Charlotte Checkers
Opening weekend · Two games at Hershey
Checkers
at Bears
Sat, Oct 3 · 6 p.m.Giant CenterFloHockey
- Last season
- 44-23-5-0
- Last time vs. Hershey
- W 6-1
- Home opener
- Oct. 16
- Regular season
- 72 games
What to know
From club releases and the league schedule
- The opener
- The season opens Saturday at 6 p.m. at Hershey, the earliest start in franchise history, according to the club. The teams play again Sunday at 3 p.m. at Giant Center, the Bears' home arena.
- Last meeting
- Charlotte beat Hershey 6-1 at Bojangles Coliseum on April 12. Sandis Vilmanis scored four goals, the first four-goal game since the Checkers joined the American Hockey League in 2010.
- Last season
- Charlotte went 44-23-5-0 (wins, regulation losses, overtime losses, shootout losses) for 93 points, finished third in the Atlantic Division and reached the playoffs for the eighth straight year. Springfield won the best-of-three first round, two games to one.
- The road first
- Four road games open the season: two at Hershey, then Providence on Oct. 10 and Springfield, the team that ended Charlotte's season in April, on Oct. 11. The home opener is Friday, Oct. 16, at 7 p.m. against the Hartford Wolf Pack.
- How to watch
- Every Checkers game streams on FloHockey, a subscription service that carries the league's AHLTV broadcasts.
After that
Times Eastern
- SUN, 10/4at Hershey Bears3 p.m.
- SAT, 10/10at Providence Bruins7:05 p.m.
- SUN, 10/11at Springfield Thunderbirds3:05 p.m.
- FRI, 10/16vs. Hartford Wolf PackHome7 p.m.
Latest coverage
Latest Charlotte Checkers reporting
15 linked stories
Lead report
Checkers Open at Hershey After 44 Wins and a First-Round Exit
The Charlotte Checkers won 44 games last season and were out of the playoffs in three. They open Saturday at Hershey with the same coach, a new top scorer to find and 11 players who cleared NHL waivers this week.
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What we cover
Every game, home and away, with a story after each final. Roster moves, the Florida Panthers pipeline and the business of the team at Bojangles Coliseum.
Why it matters
The Checkers are the top minor-league affiliate of the Florida Panthers, which makes Charlotte the last stop before the NHL for Florida's prospects. The team plays 36 home games at Bojangles Coliseum from October to April.