Chirps from Center Ice

Brett Sterling returns from recall from Pittsburgh and scores two goals in the third period to sink the Springfield Falcons this afternoon. The Falcons are a gritty, in your face team that ran with the Penguins to the very end this afternoon. They would not be fun to play against in the playoffs.

Brad Thiessen vs. Gustav Wesslau.

First Period: Zach Sill :37 in and the Pens were off and running. Springfield held the fort though and later Nick Holden tied the game while Thiessen was screened. Later, Ryan Craig would score on a hack and whack on Wesslau to make the score 2-1. What a pass from Keven Veilleux to pass it to the goal mouth area on his stomach. Shots this period were 18-5 in favor of the Penguins. I thought Springfield really withheld the onslaught brought by the more rested Penguins.

Second Period: Best news in forever was the announcement that Dustin Jeffrey, Joe Vitale and Brian Strait were all reassigned to Wilkes-Barre / Scranton. This I am told is to free up cap space for tomorrows trade deadline. Chris Kunitz is practicing with Pittsburgh and should be back any day now. I don’t know if Jeffrey gets called back up. We will have to see. Meanwhile, Springfiled had it’s own version of hack and whack, this time Falcons Captain Ben Guite did the honors. Then, the Pens were shorthanded and Tim Wallace fired a shorthanded answer goal to put the Pens back ahead. Later the Falcons would score when Brett Regner deflected a puck past Thiessen. The shots thus far were 25-13 in favor of WBS.

Third Period: The Ticket would score a beauty of a breakaway goal. A deft stickhandle move which was absolutely sickening. I am sure the Wilkes-Blog will have highlights later. Then the Pens sat on the lead until Nick Holden scored again to bring the score even again. It appeared to be headed to overtime but then Brett Sterling turned and fired the puck at Wesslau and it went in. The Falcons would take their time out but in the flurry to tie the game Ben Guite would get called for interference and that would be it.

Three Stars: Tim Wallace (goal, two assists), Nick Holden (two goals), Brett Sterling (two goals, one a game winner)

Every time we scored, they scored until time ran out eventually.

Around the Division: Hershey held off Bridgeport 3-2. Binghamton lost to Adirondack 5-2. Norfolk beat Albany in Atlantic City 4-3. Rochester beat Syracuse 2-1 in overtime.

Standings: WBS 88, HER 80, CHA 76, NOR 71, BNG 71, ADK 49, ALB 48, SYR 47.

This week: Third Quarter Grades are due. They will be posted here on the blog at noon tomorrow. Games wise, the Pens are off until Friday. Albany plays  Binghamton in Binghamton Tuesday. Hershey and Norfolk square off in Norfolk Wednesday. I will have Friday’s games posted as ones I am watching later this week on the blog.

Tomorrow is the Meet and Greet at 5 p.m. at the Arena. Time for autographs!

Go Pens!