Chirps from Center Ice

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Hockey is a funny game really. If you don’t think karma plays a role, you just aren’t paying attention.

The Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins made history in Providence last Spring becoming the only team in AHL history to come back from an 0-3 hole and win Game 7 on the road. The goalie they defeated? His name was Niklas Svedberg. He was in goal for the Bruins tonight and assisted the Bruins in defeating the Penguins tonight 5-1.

The Pens never really looked into the game, and just looked flat. You know that this will not sit well with Head Coach John Hynes, who will probably be breathing fire on the team all the way up to Lewiston, Maine for tomorrow night’s tilt vs. the Portland Pirates.

With the returns of Simon Despres, Nick Drazenovic and Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond, Denver Manderson was scratched up front, and Nick D’Agostino didn’t even warm up. Harrison Ruopp took warmups but was scratched too.

Jeff Deslauriers vs. Niklas Svedberg

First Period: Providence would strike early, heading to a power play in the games first minute. Reid McNeiil fans on a bouncing puck in front of Deslauriers’ crease and Justin Florek knocked it in for a 1-0 Providence lead. Penguins would head to a power play soon after that and while they would not score, I liked the look of the setup in it. Closest they would get to scoring would be when Brendan Mikkelson would hit the top of the crossbar, but the puck deflected under Svedberg and the Bruins goaltender fell on it.

Later, Mikkelson is hit hard on the boards behind Deslauriers net. Referee Jon McIsaac seemed disinterested in calling a penalty on Bobby Robins. Mikkelson was looking for retribution on the heavy hit delivered to him by Robins and in the process lost Robins who drove the net and scored to make it 2-0 Providence.

Shots were 7-7 in the first period, but it sure didn’t feel like it from a Penguins perspective.

Second Period: No scoring this period but it was all Providence who, at times, seemed a step ahead of the Pens all period. Best chance was really a Bobby Farnham shot from the slot. Later, the P-Bruins had a long period of offensive zone time that the Pens sustained. Shots this period were 13-5 P-Bruins and this time, really felt like it.

Third Period: Bruins score two goals in 2:22 seconds to put the game away. Craig Cunningham, 5-hole and in on Deslauriers on the power play then Zach Trotman on a laser beam dart at the top of the slot even strength that chases Deslauriers.

Harry Zolnierczyk scores a goal on a hack and whack on Svedberg to put the Pens on the board.

Alex Khokhlachev scored later, shaking off the pursuing Brian Dumoulin to snuff out whatever was smoldering on a Wilkes-Barre comeback to make it 5-1 Bruins.

Three Stars: 3) Alexander Khokhlachev (goal, assist, +3) 2) Bobby Robins (goal, +1) 1) Zach Trotman (goal, assist, +3)

How doesn’t Nik Svedberg get a star of the game there?

Around the Division: Binghamton beats Bridgeport 6-2 in Binghamton. Syracuse gets by Hershey 3-2 in Central New York and Norfolk gets a goal late to tie Worcester and forces a shootout but lose to the Sharks 3-2.

Standings: Binghamton 51 — Penguins 48 — Norfolk 46 — Syracuse 40 — Hershey 40

Conference: 1) SPR (56) 2) MCH (56) 3) BNG (51) 4) ALB (49) 5) WBS (48) 6) PRO (48) 7) NOR (46) 8) STJ (43)

Wheeling Update: The Nailers are in the Carolinas this weekend and beat the Greenville Road Warriors 5-2. Chaz Johnson had a goal and an assist and Cody Sylvester had a goal too. Peter Mannino backed up Mike Condon in goal.

SendToNews Highlights: Not up yet and I don’t remember if Providence does ’em. With the Pens losing 5-1 tonight, what really is there to look at unless you are a displaced Bruins fan living in Forty Fort?

Pens are in Portland tomorrow. Gameday for that will be up at 3 p.m.

Let’s Go Pens!!!