Chirps from Center Ice

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Big thanks to Rich in Hershey for the headline idea, I can use all the help I can get.

The Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins can use all the help they can get as well after losing on this goal from Michael Pezzetta at 14:53 of overtime to give the Toronto Marlies a 2-0 series lead in the best of seven series with a 2-1 overtime win Friday night in Wilkes-Barre.

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Referees Stephen Hiff and Graedy Hamilton took a long look at it on replay and ruled goal. The only explanation I can think of is that Murashov made contact with the puck and it deflected off of him and in. EDIT: All they had to see was this here, indisputable, that Murashov knocked it into his own net.

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Again, they reviewed it on replay, after initially ruling no goal. Replay giveth, replay taketh. Full marks to the AHL for the replay angles and the transparency, also.

I don’t think it matters though because Wilkes-Barre has bigger problems then a disputed overtime goal / no goal before them.

They went down 1-0 in the first period on an Alex Nylander power play goal, here….

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Then played about as flaccid you could play in the second period.

Nine shots by Toronto to start the period, already up 1-0 and coming out of intermission. There was one player playing for the Penguins, and he stood in goal.

No power plays to speak of, referees Hamilton and Hiff doled out all of their justice in the first period and their whistles stayed silent the rest of the way.

So this league best five on five juggernaut of a team was getting out five on fived by a fourth place hard nosed Toronto Marlies team that, when they did let a forward slip in or a defensemen’s shot from the blue line get through, were getting bailed out by goaltender Artur Akhtyamov.

I don’t know how to feel. Is it, “I can’t believe I fell for this again,” or is it just a tip of the cap to a team better in the moment with a goaltender you’ve never heard of pulling save after save out of his ass to send us to home in the Eastern Conference Finals?

I think it’s a little of both.

Aidan McDonough got us to this point. He scored all the big goals in the regular season and has racked up a lot of points for himself (44) and his team that ended up with 101, but he has been a ghost since.

Bill Zonnon hit the rookie wall seven games into his pro career. Ghost.

Avery Hayes, Rutger McGroarty, Ville Koivunen, Atley Calvert, where for art thou?

Also the injuries are hitting the defensive corps. Hard. Owen Pickering skated this morning but didn’t play Game 2. Alex Alexeyev was a scratch. Finn Harding was lost late in Game 2.

It’s a seasons worth of emotions wrapped up just two games into a seven game series.

Tanner Howe scored a very gritty goal about midway through the third period when he dug a rebound out, spun around and shot it and it went in which got them to overtime.

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So a 2-0 series hole in a best of seven isn’t that deep to dig out of, but you have too much working against you, there’s no real urgency and when there is, like you saw in overtime in Game 2, the other team ends up winning anyway.

It’s like you work all week on a project at work, the boss walks in at 3 p.m on Friday to check your status and Sally from accounting, who didn’t do anything all week with you on the project, is the first person your boss sees and she gets most of the credit for the work you did.

It’s maddening. I can’t believe I feel for it again!

Here’s how they lined up, then I’m out of here. It’s 11:35 p.m. on a Friday. Ben Lovejoy used to say that nothing good happens after midnight.

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No, if Pickering or Alexeyev return in the series, it’s not enough, given where the series is.

Three stars were Alex Nylander with a power play goal, Artur Akhtyamov with 33 saves and Michael Pezzetta with the game winning overtime goal in that order.

Roll that beautiful bean footage…

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Enjoy them, while you still can. Talk to you Monday. Have a nice weekend.

Let’s Go Pens!

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Russian goaltender Artur Akhtyamov makes 34 saves, Wilkes-Barre fires 36 total but it’s the Toronto Marlies who score a late goal to edge ahead in a tied game and win Game 1 by a 4-2 score Wednesday night in Wilkes-Barre to take Game 1 of the best of seven series.

The Marlies had 16 shots all game. They were under the proverbial cosh from the jump, seeing 13 Penguins attempts in the first, 12 in the second and 11 in the third to basically steal one and take home ice.

I do not know if the effort that the Marlies put forth was sustainable or not, but make no mistake it was enough to win them the game.

Game 2 goes Friday from Wilkes-Barre.

Here’s how they lined up:

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Lineup Notes: Flip Broz and Klassen at center. No other changes. Owen Pickering is considered week to week but is expected back at some point in the series.

First Period: A feeling out period to the first media break, they came out after that and laid rubber to the road. But Akhtyamov kept the Penguins off the scoresheet.

Had a feeling, just with the way that the game was going, that the longer that the Penguins let Toronto hang around in a scoreless game, the more that would benefit the Marlies.

Alex Alexeyev stepped into one and scored through a screen to give the Penguins a 1-0 lead.

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A big goal at the time.

Second Period: Easton Coawn, the hero from Game 5 in Cleveland a few nights ago, beats Sergei Murashov clean in the crease and its a tie game.

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Your puns are bad, and you should feel bad.

The Penguins would continue to rack ups shots on the board, but nothing doing. Then they take back to back penalties and Toronto cashes :11 into the second penalty the Penguins took (Gabe Klassen high stick at 16:45) and William Villeneuve scored to make it 2-1 for the Marlies.

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Third Period: Well, if they didn’t have the attention of the Penguins yet, being down 2-1 heading into the third sure got it.

I remember when I played college basketball that the first five minutes of a new period were very important in a tightly contested affair.

Rutger McGroarty was 1:01 late.

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McGroarty willed that one in.

Toronto withstood a period of nonstop hockey after that McGroarty goal where the Penguins were sniffing for the go ahead goal.

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I am not a parent. If there are any parents out there that read the blog, any truth to this?

I think the Penguins played the part of Tommy the three year old because Michael Pezzetta scored with 1:36 to play to edge the Marlies ahead.

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With Murashov pulled after a time out, Logan Shaw would hit an empty netter to make the score seem bigger than it really was.

Three Stars: 3) Easton Cowan (goal) 2) William Villeneuve (goal) 1) Michael Pezzetta (goal)

I’m sorry, but Artur Akhtyamov deserved a star here. Toronto loses this game by 5+ goals if it wasn’t for his effort.

The Good: Nothing wrong at all with the way the Penguins executed, they just didn’t get scoring. I don’t think that Toronto can sustain this wave, honestly, and I want to tell myself that the Penguins will be fine.

The Bad: Sit back and relax for a bit because I may go for a while.

• The power play was an abject disaster. Toronto was 3/3 on the kill and the Penguins gave up two separate shorthanded rushes. That needs to improve, quickly.
• Usually at this time of the year the officials who can’t cut the mustard are off for the summer. I didn’t have an issue with the way that Alex Lepkowski or Morgan MacPhee officiated this game. Sure, there were some questionable calls that could have gone the Penguins way, but my gripe is the linemen. Shawn Oliver and Anthony Lapointe struggled all night with executing face-offs. I expect better from the League with the officials since there are only four teams left. To have two linesmen that can’t handle a simple face-off is a joke.
• The Penguins came unglued at the end, where Tristan Broz was given 25 minutes of penalties at 19:31 of the contest in the third period, a 5:00 major for cross checking Marc Johnstone at the end of the game. Avery Hayes was give 2+10 for shoving Artur Akhtyamov in the same scrum. I get that you lost in crushing defeat, but don’t come so unglued in Game 1. It makes you look one dimensional and desperate.

Okay, I think I’m done.

Turning Point: The Pezzetta goal is the obvious choice.

Ice Chips: I thought Sergei Murashov could have been better and someone mentioned to me on Twitter that his leash should be short in Game 2. I don’t disagree. I think he, and the team that plays around him, will be better Friday. They have to be because going down 0-2 heading to Toronto next week is unthinkable.

Video Highlights: 

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Talk to you after Game 2 Friday.

Let’s Go Pens!

          vs.          

8                               1

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Well, they did it. Those bastards did it.

They finally get a full team effort, fifteen players record a point, two goals and two assists for their All-Star Tristan Broz, a pair of goals for a returning Rafaël Harvey-Pinard and the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins obliterate, annihilate, decimate and oust the Springfield Thunderbirds in the decisive Game 5 by an impressive 8-1 score.

Normally deciding games are either clench your butt 2-1 in triple overtime finals or laughers like this one was. Usually the team that is better is the one curb stomping the other.

I didn’t know if the Penguins were the better team here after Game 4. Sure, the vibes were okay considering they only lost by two goals and collectively they knew it wasn’t their best effort. But it’s a veteran group that is extremely well coached, and they weren’t going to replicate the same effort in Game 4 in a deciding Game 5.

That said, give Springfield their flowers. If they keep the core together next season, which is tough to do at the AHL level, they will be much better than their sixth place showing this season.

Here’s how they lined up.

Springfield went with the exact same lineup as Game 4, scroll down to the Game 4 recap to see if so interested.

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Lineup Notes: Aidan McDonough slides down to the fourth line. Boko Imama came out, Rafaël Harvey-Pinard returned from injury and replaced him and goes top line with Joona Koppanen and Tanner Howe. On defense, Sebastian Aho for Owen Pickering was the only change. Those who heard Nick Hart on radio told me he’s day to day with a lower body injury.

First Period: Tristan Broz showed up and showed up at the right time.

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Vibes were running high. The lower bowl was nearly full, the anthem singer was the best they had all season and the home team gets a boost from their all-star.

They had a quarter of the shots they had in all of game four at the first media break (5/20).

Out of the break, Harrison Brunicke scores a goal that they did not call back for goalie interference and it’s 2-0 Wilkes-Barre.

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Springfield head coach Steve Ott could see the avalanche coming. He calls his time out.

It didn’t matter.

On a power play, Tristan Broz nets his brace and it’s 3-0 Penguins.

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Finn Harding holds a puck onside, barely, throws a shot on in the final minute, the rebound caroms to Rafaël Harvey-Pinard and it’s 4-0 Wilkes-Barre.

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Harvey-Pinard is the straw that stirs this drink. I love Boko Imama just like the next guy, but Imama isn’t giving you this.

Second Period: Vibe going into the period is that if you think a 4-0 lead is safe in these playoffs I have a bridge to sell you somewhere.

The Thunderbirds did make the expected push, but the Penguins and Sergei Murashov took the shove but didn’t topple over.

Enter Finn Harding again who I thought had a hell of a game, he throws a shot at relief goaltender Vadim Zherenko, who makes a kick save, which goes straight to Atley Calvert and it goes in.

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Bingo.

Third Period: I let my guard down.

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I thought it was over here and Springfield would pack it in. What a pass by Bill Zonnon there and what a finish from Koivunen to make it six – nil.

Lapse. Failed clear. How many times in the past did this end up in their net? Often!

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It happened here.

Springfield thought they scored again, but it was either intent to blow from referee Graedy Hamilton because the puck did go in, but the goal was waved off. After some consultation with referee Morgan MacPhee at the scorers table, the goal was not allowed. No announcement was made, so I have to assume it was intent to blow.

I thought MacPhee and Hamilton were great, as they usually are. I came to see a team in black play a team in white, not a team in black and white.

Steve Ott got desperate and pulled Zherenko and Harvey-Pinard buried a goal from about 185 feet away and re-established the six goal lead. Ville Koivunen made it 8-1 when Zherenko made a save with his helmet and dropped the puck right to Koivunen who swept it in.

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Holy moly, that’s a lot of goals.

Three Stars: 3) Ville Koivunen (two goals, assist) 2) Rafaël Harvey-Pinard (two goals) 1) Tristan Broz (two goals, two assists)

The Good: The stars shone the brightest at the most opportune time. A blowout like this, in a win or go home situation? The rest of the league is on notice that if this team is placed in this situation, you don’t stand a chance.

The Bad: Phil Kemp, Sebastian Aho and Rutger McGroarty were the only players who didn’t record a point, but I’m nitpicking.

Turning Point: Pick one. The Harvey-Pinard goal that made it 4-0, The Calvert goal that made it 5-0 in a period where I think that Springfield was the better team or the Koivunen goal that made it 6-0 on the power play. I’ll go the Harvey-Pinard goal that made it 4-0.

Ice Chips: Bravo to the front office getting the place full on short notice. The vibes were high going in….Game 5 between Cleveland and Toronto will decide who the Penguins play in the Eastern Conference Finals which now switch to a best of seven format. That game will be played Sunday at 3. I’ll jump on here Sunday afternoon and update the blog with who it is and a schedule….It’s Colorado and Chicago in the Western Conference Final, in case you are wondering….With Grand Rapids out, the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins have home ice through the remainder of the playoffs.

Oh, and there’s this…

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Impressive. Mighty impressive.

Video Highlights: LOL this highlight package is 21 minutes long!!!

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More Sunday once we find out who the Penguins will be facing next week.

Let’s Go Pens!

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What are you doing Saturday?

You’re going to be sweating, like me, in a winner take all Game 5 after the Springfield Thunderbirds shutout the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins team 2-0 in Game 4 on Thursday.

All due respect to Springfield, but they do not quit. They are hard to kill. Ask any Charlotte Checkers or Providence Bruins fan.

The Thunderbirds see an early Penguins goal in the first period come off the board and that wildly swings momentum in their direction, the Penguins play shellshocked the remainder of the game, manage just six shots in the second period and three shots in the third before pulling Sergei Murashov for the extra attacker and put up an additional four desperate bids to run the total to seven in the period.

Without a doubt, this is Wilkes-Barre / Scranton’s best chance to win a Calder Cup in franchise history. No pressure from an eliminated Pittsburgh and a bevy of players ready to make the jump to full time NHL work next season. Mess this up, and it’s a setback of 5-7 years again to relevancy. Sure, they may contend and all, but it’s a different animal in playoffs.

Springfield doesn’t care though.

I also firmly believe that whichever team wins Game 5 will make it to the Calder Cup Finals, with all due respect to the Cleveland Monsters and Toronto Marlies.

Let’s just hope we still have something to talk about come Memorial Day.

Here’s how they lined up…

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Lineup Notes: No changes to any personnel from Game 3.

First Period: Story of the period was this disallowed goal by Harrison Brunicke which was ruled initially good but after discussion from referees Stephen Hiff and Alex Lepkowski with linesmen Dylan Blujus and Brandon Grillo, it was ruled no goal.

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I mean you can’t get mad at these calls because no one knows what goaltender interference is or isn’t. Did Georgii Romanov sell it a bit? Maybe? But that’s gamesmanship.

Ice was tilted Springfield’s way all period but Sergei Murashov was dialed in.

Boko Imama had a fight.

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But there was no scoring.

Second Period: Wilkes-Barre does not score on two power play attempts in the period, Springfield scores on their only attempt via Dillon Dube.

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First lead in 16 days for the Thunderbirds and it broke a 0-9 streak the Thunderbirds had on the power play in the series.

Sergei Murashov was dialed in the period otherwise, stopping Marc-André Gaudet and Zach Dean point blank on two different opportunities in the period. Aidan McDonough draws iron and Rutger McGroarty misses on the rebound chance on the first power play for the Penguins.

Third Period: Springfield gets an early goal when Gaudet scores on a weird play that doubles the Thunderbirds lead.

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Murashov continued to keep his team in it, stopping Zach Dean with the pad to keep it 2-0.

Springfield smothered the Penguins in all zones and hung on and with Sergei Murashov pulled the Penguins were not able to solve Georgii Romanov.

Three Stars: 3) Marc-André Gaudet (goal) 2) Dillon Dube (goal) 1) Georgii Romanov (20 save shutout)

The Good: I have no idea. Nobody got hurt? We get the privilege of attending another AHL hockey game we all really don’t want to go to on Saturday? Would a Hershey Bear or Bridgeport Islanders fan like to attend a game this weekend? Probably.

The Bad: After the goal was taken off the board they looked like a totally shellshocked team. Hey, newsflash, the teams get tougher each series. If you can’t get past this sixth place cockroach team, you probably aren’t winning it all, jack.

Turning Point: The Brunicke disallowed goal gets it here.

Video Highlights: 

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See you Saturday for all the marbles, this round.

Let’s Go Pens!

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2                           1

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So we had the, “where would we be without Aidan McDonough?” question in the regular season as the Penguins owe a large part of their regular season success to the Penguins forward.

Now, especially in this best of five Atlantic Division Finals series against this never say die Springfield Thunderbirds team, the question becomes where would we be without Bill Zonnon?

Another goal for the 19 year old in this series stands as the game winner as the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins win Game 3 2-1 and have a 2-1 series lead and can advance to the Eastern Conference Finals with a win in Game 4 on Wednesday.

You know that the Thunderbirds will be playing with fire in their pants and will not go away quietly, so dial in and hope you don’t have to prepare for a clench your butt deciding Game 5 Saturday in Wilkes-Barre.

Here’s how they lined up….

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Lineup Notes: Boko Imama for Raivis Ansons was the only change on the fourth line.

First Period: Had a Game 1, Period 1 vibe that I picked up early on with the two teams seemingly feeling each other out or at the very least reacquainting themselves since last playing last Thursday.

Both teams killed each others power plays then Springfield went on a late power play and then Rutger McGroarty capitalizes here…

Second Period: Wilkes-Barre outshoots the Thunderbirds 12-4, Rutger McGroarty has another breakaway, but Georgii Romanov denies all comers in a period where it felt like the Penguins threw the kitchen sink at the Thunderbirds and it was still a one goal lead.

One thing I noticed was that we have a ton of smooth skating defensemen that can wheel around guys like they are standing still, but refuse to shoot when they have an open lane. Why not? Is it fear of a big rebound caroming the other way? Maybe. I still find it mildly annoying however.

Third Period: Wilkes-Barre was up 3-0 heading into the third period in Game 2 and coughed it up and the Thunderbirds rallied and won the game.

I didn’t see those same mistakes in the third period of this game, and largely in part to the fact it was just a 1-0 game.

Enter Bill Zonnon.

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So this should cement Kirk MacDonald’s lines for the remainder of this series at least. I think he made a bit of a mistake going with Raivis Ansons in Game 2, and I kind of feel sorry for Ansons as he’s like the odd man out. Boko Imama put it on a platter for the Penguins neophyte, and he buried it.

It ended up being a big goal, as Springfield would get another fluke late goal when Juraj Pekarcik’s shot somehow finds its way in.

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I don’t know how, but as has been the case in these Calder Cup Playoffs, Springfield finds a way.

The teams traded a pair of late goaltender interface calls and with Thunderbirds goaltender Georgii Romanov pulled, Springfield was not able to find the equalizer.

Three Stars: 3) Juraj Pekarcik (goal) 2) Rutger McGroarty (goal) 1) Bill Zonnon (goal)

The Good: Methodical road victory for Wilkes-Barre / Scranton who were dialed in from the drop, faced late adversity but didn’t break and can exterminate their opponent on Thursday.

The Bad: Nitpicking your goaltender not getting a shutout in a game where he kind of deserved one with the way he and his team played is a stretch.

Turning Point: Wouldn’t know it at the time, but the Zonnon goal early in the third gets it here.

Ice Chips: It was in the low 90s in Springfield and I thought they were giving the appearance of skating in sand for stretches in the period….refs Ben Betker and Mike Sullivan stayed out of the way for the most part, I didn’t like the late goaltender interference penalty on Gabe Klassen and felt it was take it or leave it but it set the table for Dylan Peterson’s goaltender interference penalty on Murashov at 17:08, so what was good for the goose was good for the gander.

Video Highlights: 

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Pens can play Orkin men (or Terminix, or Ehrlich, you get the idea) on Thursday and can put this pesky Thunderbirds team away for good with a solid sixty minutes.

More Thursday with a shot to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals.

Let’s Go Pens!