Since we last checked in on the Charlotte Checkers, the team has completed a four-game homestand that saw them play the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and Utica Comes twice each.
Penguins 3, Checkers 2 (OT)
Charlotte opened the homestand with a tough loss in overtime when Filip Hallander scored for WBS with 20 seconds left in the extra session. All of the Checkers scoring came from Florida Panthers prospects with Grigori Denisenko notching his third of the season from Henry Bowlby to open the scoring, and Chase Priskie scored his first of the campaign 9:20 into the second period to give Charlotte a 2-1 lead that they’d lose late in the third. Logan Hutsko and Aleksi Heponiemi picked up the assists on the Priskie goal. Joey Daccord took the loss in net, finishing with 34 saves on 37 shots.
Checkers 4, Penguins 3
Christopher Gibson made 22 saves to backstop the Checkers to one-goal win on Wednesday. Aleksi Heponiemi, Riley Sheahan, Zac Dalpe and Max McCormick scored the goals. Heponiemi and Sheahan also collected assists as did Grigori Denisenko, Chase Priskie, Serron Noel and Kole Lind. Seattle’s Cale Fleury had two helpers for the Checkers.
Comets 1, Checkers 0
On Saturday, Charlotte was blanked by Utica keeper Akira Schmid, who finished with 26 stops. Joey Daccord was the tough-luck loser. He stopped 16 of 17 shots, surrendering the game’s only goal, on a power play to Fabian Zetterlund at he 7:26 mark of the middle frame. Charlotte went 0 for 6 with the man-advantage.
Comets 5, Checkers 2
The Checkers wrapped up the homestand with a 3-goal loss yesterday. Cole Schwindt and Alexander True scored the goals for the Checkers. Carsen Twarynski, Max Gildon, Zac Dalpe and Connor Carrick had the assists. The Comets snapped a 2-2 second period tie with the game’s last three goals. Christopher Gibson allowed all five goals on 29 shots.
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The Checkers are now 8-9-2 and find themselves in sixth place in the AHL’s Atlantic Division.
Alexander True leads the team in goals (7 – tied with Cole Schwindt), assists (8) and points (15). Aleksi Heponiemi and Logan Hutsko are tied for second in scoring behind True with 11 points. Each of those players has put up four goals and seven assists.
Charlotte has three games on the road this weekend. Friday against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, Saturday versus the Penguins, and Sunday against the Bridgeport Islanders.