Checkers III: The Age of Ulf

[A Star is Burns]

Checkers move into a playoff spot with another win against Iowa. Fleury with 1G 1A.

 

[NotOpie]

Probably nothing more than leaning on veterans in a very important game. Seems like a crutch most coaches are guilty of at some time or another (not that it's always wrong either). I feel confident in the NHL future of Fleury quite easily over every one of the guys you mentioned.

I like having Carrick back on the 1st line again. He's money when he's not hurt.

 

[NotOpie]

Checkers move into a playoff spot with another win against Iowa. Fleury with 1G 1A.

Plus, Connor Brickley with another goal. Dude's on fire.

 

[Anton Babchuk]

In tonight's game against the Iowa Wild, Connor Brickley, riding his hot scoring streak slots in on the 1st line. Trevor Carrick is playing on the top pair with Jake Chelios and Haydn Fleury moves down to the bottom pair. Wonder what can be read into that last move....?

i wouldn't read anything into how the lines/pairings are numbered online, even if they're coming from the team's official twitter account. they usually get the fourth line right but after that the lines and defensive pairings appear to be listed in random order. i didn't see the game but i'd be really shocked if robertson-mckeown actually played more than fleury-samuelsson.

 

[froze]

i wouldn't read anything into how the lines/pairings are numbered online, even if they're coming from the team's official twitter account. they usually get the fourth line right but after that the lines and defensive pairings appear to be listed in random order. i didn't see the game but i'd be really shocked if robertson-mckeown actually played more than fleury-samuelsson.

The D-pairs have been stable the past 10 games or so and they seem to be just rolling them through. All pairs seem to play in all situations (PP, PK, O/D-zone starts), just based on the rotation.

I don't think any pair is getting significantly more or less time than any other. Robertson-McKeown have started the last 6-7 games.

 

[CandyCanes]

Brickley has 4 game winning goals in 5 games, that's crazy.

 

[NotOpie]

And they said it cannot be done....Checkers now in the last playoff spot.

Box score from last night's game:

http://theahl.com/stats/game-summary/1016848

 

[the halleJOKEL]

Brickley has 4 game winning goals in 5 games, that's crazy.

call me crazy, but that sounds unsustainable

 

[NotOpie]

call me crazy, but that sounds unsustainable

Hey....it's me, saying hello!!!!

 

[the halleJOKEL]

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in response to the above hot take

 

[froze]

Brickley has 4 game winning goals in 5 games, that's crazy.

Two of those goals have broken ties in the last few minutes of the third period and one was in overtime. All after opponents have come back to tie the game.

So he is coming through in clutch situations.

 

[NotOpie]

Brickley has 4 game winning goals in 5 games, that's crazy.

I'd love to get a read from somebody who watches the Checkers more regularly. Wasn't Connor Brickley a bit of a touted prospect for FL? Was it that he couldn't crack the line up or does he just look like a career AHL guy? I'd honestly like get some insight.

 

[A Star is Burns]

I'd love to get a read from somebody who watches the Checkers more regularly. Wasn't Connor Brickley a bit of a touted prospect for FL? Was it that he couldn't crack the line up or does he just look like a career AHL guy? I'd honestly like get some insight.

I don't know much about his play this year, but I remember watching him when he came up for the Panthers and really liked how he played. Seemed to provide good energy. Not sure what happened from there. I think he's a free agent after the year, so who knows if he has much of a future here.

 

[DaveG]

I'd love to get a read from somebody who watches the Checkers more regularly. Wasn't Connor Brickley a bit of a touted prospect for FL? Was it that he couldn't crack the line up or does he just look like a career AHL guy? I'd honestly like get some insight.

Somewhat touted for the Panthers, but he was regarded as a grinder type with MAYBE a bit more upside then that. Haven't focused on him that much this year and have only seen a couple Checkers games.

 

[NotOpie]

Somewhat touted for the Panthers, but he was regarded as a grinder type with MAYBE a bit more upside then that. Haven't focused on him that much this year and have only seen a couple Checkers games.

The highlights of a few of the goals he's scored look more skilled and less grinder-y.

 

[Joe McGrath]

The highlights of a few of the goals he's scored look more skilled and less grinder-y.

I mean he was at best a grinder in college, so I'm going to say he's a grinder.

 

[NotOpie]

I mean he was at best a grinder in college, so I'm going to say he's a grinder.

Can't disagree. It is interesting, however, that his AHL numbers seemingly improved from his college numbers.

 

[Unsustainable]

Checkers 22 home game wins ties the franchise record for them.

 

[A Star is Burns]

Checkers 22 home game wins ties the franchise record for them.

They're also one of the bottom five teams on the road. Sounds familiar. They'll fit right in. Also, if they manage to get in, they'll have earned it. They appear to have the tougher road compared to the two other teams hanging around that last spot, both in terms of home/road split and strength of schedule. The good news is, maybe they're a better team than it looked most of the year, and they appear to finally have a competent goalie again after missing Leighton for most of the year.

 

[A Star is Burns]

Dalpe beats the Checkers in OT.

 

[StiffSquid]

So Saarela played his first in the AHL too. And got a goal it seems. Good start at least , too bad the Checkers lost

 

[A Star is Burns]

Checkers win. Should pull back into the last playoff spot. Saarela with a couple assists.

 

[CandyCanes]

Checkers win. Should pull back into the last playoff spot. Saarela with a couple assists.

Exciting to hear about the win and that Saarela is already producing in the AHL.

 

[A Star is Burns]

Exciting to hear about the win and that Saarela is already producing in the AHL.

Yep, regardless of any of the noise surrounding Saarela, he seems to be talented. May definitely prove to be a good find in that trade. Hopefully he was just in a bad situation this year and he'll be good going forward now that he's out of it.

 

[Lempo]

Yep, regardless of any of the noise surrounding Saarela, he seems to be talented. May definitely prove to be a good find in that trade. Hopefully he was just in a bad situation this year and he'll be good going forward now that he's out of it.

Noise? His missing the WJC by his own pro-Lukko choice amidst a season rifed with a groin injury and surgery, or the February benching because of "lacking in 'whole' game" (=two-way), the approach to which may be different in NA than in the domestic Liiga?