![]() Charlotte allowed the third-lowest shots on goal total during the regular season and was 26-16-2-1 when outshooting its opponent. That number fluctuated throughout the season - over the last 13 games they surrendered 10 total goals across the six wins and 34 over the seven losses - but where the Checkers have consistently shined is in their shot suppression. The Checkers ranked slightly lower on the defensive side of the puck, coming in at 14th in terms of goals against per game. Philadelphia first-rounder Tyson Foerster led the way for the Phantoms, though, with 48 points (20g, 28a) through 66 contests. Elliot Desnoyers led the club in goals as a rookie, while the forward pair of Olle Lycksell and Cooper Marody each nearly reached a point-per-game average. They finished the season as one of only two teams in the AHL without a 50-point scorer, but they still house plenty of offensive talent. ![]() The Lehigh Valley offense clocked in a tier below Charlotte, tying for 17th in goals per game. The Charlotte offense also possessed a penchant for coming through in the clutch, as no team in the AHL scored more third-period goals this season than the Checkers. In fact, Charlotte was one of just seven teams across the league to boast at least four 20-goal scorers on the roster. They saw plenty of production from the higher end of their lineup - Riley Nash turned in another near point-per-game campaign and Lucas Carlsson was one of the league’s most prolific point producers from the blue line - but they also benefited from strong depth. The Checkers finished the year with the ninth-ranked offense in the AHL, averaging 3.26 goals per game and posting the second-most tallies in the Atlantic Division. The script flipped for the second half of the series, though, as the Checkers earned three wins over the final four matchups - two of which came in mid-February and two of which came during the season-ending road trip. The first four meetings came across the span of just eight days in early December, with the Phantoms taking three of the four games. The Checkers and Phantoms squared off eight times across the regular season and split the series straight down the middle. Since that time, they are 2-3-1 at Bojangles Coliseum … Checkers scratches included forwards Ethan Keppen, defensemen Dennis Cesana, Johnny Ludvig, Calle Sjalin and Zach Uens, and goaltender J-F Berube.The 2023 Calder Cup Playoffs are finally here! The Checkers are facing the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in the best-of-three Atlantic Division First Round, so let’s breakdown the matchup across an array of areas. Kinnear did not have an update on his condition immediately following the game … Nash’s goal was his 300th professional point and the Checkers’ second shorthanded goal this season … Chris Tierney assisted on both Checkers goals … The Checkers had a 20-game point streak at home from Feb. Respect it.Ĭonnor Bunnaman left the game due to injury in the third period and did not return. We’re still looking for our identity and there’s still many levels of our game we have to get to. Kinnear on making adjustments for tomorrow’s rematch We have to learn to play in those one-goal games in the third period and find ways to score big goals. That still has to continue obviously but there’s a lot to like, especially in the first two periods. We had our chances and we’ve talked about getting better execution. Kinnear on not converting enough scoring chancesĬompete to score. I thought we stopped skating a little bit, especially in a 2-2 hockey game you’ve got to make sure you play the right way to win the hockey game and we didn’t. SCORE SHEET PHOTO GALLERY Coach Geordie Kinnear on the game The Checkers mounted one last push across the waning minutes of play, but they couldn’t find another equalizer and the clock ran out on their comeback attempt. It was the Phantoms who notched the next strike in the back-and-forth affair though, as Jordy Bellerive threw a puck on net from a low angle that snuck across the line. Just past the halfway point of the third Adam Brooks pushed the Phantoms back ahead with a power-play conversion, but Logan Hutsko responded one minute later with a quick one-timer to pull things even once more. Riley Nash eventually erased Lehigh Valley’s early lead with a shorthanded tally, and the two sides came to a stalemate for an extended stretch from there. The Checkers found themselves locked in a tight battle with Lehigh Valley on Friday, but things didn’t fall their way in the end as a late tally lifted the Phantoms to a 3-2 win.Ĭharlotte fired a ton of rubber at the Lehigh Valley netminder - including outshooting its opponent 23-8 through the first two periods of play - but struggled to find the back of the net.
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