Checkers Take Down Iowa 6-2 in Home Opener

The Checkers put on a show for the fans in their home opener, walloping the Wild by a 6-2 score.

A big first period set the tone for Charlotte. Kai Schwindt kicked things off by knocking in his first AHL goal early in the frame, then Gracyn Sawchyn followed up with his first as a pro - a seeing-eye snipe from a low angle. The Wild would quickly respond with a strike of their own to narrow the lead, but tallies from Wilmer Skoog to close the first and Ryan McAllister to open the second pushed the home side comfortably back ahead.

The Wild would punch back once more with a power-play goal midway through the middle frame, but it wasn’t enough to knock the Checkers off course. Jack Devine countered with a marker of his own less than three minutes later, then a highlight reel goal from Ben Steeves in the third would seal the lopsided final.

QUOTES

Coach Geordie Kinnear on Kai Schwindt’s goal
He’s waited a long time for that. He’s put in a lot of good work and he’s been part of our taxi squad here last year. Real proud of the kid. Behind the scenes he puts so much work in and has such a love for the game. Super proud of the kid.

Kinnear on the penalty kill
We got lots of practice on it for sure tonight. Every special teams unit has to improve throughout the year because it’s going to big part in the very end. The PK took a step, but looking to be better in all aspects of the game to be honest.

Kinnear on what he liked from tonight’s game
It's great for me at the start of the year, because you see at the end of the year last year and see what we have to get through to the building blocks and the teaching moments. We have a lot of new players and we have a lot of young players. Sawchyn comes in from junior, St. Martin, Lundmark. All these kids have come in, and as coach you’ve got to be a really good teacher. That way they’ll start to learn the systems and how we want to play. The thing I liked tonight was that the leaders led in the third period and put the game away, because that’s not always easy to do.

Kinnear on Cooper Black
As much as I talked about the leaders leading in the third period, what I really liked is that Cooper looked solid in there. Some of those shots may look easy, but I thought he did a good job, especially early because we were kind of on our heels for a bit.

Kai Schwindt on his game
I was pretty fired up to get in my first game of the season, and at home too so that was pretty cool. I wasn’t really trying to do much and was trying to get my legs under me early, but it worked out and I’m really happy about it.

Schwindt on things he’s working on
I think for me it’s just being consistent. I’m not looking to put up points or two points every game, but for me it’s just being a good defensive player and a good 200-foot player and just being consistent. That’s all I’m trying to do.

Schwindt on adjusting to the AHL
It's another step this year, but I’m ready to take it. The penalty kill is a big part of my game. I still have tons to work on, but it’s been good.

NOTES

Dating back to last season, the Checkers have won five straight games against Iowa. Cooper Black has five of those wins ... Steeves has a goal in each game this season, marking the longest streak of his career ... Sawchyn’s goal was his first as a pro … Schwindt recorded his first AHL goal and assist in his third AHL game … The Checkers have scored a power-play goal in every game this season and are 4-for-9 on the man advantage … This is the most goals the Checkers have scored this season … Checkers have scored at least four goals in two of the last three games … Black’s 29 saves are a season high … Black is the first player to start each of the Checkers’ first three games in a season since Alex Nedeljkovic in 2018-19 … Mikulas Hovorka recorded three assists for his first multi-point game as a North American pro … Liam McLinskey, Eamon Powell, Colton Huard, Anton Lundmark, Hunter St. Martin, Brett Leason, Jake Livingstone, Brett Chorske and Riese Gaber were the scratches for Charlotte.