Chirps from Center Ice

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Snow kept me away from Binghamton tonight. I am sick of driving in it, dealing with it, shoveling it and worrying about it.

It was probably a good thing. Pens get throttled on the Southern Tier tonight and lose 6-2. Binghamton scores four power play goals, a shorthanded goal and an even strength goal after a Penguin turnover in the defensive zone and that was all she wrote.

You could say that the defensive zone turnover in the first period sealed the fate for the Penguins. Or, you could say that the B-Sens AHL leading 15th shorthanded goal soon after did because after that, the Pens never mounted much of a comeback.

Eric Hartzell opposed Andrew Hammond.

Penguins got Jayson Megna back (last game played November 23) Adam Payerl back (last game played November 30) and Brian Gibbons (last game played December 14) – Spencer Machacek was back too, from his minor lower-body whatever it was last weekend.

The healthiest and deadliest Wilkes-Barre / Scranton lineup since the start of the season would fare well against the B-Sens who had lost 3 of their last 4, right?

It didn’t mean a thing.

Mark Stone got the party started in the first period, cutting to the net and receiving an Andre Petersson pass on the back door to put the Sens up 1-0 on the power play.

Then, 1:08 later, Spencer Machacek would hack and whack a rebound on a Simon Despres shot from the point for a tie game.

Pens returned with a furious flurry against Hammond, but he didn’t break. Then Brendan Mikkelson tries to exit his own zone, Mark Stone picks his pocket, feeds Corey Cowick on a 2 on 1 with Scott Harrington back for a 2-1 Binghamton lead.

Penguins get a power play. Momentum changer right, No! You’re wrong! Jean-Gabriel Pageau skates in and scores to make it 3-1 Binghamton.

That would end Hartzell’s night. You really couldn’t fault him. Beat back door on a deadly Binghamton power play. D-zone gaffe leads to a 2 on 1 then a shorthanded goal against. Jeff Deslauriers would replace him.

Didn’t help. Mike Hoffman waits out a Wilkes-Barre body and fires through a crowd for a 4-1 Binghamton lead for another power play goal.

And this was just the first period. The four goals allowed were the most allowed by the Penguins in a period.

Second period didn’t offer much. Mike Carman had a shorthanded bid denied.

Third period. Penguins parade to the power play continued. All legitimate calls tonight by referee Dave Lewis. Bobby Farnham took a tripping penalty then as soon as that was killed, Simon Despres took a high sticking one. Cole Schneider slammed home a fluttering puck to extinguish any hopes of yet another third period comeback for Wilkes-Barre.

Footnotes. Tom Kostopoulos scored his 11th power play goal of the season for a 5-2 lead. Mike Hofffman responds and scores another power play goal for the B-Sens, their fourth power play of the night, and that ended it.

Three stars were Stephane Da Costa (two assists) Andrew Hammond (33 saves on 35 shots) and Mike Hoffman (two goals, assist)

Pens aren’t getting any help from behind them. Hershey wins in a shootout in Atlantic City 3-2 over the Albany Devils and Norfolk wins 2-0 against Syracuse at home.

Standings are Binghamton 64, Penguins 61, Hershey 60, Norfolk 60, Syracuse 44.

Conference has Manchester running away with it with 71 points, Springfield 67, Binghamton 64, Penguins and Providence tied with 61, Hershey and Norfolk with 60 and St. John’s rounding out the top 8 with 59 points.

Good news in the organization as the Nailers win 4-2 against Reading. Denver Manderson had two goals.

SendToNews highlights are here.

Pens now travel to Hershey for second place in the division. Saying that a better effort is needed is a huge understatement.

Gameday for that will be up at 3 p.m. Saturday.

Let’s Go Pens!