Chirps from Center Ice

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It took 20 games, but the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins have their first shutout.

Against a divisional foe.

By a rookie goaltender starting his second ever AHL game.

For first place.

Anchored by a 25 save performance by Eric Hartzell, the Penguins get a goal from Harry Zolnierczyk in the second period and ride solid defense the rest of the way to win 1-0 over rival Binghamton and are now in first place in the division.

Nathan Lawson vs. Eric Hartzell

Dominik Uher was listed as out with an “upper body” injury. Carter Rowney made his WBS debut for Uher. Peter Merth took warmups but was the lone healthy scratch.

Pre-game, the Pens announced that Jeff Deslauriers was signed to an AHL contract for the rest of the year. This should surprise no one. It wasn’t a matter of if they were going to sign Deslauriers, it was a matter of when.

First Period: Penguins went 0-for-7 on the power play and it showed early, especially with the second one of the night in the first period where the Penguins couldn’t get a single thing going. Late, shorthanded, Brian Gibbons hits the top of the goal post and the puck goes in at the buzzer. Only problem is, the puck went down and not in then was pushed in but after time expired. Replay confirmed the call.

Second Period: Eric Hartzell must have had six eyes and eight legs this period because he had every puck hit him this period. A redirect from in close? Saved. Penguins defensive turnover? Dial 555-BAIL – Eric is there to bail you out. A shot that goes through nine bodies on the ice that mere mortal goaltenders never see? Insured by Hartzell, we keep pucks out of the net! He saw everything and let everything hit him, closed his angles and was on money all period.

Then, Brian Gibbons takes a puck off the near low corner, sweeps it to Harry Zolnierczyk for the backhander to put the Pens up 1-0. Pens kill a 4:00 Brian Dumoulin high stick call, thanks in large part to the stout penalty kill and one Eric Hartzell.

Third Period: More terrible power play by the Penguins. A scary moment when Hartzell goes down and doesn’t move. The arena was quiet because most fans knew there wasn’t another goaltender in Wheeling for a call-up. Turns out, by my eyes, it was nothing but a cramp, as I saw trainer Kyle Moore mouth “cramp” while walking to the bench. Binghamton would have a power play to mess with after, but Hartzell and the stellar Wilkes-Barre penalty killing unit would deny all chances.

Three Stars: 3) Nathan Lawsn (25 saves on 26 shots) 2) Harry Zolnierczyk (goal, +1) and 1) Eric Hartzell (25 save shutout)

Around the Division: Syracuse guts out a 4-2 win at home vs. St. John’s, Norfolk loses 5-4 to Providence. Hershey was off.

Standings: Penguins 28 — Binghamton 28 — Norfolk 24 — Syracuse 22 — Hershey 16

Conference: 1) MCH (32) 2) SPR (28) 3) WBS (28) 4) BNG (28) 5) ALB (24) 6) NOR (24) 7) STJ (23) 8) SYR (22)

Wheeling Update: The Nailers win in Elmira vs. the Jackals 3-1. Anton Zlobin had a goal in the winning effort.

SendToNews Highlights: Better yet, how about a YouTube package?

Wilkes-Barre travels to Hershey tomorrow for a 7 p.m. gave with in-state rival Bears. Gameday for that will be up at 3 p.m.

Let’s Go Pens!!!