Chirps from Center Ice

News of the day was that Robert Bortuzzo and Alex Picard being recalled to Pittsburgh as Kris Letang and Zbynek Michalek are out with undisclosed ailments. As a result, Wilkes-Barre drops this one 5-2.

After the game, I mentioned that final shots on goal were 32-18 Norfolk and wondered if this was an indirect effect of Bortuzzo’s and Picard’s absence. Well, Jonathan Bombulie tweeted me the following:

https://twitter.com/#!/CVBombulie/status/141711773974806528

Regardless, it was Scott Munroe vs. Dustin Tokarski this evening. All hands on deck defensively tonight.

First Period: Early, Walker had some odd touches which lead to him turning over the puck in his defensive zone twice in one shift. Then, with ex-WBS Penguin J-P Cote in the box for cross checking Eric Tangradi, Nick Petersen would feed Niko Dimitrakos on the power play where Niko would have all the time in the world to rip a shot past Tokarski to put the Pens up 1-0. Late, with matching minors to Ryan Craig and Cory Conacher for roughing, Mike Angelidis would redirect a Mark Barberio offering to even things.

Second Period: Wilkes-Barre came out and played the first three and a half minutes like gangbusters. Then Mark Barberio hooks a Penguin and on the ensuing power play the Penguins looked like the Keystone Kops. Norfolk easily killed the penalty. Then, a weird sequence. As a Norfolk power play expires, Blair Jones scores when Munroe was interfered with. Referee T.J. Luxmore rules that a WBS player pushed a Norfolk player into Munroe so therefore no interference and a good goal. Then, off of the ensuing faceoff, Ben Street would score a weird goal redirecting a Nick Petersen shot. Then, Simon Despres and Bryan Lerg would sit for slashing and hooking respectively and Cory Conacher would score on an easy backdoor while up 5-0n-3 to put the Admirals up 3-2.

Third Period: Wilkes-Barre, down a goal on the road, would only take two shots on goal all period. Meanwhile, Norfolk would get a power play goal from rookie sensation Cory Conacher who is absolutely tearing it up right now. Norfolk would clamp down, Penguins would pull Munroe late and Trevor Smith would pot an empty netter from center ice to ice it and the Pens would lose at Scope for the first time in eight games.

Three Stars: 3) Trevor Smith (goal, two assists, +2) 2) Blair Jones (goal, two assists, +1) and 1) Cory Conacher (two goals, +1)

Around the Division: Hershey lost in Hartford to the Connecticut Whale 4-2. Big news there was that Mattias Sjogren was returning to Sweden.

Standings: Norfolk tied with Wilkes-Barre in points, but since they have more wins are first in the division with 27 points. Hershey has 23 points in third. Syracuse sits fourth with 21 points and Binghamton last with 16 points.

Conference: Missed opportunity for WBS tonight as a win would have put us in sole possession of first place overall. Standings look like this. 1-StJ (28) 2-CT (27) 3-NOR (27) 4-WBS (27) 5-MCH (25) 6-BRI (24) 7-ADK (23) 8-HER (23)

Wilkes-Barre travels home tonight. Here’s Bombulie’s postgamer. Pittsburgh also confirmed that Letang and Michalek are out for Thursday’s game at Washington. I would expect a calllup from Wheeling in the form of Andrew Hotham. If that occurs, you’ll see it from me on Twitter first.

Penguins will practice Thursday morning then Portland comes calling Friday night.

Let’s Go Pens!