Weekly Report: Oct. 14, 2019

Last week saw the Checkers take the ice at Bojangles’ Coliseum for the first time, raise a championship banner and pull off a split series with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.

Week in Review

Bridgeport 4, Checkers 2

Despite a quick start and a staggering 44 shots on goal, the Checkers dropped a back-and-forth affair with Bridgeport in their home opener. Full recap

Checkers 4, Bridgeport 1

The Checkers bounced back the following night, riding a strong special teams showing and big nights from Morgan Geekie and Anton Forsberg to a convincing 4-1 victory over Bridgeport. Full recap

Three Stars Of The Week

FIVE NOTABLES

1) STARTING STRONG

Morgan Geekie continued to impact the scoresheet over the weekend, notching an assist in Friday’s loss and a pair of goals in Saturday’s rematch. The second-year forward is now the only Checker to record a point in each of the team’s first four games.

Four players in franchise history have started a season with a five-game point streak, including Andrew Poturalski last season, while Chris Terry holds the record by recording a point in nine straight contests to start the 2013-14 season. Four players from that group of five would go on to score at least 50 points that season.

2) FORSBERG SHINES

In his first two games in a Checkers sweater, Anton Forsberg has played lights out between the pipes. The netminder made 33 saves on the road in Springfield to secure the team’s first win of the season, then stopped 28 of the 29 shots he faced on Saturday to lift Charlotte to its first home win of the season.

3) BOUNCE BACK

Despite dropping the first half of each of their two-game sets this season, the Checkers rallied both times and picked up wins the following night. Dating back to last season, the Checkers have not lost consecutive games since Feb. 9 and 10.

4) SQUARE UP

Derek Sheppard and Ryan Horvat both dropped the gloves in Saturday’s win over Bridgeport. They were the first two fights by a Checker this season and just the sixth time the team has had two fighting majors in one game over the last three seasons.

5) KILLING IT

Charlotte’s penalty kill continues to be one of the team’s strongest areas, successfully killing off all 10 of Bridgeport’s power play across the two games this weekend. The Checkers have now killed 20 of 21 man advantages this season, including 19 in a row.

RANKS

• Morgan Geekie is tied for sixth in the AHL in points (5) and is tied for second in the AHL in shots (18)
• Anton Forsberg ranks 12th in the AHL in goals-against average (1.50) and ranks fifth in wins (2)
• Chase Priskie is tied for fourth among league rookies and 10th among league defensemen in points (3), is tied for the lead among rookies in assists (3), power-play assists (2) and power-play points (2)
• Roland McKeown is tied for third among league defensemen in points (4), tied for the defensemen lead in assists and tied for third overall in assists (4)
• Jake Bean is tied for 10th among league defensemen in points (3)

INJURIES

• Stelio Mattheos - Missed four games starting 10/5
• Spencer Smallman - Missed four games starting 10/5
• Max McCormick - Missed four games starting 10/5

Transactions

Incoming

• 10/12 - Julien Gauthier assigned by Carolina (NHL)

Outgoing

• 10/12 - Brian Gibbons recalled by Carolina (NHL)

Coming Up

By the Numbers

CATEGORY	RECORD	AHL RANK	LAST WEEK
Power play	29.4%	3rd	2nd
Penalty kill	95.2%	13th	7th
Goals per game	3.25	t-10th	t-10th
Shots per game	35.75	t-2nd	7th
Goals allowed per game	3.00	t-16th	t-21st
Shots allowed per game	28.00	10th	t-14th
Penalty minutes per game	13.50	12th	t-12th

LEADERS

CATEGORY	LEADER(S)
Points	Morgan Geekie (5), Roland McKeown (4), Jake Bean, Chase Priskie (3)
Goals	Morgan Geekie (3), Julien Gauthier, Eetu Luostarinen (2)
Assists	Roland McKeown (4), Jake Bean, Chase Priskie (3)
Power play goals	Julien Gauthier, Morgan Geekie, Dave Gust, Eetu Luostarinen (1)
Shorthanded goals	None
Game-winning goals	Anthony Louis, Morgan Geekie (1)
Shots on goal	Morgan Geekie (18), Roland McKeown, Hunter Shinkaruk (9)
Penalty minutes	Roland McKeown (8), Ryan Horvat (7), Gustav Forsling (6)
Plus/minus	Clark Bishop, Steven Lorentz, Hunter Shinkaruk (+2)
Wins	Anton Forsberg (2)
Goals-against average	Anton Forsberg (1.50)
Save percentage	Anton Forsberg (.953)