Checkers Off To Fast Start Despite No Preseason Games

No preseason? No problem for the Charlotte checkers as they went on the road and won a pair of games over the weekend to start the 2024-25 season.

"It's a part of the process, right? You got to play the first game to get some education on what your team's about," Checkers head coach Geordie Kinnear told InsideAHLHockey.com. "Personnel is always changing, so you have to get to know the players a little bit through training camp, through the first part of the season. And especially us, we haven't played any preseason games, but we want to play a certain way. We want to see that identity. So I'm excited to get it started and start working with the guys and start building."

Saturday's season-opener was anything but perfect for the Checkers, who took seven penalties and allowed six goals, but they were able to find a way to win - led by a hat trick by former Aidan McDonough.

After a come from behind win in Wilkes-Barre on Saturday night, which saw the Checkers overcome a 5-3 third period deficit to the tune of four straight goals before hanging on to a 7-6 win, the Checkers bussed overnight to Bridgeport Connecticut for a Sunday matinee against the Islanders.

While the Checkers still put themselves shorthanded six times Sunday, the team play a much more refined game in their second game of the season - shutting out the Islanders and heading back to North Carolina with a perfect 2-0-0 start following a 3-0 shutout win.

McDonough tallied his fourth goal of the season to break a scoreless tie early in the second period, and Rasmus Asplund tallied a pair of goals in the third period to secure the two points for the Checkers. Goaltender Ken Appleby stopped all 21 shots he faced to pick up a shutout in his first appearance of the 2024-25 season.

"It takes, I usually say, about 20 games before you really start to see the identity. So we want to make sure we're competitive and we work hard and we have the identity that we want, and then we'll build over time," Kinnear said of jumping right into the regular season. "So I don't think it's a disadvantage. It's just one of those things you got to deal with and move forward."

That's the name of the game for any AHL team early on in the season. Getting off to a strong start and picking up wins early on in the season, while teams are still nailing down their structure, systems and the way they want to play allows a team to get some momentum and build toward their identity.

Criscuolo Joins Checkers In 2024-25

There's always plenty of roster turnover at the AHL level, and for forward Kyle Criscuolo - in his first season with the Checkers - it's all about assimilating with his new teammates and attempting to make that transition to a new team as seamless as possible.

"It's been great so far. You know, I feel like the coaching staff has us all on the same page already," Criscuolo said, adding that the returning players love being in Charlotte and enjoy the area. "We're all on the same page trying to make this a good season and get deep into the playoffs. So obviously it starts with game one."

Entering his ninth season of pro hockey in the AHL, Criscuolo is more than aware of how things work in the league. The veteran forward is willing to help mentor the younger players in the Florida Panthers system in Charlotte, and help get everyone up to speed with things both on and off the ice with the day-to-day life of a pro hockey player.

"Obviously, Florida's done a great job getting great people in here, and Kyle fits that mold for sure. We've seen him play different places. First, he's, as I said, a good person, good teammate, and obviously a great competitor. So we're excited to have him," Kinnear said of Criscuolo's addition to the Checkers. "I'm going to get to know him here in the next little while as a player, but I've got to know him as a person, so super excited about that part of it. Now, we just want to get everyone to play at a high level as fast as possible."