Gameday Preview: Stars at Charlotte Checkers

Texas Stars 34-16-4-6, 78 pts #1 Western Conference

at

Charlotte Checkers 35-21-2-3, 75 pts #4 Western Conference

March 15th at 6:00 PM

Time Warner Cable Arena, Charlotte, NC

It's been a while since these two clubs matched up head to head but tonight's game has been much anticipated and will have scoreboard watchers from around the Western Conference if not the league.

To put it in persepective, the last time these two teams played Cody Eakin and Reilly Smith led the Stars in scoring. Gord Baldwin had just been signed to a PTO and there was still no end in sight on the NHL lockout.

Since that point, Texas is 19-6-1-4; Charlotte is 17-12-1-0. These two clubs have been circling each other without playing each other for two months now and this is a a big weekend. Just three points behind the Stars, the Checkers can become the first place team in the West with two regulation wins. That is obviously the worst possible situation for the Stars.

Owen Newkirk pointed out on Twitter that the Checkers have run out of "new guy" name plates thanks to injuries. John Muse is currently the man in net for the Checkers, who have lost three of their last five games. Texas of course just broke up a five game losing streak with a 4-3 win on Wednesday but lost Nilstorp to injury. Jack Campbell will be the man in nets for Texas.

The Stars have had good success against Charlotte this season, so far 3-0. They will look to continue this good luck as this weekend could really shape their seeding for the playoffs and determine how deep they go into the postseason.

Stars injury/call up report:
R. Smith, Roussel, Benn, Oleksiak, Vincour (call up)
Nemeth, Gazdic, Nilstorp (injured)

Website: gocheckers.com
Checkers Social Media: Social Media
Blog (unofficial): Chasing Checkers
Twitter: @checkershockey
Twitter: @mikelappan (PR)