Next for Charlotte Checkers: AHL’s winningest (and most-penalized) team
The Charlotte Checkers’ next stop on a playoff journey to a possible Calder Cup puts them up against the American Hockey League’s winningest team this season.
And its most-penalized team.
The Checkers, coming off a 3-0 sweep of Rochester in the AHL’s second round, open the best-of-seven Eastern Conference finals Wednesday in Quebec against Laval.
The Charlotte-Laval winner will advance to the AHL’s Calder Cup finals, against the Western Conference winner — either Texas or Abbotsford (British Columbia).
It’s the first time the Checkers have gone this far in postseason since 2019, when they won the Calder Cup. And Charlotte coach Geordie Kinnear couldn’t hide his enthusiasm Monday when talking to the media.
“This is the best time of the year,” Kinnear said. “It’s ultra-competitive. Every game, every series is different. Sign me up for this every day.”
He said Laval is loaded.
“Obviously, they were the best team in the league all year,” he said. “Look at the roster. It’s a veteran group, with a lot of high-end talent. We’re excited for the challenge.”
The Rocket also had far more penalty minutes than Charlotte during the season.
Here’s what you need to know about the AHL’s Eastern Conference finals
By the numbers
Laval, a farm team of the Montreal Canadiens, won 48 of its 72 games this season and finished first in the AHL North. Charlotte, top minor league affiliate of the Florida Panthers, won 44 games and finished second in the AHL Atlantic.
Charlotte scored more goals than Laval (234-229), but the Rocket allowed fewer (178 to 185). Either way, the numbers are close.
Top players
Charlotte’s John Leonard was third in the AHL in goals (36), and goalkeeper Ken Appleby had the league’s best goals-allowed average (1.96). But Kaapo Kahkonen has been in goal for the Checkers during the playoffs and has been outstanding, with a 1.86 goals-allowed average.
Laval’s leading regular-season scorer was Alex Barre-Boulet, who was sixth in the league overall with 63 points. Goalkeeper Cayden Primeau was second to Appleby in AHL goals-allowed average by a fraction of a point.
Behavior issues
Laval led the AHL in penalty minutes, with 1,101. That compares to the Checkers’ regular-season total of 846. Laval center Florian Xhekaj led the league with 175 minutes. Winger Garrett Wilson (134 minutes) was 10th.
That means a potential for Charlotte to be on the power play fairly often.
“With Laval being the most-penalized team in the league, our power play will be important,” Kinnear said. “It’s something we have been working on.”
The Checkers were among the AHL’s best teams on the power play during the regular season, scoring a fifth-best 21.2 percent of the time.
Unfamiliar foes
Even though both teams are in the AHL East, they don’t play one another often. Their last meeting was in Charlotte’s 2018-19 championship season, with the Checkers winning three of four games. The teams have never met in the playoffs.
The series schedule:
Game 1: 7 p.m. Wednesday at Laval
Game 2: 7 p.m. Thursday at Laval
Game 3: 4 p.m. Sunday at Charlotte
Game 4: 7 p.m. Tuesday at Charlotte
Game 5: 7 p.m. June 5 at Charlotte
Game 6: 3 p.m. June 7 at Laval
Game 7: 3 p.m. June 8 at Laval