On 19th January, the Charlotte Checkers beat the Norfolk Admirals in one of the most exciting games of the season to reach the .500 mark. This win was a much needed boost for a team that has been a little too inconsistent for their own liking. The win puts them back in contention for a playoff berth. They need to make sure they make the most of it and carry the momentum forward. Checkers made it to the first round of postseason festivities last season and they will be hoping to go beyond that this time around. They certainly have the potential and anything can happen in the playoffs.
The Charlotte Checkers will be looking to carry on with the consistency they have shown over the years. They have been on the rise for quite a while now. The Checkers have constructed a roster that is brimming with talent and that makes them a team to look out for. They are in the running for another trip to the playoffs. They have always been one of the most well supported teams in the league and Charlotte Checkers tickets are once again being sold in impressive numbers. How far they go this season remains to be seen but the signs are looking good.
The Beginnings
The Charlotte Checkers, as they are seen today, were incepted just four years ago but their roots are traced back to the year 1990. The “Capital District Islanders” were incepted that year and didn’t make too much of an impact in their debut campaign. The team made it to the playoffs in their second season and repeated the trick next year as well. The Islanders however lost in the first round both times.
The Albany River Rats and Success
The team changed its name to the “Albany River Rats” after the third season in 1993. The move turned out to be a good one and the River Rats began to make their presence felt not too long after that. The 1994-1995 season was a monumental success as they went on to achieve the division, regular season and Calder Cup treble.
They didn’t drop their guard after that and managed to retain both the division as well as the regular season championships at the end of the next season too. The Charlotte Checkers then proceeded to win the division crown in the next two seasons to make it four division championships in succession. That however turned out to be the last of their major championships before a long drought followed.
The Charlotte Checkers
The management moved the team to Charlotte at the start of the year 2010 and was sold as well. The name was then changed to Charlotte Checkers. The Checkers made a huge impact in their first campaign in Charlotte and posted a very impressive forty four win record. That was good enough to land them third place in the East and a spot in the playoffs too. The Charlotte Checkers reached the third round where they were beaten by “Binghamton Senators.”
They couldn’t however make the most of that form and even after putting together a .559 season, the Checkers still couldn’t go past the regular season. They turned things around next year by notching up forty two victories and capturing second place in the South. The Checkers however couldn’t beat the “Oklahoma City Barons” in the first round.
The Charlotte Checkers are making a really big effort to make it to the playoffs at the end of the current campaign. They aren’t too far behind as things stand and have a great chance of joining other teams in the postseason. They just need to ensure that they take it one game at a time and not think too far ahead. The Checkers fans are in for a thrilling ride because the business end of the season starts now.