Checkers Check-Up: Week of February 21, 2025
The Charlotte Checkers got back in the win column last week and now look ahead to a two-game set against the Hershey Bears.
Photo Courtesy of the Charlotte Checkers / flickr
Last Saturday, the Charlotte Checkers returned to a packed Bojangles Coliseum of over 8600 — their largest crowd since moving back to the building 10 years ago. More importantly, for the first time in over two weeks, Charlotte earned a 4-0 victory over the Hartford Wolf Pack.
Goaltending, defense and timely scoring stifled the Hartford offense from puck drop, increasing from the 2nd period on.
With great defense in front of him, Charlotte netminder Ken Appleby was solid in net, making 18 saves to earn his league-leading fifth shutout.
After a scoreless first period, Wilmer Skoog entered the zone and zipped a wicked wrister past Hartford goalie Louis Domingue to open the scoring 10:31 into the second period, also giving Jesse Puljujarvi his first point as a checker, getting the secondary assist on the goal.
A few minutes later at 13:50, Justin Sourdif found the back of the net. After taking a high hit, he took a cross-ice pass from Mike Benning and buried a shot off the post and in to give the Checkers a 2-0 lead going into the locker room for the second intermission.
Justin was only getting started as he found the back of the net again 14:40 into the third to extend Charlotte’s lead with an amazing play, first delivering a check which led to a Checkers rush, then in the offensive zone toe dragged and put the puck past Domingue to make it 3-0.
Rasmus Asplund added a late-game empty-net goal and that sealed Charlotte's first victory at home since January 31st and only their 3rd victory at home since January 10th.
NOTES AND QUOTES
QUOTES
Coach Geordie Kinnear' thoughts on the effort last Saturday for Charlotte:
"In the first period I thought both teams were kind of feeling it out a little bit and there wasn’t really a lot going on. Emotions got a little higher in the second and third periods, so a good hockey game and we were on the right side of it. A good effort, and I thought that overall, our guys haven’t played a lot of hockey in the last little while so it was good to get some game action and get in sync a little bit. I thought we built it, but we still have a lot of work to do."
Kinnear on Jesse Puljujarvi's first game with the Checkers:
"I liked, especially at the end, he had some physicality to him and made some plays in the second period. A feeling-out process isn’t the right word, but just getting in sync and finding some chemistry. I thought he and (Asplund) built it as the game wore on. It’ll be a work in progress, but the first impression is a great one."
Kinnear on the physicality of the game:
"That’s hockey. I say it all time, I say it to our group and I say it to you guys, but it’s what makes our game so great. The physical, one-on-one battles separate our sport from any other sport. Embrace it and enjoy it, because it’s the best part of the game."
Justin Sourdif on getting injured just prior to his first goal:
"It kind of happened pretty quick. I scored the goal right after but my nose was hurting a lot skating back to the bench. I didn’t do the fly-by and kind of went right to the room to get some stitches. I just came back out and the guys still had momentum and they were playing great. It was just easy to come right back and keep playing the same way.
More Sourdif comments on the physical battles with Hartford:
"Hartford is a really good team. They have a lot of physicality and they’re a big team and we have a lot of respect for them, but we try to push back. It was a sour taste in our mouth last year in playoffs when we thought we should have been the team to move on, and it’s going to be a battle right to the end. I have a lot of confidence in our group this year."
Sourdif on Ken Appleby:
"Apple was unbelievable tonight. They had a couple of power plays and he was very steady. His calming presence in net just helped our team in the d-zone. We were really confident and able to transition quickly. He played amazing tonight."
NOTES VIA CHARLOTTECHECKERS.COM
-Justin Sourdif recorded his second multi-goal game of the season. The other happened just four games prior on Jan. 28. He has at least one point in 13 of his last 16 games, including a three-game streak (3g, 1a).
-Appleby’s five shutouts are tied for the second most in a single season in franchise history, trailing the record of six held by Justin Peters. He currently leads the AHL in that category.
-Skoog’s goal was his first since Dec. 21.
-Jesse Puljujarvi made his Checkers debut and recorded an assist on Skoog’s goal.
-The Checkers improved to 2-2-2 against Hartford this season.
SUNDAY'S LATE GAME COMEBACK
Down 3-2 late in the third period to Hartford, Charlotte was running out of time to tie the game, even while outshooting their opponent 15-2 in the final frame. The Checkers were awarded a power play with less than two minutes left and made sure to take advantage, as John Leonard scored of off Justin Sourdif's rebound and despite bodies flying everywhere, the Checkers managed to tie the hockey game with just 30 seconds remaining.
Halfway through overtime, Kyle Criscuolo took advantage of a Wolfpack turnover. After taking a pass from C.J. Smith, Criscuolo buried the game winner and gave Charlotte an important two points and a weekend sweep.
It was an action-packed beginning and end to Sunday's game. In the first period, Hartford put two quick goals behind Cooper Black just six minutes into the game. Charlotte forward Mike Benning took matters into his own hands, scoring two goals to tie the game heading into the first intermission. The score remained tied until the 3rd period.
NOTES AND QUOTES
QUOTES:
Coach Geordie Kinnear's thoughts on the game:
"A slow start. I give Hartford credit because they came out with a purpose. I’d like to say we were surprised but we shouldn’t be surprised. We understood what they were going to do. A great job by the group though to get it back to 2-2 and then find our game. I thought in the second period we got going pretty well and continued to play to our identity. They made a great play on their goal and scored a big goal to go up 3-2, but we stuck with it, continued to play to our identity and got rewarded for it in the end."
Kinnear on the timeout before the game tying goal:
"Guys had emptied the tank pretty good so I wanted to make sure we had our personnel set and give the guys a little rest, because when you’re rested you can execute at a higher level. What I liked was where the goal was scored. It was on some loose change in front of the net and inner slot jams, and Leonard got I believe his 20th."
Kinnear on keeping the group upbeat after going down 3-2:
"That’s up to the coaches too to tell them that they’re doing the right thing and to stick with it. I thought we had a little stretch where we were waiting for it to happen, but we want to make sure we’re a group that makes it happen. Good by the group to make it happen in the end."
Criscuolo on his game winner:
"Their guy kind of mishandled the puck a little bit, I went after, got the turnover and felt (C.J. Smith) was coming behind me so I just left it for him. We’ve played together in the past so I know he’s always looking to be deceptive and make an extra play, so I jumped to the net and he found me on the back door."
Criscuolo on the tying goal:
"We were playing well, but we just couldn’t find that extra push there to get one in the net. Their goalie played well, I don’t know if we got in his eyes enough, but put over 40 shots on net so we were obviously controlling the puck quite a bit. We got a power play at the end, and similar to overtime the guys on the power play are there to break the game open and make big plays. (Leonard) was able to do that all night and has done that all year."
NOTES FROM CHARLOTTECHECKERS.COM
-From the second period on, the Checkers out-shot Hartford 40-8
-This was Benning’s first career multi-goal game
-Leonard is one of 11 AHL players with at least 20 goals. His previous career high was 17
-Jesse Puljujarvi posted one assist in each of his first two games as a Checker.
-Charlotte is 4-3 in games decided during 3-on-3 overtime this season.
-The Checkers improved to 3-2-2 against Hartford this season.
-Checkers scratches for the weekend included forwards Riley Bezeau, Zac Dalpe, MacKenzie Entwistle, Riese Gaber, Ryan McAllister, Aidan McDonough and Nicholas Zabaneh; defensemen Marek Alscher and Mitch Vande Sompel; and goaltender Chris Driedger.
Affiliated Florida Panthers prospect notes and stats:
Rasmus Asplund is 3rd on the team in goals and is also tied for second in the AHL in shorthanded points (5)
Asplund and Patrick Giles are tied for third in the AHL in shorthanded goals (3)
Matt Kiersted ranks sixth in the AHL in plus-minus (+20)
Jaycob Megna ranks eighth in the AHL in plus-minus (+18)
Giles is tied for third in the AHL in shorthanded goals (3)
Mike Benning is 2nd on the team in assists(18)
Justin Sourdif has 3 games winning goals
Wilmer Skoog is 2nd on the team with 106 SOG
The top 3 Checkers in penalty minutes are Oliver Okuliar (77), Sourdif (50), Wilmer Skoog (49)
Riley Hughes was assigned to Savannah (ECHL) on Feb 10th.
Next up:
The Checkers wrap up the February home slate with two games this weekend.
"What if" night is Saturday at 4 pm vs the Atlantic division leader Hershey Bears.
Charlotte will wear River Rats sweaters giving folks a look at what their uniforms could have been if they had not changed their name after the franchise was relocated to the Queen City from Albany, NY.
Stick it to Cancer Day is Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. vs. the Hershey Bears.