Chirps from Center Ice

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Well, that was unexpected.

No, I am not talking about the Penguins losing this game 5-1 tonight. Wilkes-Barre has a Jekyll and Hyde side to it where you don’t know what team you are getting. The Pens look like world beaters this past weekend, battling the Portland Pirates and toppling them in overtime on Saturday then clawing back from an 0-3 hole Sunday vs. Manchester to win in a shootout. Battle. Pressure. Fight? That motto must have been left in New Hampshire.

The Worcester Sharks, one of the more one dimensional teams in the AHL, score FOUR CONSECUTIVE power play goals tonight against the top unit in the AHL and make the Pens look like pancakes, because that’s how flat the visiting team was tonight.

Jeff Zatkoff vs. Harri Sateri – Chris Collins was out for the returning Steve MacIntyre.

First Period: A very herky jerky start to the period, as there were many whistles. Period will best be remembered for 1:47 5-on-3 power play time for the Penguins about halfway through the period. They say the definition of insanity is repeating something over and over and expecting the same result. Alex Grant attempts to gain entry into the offensive zone, dumps it, Sharks retreat, get it and fire it down the ice. Grant tries again, is dispossessed five feet in. Yet again. Same thing. By the time the Pens had a chance in the zone, the Sharks got a man back then another man.

Second Period: Sharks get two power play goals. Pens looked and played flat in the period. Very uncharacteristic period for the Penguins, who by all accounts, did nothing to generate chances at all towards Sateri.

Third Period: Pens get a power play but can’t establish anything. Couldn’t even gain entry into the offensive zone properly. Then the Sharks get a power play. Adam Comrie gets a power play goal. 3-0 Sharks. Then Warren Peters gets a tip in off of a Joe Morrow point shot. Cardiac Penguins right? Bracken Kearns plays the role of 10,000 cigarettes and scores a nifty backhanded goal not a minute later to make it 4-1 Sharks. Just when you though things couldn’t get any worse than they presently stood, Kearns scored a power play goal to put things out of reach at 5-1.

The two teams rematch Friday in Worcester.

I don’t know what it will mean if the Pens do exact revenge and win Friday against the Sharks. They can very well travel to Portland the following night and lose 6-1 for all I know. That’s one thing that is the huge uncertainty. One weekend you can look like world beaters and sweep the weekend. The next you can look as inept as a team playing for the first time ever and look like tonight.

Three Stars: 3) Marek Viedensky (goal, even) 2) Adam Comrie (goal, three assists, +1) and 1) Bracken Kearns (two goals, one assist, +1)

Around the Division: Binghamton was in Rochester and lost 3-1. Norfolk traveled to Charlotte and won 3-2.

Standings: Syracuse 79 — Binghamton 78 — Penguins 67 — Hershey 64 — Norfolk 61

Admirals are getting closer. I think they make playoffs giving the East Division all five teams in. Although they could get in and Hershey or Wilkes-Barre could miss. But right now, the Admirals are playing like a playoff team.

Conference: 1) SYR (79) 2) SPR (76) 3) PRO (75) 4) BNG (78) 5) POR (73) 6) WBS (67) 7) HER (64) 8) CT (64)

SendToNews Highlights: Are here. Not much to look at as a Penguins fan.

Wheeling Update: Nailers fared no better tonight, getting housed by the Reading Royals 7-1. Keven Veilleux scored the only goal for the Nailers tonight.

Pens look to regroup Friday at 7:30 in Worcester. Gameday for that affair will be up on the blog at 3 p.m. Friday.

Let’s Go Pens!