Chirps from Center Ice

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“One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.”

Chuck Kobasew, run out of Pittsburgh on a rail after not scoring a goal for the Penguins in 30 games, was sent to Wilkes-Barre when he was placed on and cleared waivers.

Kobasew has over 600 NHL games played. He doesn’t need the AHL. He could have took his sticks and drove right past Wilkes-Barre and went home.

He didn’t. He came to Wilkes-Barre with a positive attitude, quoted in the newspaper going around the Arena and the practice facility introducing himself simply by saying, “Hi, I’m Chuck.”

The AHL is Kobasew’s playground. Three goals in three games coming in to this afternoon’s action against the Albany Devils at Boardwalk Hall. Kobasew adds two more goals and assists on another as the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins defeat the Albany Devils 3-2 in overtime, with Kobasew netting the game winning goal.

The game was a snoozefest for the first forty minutes. Only a Kobasew power play goal from a cross ice pass from Andrew Ebbett in the first period was the only thing to write home about.

The second period didn’t have much either. Devils goaltender Keith Kinkaid was making saves he didn’t know he was saving. There was a late sequence between Ebbett and Beau Bennett where they nearly connected on a goal after some nice tic tac toe passing.

The third period was where all the action was.

Penguins ice. Off the ensuing face-off, Adam Larsson scores over the shoulder of starting goaltender Jeff Deslauriers to tie the game at one a piece.

Then, after causing a Penguins turnover at center ice, Darcy Zajac skates in and claps home a slapshot that Deslauriers got some of but not all of. 2-1 Devils.

At this point, with the way that the two two teams were playing, tight, defensive hockey, things looked bleak for the Penguins.

Late, on a rush, Brendan Mikkelson pinches and slaps home a shot to tie the game at two again.

Chuck Kobasew ends the game on a net front crash, hack and whack. The video isn’t the greatest, but the puck was never completely covered, and Kobasew stuffed it in.

Notes: Only lineup change Wilkes-Barre’s way was Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond in for Denver Manderson. No updates available on the statuses of the upper body injuries to Harry Zolnierczyk, Spencer Machacek and Zach Sill….Jeff Deslauriers started his first game since March 9….Andrew Ebbett is on an 8 game point streak with his assist on Kobasew’s first goal….with the win today and the Hershey loss to Manchester, the Penguins magic number to clinch playoffs is now 15….speaking of playoffs, the Texas Stars were the first team to clinch a spot today with the Charlotte Checkers losing 4-2 to the San Antonio Rampage Sunday afternoon.

Three Stars: 3) Darcy Zajac (goal, -1) 2) Brendan Mikkelson (goal, +1) and 1) Chuck Kobasew (two goals, assist, +1)

Around the Division: Hershey loses to Manchester in New Hampshire 2-1. Syracuse shuts out Adirondack 3-0.

Standings: Binghamton 81 — Penguins 80 — Norfolk 77 — Hershey 72 — Syracuse 60

Conference: 1) MCH (92) 2) SPR (84) 3) BNG (81) 4) STJ (86) 5) WBS (80) 6) ALB (79) 7) NOR (77) 8) PRO (77)

Wheeling Update: The Nailers were off today.

SendToNews Highlights: Will look later. Not up yet.

Week 25 AHL Power Rankings will be done Sunday night and will be up Monday at 4 p.m.

Let’s Go Pens!!!