Chirps from Center Ice

For this game, look no further than having an NHL defensemen come down on a conditioning stint and score two goals for you and a goaltender who is the Vancouver Canucks future in net. Combine the two and win you win the game.

That’s all she wrote, as Sami Salo would score two goals, one the game winner and Eddie Lack would save 40 of 42 as the Moose skated away with the two points and the 3-2 win tonight.

John Curry vs. Eddie Lack. Jesse Boulerice, as it turns out, got sick before the game and was a late scratch per Bombulie so John Hynes went with 17 forwards.

First period: Pens fired something like 6 shots at Lack, he turned them all aside then Mark Flood fires a lukewarm shot at the net, Curry was screeened, never saw it, and it ended up in the back of the net for the 1-0 Moose lead. Then a few minutes later, Sami Salo dekes around Curry to give the Moose a 2-0 lead. Hynes would use his timeout then. The Pens would get two straight power plays handed to them and not score, whether it was for lack of success on the power play or Lack just being that good. Manitoba has the league’s best PK, and with the Pens having a power play which is just not good these days, of course we went 0 for 3 on the night.

Second period: I prescout these teams. I have the AHL Live All-Access Pass. That said, I see a lot of Manitoba Moose games when I can. Eddie Lack is a fantastic goaltender. He is even better in person. Everything he sees he stops. You need to get bodies in front to have a chance at scoring. Well, Nick Johnson scored on a net front scramble to make the score 2-1. Later, Andrew Hutchinson would sit on a tripping call and Sami Salo would uncork an NHL caliber slap shot to put the Moose up 3-1. Pens would later sit in the offensive zone for a good two minutes but Lack was on his game and denied all chances. At the end of the period, the Moose would come in three on none and Curry would deny the chance with a pad.

Third period: Zach Sill would deflect a Corey Potter point shot to bring the Pens within one but they would get no closer. They would get chances, but not anything Lack couldn’t handle. The Moose are now 15-0-1-3 when leading after two and the Pens are now 2-8. Ryan Craig would have a golden chance in front of Lack late, but nothing doing.

Thoughts: Pens had some golden opportunities to get back into the game with the power play, but again, failed to convert. This will doom this team in the long run. If not but for Salo’s performance, I think we win this game.

Around the Division: Hershey has won 7 in a row, 5-3 winners over Albany in Atlantic City, NJ. The Bears keep winning and are within 9 and closing fast. Tomorrow’s opponent, the Syracuse Crunch, won 5-0 over the Adirondack Phantoms. Norfolk beat Binghamton 4-3 in overtime in Norfolk. Unrelated to the doings in the division, Milwaukee beat Rockford 4-2. Check out who got goals for the IceHogs in that one.

Standings: WBS (72) HER (63) NOR (61) CHA (59) BNG (54) SYR (40) ALB (39) ADK (35)

Tomorrow: If the Manitoba Moose go into Hershey tomorrow and get blown out to the tune of say 5-1, I officially start to worry about the Big Bear Machine. The Moose play two in Titletown Saturday and Sunday. Bears in the mirror may be closer than they appear. Bingo / Norfolk in a rematch. Charlotte is idle tomorrow. ManchVegas invades Albany. Wilkes-Barre is in Salt City for a game versus the upset-minded Crunch.

Let’s Go Pens!