Chirps from Center Ice

         vs.         

1                                              5

–

It’s coming together.

About two weeks ago, the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins were a lifeless, effortless bunch on the outside of the playoffs and leaving a marginal blogger scratching his head and asking himself why. But it made for clicks! Let’s blog about other teams scores and hope that this team wins and this team loses and this team loses and this team wins!

When you are out of control, you can’t hope that others control what you can’t.

Or something.

Anyway, the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins finally turned it around with a 6-5 win at home against Hershey on a Tuesday in Wilkes-Barre.

Since, they haven’t looked back.

It’s actually been a forgotten man that has gotten them not only back into playoff contention but back into sole possession of first place in the East Division after a 5-1 win Friday night against Hamilton.

His name is Peter Mannino.

In the month of March alone, Mannino has gone 4-1, with a 2.05 GAA and a .922 SV%. Not bad for a guy who didn’t take his assignment to Wheeling in the Fall the right way and was suspended by the team.

With a 3-1 Binghamton win against Norfolk up on the Southern Tier, the Penguins sit in sole possession of first place in the East Division. For now. Binghamton has two games in hand and Norfolk comes to town tomorrow. Norfolk owns the Penguins at Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza as of late. Something like 12 straight wins or something like that.

Anyway. The game.

Mannino opposed Devan Dubnyk. Chuck Kobasew made his first AHL start in a long, long time. Spencer Machacek was the veteran scratch. Jayson Megna was called up to Pittsburgh before the game. Normally I get upset whenever a player gets recalled from Wilkes-Barre to Pittsburgh, but not in this case. Megna had four points for the Pens since being re-assigned at the Olympic break. Not exactly setting the AHL world on fire, there.

First Period: Long period of green flag hockey. That is, non-stop, end to end hockey. Then, a Penguins penalty kill. Andrew Ebbett dogs the Bulldogs defensemen and steals a puck and skates in on a breakaway and is hauled down and is awarded a penalty shot. He scores. 1-0 Penguins. Probably the first ever shorthanded penalty shot goal in team history.

Later, Anton Zlobin steps up and scores on a power play to put the Penguins ahead 2-0. Hamilton responds when Mike Blunden cleans up a rebound left by Mannino to cut the lead in half.

Second Period: You’ll probably see this one in the SendToNews Package. Peter Mannino with a glove save while going in the splits robbing Sven Andrighetto in the slot.

One man’s trash is another man’s treasure. Chuck Kobasew, banished by the Pittsburgh Penguins and the scorn of the fan base and placed on waivers, scores in his first game as a Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguin to make it 3-1.

:23 later, Brian Dumoulin waits out a Bulldog and pumps one on net for a 4-1 Penguin lead. That goal would end Dubnyk’s night.

Third Period: Anton Zlobin with his second of the night on a nifty backhand and it’s 5-1 Wilkes-Barre, who, for all intents and purposes just played defense the entire period and didn’t let anything funny happen the Hamilton way.

Three Stars: 3) Peter Mannino (26 saves on 27 shots) 2) Andrew Ebbett (goal, assist, +2) and 1) Anton Zlobin (two goals, assist, +2)

So, wait. Anton Zlobin was sent to Wheeling a week or so ago, responds with a three point night. Meanwhile Jayson Megna, who scored only four points his entire stay here since the Olympic break, gets the call up? Okay……..

Around The Division: You know about Binghamton beating Norfolk 3-1 from my lead. Click there for the box if you are so inclined. Hershey, battling for a playoff spot, loses to Syracuse 3-2 in overtime, done in by ex-Bear Jon DiSalvatore. The good news for the Bears is that their trade deadline acquisitions in Chris Brown and Kris Newbury had an immediate impact, with Newbury assisting on a Brown goal.

Standings: Penguins 74 — Binghamton 73 — Norfolk 72 — Hershey 68 — Syracuse 57

Conference: 1) MCH (88) 2) SPR (80) 3) WBS (74) 4) STJ (78) 5) BNG (73) 6) PRO (73) 7) NOR (72) 8) ALB (70)

Wheeling Update: The Nailers defeated the Reading Royals by the same 5-1 score as the Penguins did tonight. Tom Kuhnhackl (1-2-3, +4) Carter Rowney (1-3-4, +5) and Cody Sylvester (3-1-4, +3) all with HUGE nights to help the Nailers in the race for playoffs in the ECHL.

SendToNews Highlights: Are here.

Pens take on the Norfolk Admirals tomorrow at 7:05. Gameday for this will be up at the usual 3 p.m.

Let’s Go Pens!!!