Game 59: Norfolk Admirals at Charlotte Checkers

Puck Drop: Sunday, 1 p.m.

TV/Radio info: AHL Live / Online

Records: Checkers (22-30-5-1), Admirals (22-29-4-3)

The Charlotte Checkers entered Thursday’s contest in search of a franchise-best fifth-straight home win, but came up short, falling 5-2 to the San Antonio Rampage. The club will look to start another streak beginning Sunday afternoon when they host the Eastern Conference cellar-dwelling Norfolk Admirals.

Recent Transactions: none.

Notes: After taking a couple games to get back into rhythm following his return from the NHL midway through the season, Zach Boychuk has gotten back on track with six goals in his last nine games, including goals in three straight contests. … Rookie defenseman Trevor Carrick has points in a career-best three-straight games and goals in each of his last two. … The Checkers improved to 2-2-2 against Norfolk this season with a 4-3 shootout win in their last meeting on Feb. 16. Three of the last four matchups between the two clubs have gone to overtime. … Extra hockey could work in the Checkers’ favor, as goaltender Drew MacIntyre has been nearly perfect in shootouts this season, stopping 19 of 20. … The Admirals are winless in their last four contests and 3-5-1-1 over their last 10. … Sunday is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Day for the Checkers and there will be a postgame skate with the team. Cost of admission is $5 for those bringing their own skates and $7 for those who need to rent. All proceeds benefit the Checkers Charitable Foundation.

Checkers lines: 

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

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

Drew MacIntyre  
John Muse

Healthy scratches: Carter Sandlak

Injured/out: Forwards Gabriel Desjardins (undisclosed), Chad LaRose (upper Body) and Greg Nemisz (knee) and defenseman Keegan Lowe (undisclosed) have been ruled out of Sunday’s matchup due to injuries.

Game 50: Norfolk Admirals at Charlotte Checkers

Puck Drop: Monday, 4 p.m.

TV/Radio info: AHL Live / Online

Records: Checkers (17-26-5-1), Admirals (21-24-3-2)

The Charlotte Checkers announced on Sunday that their game against the Norfolk Admirals on Monday, Feb. 16, will now be played at 4 p.m. instead of its originally scheduled time of 7 p.m. The Checkers and Admirals agreed to make the change due to inclement weather expected in the Charlotte area. 

The Checkers will look to take advantage of home ice after earning their usual split in a two-game series in Lake Erie earlier this week. The split started with a 2-1 victory on Tuesday before the Monsters answered back with a 3-2 win on Thursday.

Transactions: The Checkers have released center Jason Bast from his PTO, suggesting that fellow centerman, Brendan Woods, may be close to returning from injury. Woods left the Checkers' Jan. 23 contest against the Barons after taking a hit that earned Travis Ewanyk a suspension from the league. The second-year center has missed six games since, but has been a regular participant in practice as of late. ... Checkers captain, Michal Jordan, is currently with the Carolina Hurricanes after being recalled by Charlotte's parent club earlier this week.

Notes: Alex Aleardi's goal on Thursday gave the forward five points in his last six games. Aleardi has shined when called upon as of late. His nine points since Jan. 4 are the second most by a Checkers player during that period, trailing only Chad LaRose’s ten. ... The Checkers, who will play three games at home this week, have dropped their last three meetings with Norfolk, but their last two contests have required overtime. ... The Admirals rank 29th in the AHL in goals per game at 2.16, just a hair above Charlotte (2.10), and were able to win their last two games despite scoring just twice in each. ... Monday's game begins a stretch of three home games in four days for the Checkers, who host the Iowa Wild on Wednesday and Thursday. ... Monday marks the fifth of eight meetings between Norfolk - the only Eastern Conference team the Checkers play this season -- and Charlotte. Including a 1-2-2 record this season, the Checkers have an all-time mark of 21-15-5 against their former East Division rival and an 11-7-2 mark at home.

Checkers lines: 

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

Rasmus Rissanen-Beau Schmitz
Trevor Carrick-Danny Biega
Dennis Robertson-Keegan Lowe

John Muse
Drew MacIntyre

Healthy scratches: Carter Sandlak

Injured/out: Greg Nemisz (out for season - knee), Gabriel Desjardins (missed 16 games starting 1/4).

Game 19: Norfok Admirals at Charlotte Checkers

Puck Drop: Tuesday, 7 p.m.

TV/Radio info: AHL Live / Online

Records: Checkers 7-11-1-0, Admirals 8-12-0-0

The Charlotte Checkers enter Tuesday fresh off a two-game home sweep of the Milwaukee Admirals this past weekend. The back-to-back wins were a first for Charlotte this season and gave it four-straight home wins. Sunday’s 3-2 shootout victory was the Checkers' first this season when trailing after the first period. It also featured 39 saves from goaltender Drew MacIntyre.

The Checkers will be looking to avenge a, 4-1, loss in Norfolk a week ago. This is the third of eight regular-season match ups between the two clubs. The series is currently tied, 1-1.

Notes: After missing Saturday’s game due to illness, defenseman Ryan Murphy had an assist and a game-high, plus-2 rating. … Rookie Brock McGinn (5-3-8) has goals in back-to-back games. … Chris Terry (rehab assignment) has one point (five shots) in three games since being assigned to Charlotte on Nov. 26. ... The Anaheim Ducks, the parent affiliate of Norfolk, recalled goalie Igor Bobkov on Monday and assigned rookie netminder Ryan Faragher from the ECHL to the Admirals. ... The Ducks also reassigned defenseman Jesse Blacker and center Rickard Rakell to Norfolk earlier on Tuesday.

Checkers projected lines: 

Chris Terry-Greg Nemisz-Chad LaRose
Andrew Rowe-Ben Holmstrom-Phil Di Giuseppe
Justin Shugg-A.J. Jenks-Brock McGinn
Kyle Hagel-Brendan Woods-Carter Sandlak

Rasmus Rissanen-Ryan Murphy
Trevor Carrick-Danny Biega
Keegan Lowe-Beau Schmitz

John Muse
Drew MacIntyre

Healthy scratches: Dennis Robertson, Kyle Jean

Injured/out: Patrick Brown (undisclosed), Brody Sutter (undisclosed), Jared Staal (undisclosed)

*Apologies for the lack of blog posts the past two games, been a bit under the weather. Happy to be back. 

Game 14: Norfolk Admirals at Charlotte Checkers

Puck Drop: Tuesday, 7 p.m.

TV/Radio info: AHL Live / Online

Records: Checkers 4-8-1, Admirals 6-8-0

Charlotte returns home for a showdown against Norfolk before traveling to Oklahoma City for games Friday and Saturday. The Checkers ran into a hot San Antonio team last weekend and recorded one point in their two-game showdown (0-1-1). With Friday’s overtime loss, the Checkers earned a point in back-to-back games for the first time this season. They're still searching for consecutive wins.

Norfolk is hoping to inch back towards the .500 mark after splitting a pair of home games against Binghamton on Friday and Saturday. Tonight's game is the first of eight meetings between Charlotte and Norfolk (its closest opponent in terms of geographic distance). With four of those meetings coming between now and December 10, expect the two teams to become quite familiar.

Notes: After recording one point (an assist) in his first five games, Checkers forward Greg Nemisz has six goals and three assists in his past eight, including two game-winners. … After missing eight games with an upper-body injury (suffered in an Oct. 12 game at Chicago), forward Justin Shugg returned to the lineup this past weekend and recorded a goal in each game. ... Rookie Brock McGinn has one goal on 29 shots this season. His 3.4-percent shooting percentage is the lowest of any Checker who has found the back of the net at least one time. With Jared Staal (injury) ruled out for Tuesday's game, the Checkers have signed left wing Gabriel Desjardins to a professional tryout contract. The 22-year-old is expected to be ready to play against Norfolk. Desjardins joins the Checkers from their ECHL affiliate in Florida, where he posted nine points (5g, 4a) in 12 games.  Two former Checkers -- Matthew Pistilli and Casey Pierro-Zabotel -- signed PTO's with the Admirals this past Monday.

Checkers projected lines: 

Andrew Rowe-A.J. Jenks-Phil Di Giuseppe
Brock McGinn-Kyle Jean-Justin Shugg
Gabriel Desjardens-Greg Nemisz-Chad LaRose
Kyle Hagel-Brendan Woods-Alex Aleardi

Michal Jordan-Ryan Murphy
Trevor Carrick-Danny Biega
Rasmus Rissanen-Keegan Lowe

John Muse
Drew MacIntyre

Healthy scratches: Dennis Robertson, Beau Schmitz, Carter Sandlak (finishing final game of four-game suspension)

Injured/out: Ben Holmstrom (shoulder), Patrick Brown (undisclosed), Brody Sutter (undisclosed), Jared Staal (undisclosed)