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Farm Report: When treading water is a win

The Checkers are 3-3 in their last six, but they’ve managed to stay in the race despite playing six different goalies.

By Justin Lape
Charlotte Checkers

Checkers Recap

The Checkers stayed afloat despite the massive change in personnel with a 2-1-0 week. Charlotte sits five points outside of 3rd place in the Atlantic Division despite being the top-scoring team within the division. However, Charlotte’s 5-4-1 record over their last ten games has kept them treading water and not swimming towards a playoff spot.

On Friday, Charlotte suffered a 5-3 loss to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Jake Bean put the Checkers up 1-0 less than four minutes into the game but the Phantoms came back in full force with three straight goals. Mark Cooper scored his first goal as a Checker to pull Charlotte back within one, but the Phantoms offense kept up the push and pulled away for the win.

Charlotte rattled off a pair of wins on Saturday and Sunday, outscoring their opponents 10-5 in the process. Callum Booth returned to the net in Charlotte in Alex Nedeljkovic and Anton Forsberg’s absences and put up a strong effort in a 4-2 win over Lehigh Valley, stopping 21 of 23 shots. After Montreal loaned goaltender Keith Kinkaid to the Checkers, the veteran net-minder stopped 28 shots in a 6-3 win over the Hershey Bears on Sunday.

More roster moves came for Charlotte this week. Mike Condon, who was previously loaned to the Checkers, was recalled by Tampa. Charlotte also acquired Ryan Bourque from Bridgeport in exchange for Terry Broadhurst and Cedric Lacroix at the AHL trade deadline on Monday.

Swamp Rabbits Recap

Greenville had split results this week as they went 2-2 in four games after experiencing roster changes as a result of the trade deadline moves the Hurricanes made. Adam Rockwood had a strong week with four points in four games. Also, earlier today the Rabbits acquired 23-year-old defenseman Joe Masonius from the Norfolk Admirals in exchange for defenseman John Furgele, who was himself acquired just twelve games ago. Masonius was a sixth-round draft choice of the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016.

Greenville sits third in the ECHL’s South Division but is miles behind the South Carolina Stingrays and Florida Everblades, who have both already clinched playoff spots. They are now done with out-of-division play, and will begin a three game road swing through Florida tomorrow in Orlando.