Chirps from Center Ice

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Penguins complete a perfect weekend with a 4-2 win over the Hershey Bears in South Central Pennsylvania tonight.

But, you would think by reading that lead that the Penguins sealed the win tonight in the third period, like they have all season long to date.

Not tonight.

The story of this game was two sided. David Leggio played out of his mind tonight for the Bears, stopping 38 of 42 shots. The other was the relentless pressure the Penguins put on the Bears from the second period on. There was nothing that the Bears or Leggio could do to stop the Penguins tonight. Wilkes-Barre played like they were not to be stopped.

The Penguins sweep the Bears this weekend and complete the perfect weekend.

Jeff Deslauriers vs. David Leggio

Late news in that Brendan Mikkelson was a surprise scratch. He took warmups, but was scratched and Nick D’Agostinio took his place in the lineup.

First Period: Adam Payerl feeds Tom Kostopoulos in the slot but Leggio made the save to deny him. Turns out that save would be a bit of foreshadowing for the way the period and most of the game would go for the Penguins.

But first, the Bears would get two bang bang goals 1:59 apart. David Kolomatis scores his first as a Bear when he throws a puck at the net that banks off of Scott Harrington and into the net. The second was a sharp angle shot from ex-Penguin Jeff Taffe that was set up by a hit on Andrew Ebbett.

Back to Leggio…the Penguins would end up on a 5-on-3 for 1:48 and when Brian Gibbons goes to bed tonight he is going to have nightmares over David Leggio. Leggio denies Gibbons not once, but twice when Gibbons seemingly had an open net to shoot into while on the two man advantage.

The rest of the period saw two fights, Uher and Tyson Strachan and Bobby Farnham and TJ Syner, fresh from a call up from ECHL Reading. Pens and Bears would trade power play opportunities but would not capitalize.

Second Period: The foreshadowing of this period was a D to D pass that Harry Zaolnierczyk picks off at the top of the rings in the Hershey zone that he skates in on Leggio and nearly scores on. The Pens would go on a penalty kill as a result of the goalie interference that Zolnierczyk committed. Gibbons skates in shorthanded and is then denied on a  breakaway by Leggio. Then, Dom Uher is denied on the rebound as well.

Finally, Chris Conner craked the code which was David Leggio on 4-on-4 and scored the Penguins first goal.

Later, Zolnierczyk skates in on a two-on-none and scores on Leggio. Hershey was caught in a bad, bad line change.

Pens go on the power play. Yes! You guessed it! Brian Gibbons denied AGAIN by Leggio.

Then, the Penguins kicked it into high gear and just ran over the Bears. Leggio made save after save after save. Heavy offensive zone time by the Penguins, more Leggio saves. Finally, Philip Samulesson scores on a laser beam shot from the point in the final minute.

Shots on goal for the second period were 22-9 Pens and 34-16 through 40 minutes.

Third Period: More even period for both teams. Bears think they score on a power play but referee Ryan Fraser takes a look at it and rules no goal. This was Fraser’s third look at replay tonight, as he had looked at two Penguins goals in the second period.

Late, Leggio comes out to play a puck when his Bears were on the power play, Andrew Ebbett picks his pocket and scores on an open net to seal it for Wilkes-Barre.

Three Stars: 3) Harry Zolnierczyk (goal, even) 2) David Leggio (38 saves on 42 shots) and 1) Tom Kuhnhackl (goal, even)

The agony of defeat.

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Around the Division: Bridgeport wins in a shootout 4-3 over Norfolk…Binghamton beats Syracuse 4-2 in the “other game to watch” tonight.

Standings: Penguins 17 — Norfolk 15 — Syracuse 13 — Binghamton 12 — Hershey 6

Conference: 1) MCH (19) 2) WBS (17) 3) HFD (16) 4) SPR (15) 5) NOR (15) 6) SYR (13) 7) BNG (12) 8)ADK (12)

Wheeling Update: Nailers beat Greenville 5-3 in West Virginia tonight. Denver Manderson was the third star (1-2-3, +2) and Cody Sylvester was the first star (2-0-2, +2)

SendToNews Highlights: Hershey looks like they do them in three. Here are the first period, second period and third period highlights.

Pens off now until Wednesday when they square off against the Syracuse Crunch at home.

Content wise, if anything is worth blogging about Sunday I will have it here. If not, the Week 5 AHL Power Rankings will be up Monday afternoon.Don’t forget to set your clocks back Saturday night!

Let’s Go Pens!!!