Chirps from Center Ice

Just a weird night from radio to the ice for the Pens as the Providence Bruins come into Mohegan Sun Arena and win 4-3 in overtime. It’s the P-Bruins first win against an East Division team this season (previous were 0-5) Even the radio broadcast was weird, with in house issues even with Grace and O’Brien on the live action.

But the saying of “When life hands you lemons, make lemonade” rang true tonight as the radio broadcast finally got going and the Pens get two goals in the third to even things at three to at least get a point out of the night and into sole possession of first in the division.

Scott Munroe vs. Anton Khudodin – Tons of roster moves made today. Steve MacIntyre and Eric Tangradi returned from Pittsburgh, Peter Merth, Cody Chupp and Nick Petersen sent to Wheeling.

First Period: The Pens give up a goal in the first minute of the game again. For like the fifth time this season. This time Josh Hennessy centered a pass to Jordan Caron who tipped it past Munroe to put Providence on the board :42 in. Pens would then pressure Khudobin in the offensive zone but he made some nice saves, when he had to. At the tail end of a successful penalty kill, David Warsofsky scored to make it 2-0 Bruins off a blast from the point. However, Colin McDonald drove to the net and scored to make it 2-1.

Second Period: P-Bruins captain Trent Whitfield scored to make it 3-1 4:13 in, and that was the end of Munroe, having given up three goals on ten shots. After Thiessen came in, things settled. The Pens responded with about a three minute stretch of offensive zone time which saw them make a full change. Providence, however, blocked many shots on the way to Khudobin. I cannot recall the last time I saw a team get sticks in passing and shooting lanes like the Bruins. Teams traded extended periods of 5-on-3 with neither team scoring a power play goal.

Call that extended 5-on-3 set there for both teams a turning point, if you will. If the Bruins score, it’s 4-1 and maybe it’s out of reach and no point is manufactured. If the Penguins score, it’s 3-2 going into the third instead of 3-1 and maybe, just maybe, the Pens win the game outright.

Third Period: Joey Mormina of all people stick handles past a P-Bruin and fires a puck past Khudobin to make it 3-2. About two and a half minutes later, Geoff Walker scores to even things at three. Things would settle to about the final minute when a late flurry by the Pens attempted to win the game, but Khudobin made good saves to send it to overtime.

Overtime: Robert Bortuzzo turnover in front of Thiessen’s net to Craig Cunningham ended it when Cunningham basically took it off of Bortuzzo and scored the game winner.

Three Stars: 3) David Warsofsky (goal, assist, even) 2) Colin McDonald (goal, assist, +1) and 1) Craig Cunningham (game winning goal, assist, even)

Around the Division: They all watched us tonight. No one else skated.

Standings: WBS has 56 points, Hershey has 55, Norfolk 53. Then Syracuse with 41 and Binghamton 38.

Conference: 1-StJ (56) 2-WBS (56) 3-CT (46) 4-HER (55) 5-NOR (53) 6-MCH (50) 7-WOR (48) 8-POR (47)

Pens bus to Hartford tomorrow for a Friday game vs. Connecticut. They will then most likely bus to Binghamton after that for Saturday’s game.

Limited content between now and 3 p.m. Friday for the next Gameday post Perhaps I will take a look at how many times the Pens have given up an opening goal in a game in the first minute. Stay tuned.

Let’s Go Pens!