Chirps from Center Ice

So the Penguins are pretty safe at the 4 seed for the Calder Cup Playoffs next week. The Magic Number to wrap up the four seed is one point.

What remains, is who could be the Pens first round opponent. It is down to three teams. If you think that it’s a lock for the Hershey Bears to be the first round opponent, I offer the following:

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Bridgeport has the tiebreaker over Connecticut.
Hershey has the tiebreaker over Connecticut.

Bridgeport is 5-2 vs. PRO, 0-1-0-1 vs. WBS for 11 points.
Hershey is 1-0 vs. POR, 1-2 vs. MCH, 0-0-0-1 vs. WOR for 4 points.
Connecticut is 3-3-1-0 vs. POR, 5-0 vs. MCH, 1-0 vs. SYR for 18 points.

If the Whale go 2-1 and the Bears go 1-2, then the Whale get the 5 seed. The Bears have lost five straight but are getting healthier.

Blog inspiration Michael Fornabaio also had a post about this that draws it out a bit more.

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In other news, the Penguins brought in Adam Payerl in on a ATO. Coach John Hynes told Jonathan Bombulie today that Payerl could see a game this weekend.

The Black Aces from Wheeling ride into town tomorrow. Looks like guys on AHL deal here which include Chris Barton, Cody Chupp, Andrew Hotham, Patrick Killeen, Peter Merth and Ryan Schnell. Only Hotham never saw WBS ice this season because he was injured when the Penguins were in need of defensemen.

I’d project that Payerl sees a game, probably when some of the Black Aces could, which would be Sunday in Bridgeport. Penguins may want to rest bodies in advance of the Calder Cup grind.

Let’s Go Pens!