Barons open two-game set at Charlotte on Saturday

Radio: KGHM-AM 1340

Scouting report: The Charlotte Checkers lead the Western Conference with only three regulation losses in 16 games. The Checkers also lead the Barons by six points in the South Division. ... Charlotte won the season series last year (5-1-1-1), losing only one game in regulation. The Barons, though, were the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference playoffs, while the Checkers missed the playoffs by one point. ... Barons defenseman Justin Schultz (23 points) and forward Jordan Eberle (21) rank 1-2 in the AHL in scoring. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (19) is fourth. ... Zach Boychuk leads the Checkers with 16 points, including five goals. ... Charlotte has one of the AHL's hottest goaltenders in Dan Ellis (5-2-2 with a 1.71 GAA and 94.8 save percentage). ... OKC goaltender Yann Danis is 7-4-1 with a 2.86 GAA and a 90.9 save percentage.