Chirps from Center Ice

Pens do not come out of the inflatable igloo during intro’s tonight and win the game.

Goodnight everyone and we’ll tweet and blog at you tomorrow!

Pens come back three times in the game and win 4-3 in the 8th round when Eric Tangradi sniped a roof job over goaltender Drew MacIntyre. Before that, he had a power play goal late in the third when he was camped out in front of MacIntyre’s net. A great game for him, overall.

This morning, Colin McDonald was recalled to Pittsburgh.

Brad Thiessen vs. the aforementioned Drew MacIntyre.

First Period: If you showed up late to the game and missed the anthem, it was not until 9:12 left in the first before you found your seat. With Simon Despres in the box late for a hold, the Pens would kill the penalty but Thiessen would top a glove save which Phil Varone would put in to put Rochester up 1-0. The Pens played a much better period then the scoreboard showed at the end of one.

Second Period: Jason Williams scores from the slot to even things. Then the Pens scored a rare power play goal when Phil Varone was in the box for a hook. Grant scored from the point.

Lots of back and forth between the two teams for the first two periods. I didn’t check my watch at the end of two but they could have been the fastest two periods of hockey played all season. Really good pace.

Third Period: Cody Wild left alone to guard against a 2-on-1 and Derek Whitmore scored to even things. Pens would go back on the power play but while Rochester cleared it, Thiessen went in the corner to play it and was dispossessed and Maxime Legault scored to put Rochester up 3-2.

Stopping here to mention that going back to last Saturday’s Bridgeport game, the Legault goal made for fourteen straight goals scored in the net by the zamboni corner. I’m not sure there’s an all-time stat for that, but that has to be up there for some kind of a record, no?

Pens still had a power play to work with. Phil Varone went to the box for a slash and the Pens had :53 of 5-on-3 time to work with when in a wild goal mouth scrum, Eric Tangradi scored to even things at three. The Pens would have to kill a Geoff Walker penalty late, but it was onto overtime.

Overtime: Derek Whitmore tried a bank in off of Thiessen’s pad. Penguins didn’t get a single shot on goal this frame.

Shootout: Geoff Walker and Bryan Lerg scored off the hop, the Paul Szczechura and Jonathan Parker in round three and four. In round eight, Eric Tangradi would score a laser beam roof job. Thiessen would then deny Mark Voakes to win it.

Three Stars: 3) Derek Whitmore (goal, +1) 2) Eric Tangradi (goal, even, shootout game winner) and 1) Jason Williams (goal, two assists, even)

Thoughts: Simon Despres’ stick handling is a sight to behold. I think he is the best puck handler on the team. Brandon DeFazio should never be scratched again.With all the attention I pay to some silly igloo, I really should look at what the Pens record is with 24 in the lineup. He brings it every night.

Around the Division: Hershey and Adirondack set an AHL attendance record tonight at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia in front of 45,653 fans. The Phantoms would win the game in overtime 4-3. In Norfolk, the Admirals coughed up a four goal lead in the third period to lose in overtime to the Albany Devils 5-4. Unexpected to say the least. Syracuse was in Hamilton and got bit by the Bulldogs 5-2. Binghamton beat Connecticut at home 3-1.

Standings: After all this, the Pens are only two points out of the division lead. Hershey and Norfolk have 45, Binghamton in fourth with 34 points and Syracuse, 32.

Conference: I heard Tom Grace on radio say that if things fall the Pens way tomorrow, WBS can be tops in the conference. As of now, they stand as follows: 1-StJ (45) 2-HER (45) 3-CT (43) 4-NOR (45) 5-MCH (44) 6-WBS (43) 7-WOR (39) 8-ADK (38)

Eyewitnesses told me during the game that Brad Thiessen was favoring a lower body part during the game. It’ll be interesting if anything comes of this or not. In Pittsburgh, Jordan Staal left the game after a knee on knee hit with ex-Pen Mike Rupp. Will a recall be needed or made from Wilkes-Barre? Stay tuned.

Syracuse in town tomorrow. I blogged yesterday that Andrew Gordon was put on waivers. He cleared but was not assigned. Should be a fun one tomorrow.

Let’s Go Pens!