Penguins get three goals in the first period, two from Paul Thompson and hang on to win 3-2 tonight in Norfolk. Norfolk had enjoyed the AHL’s best third period goal differential at +18.

Prior to the game, Simon Despres was called up to Pittsburgh but was hurt and Eric P from the Wilkes-Blog tweeted this postgame:

Damn.

Anyway, pressing matters on the farm. Cody Chupp, Ryan Schnell and Peter Merth were in. Nick Petersen was the lone healthy scratch. Personnel wise, Joey Mormina is on this trip. So too, Scott Munroe. Tom Grace said on radio that the Pens will practice tomorrow in Norfolk then bus to Philadelphia where they will fly out of Thursday morning to St. John’s, Newfoundland. They will not return to Wilkes-Barre / Scranton till at least Monday. He further went on to say that if Scott Munroe has a good prcatice we may see him at some point this coming weekend. For now, it was…

Brad Thiessen vs. Dustin Tokarski

First Period: Paul Thompson would find a puck in front and put it in the right top corner over Tokarski to put the Pens up 1-0. Then, :16 later after a Ryan Schnell and Eric Neilson fight, Thompson would score again to put the Pens up 2-0. Late, with Evan Oberg in the box for a trip, Ben Street would score on a nice wrist shot predated by an aggressive Wilkes-Barre forecheck.

Second Period: :53 in, ex-WBS Penguin Michel Ouellet would find the back of the net to put the Pens on the board. Norfolk would then build momentum but Thiessen shut the door the rest of the period, which was highlighted by Alex Grant dropping the aforementioned Ouellet with a right hand.

Third Period: Penguins would generate early chances, but a Radko Gudas point shot would elude Thiessen. Wonky shot by Gudas. Replay showed the puck hop over Thiessen’s pad to imply a deflection with traffic in front. Midway thorough this period Grace mentioned that the Penguins looked “nervous.” I mentioned in the game tweets that you can’t play not to lose. Especially against Norfolk. This theory would be tested, as the Pens would take two unnecessary delay of game calls in succession but the Pens killed both. Late, with Tokarski pulled, the Admirals were unable to find the equalizer and the Pens hung on fo the much needed win.

Pens win fifth straight on the road and 14th overall away from Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza.

Three Stars: 3) Radko Gudas (goal, +1) 2) Ben Street (goal, assist, +1) and 1) Paul Thompson (two goals, +2)

Around the Division: No one else skated.

Standings: Hershey is idle with 49 points. Admirals and Penguins are tied in points with 45 points. Syracuse and Binghamton are tied in points as well for fourth and fifth respectively with 34 points between them.

Conference: 1) HER (49) 2-StJ (47) 3-CT (44) 4-NOR (45) 5-WBS (45) 6-MCH (44) 7-WOR (41) 8-ALB (39)

Probably won’t have much in the way of a blog update tomorrow or Friday with a travel day. If there’s call up I’ll have it here on the blog. Pens are off Friday, so we may be scarce content wise here on the blog but Twitter is the best way to stay on top of the minutiae.

Let’s Go Pens!

Woes versus the I-81 neighbors to the North continue as the Pens drop this game 4-3. Robert Bortuzzo was re-assigned and played for Peter Merth. Speculation to any ailment to Thiessen last night proved wrong as…

Brad Thiessen vs. Jeff Deslauriers

First Period: Goals traded within about :45 of one another between Matt Smaby on the power play and Matt Rust off a rebound made it a 1-1 game going into first intermission. Pens were killing a Geoff Walker interference penalty when they turned the puck over to Smaby who was off to the races and scored.

Second Period: Ben Street is in the box for a hooking call. Ex-WBS Penguin Luca Caputi works a tic-tac-toe pass to Kyle Cuminsky who puts it past Thiessen and in to put the Crunch up 2-1. Then, Kyle Palmieri takes the puck behind Thiessen’s net, and backhands one past Thiessen to put the Crunch up 3-1. Pens couldn’t do anything with a Syracuse too many men on the ice call late.

Third Period: Alex Grant ripped a shot from the far point which Geoff Walker tipped home to cut the Crunch lead to 3-2. Deslauriers stood on his head twice when Brian Gibbons and Jason Williams had chances in on him close. Syracuse took another too many men on the ice call which the Pens couldn’t cash on. It would prove to be the momentum that Syracuse would need to win the game as shortly after, a defensive breakdown led to a Kyle Palmieri goal from the slot. It’d prove to hold up as the game winner as late Paul Thompson would tip a Geoff Walker shot from the left face-off dot to make it 4-3. Pens would have chances late with Thiessen pulled but couldn’t find the equalizer.

Three Stars: 3) Luca Caputi (two assists, +1) 2) Geoff Walker (goal, assist, +1) and 1) Kyle Palmieri (two goals, +2)

Around the Division: Hershey beat Adirondack at home 5-2. Albany sweeps Norfolk down in Virginia by winning 3-1. Binghamton lost to Rochester 3-2.

Standings: Hershey 47, Norfolk 45, Wilkes-Barre 43, Syracuse 34, Binghamton 34.

Conference: 1-StJ (47) 2-HER (47) 3-CT (44) 4-NOR (45) 5-MCH (44) 6-WBS (43) 7-WOR (39) 8-ALB (39)

Hershey plays tomorrow in the game in hand they have on Wilkes-Barre versus Rochester at 5 p.m. I will likely have a retweet of a final score on the Twitter side.

Pens will be off tomorrow, bus to Norfolk Monday for the game vs. the Admirals Tuesday at 7:15.

If I have material to run between now and then check the blog or stay with me on the Twitter side.

Let’s Go Pens!