Chirps from Center Ice

Debated for the past couple of hours whether to blog or not. Figured I would for the fact that if I sit on this information / speculation, I may forget it when I actually want to blog. Here goes…

Paul Martin and Richard Park practiced today. Martin is quoted that he wants to be well enough to play Friday. Does this mean Despres is down for good? (Or until there is another injury to a defenseman? These days it’s not a matter of if, but when)

On top of that, Robert Bortuzzo and Dustin Jeffrey skated in full gear and may practice this week. Maybe Jeffrey comes back down for more conditioning soon?

Here in Wilkes-Barre, there was no re-assignment of Peter Merth to Wheeling. Bombulie didn’t update today so I’m thinking the Pens didn’t practice.

Finally, on the subject of replay in the AHL, it was tweeted today by Sound Tigers beat writer Michael Fornabaio and Darryl Hunt who covers the Worcester Sharks (the Sharks visited the Sound Tigers today) that the AHL is experimenting with video replay on goals only. Here’s the blurb on it from Mike’s blog today:

Equipment has been floating around here for a while, but today the AHL confirmed it’s testing a potential video replay system here. There are cameras above both goals providing an angle to allow the referee(s) to take a look and see if a puck went into the net. “All very preliminary,” Jason Chaimovitch wrote. They plan to have it available during all four Bridgeport home games this month. The AHL Board of Governors has talked about replay possibilities over the past few years without approving a system. This potential system was developed by NeuLion, and Charles Wang was in the house.

NeuLion also runs AHL Live. Charles Wang runs the New York Islanders and owns NeuLion. Insert technical difficulties joke here….

Let’s Go Pens!