straight games in which they were awarded at least one power play. Charlotte is 14-for-37 over that stretch, a hot streak that has catapulted the team into the third spot in the AHL’s power-play rankings.

4) GEEKIE GOES STREAKING

With a goal and an assist against the Marlies on Saturday, Morgan Geekie has run his point streak to 11 games. That stands as the longest active such streak in the league and is tied for the fourth-longest in the AHL this season. It also sits one shy of the franchise record of 12, set by Ryan Murphy in 2014 and matched by Greg McKegg in 2018.

5) RUNNING THROUGH THE SIX

With Saturday’s triumph, the Checkers clinched the season series against Toronto by taking three of the four meetings. Including last season’s Eastern Conference Finals, the Checkers are 7-2-1 in their last 10 matchups against the Marlies.

RANKS

• Julien Gauthier ranks fifth in the AHL in goals (22) and is tied for eighth in power-play goals (8)
• Jake Bean ranks second among all defensemen in points (34), ranks third among defensemen and tied for ninth overall in assists (27), tied for third among defensemen and tied for sixth overall in power-play assists (14) and tied for seventh among all defensemen in goals (7)
• Janne Kuokkanen is tied for ninth in the AHL in assists (27) and tied for sixth in power-play assists (14)
• Steven Lorentz is tied for fourth among all AHL forwards in plus-minus (+17)
• Max McCormick ranks third in the AHL in penalty minutes (103)
• Chase Priskie is tied for second among rookie defensemen an tied for fourth among all defensemen in assists (21) and tied for third among rookie defensemen in points (26)
• Cedric Larcoix is tied for sixth among rookies in penalty minutes (41)
• Oliwer Kaski is tied for third among all defensemen in goals (8)

INJURIES

• Colin Markison - Missed three games starting 1/25
• Brian Gibbons - Missed five game starting 1/19
• Kerby Rychel - Missed 25 games starting 12/1
• Stelio Mattheos - Missed 35 games starting 11/8

Transactions

Incoming

• 1/30 - Cedric Lacroix - Recalled from Greenville (ECHL)

Outgoing

• None

Coming Up

By the Numbers

CATEGORY	RECORD	AHL RANK	LAST WEEK
Power play	23.7%	3rd	3rd
Penalty kill	87.0%	3rd	2nd
Goals per game	3.29	t-8th	7th
Shots per game	31.64	5th	5th
Goals allowed per game	2.84	8th	7th
Shots allowed per game	28.22	4th	4th
Penalty minutes per game	14.18	6th	6th

LEADERS

CATEGORY	LEADER(S)
Points	Janne Kuokkanen (36), Jake Bean (34), Julien Gauthier, Morgan Geekie (31)
Goals	Julien Gauthier (22), Steven Lorentz, Morgan Geekie (15)
Assists	Janne Kuokkanen, Jake Bean (27), Chase Priskie (21)
Power play goals	Julien Gauthier (8), Morgan Geekie (7), Janne Kuokkanen, Max McCormick (4)
Shorthanded goals	Eight tied (1)
Game-winning goals	Morgan Geekie, Julien Gauthier (4), Steven Lorentz (3)
Shots on goal	Julien Gauthier (112), Morgan Geekie (101), Jake Bean (93)
Penalty minutes	Max McCormick (103), Cedric Lacroix (41), Brian Gibbons, Roland McKeown (38)
Plus/minus	Steven Lorentz (+17), Gustav Forsling (+14), Fredrik Claesson (+10)
Wins	Alex Nedeljkovic (13)
Goals-against average	Alex Nedeljkovic (2.60)
Save percentage	Alex Nedeljkovic (.902)