Chirps from Center Ice

No silly headline tonight. Sorry. Pens lose this game 4-1.

Let’s just go on and crown the Norfolk Admirals the 2011-2012 East Division Champions and the odds on favorite to represent the Eastern Conference in the Calder Cup Finals. The Admirals winning streak is now old enough to drive, they have won SIXTEEN straight.

Funny game tonight. Fans on one side will say that referees Steve Patafie and Jason Rollins were downright awful. Fans on the other will say that the Pens just looked flatfooted all night. Others will say that the Admirals are just that good at this juncture. Some may add a potpourri of other random observations such as Norfolk’s speed, Munroe’ having an off night, etc. I will tend to agree with all thought processes.

Before I get into the game recap, hats off to Norfolk. The 15 wins in a row before this would have been enough to SWEEP through the ENTIRE Calder Cup Playoffs (emphasis added)

Scott Munroe vs. Jaroslav Janus

Lineup Notes: Joey Mormina was under the weather and scratched. So too Cody Wild yielding to Brian Strait and Simon Despres, down from Pittsburgh. Matt Rust took warmups but was scratched. Bryan Lerg returned to the lineup.

First Period: Brian Gibbons took a trip call. Pens killed it then a second later, Cal O’Reilly dropped a pass to Bryan Lerg who scored what would end up being the only Pens goal of the night, a slick wrister which handcuffed Janus. Then the Pens took another penalty in the form of a Bryan Lerg elbow. The Admirals wasted little time in evening the score at 1 when Mark Barberio fired a slap pass to Richard Panik who tipped it past Munroe. Then, next shift Radko Gudas scored from the top of the circles to make it 2-1 Admirals. They then came in 2-on-1 and didn’t score. Pens were juyst standing around.

Second Period: Admirals were on a carryover power play from the first period which Tyler Johnson wasted no time on scoring making it 3-1 before you were able to settle in for the second. After that, the Admirals just held the Pens at arm length the rest of the night really. Munroe made a stop on a two on none with Ondrej Palat and Richard Panik. Pens killed off a late Norfolk 5-on-3.

Third Period: Evan Oberg, fresh out of the box on an interference call, was sprung and beat Munroe clean to make it 4-1. Penguins only managed two shots on goal this period as the Admirals really did a nice job, I don’t want to say insulating Janus, but protecting the lead.

Final shots on goal were a robust 33 for the Admirals and a paltry 13 for the Penguins.

Thoughts: Not going to be discouraged by this result. The Admirals are as hot as hot can be. The pessimist in me will call this an out and out dismantling of the Penguins tonight. The optimist in me says it’s a learning experience for pretty much everyone.

Three Stars: 3) Radko Gudas (goal, +1) 2) Richard Panik (goal, assist, even) 1) Tyler Johnson (goal, two assists, +1)

Around the Division: Syracuse came back to beat Adirondack in Glens Falls 2-1.

Standings: Norfolk leads by 10 points, 89 to the Pens 79. Hershey has two games in hand on the Pens and sit five back at 72 points. Syracuse is 10 back of Hershey and the B-Sens are twenty behind Hershey and ten behind Syracuse.

Conference: 1-NOR (89) 2-StJ (83) 3-BRI (72) 4-WBS (79) 5-HER (72) 6-CT (72) 7-MCH (65) 8-ALB (64)

I heard Grace mention practice Friday in advance of Saturday home vs. Worcester then Sunday vs. Binghamton. Fodder between now and then may be scarce.

Let’s Go Pens!