Chirps from Center Ice

Don’t worry about the Hershey Bears.

Don’t worry about the Norfolk Admirals.

Don’t worry about the Charlotte Checkers.

Worry about the Binghamton Senators.

Bingo shutout the Penguins tonight 3-0 and with the win put itself three points to Charlotte for fourth and four points to Norfolk for third in the Division. Oh yeah, they will get about five players back from Ottawa when their season ends in a few weeks. The Senators are a thorn in the side of the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins. Wilkes went 0-4 in the regular season in Binghamton. 3-5 overall in the 8 game series. Oof. Dating back to last year, the Pens have lost seven straight games in Binghamton.*

John Curry vs. Robin Lehner. Patrick Killeen made it from Florida in time to make the trip.

First Period: Pens came out and just smothered the Sens. They had 1:10 of five on three to work with after Andre Benoit delay of game and a Ryan Keller hook. Pens could not score. Wilkes would not allow a SOG for 15:00 but then the Sens put three up in one shift. The top rated Sens power play would get a chance late with a Bryan Lerg hook but the Pens would hold the Sens to only one shot on goal more.

Second Period: While Steve Wagner was in the box for closing his hand on the puck, Andre Benoit would clank iron and put a puck in the net to give the B-Sens a 1-0 lead. Wheels would fall off afterwards, as Roman Wick just stickhandled right through Corey Potter to make it 2-0 after Jim O’Brien hacked and whacked on Curry’s pads until it went in.

Third Period: Five guys go after a puck in the defensive zone. I have it, no, you have it, no, I have it, no, wait…it’s a three on none for Binghamton. Ryan Keller scores to make it 3-0. Later, Steve Wagneer chases a puck in behind Lehner’s net and collides with him. The collision doesn’t look violent at all, but Wagner went off holding his wrist / arm / shoulder. I observed him walking out with his left arm not in his coat. Hynes told Bombulie in JB’s postgamer that Wags is out the rest of the weekend and maybe Wednesday @ Norfolk. Hello, Alex Grant. Late, the Pens would have a power play and pull Curry but not score.

Three Stars: Andre Benoit (game winning goal, even) Jim O’Brien (goal, two assists, +2) and Robin Lehner (31 save shutout)

I thought that after the Pens allowed a shot on goal the Pens folded up and went away. Almost like they expected to not give up a shot on goal. Despite that, you can’t hang this loss on John Curry. Hell, if Brad Thiessen was here he probably would have lost too. The Pens put up 31 shots on goal and only allowed 20. You take that going forward.

As an aside, nice to meet Bob Howard of the Power Play Post Show. If you haven’t heard his weekly radio show all about the AHL you should. It’s a great listen. You can also follow him on Twitter.

Around the Division. Help in the form of a Hershey loss to Adirondack 2-1 and a Norfolk was shutout by Manchester at home 4-0. Magic number to clinch the division, per Bombulie, is three. Elsewhere, Connecticut beat Charlotte in a shootout 3-2 and Syracuse beat Albany 6-2. In the Atlantic the Portland Pirates lost to Bridgeport 5-1.

Tomorrow: Wilkes-Barre travels to Adirondack, Hershey hosts Albany, Manchester and Norfolk rematch, Charlotte travels to Portland. Expect Killeen to get the nod in net tomorrow for Wilkes-Barre as Brad Thiessen is still in Pittsburgh with Brent Johnson sidelined with his upper body injury.

Go Pens.

* – Tony Androckitis with the research on this one