Chirps from Center Ice

         vs.         

0                                              3

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Jonathan’s tweets summed this one up nicely:

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So you can guess how this one would go.

A 17 save shutout by reigning AHL Goaltender of the Month Peter Mannino and the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins roll the Bridgeport Sound Tigers by a score of 3-0. The Penguins, with a loss by the Binghamton Senators to the Rochester Americans tonight, pull into a tie with the B-Sens for first place in the East Division.

Peter Mannino vs. Kenny Reiter

Housekeeping: There appears to be a new radio home for the Penguins. It’s 103.1 WILK radio, announced this morning by Coal Street. In that press release, a bunch of AM radio stations added so the Penguins broadcast network grows to places like West Hazleton and Scranton and beyond…..Andrew Ebbett was recalled to Pittsburgh before the game but according to reports, it’s for insurance and nothing more.

First Period: Puck driven in deep. Caroms off of the back wall. Reiter goes out to play, misplays it, and Bobby Farnham scores on an empty net to put the Pens ahead 1-0. Later, Chuck Kobasew picks off a D to D pass and drives in to expend the lead to 2-0. Bridgeport would go without a shot for the games first 15:00 and it had the look and feel of a game that was going to get out of hand, quickly.

Second Period: Not so fast, my friend. Bridgeport would really take it to the Penguins at times during the period, but the Pens had a bend but not break mentality. Dominik Uher would score his second shorthanded goal in as many games on a pass off of the pads play to Harry Zolnierczyk, who shot the puck again at Reiter. Rebound laying right there for Uher to slam home to extend the lead to 3-0.

Third Period: Penguins protected a 3-0 lead. Really played more to protect Mannino’s shutout than anything else. Sound Tigers never had anything memorable that I could recall as far as a quality scoring chance.

Three Stars: 3) Chuck Kobasew (goal, +1) 2) Bobby Farnham (goal, +1) and 1) Peter Mannino (17 save shutout)

Around the Division: Binghamton loses 4-3 in Rochester…..Norfolk needs a shootout to get by Adirondack in a goaltending battle, 2-1…..Syracuse pays a favor to teams in playoffs by beating Albany 2-1. Hershey was off.

Standings: Binghamton 86 — Penguins 86 — Norfolk 79 — Hershey 78 — Syracuse 67

Conference: 1) MCH (94) 2) SPR (94) 3) BNG (86) 4) STJ (88) 5) WBS (86) 6) PRO (83) 7) ALB (82) 8) NOR (79)

Springfield punched their ticket to the postseason in a wild, wacky game up in St. John’s in my game to watch tonight. Falcons had a 5-1 lead in the first period and won 8-7. Falcons are tied with Manchester for tops in the Conference and are three points off Texas for best in the AHL overall.

Wheeling Update: The Nailers also won tonight by a score of 4-1 over the Evansville IceMen. Denver Manderson had a goal in that one. The Nailers are 2 points away from clinching playoffs.

SendToNews Highlights: Are here.

Pens welcome the Albany Devils tomorrow night at home. Gameday for this will be up at 3 p.m.

Let’s Go Pens!