Chirps from Center Ice

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Called it two hours and fifteen minutes and change before it happened….

I hate it when I am right like this. I also spelled his name wrong in my tweet. Apologies to the Cannata family if they ever come across this.

Utica goaltender Joe Cannata stops 22 of 23 Wilkes-Barre shots and the Comets continue to frustrate the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins, winning tonight 2-1.

The first game between these two teams was a 1-0 win for the Pens in December. The Pens then let a 1-0 lead get away from them with seven seconds left two weeks ago and lost to Utica 2-1 in a shootout. This Utica team knows this Penguin team because it plays just like it. Sticks in passing lanes. A step ahead of a guy chasing a puck. Its like they know the move before you make it.

The ironic thing about this is that the Penguins play the Comets in their final game of the season on April 19. If the Penguins are still battling for a playoff berth at that point, won’t this game be fun?

Let’s let the potential foreshadowing end there.

ATO’s have been added. Here are the official releases on Matia Marcantuoni and Alex Boak. Marcantuoni’s announcemnt was made Friday, Boak’s was made Saturday. Also announced late this afternoon was the news that Josh Archbald has joined the Pens after an impressive year with Nebraska-Omaha, where he was second in the NCAA in goals scored this season.

Peter Mannino vs. the aforementioned Joe Cannata.

Lineup Changes: Zach Sill, Spencer Machacek and Harry Zolnierczyk listed as injured. Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond was a healthy scratch along with Barry Goers. Nick D’Agostino was in as was Chuck Kobasew and Beau Bennett on Game 1 of his conditioning stint.

First Period: Penguins didn’t have a shot on goal until 3:14 left to play in the period when Adam Payerl cut to the slot while being hooked. What Utica put on net towards Mannino he stopped as well.

Second Period: Beau Bennett on the ice when the Penguins offense seemingly starts coming alive. Nothing doing. Finally, Utica gets a power play and while Andrew Ebbett loses his stick, Utica cycles behind the net to a wide open Pascal Pelletier who scores to make it 1-0 Utica, ending Peter Mannino’s shutout streak at 194:48.

Then, Mike Carman shoots a puck at a wide open Utica net after Cannata comes out to play a puck and misplays it. Henrik Tommernes makes a stick save to keep the puck out.

Chuck Kobasew scored on a power play to tie the game at one.

Third Period: Pens take two consecutive penalties to open. A too many men on the ice call that sees Utica spend the entire two minutes in the Pens zone in and then a Mannino trip. Pens kill that, but seconds later Colin Stuart fires a puck through a crowd to put the Comets ahead for good at 2-1.

Utica really held on from there. Barely. Consecutive icing calls after another. Penguins can’t find the equalizer.

Three Stars: 3) Chuck Kobasew (goal, even) 2) Peter Mannino (27 saves on 29 shots) and 1) Colin Stuart (goal, +1)

Around the Division: You cannot stop the Big B Machine. Binghamton rolls into Norfolk, having never swept the Admirals in Virginia, and win 6-5 in overtime. The game was a firefight to the end, with the score being tied at 4-4 then 5-5 to force overtime…. Hershey loses to Worcester 4-2 when leading 2-1 late. Then, in 3:15, they see it all fall apart as Worcester walks away winners….. Albany crushes Syracuse 6-2. Pens get the Devils tomorrow in Atlantic City.

Standings: Binghamton 81 — Penguins 78 — Norfolk 77 — Hershey 72 — Syracuse 58

Conference: 1) MCH (90) 2) SPR 84) 3) BNG (81) 4) STJ (84) 5) WBS (78) 6) ALB (78) 7) NOR (77) 8) PRO (75)

Wheeling Update: There is none. The Nailers did not play today.

SendToNews Highlights: Are here.

Pens travel to Atlantic City for a 4:00 start time with the Albany Devils. Gameday for this will be up at noon.

Let’s Go Pens!!!