Charlotte Checkers Check-In (January 18)
Photo: gocheckers.com
Good morning Checker fans and happy Friday! I hope you’ve had a chance to make it to at least one of the home games this past week, and if not, you will have the chance this weekend. The Checkers have continued their winning ways, winning 3 out of 4 games since we checked in last Friday. They split last weekend’s series 1-1 against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and went 2-0 against the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. Since the Sound Tigers were in 2nd place in overall points in the AHL behind the Checkers, those two wins were big ones. Now, our Charlotte Checkers carry a 13-point AHL lead, with 63 on the season!
The Checkers started last weekend slow with a 5-1 loss against the Penguins. It was just one of those nights for the team, as goaltender Scott Darling gave up three quick goals in the first frame and was removed from the game. After falling behind early, which the Checkers have done a lot, they weren’t able to climb out of the hole. But the good news is they were able to bounce back the next day with a 5-3 victory over the Penguins. This time it was the good guys who jumped out to an early 3-0 lead and not look back. Nicolas Roy and Julien Gauthier both accumulated three points and goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic was brilliant once again registering his 18th victory of the season, which leads the league. The Checkers drew great crowds over the weekend, which led to great energy inside of Bojangles Coliseum for both games.
After two days of rest, the Checkers and the Sound Tigers squared off on home ice on Tuesday. Even though the Checkers had a nine-point lead over them, these two games were crucial because the lead could have been cut to only five points. So, the Checkers stepped up to the plate and won Tuesday night’s contest in a defensive game, 1-0. Nedeljkovic was back in net again for Charlotte, and boy was he brilliant. He turned away every shot, earning the shutout and his 19th victory. You’ve got to give credit to the defensemen as well for only allowing 20 shots on goal. Aleksi Saarela scored the only goal of the night for the Checkers. Not looking to settle for a series-split, the Checkers came out hungry again the next night. This time it was an offensive outburst that led to a 6-4 victory. They got out to another fast start, which will be key going down the stretch of the season and into the playoffs.
The Checkers have now won six out of their last seven games and are back at home again this weekend. Do yourself a favor if you haven’t made weekend plans yet, and stop by Bojangles Coliseum to watch Charlotte’s hottest sports team. The game atmosphere is so much fun, and the team deserves as many fans as possible in those seats. They will be taking on the Toronto Marlies again, Saturday at 6:00 p.m. and Sunday at 1:00 p.m. They are 1-1 against the Marlies this season, with their last matchup resulting in a 5-0 victory. This will also be your last chance to watch the Checkers at home until the beginning of February, so get your tickets now. Go Checkers!
To purchase tickets for Saturday, January 19 click here
To purchase tickets for Sunday, January 20 click here
Garett