Chirps from Center Ice

Complete role reversal tonight on the ice. If you looked at only the shot total at the end of tonight’s game and had to pick who won the affair given the 11-time Calder Cup Champion Hershey Bears and the Brett Sterling-less Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins, who do you think wins the game?

32-15 was the shot total for the Bears. 3-2 was the final for Wilkes-Barre.

Brad Thiessen vs. Dany Sabourin. Sterling did not take warmups. Nick Petersen did as the healthy scratch. Ryan Craig returned tonight and had an A. He was joined by Corey Potter and Tim Wallace. Sterling’s scratch shouldn’t surprise anyone. If this was playoffs, he’d be in. Keven Veilleux also was back. Lawrence Nycholat was a veteran scratch for The Champs.

Hershey’s potent powerplay was 0 for 5. They weren’t able to set up anything all night.

Pace of play was a huge factor tonight. I mean, Wilkes-Barre dictated what Hershey did. It was a complete role reversal for Hershey because they are always the team who dictates the pace and the play. Sticks were in passing lanes and it was just a frustrating night for the ever dangerous Bears.

Joe Vitale scored two goals. One shorthanded in the second on a 2 on 1. Then on a busted play in the second. The kid never quits. I mean he never does. He leaves it all out there. He is a smart hard working player. Things are starting to click for him offensively.

Brad Thiessen played a hell of a game in net. He was not fooled by the infamous Hershey back door play. He caught Keith Aucoin and was overall perfect but for a point shot from Patrick Wellar which deflected up on a Boyd Kane stick and in. This was the turning point of the game in my opinion. WBS, outshot all game, now only up 2-1, what do they do? Play not to give up the lead?

Brian Fahey was whistled by referee Terry Koharski for holding the stick and Robert Bortuzzo let loose from the right point and it was 3-1. A power play goal. An answer goal.

Late in the third, Bears just buzzing. Sabourin could have taken a nap. Less than five minutes left and it’s shot after shot after shot after shot. Andrew Gordon scores with 1:47 left with Sabourin pulled with commotion in front of Thiessen’s net and the blood pressure raises. Faceoff won by Hershey, extra man out. Hershey takes a late icing call and there is your ballgame.

Undefeated hockey. 5-0. Last undefeated team in the American Hockey League. Norfolk lost tonight to Syracuse 3-1 so it’s first place hockey. Binghamton (more on them in a bit) winners 1-0 over Hartford tonight here tomorrow. Strange days we live in. Why? Hershey has lost two games in a row. You have to go back almost a year to find the words, “Hershey” and “losing streak.”

In other news, the Penguins sold autographed Halloween pucks. If your puck is signed by a player in silver you win a game used stick. I bagged Zach Sill’s stick courtesy of this.

Tim Wallace signed after the game. Picture of him and your blog author here.

The Binghamton Senators sent me three pucks in the mail today. Not just any vulcanized rubber, but three retro pucks from when they were the Binghamton Rangers, Binghamton Whalers and the Broome (County) Dusters. They featured each puck in each period on their October 8 home opener v. Adirondack. They tweeted that they were doing this, so I asked them if I could get those three pucks. Well, stick tap to Katie Krenzer in the front office, they were delivered to my home today. The fact that a team would even entertain an idea that a fan of a rival team would have interest in such pucks and then mail them to said fan speaks volumes about the organization. Thank you Binghamton. Now prepare to lose tomorrow.

Go Pens.