Charlotte Checkers hit the road for a final push before the AHL’s Calder Cup Playoffs
The Charlotte Checkers wrapped up their final homestand of the season at Bojangles Coliseum this past weekend, and despite dropping their past five games, they still sit in fourth place in the American Hockey League’s Atlantic Division and in pretty good shape to make the playoff field.
The top six teams in the Atlantic Division will make the playoffs. Charlotte has just six more games in the regular season — all on the road, beginning Wednesday night.
“I thought the last two games were playoff-type games,” Checkers head coach Geordie Kinnear said. “They were emotional, and there was some animosity between the two teams. That is how the playoffs are going to be, and it is important that all players are able to raise their level in those types of games.”
Charlotte has an 18-9-2-1 record on the road this season, much better than the 17-14-3-2 record they have at home. If Charlotte’s trend of winning on the road continues, the Checkers could still pass Springfield for the third spot in the division.
“We like to take it one day at a time,” Kinnear said. “We want to be playing at a higher level towards the end (of the season). It doesn’t matter if it is on the road or at home; our mindset never changes.”
If the Checkers were to finish either third or fourth in the division, they would have home-ice advantage in the first round of the AHL’s Calder Cup Playoffs, a best-of-3 series.
Charlotte is currently fourth in the AHL in shots allowed per team, giving up 28.08. One thing that Kinnear emphasized this week was cleaning up the little things, especially on the defensive side.
In the Checkers’ recent homestand, Kinnear was not pleased with the number of goals his team allowed.
“We are giving up too many goals,” Kinnear said. “You have to be able to defend if you want to play at a high level. We really need to tighten that up.”
Tough Atlantic Division
Two of the teams in the Checkers’ division are among the toughest in the AHL. Both the Hershey Bears and the Providence Bruins have more than 40 wins and 90 or more points on the season. Both have already clinched their playoff spots. The Checkers have suffered two recent losses to the Bruins at home. They will face the Bears twice on the coming road trip.
“If you look at our division, there are some elite teams in our division,” Kinnear said. “We have to be playing at a high level to win hockey games. We have Providence and Hershey, who are two of the top teams, not only in the division but in the league. Springfield obviously went to the Calder Cup finals last year. We have to take care of what the Charlotte Checkers do, and that is play winning hockey.”
A key loss for the Checkers
Goaltender Mack Guzda was recently recalled by the Florida Panthers. Guzda is 14-8-3 this season with a 2.86 GAA and .857 save percentage.
Dalpe secures a two-year extension
Checkers’ team captain Zac Dalpe was recently offered a two-year, two-way contract with the Florida Panthers, Panthers General Manager Bill Zito announced recently. Dalpe has appeared in 41 games for the Checkers this season, ranking third on the team in goals.
“Zac is a natural leader, and his impact on our franchise is felt on and off the ice,” Zito said. “A high-character athlete and relentlessly competitive forward, we are grateful for his continued dedication to our organization.”
Dalpe, 33, has also totaled four points in his time skating for the Panthers. The high-energy forward has been around the NHL playing for various franchises and their affiliates since being drafted by the Carolina Hurricanes in the second round of the 2008 NHL draft.