Chirps from Center Ice

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Penguins play a sloppy, undisciplined first period then have to claw their way back for the remainder of the game, tie the game, then lose late when ex-captain Ryan Craig gets two whacks at a rebound and puts it behind starting goaltender Jeff Deslauriers by a final score of 4-3.

One point to show this week for the Penguins after the shootout loss Wednesday to Syracuse and the regulation loss to Albany Friday.

Jeff Deslauriers vs. Jeremy Smith

Three lineup changes for the Penguins. Anton Zlobin (making his pro debut) Paul Thompson and Reid McNeil were in for the Pens and Tom Kuhnhack, Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond (out with a lower body injury per Mike O’Brien on pre game) and Nick D’Agostino.

First Period: Springfield gets four power plays in the period. What you need to know here is that they have scored on FOUR of those power plays in prior games all SEASON and scored TWO in the first period. Their power play was ranked dead last in the AHL. In todays first period, it didn’t look like it.

Tim Erixon on a shot where Deslauriers was screened and then Spencer Machacek on a tip of a Frederic St. Denis shot put the Falcons ahead 2-0.

Second Period: Simon Despres scores on a two on one rush to put the Pens behind by just one. Penguins slowly were coming to life, peppering Smith with shot after shot, but then Frederic St. Denis scores from the blue line on a shot that seemed to surprise Deslauriers as he may have been partially screened on that shot too.

Penalty filled period and overall game to this point. Since I rag on other real media outlets for complaining of referee’s calls, I won’t emulate the out of town act.

Brian Dumoulin would get one back for the Pens while Wilkes-Barre was on a 5-on-3 to make it 3-2 Springfield.

Third Period: The story of this week is going to be the Penguins inability to score on a 5-on-3 situation. Penguins got three looks at this situation but came up empty every time but for the Dumoulin goal late in the second period.

Simon Despres scored to tie the game as a five-on-three expired for the Penguins, who failed to even register a single shot on goal. Then, Craig scored late on a Darryl Boyce blast that the Springfield Captain gets two whacks on before it finally goes in past Deslauriers.

With the Wilkes-Barre net empty, the Penguins never found the equalizer.

Three Stars: 3) Simon Despres (two goals, +2) 2) Frederic St. Denis (goal, assist, even) and 1) Ryan Craig (game winning goal, assist, +1)

Around the Division: Binghamton beats Hershey in a shootout 5-4 in the only other divisional action.

Standings: Syracuse 19 — Penguins 18 — Binghamton 18 — Norfolk 17 — Hershey 10

Conference: 1) MCH (21) 2) SYR (19) 3) SPR (17) 4) WBS (18) 5) BNG (18) 6) NOR (17) 7) PRO (16) 8) ADK (16)

Wheeling Update: The Nailers lost to the Reading Royals 2-1.

SendToNews Highlights: Are here.

The Week 6 AHL Power Rankings will be out later Monday. That’s because there are two Veterans Day games. Look for them ideally around 7 p.m. tomorrow.

Let’s Go Pens!