Chirps from Center Ice

You can sum this game up by watching the first period alone. Wilkes-Barre came out guns blazing in the first period, hanging four goals on Justin Pogge and never looked back. The Penguins completely shut down the Checkers in the first period and pretty much coasted to a 6-3 win tonight in Wilkes-Barre Township. The magic number for first overall is one.

Brad Thiessen vs. Justin Pogge – Tim Wallace and Brett Sterling were injury scratches. Newcomers Viktor Ekbom and Paul Thompson made their professional debuts. The Pens played 7 defensemen tonight.

First Period: Paul Thompson steps onto the ice about 5 minutes into the hockey game for his first ever professional shift and is tripped by Zack FitzGerald. In the ensuing power play, Jason DeSantis is tapping his stick at the point. The puck is passed to him and he scores his first goal in a WBS sweater. Power play goal. Where have those been? Later, Nick Petersen is fed a long pass from Robert Bortuzzo and roofs it on Pogge to make it 2-0. At this point it was total domination from the Pens. Anytime Charlotte tried to establish anything they were chased out of the zone. Then, Geoff Walker comes in 1 on 2 and goes glove side and high on Pogge to make it 3-0. Charlotte answered soon after via Jacob Micflikier on a bad angle shot that beat Thiessen five hole. It’s a save Thiessen makes in his sleep which just crossed him up. Then late in the period, Corey Potter would sit for a hold and Bryan Lerg would score shorthanded to give the Pens a 4-1 lead.

Second Period: Checkers would see Bobby Sanguinetti and Casey Borer go to the locker room off on injuries that looked worse then they appeared because both would return. Corey Potter would have himself quite the period as he’d save a goal in Thiessen’s crease while the Pens killed a Robert Bortuzzo rough and then scored a goal from the point to make it 5-1.

Third Period: Charlotte looking to start something goads David Marshall into a roughing penalty and in the ensuing power play Jacob Micflikier would score to make it 5-2. After that the Checkers would press and press but not score until Zac Dalpe would cut in and make it 5-3. Late, Andrew Hutchinson would block a shot and come off the ice gingerly and stand in the tunnel the rest of the game. Charlotte would catch a post behind Thiessen and with Pogge pulled Keven Veilleux would score the empty net goal.

Three Stars: Keven Veilleux (goal, two assists, +2) Nick Petersen (goal, assist, +2) and Bryan Lerg (game winning goal, even)

Around the Division: Hershey beat Norfolk 6-3. The Admirals had 13 powerplays including many 5 on 3 situations. Wow. Syracuse beat Binghamton 6-4. Adirondack beat Albany 9-5.

Standings: WBS 109 – HER 96 – CHA 91 – NOR 88 – BNG 87 – SYR 71 – ALB 67 and ADK 64. Bingo has three points on third in the Atlantic Connecticut and five on fourth in the Atlantic Worcester. All teams have 5 games remaining. Norfolk, fourth in the East, has a game in hand on Binghamton.

This is good news….

http://twitter.com/#!/CVBombulie/status/54003889262964736

Go Pens.