Chirps from Center Ice

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John Hynes said last night that there were too many “passengers” on the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins team last night after a tough 3-2 setback to the Manchester Monarchs.

He was right. You can’t simply rely on Tom Kostopoulos / Nick Drazenovic and Harry Zolnierczyk to score all of your goals.

Well tonight, the message was received. Goals by Anton Zlobin, Drazenovic, Zack Torquato and Barry Goers helped the Penguins defeat the East Division leader Binghamton Senators tonight by a score of 4-1. The B-Sens seven game winning streak ends in Wilkes-Barre.

Eric Hartzell vs. Nathan Lawson

Lineup Changes: I didn’t think it was so much a defensive flatline last night as it was just a lack of offense, but Barry Goers and Harrison Ruopp were in for Nick D’Agostino and Reid McNeill. Cody Sylvester was scratched in favor of Zack Torquato, who drew back into the lineup.

First Period: You usually know that the Penguins are in for a good night when they come out and, at the first media timeout (anytime past 14:00 to go in the period) they have something like a 7-2 shots advantage. It usually means that they are aggressively trying to get pucks on net and in them, as well as shutting off any offense by the opposition.

Tonight was an example. But, Nathan Lawson was everywhere for the B-Sens, making saves no mortal should make. Lawson makes saves against AHL opponents. When a line of ECHL guys bears down on him? Different story. Anton Zlobin scored a nice goal from Barry Goers and Zack Torquato to put the Pens up 1-0.

Second Period: Mike Sdao blocks a shot with his hand and is in pain. As he is slowly skating off, the Pens score when Harry Zolnierczyk centers Nick Drazenovic at the doorstep to double the Pens lead at 2-0.

Then a play that shows the coaches that you are fully committed to the team. Andre Petersson splits two Penguins and looks like he’s getting a one-on-one chance with Hartzell. Harrison Ruopp was one of the D-men split. He dives, and poke checks the puck into the near wall. Petersson pursues the puck and is stapled to it by Ruopp with a huge hit. A nice sequence for Ruopp.

Cole Schneider scores on the back end of a double minor to Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond for high sticking to cut the B-Sens deficit in half.

Zack Torquato scores from a low angle after chasing a face-off win into the corner. Big goal at the time because the ice was slowly tilting to the B-Sens side.

Third Period: Torquato had a shift where he was everywhere, dogging the B-Sens in their own end and keeping the puck in the Pens zone for a good :40. Then, Barry Goers scores his first AHL goal on a nice setup by Paul Thompson to extend the Wilkes-Barre lead to 4-1.

Pens had a 5:00 power play to work with when Ruopp was boarded by David Dziurzynski but could do nothing with it.

Three Stars: 3) Eric Hartzell (23 saves on 24 shots) 2) Barry Goers (goal, assist, +2) and 1) Zack Torquato (goal, assist, +2)

Around the Division: Hershey stomps Manchester 6-3, and scored three more power play goals in the process. It’s official, the Big Bear Machine is warming up.

Standings: Binghamton 45 — Penguins 44 — Norfolk 41 — Hershey 36 — Syracuse 33

Conference: 1) SPR (52) 2) MCH (52) 3) BNG (45) 4) WBS (44) 5) PRO (44) 6) ALB (43) 7) NOR (41) 8) ADK (38)

Wheeling Update: The Nailers were all in Wilkes-Barre tonight and helped the Pens win the game silly! off tonight.

SendToNews Highlights: Are here.

The Week 14 AHL Power Rankings will be up Monday at 4 p.m. Pens probably will have off tomorrow, so if there is any update Tuesday, I’ll piggy back off of whatever news is out there. Pens host Syracuse at 7:05 Wednesday.

Let’s Go Pens!