Chirps from Center Ice

Exciting parts of this second exhibition game between the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins and the Rochester Americans, a 2-1 Pens win in OT. Just some observations:

— Penguins manhandled the Amerks in the games opening fifteen minutes. Not allowing the Amerks a single shot on goal.

— Power play looked sharp. Passes were on point. Pucks kept in. Everyone was in position.

— Penalty kill looked even sharper. A perfect 7-for-7.

— When the Penguins let off, even the slightest, Rochester was right there to take advantage. The final five minutes of the first were a great example. Pens were outshooting the Amerks 7-0 and at the end of the period the shots were something like 8-7.

— Jeff Deslauriers started for the Pens and looked sharp. Then again, Rochester didn’t exactly dress a lineup that will debut opening night. A lot of youth in the lineup for the Amerks this evening.

— Matt Hackett started for Rochester and had laser like focus all night. Deflections? Saw em. Shots? No rebounds. Out of position? He gets over. Really nice showing from him.

— Eric Hartzell played the final 30 minutes for the Pens, replacing Deslauriers at the 10:00 mark of the second. He left a rebound on a shot that Colton Gillies pounced on and stuffed home but otherwise was solid in goal for the Penguins.

— Hackett looked destined for the shutout but the Penguins, on the power play and with the goaltender pulled, score a goal with 2.7 left when Brian Gibbons finds Mike Ratchuk cross ice for a backdoor goal.

— Cody Sylvester scored in overtime on a goal which was initially washed out by referee TJ Luxmore who ruled interference on Hackett after Sylvester bowled into him. Luxmore conferred with his linesmen and after review, overturned his call. The goal was before the interference, so the right call was made.

— Local product Patrick McGrath was in the starting lineup and had himself a memorable game. First, it’s with pride that I look at the lineup and see a player from Wilkes-Barre, PA listed as his hometown. Second, the kid is fearless. Take a look:

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The guy he fought is no slouch either. It was Frederick Roy, or Patrick’s son. McGrath eats three uppercuts then pops Roy’s helmet off. McGrath would go on to fight Johnny McGuire, who also fought Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond. Nothing was as memorable as that fight above though.

Not really much else to analyze here. Systems wise, Pens looked in midseason form. Penalty kill was spotless. Power play looked vastly improved. We’ll see as the season gets going.

Anyway, I took a bunch of pictures of the inside of the arena that I will run later tonight / Saturday morning in a photoblog of sorts. Keep a lookout for that, if you are a night owl.

Penguins travel down I-81 for a meeting with the Hershey Bears tomorrow at 7 then close out the preseason slate with a rematch with the Bears Sunday at 5.