Game 68: Lake Erie Monsters at Charlotte Checkers

Puck Drop: Friday, 7 p.m.

TV/Radio info: TWC 323 / AHL Live / Online

Records: Checkers (28-33-5-1), Monsters (28-26-6-4)

The Charlotte Checkers return home to take on Lake Erie riding a season-best three-game winning streak after a 3-2 victory over the Admirals in Norfolk, Va., on Wednesday. Brody Sutter scored twice in Wednesday’s win to extend his current goal streak to three games, putting him one shy of the longest by a Checkers player (Brock McGinn) this season. Drew MacIntyre made 34 saves to earn his 211th AHL win, tying him for ninth all-time.

Recent Transactions: The Checkers have been busy in this regard as of late...

Goaltender Rasmus Tirronen, an undrafted native of Finland, signed a one-year, entry-level contract with the Carolina Hurricanes last Sunday after finishing his collegiate career at Merrimack College. In his senior year with Merrimack, Tirronen set the program's single-season record for save percentage (.929) while posting a 2.30 goals-against average. He ended his career with the fourth-most all-time wins in school history. Tirronen is currently in Charlotte and participated in the Checkers morning skate.

Former University of New Hampshire defenseman Brett Pesce signed an entry-level deal with the Hurricanes on Friday and is expected to report to Charlotte later this week. A third-round pick in the 2013 draft, Pesce spent three seasons at UNH, totaling 43 points (11g, 32a) in 110 games. He finished second among the team's defenseman in scoring this past season with 16 points in 31 games.

Plymouth Whalers goalie Alex Nedeljkovic also signed an entry-level contract with the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday and has been assigned to Charlotte for the remainder of the season. A second-round pick by Carolina in the 2014 draft, Nedeljkovic has played three seasons in the OHL with Plymouth, posting 65-57-16 record with a 2.88 goals-against average and a .921 save percentage. Regardless of how well he plays, Nedeljkovic -- who is still just 19 years old -- does not meet the age-minimum for the AHL and won't be eligible to play for the Checkers next season.

News also broke on Friday that defenseman Josh Wesley, a teammate of Nedeljkovic's in Plymouth and son of former Canes' legend Glen Wesley, will also be making the trip to Charlotte. Wesley, 19, became the first North Carolina-developed NHL draft pick when the Hurricanes took him in the fourth round in 2014.

Notes: With 12 points in his last 12 games, Checkers rookie defenseman Trevor Carrick has emerged as an offensive threat. He currently leads all Charlotte blue-liners in goals (six) and assists (20), both records for a Checkers’ rookie defenseman. Of Carrick’s five multipoint games this season, four have occurred since March 1. … Friday’s game marks the first of six straight home contests for the Checkers, who are 17-13-1-1 at Time Warner Cable Arena this season. … Defenseman Keegan Lowe returned to the Charlotte lineup on Wednesday after missing 11 games with an injury. ... Chad LaRose, who turned 33 today, has one goal and one assist since making an unexpectedly early return from injury three games ago. ... The Checkers are offering an extra 10 percent off all merchandise (already 40-percent off) to fans who wear purple (to raise awareness for domestic violence prevention) to Friday’s game.

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

Injured/out: Greg Nemisz (knee) 

Game 57: San Antonio Rampage at Charlotte Checkers

Puck Drop: Wednesday, 7 p.m.

TV/Radio info: AHL Live / Online

Records: Checkers (21-29-5-1), Rampage (31-19-5-0)

The Checkers headed north of the boarder riding a season-long three-game winning streak, but were humbled by the Marlies, who outscored them 10-4 in a two-game sweep before splitting two games in Hamilton. Charlotte now returns home, where it has won its last three contests for a mid-week back-to-back with San Antonio.

Both Keegan Lowe and Chad LaRose suffered injuries during the Toronto trip that will likely keep them out for extended time. LaRose, who currently leads the Checkers in points (31) and goals (16), may be lost for the season. The Checkers aren't disclosing the veteran's injury, but it occurred during practice last Tuesday.

"There’s no timeline, but they’re both going to miss some time," Charlotte coach Jeff Daniels told the team's website. "It’s nothing day-to-day, it’s probably more week-to-week."

Checkers' rookie LW Brock McGinn will serve his one-game suspension for a charging penalty that took place during a game at Hamilton on Feb. 28. The suspension is McGinn's second this season for an illegal hit.

Recent Transactions: Defenseman Rasmus Rissanen was recalled by Carolina on March 2. ... Tuesday afternoon, the team signed center Sean Dolan to a professional tryout contract. Dolan, 27, played 142 total games for Charlotte between the 2011-12 and 2013-14 seasons, scoring 31 points (14g, 17a) and recording 89 penalty minutes. The center, who has missed the majority of this season due an injury suffered in training camp with his ECHL club in South Carolina, made his season debut on Feb. 21 and has scored two points, both goals, in five games with the Stingrays. ... Defenseman Austin Levi was also added to the Checkers roster on Tuesday.

Notes: Despite scoring three or more goals in five of their last seven games, the Checkers entered Tuesday tied for the worst goals-per-game average (2.20) in the AHL. … Charlotte goaltender Drew MacIntyre is 1-7 over his last eight starts and has allowed three or more goals in all seven losses. … MacIntyre’s backup, John Muse, is 5-2 over his last seven, with a 2.28 goals-against average. … The Checkers have killed 19 consecutive penalties over their last seven games. The streak is tied for the longest this season by the team. … Charlotte's penalty kill ranks ninth in the league at 85.8 percent. … After going 29 games without a goal (Nov. 30) and 20 games without a point (Dec. 29), Checkers rookie forward Brock McGinn has five goals in his last eight games (5g, 1a). … Since returning from the ECHL's Florida Everblades on Jan. 4, forward Alex Aleardi has 14 points (8g, 6a) in 19 games, including eight in his last nine (5g, 3a). … The Rampage (178), who have gone 5-4-1 over their last 10, have scored 55 more goals than Charlotte (123) this season, which is tops in the AHL.

Checkers lines: 

Zach Boychuk-Brody Sutter-Patrick Brown
Justin Shugg-Brendan Woods-Jared Staal
Phil Di Giuseppe-Ben Holmstrom-Alex Aleardi
Kyle Hagel-Sean Dolan-Carter Sandlak

Trevor Carrick-Danny Biega
Dennis Robertson-Beau Schmitz
Austin Levi-Mike Cornell

Drew MacIntyre
John Muse

Healthy scratches: none.

Injured/out: Chad LaRose (missing his third-straight game), Keegan Lowe (missing his second in a row) Greg Nemisz (out for season - knee), Gabriel Desjardins. 

Justin Shugg's three-point afternoon helps Checkers pummel Stars, 5-2

The Checkers tapped their sticks against the boards a bit louder than usual as Kyle Hagel made his way from the penalty box to the bench early in the first period of Sunday afternoon’s game.

Hagel, who earned the sign of respect from his teammates -- as well as what will likely be pretty decent shiner -- set the tone early for what became a 5-2 Checkers' win over the Texas Stars at Time Warner Cable Arena with his 12th fighting major of the season.

After squandering a third-period lead in a loss to the Stars on Saturday, Charlotte (12-18-3-1) came out of the dressing room flying, and held Texas (14-11-8-0) without a shot for the first eight minutes of regulation.

  

By the time the horn signaled the end of the first period, the Checkers – thanks to goals by Justin Shugg and Keegan Lowe – held a 2-0 lead and had firmly established themselves as the more physical of the two teams on the ice on Sunday.

  

Drew MacIntyre, who missed the previous four games while competing for Team Canada in the Spengler Cup in Switzerland, returned to the net for Charlotte and finished the game with 26 saves to help the team snap a four-game winless streak.

The goal for Shugg (one goal, two assists), which came on a second effort after his initial shot was stopped by Jussi Rynnas (20 saves), was his second in lass than 24 hours and extended his team-leading total to 12 on the season.

Shugg’s line (Shugg-Ben Holmstrom-Phil Di Giuseppe) struck again at the midway point in the first when the puck zipped from the tape of Holmstrom’s stick to Shugg’s before finding Lowe (one goal, on assist) for the one-timer.

Patrick Brown redirected a shot in early in the second for first professional goal to gave Charlotte a three-goal edge and Alex Aleardi (recalled from the ECHL earlier in the day) helped the Checkers respond to a Texas goal with his third tally of the season.

Trevor Carrick added a short-handed empty-netter with a little more than six minutes to play in the third period to cap the Charlotte scoring.   

It was the 12^th time this season the Checkers – who entered the day 29th in the AHL in scoring (2.18 goals per game) -- have scored three or more times in a game. The five-goal outburst was one short of the team's season high, which came in a 6-2 win over Norwich on Nov. 18.

The Checkers -- who moved two points ahead of the last-place Iowa Wild in the West Division -- will now head out on a four-game road trip, beginning with two games against the Grand Rapids Griffins.

Notes: Justin Shugg (12-5-17) has goals and points in each of his last three games (Dec. 31-Jan. 4: 3g, 2a). In just 23 games this season, the fourth-year forward is now just four goals shy of his career high set in 75 games last season. ... Today's game concluded a stretch in which Charlotte played 11 consecutive games against the West Division. The Checkers are 7-11-3 in divisional play this season. ... The Checkers are a perfect 22-for-22 on the penalty kill over their last seven games dating back to Dec. 19, their longest streak of the season. 

Game 27: Oklahoma City Barons at Charlotte Checkers

Puck Drop: Thursday, 7 p.m.

TV/Radio info: AHL Live / Online

Records: Checkers 9-15-2-0, Barons 16-6-2-2

The Checkers are gearing up for a rematch with the West-Division leading Barons, who handed them a 4-1 loss on Tuesday night. Brendan Woods scored Charlotte's lone goal in the loss, setting a new career-high for goals in a season with his sixth. Oklahoma City has fared well on the road this season, winning six of its last seven away from the Cox Convention Center.

After tonight, the Checkers will welcome the San Antonio Rampage to Charlotte for two games this weekend (Friday and Sunday).

Notes: Checkers defenseman Ryan Murphy, who assisted on Woods' goal on Tuesday, leads the team in helpers and is tied for second in points (0-12-12). ... Drew MacIntyre (19 saves on 22 shots) recorded his 11th loss of the season on Tuesday, the most by any AHL goalie this season. ... This is the fourth of eight regular-season matchups between Oklahoma City and Charlotte. The Barons have won all three of the previous meetings. ... The Checkers are 4-3 in the second game of back-to-backs after falling in Game 1 and have recorded a split six of their 10 back-to-backs this season. ... Barons center Jason Williams (10-17-27) leads the team in points and entered Thursday tied for third in the AHL in scoring. ... After releasing Matt Little from his PTO on Wednesday, the Checkers have once again signed the defenseman with Keegan Lowe still a question mark to play tonight.

Checkers lines: 

Brock McGinn-Ben Holmstrom-Chad LaRose
Andrew Rowe-Patrick Brown-Phil Di Giuseppe
Carter Sandlak-Brendan Woods-Jared Staal
Kyle Hagel-A.J. Jenks-Gabriel Desjardins

Rasmus Rissanen-Ryan Murphy
Trevor Carrick-Danny Biega
Dennis Robertson-Mike Little

John Muse
Drew MacIntyre

Healthy scratches: 

Injured/out: Brody Sutter (lower body), Greg Nemisz (knee), Beau Schmitz (undisclosed), Keegan Lowe (upper body)