GDT: lavcha

[Navin R Slavin]

Laval Rocket at Charlotte Checkers, face-off 6pm Eastern.

Charlotte sits 1st in the Atlantic (and the entire AHL) at 14-4-1-0 for 29 points and a .763 points percentage.

Laval is 8th in the North Division at 7-10-1-1 for 16 points and a .421 points percentage.

With the recall of Trevor Carrick to Raleigh, the Checkers lose their top scoring defenseman at 0.89 pts/game, and the guy who set up two of the goals in their last game against Belleville. Hopefully D Josiah Didier is back from injury to fill the hole in the roster.

Necas was moved from center to wing for the game against Belleville, and he responded with two goals, including the breakaway game winner in OT. Let's see if Coach Vellucci keeps him there tonight.

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[bleedgreen]

I've been thinking for awhile he belongs on wing at least for now - it'll be interesting to see how that goes.

 

[Blueline Bomber]

 

[CandyCanes]

I’m such a fan of Velluci

 

[Joe McGrath]

Vellucci is such a great developmental coach/player evaluator it’s probably what costs him an NHL head coaching job.

 

[HisIceness]

Go Checkers go

 

[Unsustainable]

Vellucci is such a great developmental coach/player evaluator it’s probably what costs him an NHL head coaching job.

If he can turn around the graveyard, we pay that man to stay there.

 

[Unsustainable]

Also, Charlotte is a pretty good place to be for an AHL team, the amenities of the city, things to do. Can’t be many better.

 

[DaveG]

Also, Charlotte is a pretty good place to be for an AHL team, the amenities of the city, things to do. Can’t be many better.

Yeah as far as non-NHL cities go for AHL teams the best in the league have to be Charlotte, Austin, San Diego, and San Antonio. Like another tier up from everyone else in that regard.

 

[VaCaps Fan]

Richmond VA would with a new arena...

 

[emptyNedder]

Game starts at 6. Since I have AHL TV I will watch first period and then check it during Canes intermission.

While the season has been great, I was really bummed to hear Smallman is out for the season for the second year in a row. I think he has the opportunity to be similar to Martinook if he ever makes it to the NHL. Hope this doesn't derail his career.

 

[Bub]

Richmond VA would with a new arena...

Yeah, but is there anyone at all who'd put money into doing that? The Coliseum has been...not good...ever since I went to Renegades games there back in the early 90s.

 

[VaCaps Fan]

The city has been talking about it recently but I don’t see a new arena coming. Richmond Renegades were the shit though in the classic ECHL era. (Checkers 1997 though)

 

[Navin R Slavin]

So it's Josh Wesley playing for Carrick.They called him up from Florida, where he'd played all 16 games for the Everblades to this point at a respectable 5 points / +5 .

Canadian anthem was some horn player. Nice! Kind of a Chuck Mangione thing.

 

[Navin R Slavin]

Dominating early, but Nic Roy takes a hooking penalty at 17:37.

 

[Navin R Slavin]

Zykov scores! 1-0 with a rebound from the slot, soon after the penalty expires. Laval looks thoroughly overmatched so far. Assists from McKegg and Wesley.

 

[Navin R Slavin]

Necas playing right wing again tonight.

 

[Navin R Slavin]

A surprising amount of energy from the Saarela Brown Pu line.

 

[Navin R Slavin]

Wesley just buried some dude. Nice hit.

 

[Navin R Slavin]

Patrick Brown scores on a one-timer! 2-0 Charlotte. Assisted by Saarela and Renouf.

 

[WreckingCrew]

Great start to the period, but our PP was so awful it killed our momentum and they scored right after to make it 2-1 going into intermission. Definitely playing a bit on our heels since that goal. PK solid so far. Letting too many guys stand in front of Ned though (Lavals goal had 2 players screening Ned). Also, Laval is getting away with lots of charges and late hits away from play it seems, they're very physical.

 

[jaalru]

There is something to the Brown Pu pairing that just cracks me up every time

 

[Navin R Slavin]

Missed the Laval goal because I was having dinner, heh.

 

[Navin R Slavin]

Welp. Bad turnover, short side softy by Ned, tied at 2, 16:06 left in the 2nd.

 

[Navin R Slavin]

LOL, Josh Wesley just took out two dudes with two point shots.

Shaya: "Josh Wesley is having an interesting first game back in the AHL -- an assist and two scalps."