Weekly Report: March 30

It was a week of tight battles on the road for the Checkers, who bounced back from a tough start to sweep the Wolf Pack and bank key points in the playoff race.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Islanders 3, Checkers 2

A rough middle frame was the difference in the first matchup of this road trip for Charlotte, as the Islanders broke open the 0-0 deadlock with three straight tallies in the second period. The Checkers would push back in the third as Tobias Bjornfot and Robert Mastrosimone each lit the lamp 75 seconds apart to narrow the deficit to one goal, but that was as far as the rally got. Despite outshooting Bridgeport 12-4 in the period the Checkers were unable to put the equalizer past netminder Henrik Tikkanen and ultimately fell just short as the final horn sounded.

Checkers 2, Wolf Pack 1 (OT)

The Checkers locked into quite the duel with Hartford three nights later. Brian Pinho got his side on the board with a shorthanded tally just over eight minutes into play, Bryce McConnell-Barker evened the score with a power-play goal less than three minutes later and then the two sides locked into a stalemate. The next tally wouldn’t come until there were eight seconds left in overtime, when Pinho fired a shot from the high slot that found the back of the net and secured two huge standings points for Charlotte.

Checkers 2, Wolf Pack 1 (OT)

The following day’s rematch followed a similar script. Charlotte’s opening strike didn’t come until three minutes into the second, but the Wolf Pack answered four minutes later and the two sides locked up once again. Overtime wasn’t enough in this instance, and the contest proceeded to a shootout. Louis Domingue stood tall on Hartford’s first two attempts, while Pinho launched a shot past the Hartford goalie to put the visitors ahead. With the game on the line in the bottom of the third round, Brendan Brisson lost a handle on the puck before he could take a shot, and the Checkers skated away with another two points.

QUICK HITS

PLAYOFF PICTURE

The Checkers are officially bound for the postseason, having clinched their spot in the 2026 Calder Cup Playoffs Wednesday night. Even with their ticket punched, though, there is plenty left at stake for Charlotte in terms of seeding.

As it stands there are only two spots in which the Checkers can finish - third place (where they currently are) or second place. Should they end the regular season in third, they would host the sixth seed for the entirety of a best-of-three first round. Should they overtake Wilkes-Barre/Scranton for second place, they would earn a first-round bye.

The Checkers trail the Penguins by seven points with seven games left on the schedule for both squads. Charlotte visits Rochester on Wednesday and then closes the week with two games in Toronto on Friday and Saturday, while Wilkes-Barre/Scranton has a home-and-home set with Lehigh Valley on Friday and Saturday. After that the Checkers have four home games remaining (two against Hershey and two against Lehigh Valley) while the Penguins visit Bridgeport before ending with four home games themselves (Cleveland, Hershey, Bridgeport and Rochester).

SHOOTOUT SUCCESS

Sunday’s win over Hartford moved the Checkers to a perfect 3-0 in shootouts this season.

The Checkers - who are tied for the second-fewest shootout games thus far - are one of four undefeated teams in those scenarios, and they stand with the Bruins as the only two teams in the AHL that have not surrendered a shootout goal. Charlotte’s netminders have spread the wealth with their shootout success too, as each of Cooper Black, Kirill Gerasimyuk and Louis Domingue have contributed a win.

PINHO'S HOT HAND

Brian Pinho has been on an offensive tear recently. His last five games have seen him post six total goals - two of those were shorthanded, one was a game winner and one more was an overtime winner. On top of that, his shootout conversion on Sunday lifted the Checkers to a win.

Since March 21, no one in the AHL has scored more goals than Pinho.

HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK

Brian Pinho comes up clutch with eight seconds left in OT!

PINHO
CALLS
GAME pic.twitter.com/V3ehoqdEDV

— Charlotte Checkers (@CheckersHockey) March 29, 2026

Transactions

Incoming

• 3/30 - Kirill Gerasimyuk - Recalled from Savannah (ECHL)
• 3/29 - Jack Studnicka - Assigned by Florida (NHL)

Outgoing

• 3/24 - Noah Gregor - Recalled by Florida (NHL)

RANKINGS

• Kirill Gerasimyuk leads all AHL rookies in shutouts (4)
• Cooper Black leads all AHL rookies in wins (24)
• Cooper Black leads all AHL rookies in minutes played (2326:43)
• Brett Chorske is tied for the league lead among rookies in shorthanded goals (2)
• Mikulas Hovorka is tied for second among AHL defensemen in shorthanded goals (1)
• Cooper Black ranks third in the AHL in wins (24)
• Kirill Geraimyuk is tied for third in the AHL in shutouts (4)
• Jack Devine is tied for fourth among AHL rookies in shorthanded goals (1)
• Cooper Black ranks fifth in the AHL in minutes played (2326:43)
• Brett Chorske is tied for fifth among AHL rookies in shorthanded points (2)
• Jack Studnicka is tied for sixth in the AHL in shorthanded goals (3)
• Brett Chorske is tied for sixth among AHL rookies in game-winning goals (4)
• Jack Devine is tied for sixth among AHL rookies in goals (17)
• Jack Devine ranks ninth among AHL rookies in shots on goal (124)
• Jack Devine is tied for 10th among AHL rookies in points (37)

By the Numbers

CATEGORY	RECORD	AHL RANK
Power play	13.9%	29th
Penalty kill	84.6%	5th
Goals per game	3.29	9th
Shots per game	29.89	t-6th
Goals allowed per game	2.69	7th
Shots allowed per game	25.46	2nd
Penalty minutes per game	11.77	25th

LEADERS

CATEGORY	LEADER(S)
Points	Ben Steeves (40), Jack Devine (37), Wilmer Skoog (34)
Goals	Ben Steeves (19), Wilmer Skoog (18), Jack Devine (17)
Assists	Mike Benning (23), Ben Steeves (21), Jack Devine (20)
Power play goals	Ben Steeves (7), Jack Devine (4), Robert Mastrosimone (3)
Shorthanded goals	Jack Studnicka (3), Brett Chorkse, Brian Pinho (2)
Game-winning goals	Nolan Foote, Ben Steeves, Brett Chorske (4)
Shots on goal	Ben Steeves (151), Nolan Foote (142), Brian Pinho (133)
Penalty minutes	Ben Steeves (94), Trevor Carrick (51), Jack Devine (45)
Plus/minus	Mikulas Hovorka (+21), Marek Alscher (+18), Jack Devine, Sandis Vilmanis (+13)
Wins	Cooper Black (24)
Goals-against average	Cooper Black (2.53)
Save percentage	Cooper Black(.903)