Sunday, March 29, 2015

Game 69: Lake Erie Monsters at Charlotte Checkers

Puck Drop: Sunday, 1 p.m.

TV/Radio infoAHL Live / Online

Records: Checkers (28-34-5-1), Monsters (29-26-6-4)

After falling behind by two goals to the Lake Erie Monsters on Friday, the Checkers nearly rallied back late, but a controversial no-goal call in the final minute spoiled their comeback.

The Checkers, who fell 3-2 on Friday, will look to avenge that loss this afternoon in their final showdown with the Monsters this season. The Monsters have won each of their last two games against Charlotte. Sunday's game continues a six-game home stand for the Checkers that runs until April 12.

“We had our push; it was just a little too late there,” said Brock McGinn, who netted his 13th goal of the season in Friday's loss. “It’s not just a play at the end of the game there that (decides a game). We just need to focus on playing a full 60 minutes and not leaving it down to that last minute.”

*Immediately following today's game, a team of fire/medic personnel will face off against a police/sheriff team in a charity game that is free for all who were already in attendance.

Recent Transactions: The Checkers recalled rookie Carter Sandlak from the ECHL's Florida Everblades on Sunday.

*News broke on Friday that defenseman Josh Wesley, the son of former Canes' legend Glen, will join the Checkers sometime this week. Wesley, 19, became the first North Carolina-developed NHL draft pick when the Hurricanes took him in the fourth round in 2014. Rumor has it that he is already in Charlotte.

Notes: With five goals in his last four games, center Brody Sutter has doubled his goal output from the first 36 games of the season. He has seven total points during his recent four-game run. Sutter's current four-game point streak (5g, 2a) is the longest of his career, eclipsing a three-game run (0g, 3a) set from Dec. 27-30 of last season. ... With 13 points in his last 13 games, Trevor Carrick currently leads all Charlotte defensemen in goals (six), assists (21) and points (27), all of which are new records for a Checkers rookie defenseman. ... Dating back to Feb. 22, the Checkers have converted 14 of 57 power-play opportunities (24.6 percent). As a result, their power play has risen out of the league's lowest-ranked spot it had occupied since Dec. 14 and now ranks 28th in the AHL at 13.6 percent. ... The Checkers have more wins in March (6-4-0) than in any other month. Their 12 points tie January (5-6-2) for the most of any month. ... Drew MacIntyre enters Sunday one shy of 400-career AHL games.

Checkers lines: 

Zach Boychuk-Brody Sutter-Chad LaRose
Brock McGinn-Brendan Woods- Justin Shugg
Phil Di Giuseppe-Ben Holmstrom-Patrick Brown
Kyle Hagel-Sean Dolan-Jared Staal

Trevor Carrick-Beau Schmitz
Dennis Robertson-Mike Cornell
Jordan Henry-Keegan Lowe

Drew MacIntyre
John Muse
Rasmus Tirronen

Healthy scratches: Austin Levi, Alex Aleardi, Carter Sandlak.

Injured/out: Greg Nemisz (knee) 

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