Chirps from Center Ice

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Shame on you if you thought the Penguins were in danger of going down 0-2 in the series with the Providence Bruins.

Shame on you if you thought it was another wasted season down the tubes after the Bruins stormed from three goals down to tie it, then take the lead late in the third.

Shame on you.

Shame on me.

Shame on me for thinking that it was another wasted year down the tubes after the Bruins stormed for three goals down to tie it, then take the lead in the third.

Shame on me for thinking that the Penguins were in danger of going down 0-2 in the series with the Providence Bruins.

An offensive explosion between the two top defensive teams in the American Hockey League was on full display as the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins take Game 2 of this best of five series with the Providence Bruins by a 6-5 score in overtime after Derrick Pouliot’s heroics in the overtime session.

Game 3 is Thursday in Wilkes-Barre.

Casey DeSmith opposed Zane McIntyre.

Lines were…

Tom Sestito – Kevin Porter – Tom Kostopoulos
Garrett Wilson – Oskar Sundqvist – Josh Archibald
Dominik Simon – Teddy Blueger – J-S Dea
Ryan Haggerty – Jarrett Burton – Adam Krause

Tim Erixon – David Warsofsky
Derrick Pouliot – Barry Goers
Cameron Gaunce – Ethan Prow

Casey DeSmith – Sean Maguire

Lineup Notes: No changes up front for the Penguins, Cameron Gaunce and Barry Goers were back and were in for Brett Stern and Frank Corrado.

First Period: Providence goaltender Zane McIntyre was the story of the period, stopping 18 Penguins shots, many of them coming on the two power plays Wilkes-Barre had. Casey DeSmith had 9 saves of his own on the Bruins, but was bested by McIntyre’s performance in the first where he stopped Tom Kostopouolos point blank and a Kevin Porter shot with his mask.

Second Period: Tale of two halves for both teams. Wilkes-Barre struck thrice, then Providence struck back with a trio of goals of their own.

David Warsofsky scored twice in :23 to make it 2-0 Penguins. Here is the second one…

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Tom Sestito scored when he was setup by Tom Kostopoulos exiting the penalty box that made it 3-0. The rout was on.

Until it wasn’t.

Providence struck for their first while four on four when Chris Porter redirected a shot in from the slot that made it 3-1 :14 after the Sestito goal.

Tom Kostopoulos had his stick slashed in what would have been a 4-1 lead for the Penguins when Providence raced back down the ice to score to make it 3-2 on a rebound. Chris Porter again.

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1:03 later, Tommy Cross scored on a dart that made it a tie game. Three goal lead evaporated.

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Third Period: Josh Archibald scored after what looked like a blown icing call by the linesman to make it 4-3 Penguins. But the Penguins found themselves on a kill again and at the tail end of if Danton Heinen scored bar down that made it a tie game once again….

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Sorry that I don’t have all the goals here. I didn’t cut up any and my usual sources didn’t do any GIFs.

Teams traded chance after chance, which was uncharacteristic for the top two defensive teams in the AHL. Peter Mueller scored to make it 5-4 when the Penguins were not able to clear the puck out of the zone…

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First lead of the game for the Bruins.

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If you know the answer to this question, drop a line in the comments.

Penguins pulled Casey DeSmith and this time were able to find the equalizer when Josh Archibald scored his second of the period with 1:03 left that brought the Penguins back from the dead.

To…

Overtime: Derrick Pouliot floated like a butterfly and stung like a bee when he faked like he was going to go around the net of McIntyre but instead banked it in off of the Providence netminder that won it for the Penguins.

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Ballgame. Coming to you Thursday night tied 1-1 in the series for Game 3.

Three Stars: 3) Tommy Cross (goal, two assists, +1) 2) David Warsofsky (two goals, two assists, +2) and 1) Derrick Pouliot (game winning overtime goal, even)

Around the Eastern Conference: Every other series was in action Saturday night. Big comebacks by Syracuse and Hershey, both down multiple goals in the third period and walked away winners. Syracuse in double overtime in St. John’s 4-3 and Hershey in regulation after Alex Lyon went down with injury leaving the Phantoms with the third string goalie Martin Ouellette as the man for now. Hershey wins 5-4. Bears are up 2-0 in their series with the Phantoms and Crunch and IceCaps head to Syracuse tied at a game a piece. Toronto tied the series with Albany with a 6-2 win also. Game 3 for all here will be played Wednesday.

Sprong Watch: Daniel Sprong’s Charlottetown Islanders lost their first game of the QMJHL Playoffs Saturday after Blainville-Boisbrand won 5-4 to even that best of seven series at a game a piece. Daniel Strong had two goals and an assist in the game. Game 3 is Tuesday.

I’ll have to think of stuff to write about between now and Thursday. Maybe I will come back with something Tuesday night or Wednesday night. Who knows. Stay tuned.

Let’s Go Pens!