CanucksArmy Utica Comets Pre-Game: Game #4, Charlotte Checkers at Utica Comets

Game #4

Charlotte Checkers at Utica Comets

Friday, October 18th, 2019

7:00 pm Eastern/4:00 pm Pacific

The Utica Comets will be looking to make it four straight wins to start their season today when they welcome the Calder Cup Champion Charlotte Checkers, (Carolina affiliate) to town for game number four of their young season. The Comets are 3-0 on the season so far, while the Checkers have gone 2-2-0-0 in their first four contests.

The Checkers’ power play is right near the top of the league, having scored 5 times on 17 opportunities, while they have given up just one power play goal while down a man 21 times. The Comets, for their part, have scored one power play goal on 15 opportunities, and have given up two power play goals while being shorthanded 13 times.

Morgan Geekie leads all Charlotte scorers with three goals and two helpers to give himself five points in four games. Brian Gibbons sits second with one goal and three assists, giving him four points, while Roland McKeown rounds out their top three with four assists.

Chase Priskie leads the Checkers’ rookie pack with three assists, while defender Brogan Rafferty leads the Comets rookies with his two assists.

Reid Boucher is the offensive kingpin in Utica with five goals and one assist through his first three games, while Nikolay Goldobin sits second with four assists in two contests. Kole Lind rounds out the top three with his four helpers in three games.

The Comets are coming off of a convincing 6-2 victory over their division rival Syracuse Crunch, while the Checkers last played to a 4-1 win over Bridgeport.

The Comets announced this morning that Zane McIntyre has been reassigned to the team by the parent Canucks after spending two games backing up Thatcher Demko.

Jonah Gadjovich left Wednesday’s game with an upper-body strain and did not return. He is doubtful for today’s game. Tyler Graovac is still nursing a lower-body injury and won’t be available today. Carter Bancks missed the team’s last game with an upper-body injury and is questionable for today’s action.

Last year, these two clubs squared off in four games with Charlotte owning the winning record, but the games were closer than you’d think. The Checkers won the first game by a 4-3 score, the second by a count of 3-1, and the third by a 2-1 score in overtime. The Comets took the final game by a 4-3 win that also needed an extra frame.

Morgan Geekie was the big point producer over those four games with four points, while Reid Boucher, Zack MacEwen, Brendan Gaunce, Roland McKeown, and Andrew Poturalski all finished with three.

The two clubs will get underway today in Utica at 7:00 pm Eastern/4:00 pm Pacific. As always, stay tuned for the CanucksArmy Utica Comets Post-Game Report following today’s action.