Chirps from Center Ice

No, you can’t win a Calder Cup in January.

But you can sure lose one.

The Penguins drop another game to an East Division rival, this time 3-1 to the Binghamton Senators. This despite dressing a full lineup with Robert Bortuzzo, Eric Tangradi and Beau Bennett in the lineup after being held out on Sunday in Hartford.

If the Pens continue to keep this up, an early Spring beckons. Plain and simple. It has to be figured out and fast. No more excuses.

Jeff Zatkoff vs. Robin Lehner

First, a stat from Pens beat writer Jonathan Bombulie:

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First Period: A Binghamton two on one becomes a Binghamton three on one and Stephane DaCosta scores to put the B-Sens up 1-0. Zatkoff virtually had no shot at the save. Later, Pens get a power play. I tweet this:

Followed up by Jonathan tweeting this:

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Pens would fail to convert.

Second Period: Many power plays to both teams which would overlap at times. Both teams would come out of them unscathed. I think Jayson Megna was the best player on the ice for the Pens this period and you may say all game. He had chances but wasn’t able to convert.

Third Period: Friend of the blog Bob Howard from the Power Play Post Show caught up with me after the game to make fun of me give his condolences on the loss and offer some thoughts. He said something to the extent of when the Penguins threw away the playbook and simply ad-libbed the offense, they scored. (Paul Thompson, on a rebound) – but that wasn’t the tying goal, Eric Gryba shot a puck from the point which made it past Zatkoff, off the post, off Zatkoff’s back again and into the net. The Pens buzzed this period when, as Howard observed, they simply threw away the playbook and simply tried to get in close on Lehner and get dirty goals. It worked to some extent, but the final execution was not there. With Zatkoff pulled, Simon Despres tries to go D to D and Mike Hoffman hit the empty net to put the game on ice.

Three Stars: 3) Paul Thompson (goal, +1) 2) Robin Lehner (31 saves on 32 shots) 1) Eric Gryba (game winning goal, even)

Notes: This was trainer Patrick Steidle’s last game behind the Wilkes-Barre bench. He was promoted to head trainer of the Pittsburgh Penguins and acknowledged in the third period……. Zach Sill and Corey Cowick fought in the second period with Sill getting the better of Cowick……. Ray Shero was in the building tonight and told Tom Grace during first intermission that four to six players from Wilkes-Barre will be given invites to Pittsburgh Penguins training camp which opens Sunday. Common knowledge would then say that Wilkes-Barre will at least be able to dress a full lineup for this Friday vs. Hershey and this Saturday vs. Adirondack.

I talked puck with Jesse Marshall from the Faceoff Factor yesterday. The link to that Q&A session can be found right here.

Around the Division: Syracuse beats Rochester in Rochester 5-3.

Standings: Syracuse 51 — Binghamton 47 — Hershey 36 — Penguins 33 — Norfolk 30

Conference: 1) SYR (51) 2) POR (44) 3) SPR (43) 4) BNG (47) 5) WOR (39) 6) BRI (38) 7) PRO (36) 8) HER (36) 12) WBS (33)

Wheeling Update: There is none. The Nailers were off tonight.

SendToNews Highlights: Are here. Includes the Zach Sill fight.

Pens are off tomorrow in preparation for Hershey Friday.If hell should break with call-ups, Twitter will have it first, then Facebook then here.

I’ll leave you with one last Bombulie parting shot: