Game 60: Grand Rapids Griffins at Charlotte Checkers

Puck Drop: Tuesday, 7 p.m.

TV/Radio info: AHL Live / Online

Records: Checkers (23-30-5-1), Griffins (35-17-6-1)

The Charlotte Checkers will close out a five-game home stand with back-to-back showdowns with the Western Conference-leading Grand Rapids Griffins beginning on Tuesday and Thursday. The Checkers are 2-1 on their current home stand and have won five of their last six overall at Time Warner Cable Arena to bring their season home record to 16-12-2.

*The Observer released a profile on Checkers' rookie forward Brock McGinn today online. It will run in print on Wednesday.

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Notes: Reigning AHL goal-scoring champion Zach Boychuk has found his scoring touch of late with six goals and nine points in his last ten games. Boychuk is the Checkers' all-time leader with 112 goals in 267 games played. He is currently riding a four-game point streak, tied for the longest active streak on the team with Trevor Carrick (2G, 3A). Carrick currently leads all Checkers defensemen in goals (6) and points (19) and is tied for seventh among AHL rookie blue liners in scoring. ... Patrick Brown recorded his first pro fight during Charlotte's 4-2 win over Norfolk on Sunday. ... Charlotte's 7-18-4 mark on the road is the worst in the AHL this season. ... Following Thursday's game, the Checkers will take off on their longest road trip of the season, beginning Saturday in Oklahoma City. ... The Griffins are 9-0-1-0 over their last 10 games and enter Charlotte well rested after a 3-2 overtime win over the Rockford Ice Hogs on Saturday.

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: Kyle Hagel

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

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 22: Iowa Wild at Charlotte Checkers

Puck Drop: Monday, 7 p.m.

TV/Radio info: AHL Live / Online

Records: Checkers 8-11-2-0, Wild 5-15-1-1

The Charlotte Checkers extended their season-long home point streak to six games with a 2-1 win over the Wild on Saturday night. Charlotte fell behind by a goal early in the second period, but two tallies by Brendan Woods proved to be the difference. The win evened the Checkers record at 5-5 in one-goal games.

After tonight, the Checkers will head to Norfolk on Wednesday to begin a three-game road trip.

Notes: The Carolina Hurricanes activated Chris Terry from his five-game rehab assignment on Sunday. Terry had a goal and as assist during his time in Charlotte. ... Brendan Woods (5-5-10) moved up to second on the team in points on Saturday and now has four goals in his last five games. ... Rookie Patrick Brown, who has not played since suffering an injury on Nov. 8, is expected to return to the ice tonight. ... Goaltender Drew MacIntyre is one win shy of 200 for his career. ... This is the fourth matchup between the Wild and Checkers this season, Charlotte leads the season series, 2-1. ... Tyler Graovac (7-10-17) leads Iowa in points and has registered 10 points in his last 10 games. 

Checkers lines: (projected)

Greg Nemisz-A.J. Jenks-Justin Shugg
Brock McGinn-Patrick Brown-Chad LaRose
Phil Di Giuseppe-Ben Holmstrom-Jared Staal
Kyle Hagel-Brendan Woods-Carter Sandlak

Rasmus Rissanen-Ryan Murphy
Trevor Carrick-Danny Biega
Dennis Robertson-Keegan Lowe

Drew MacIntyre
John Muse

Healthy scratches: Beau Schmitz, Kyle Jean, Andrew Rowe

Injured/out: Brody Sutter (undisclosed)

Game 21: Iowa Wild at Charlotte Checkers

Puck Drop: Saturday, 7 p.m.

TV/Radio info: AHL Live / Online

Records: Checkers 7-11-2-0, Wild 5-14-1-1

The Charlotte Checkers hope to rebound from one of their toughest losses of the season on Tuesday, when a 2-0 lead over the Norfolk Admirals with 2:09 to play in regulation turned into a 3-2 overtime loss. That said, the Checkers still enter the weekend with points in each of their past three games (2-0-1) and points in each of their past five home games (4-0-1) – both of which are season-long streaks.

Notes: Charlotte went 0-for-5 with a man advantage on Tuesday. After scoring power-play goals in four consecutive games from Nov. 14-21, the Checkers are just 1-for-17 (5.9 percent) in their past five outings. ... Brock McGinn and Justin Shugg have recorded points in each of their last three games. ... Injury report: Jared Staal, who has not played since Nov. 15 with an injury, has been upgraded to day-to-day and will likely play this weekend. Patrick Brown, who suffered an injury on Nov. 8, has returned to practice and is also day-to-day. Brody Sutter (out since Nov. 14) has yet to begin skating. ... The Checkers are also expecting their all-time leading scorer, Chris Terry (rehab assignment with Charlotte), to return to the NHL following Saturday’s game. ... Fans are encouraged to bring new or like-new stuffed animals wrapped in plastic to throw onto the ice following the Checkers’ first goal on Saturday. Checkers players and staff members will deliver the collected animals to Novant Health Hemby Children’s Hospital.

Checkers lines: (updated)

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

Rasmus Rissanen-Ryan Murphy
Trevor Carrick-Danny Biega
Dennis Robertson-Keegan Lowe

Drew MacIntyre
John Muse

Healthy scratches: Beau Schmitz, Kyle Jean, Andrew Rowe

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

Game 11: Texas Stars at Charlotte Checkers

Puck Drop: Monday, 6 p.m.

TV/Radio info: AHL Live / ESPN 730

Records: Checkers 3-7-0, Stars 6-2-2

The Charlotte Checkers will look to rebound from their worst defeat of the season this past Saturday, in which the Texas Stars chased goalie Drew MacIntyre 10 minutes into the first period on their way to an 8-2 win at Time Warner Cable Arena. Tonight is the first of three games for Charlotte this week. The Checkers will travel to San Antonio to play two games with the Rampage beginning on Friday.

Notes: The Carolina Hurricanes recalled defenseman Michal Jordan from the Charlotte Checkers Monday morning. Jordan, who totaled two assists in 10 games for the Checkers this season, will be available for Carolina’s game tonight against the Calgary Flames. ... The AHL, on Monday, announced a four-game suspension for rookie Carter Sandlak, leaving the Checkers short one forward for tonight's rematch with Texas. Charlotte filled that hole by signing left wing Kyle Jean to a professional tryout contract. ... Sandlak, 21, earned a match penalty during Saturday's game against Texas for throwing a punch at unsuspecting Stars forward Gemel Smith. ... Sandlak will be eligible to play next on November 20 at Oklahoma City. ... Jean, a 24-year-old Michigan native, comes to the team from the Greenville Road Warriors, where put up 10 points (6g, 4a) in nine games. ... Patrick Brown did not participate in today's morning skate and will miss tonight's game due to injury, per head coach Jeff Daniels. Brown went to the locker room at one point during Saturday's loss, but returned later in the period. ... The Checkers six points in the standings is their lowest total through 10 games in the team's five-year history. ... Stars C Travis Morin (5-12-17) enters Monday leading the Stars in goals, assists and points. ... Derek Hulak recorded a hat trick against the Checkers on Saturday. ... Monday is Teacher Appreciation Night. 

Checkers projected lines: 

Phil Di Giuseppe-Greg Nemisz-Alex Aleardi
Andrew Rowe- Brody Sutter-Chad LaRose
Brock McGinn-A.J. Jenks-Kyle Jean
Kyle Hagel-Brendan Woods-Jared Staal

Rasmus Rissanen-Danny Biega
Trevor Carrick-Ryan Murphy
Dennis Robertson-Keegan Lowe

Drew MacIntyre
John Muse

Healthy scratches: Dennis Robertson, Beau Schmitz, Carter Sandlak (suspended)

Injured/out: Justin Shugg (upper-body injury), Ben Holmstrom (shoulder), Patrick Brown (undisclosed)