Chirps from Center Ice

       vs.       

2                                          1

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There were 17 total power plays issued in this game officiated by referees Reid Anderson and Jeremy Tufts. 10 for the Checkers and 7 for the Penguins.

But it’s not a reason why the Penguins lost.

Sean Maguire started his first game for the Penguins this season and stopped 28 of 30 shots.

But it’s not a reason why the Penguins lost.

OK, so you want to know why the Penguins lost tonight? I will let you. A team coming into a Friday night game against a division rival that they only play four times this season needs to get off to a hotter start then the Penguins did tonight. The Penguins only managed four total first period shots on Checkers starting goaltender Jeremy Smith tonight and didn’t register their first until 8:49 of the period. The Checkers fired 14 shots on Maguire and took control of the game from there.

Maguire was fine tonight. I hate to be the bearer of news you don’t want to hear, but the Penguins are in this funk that they are on right now with out without Casey DeSmith.

You can’t come out and just put up an anemic four shots on goal in the first period, give up two goals in the second then chase the game the rest of the way and look like you are involved in the game in the third period when you are fighting the opponent and two referees slowly losing control of the game.

Pens lose 2-1. With other finals in the division tonight Wilkes-Barre goes from first to fourth in the ultra competitive Atlantic Division.

Lines were…

Josh Archibald – J-S Dea – Ryan Haggerty
Zach Aston-Reese — Colin Smith – Gage Qunney
Garrett Wilson – Greg McKegg – Daniel Sprong
Tom Sestito – Teddy Blueger – Thomas DiPauli

Andrey Pedan – Zach Trotman
Chris Summers – Kevin Czuczman
Jarred Tinordi – Lukas Bengtsson

Sean Maguire – Anthony Peters

Lineup Notes: Greg McKegg and Dominik Simon swapped positions with the Pittsburgh Penguins. In an unrelated move Wilkes-Barre sent Jarrett Burton sent to the Wheeling Nailers.

First Period: Penguins got the first power play of the game but were unable to get anything going because they couldn’t establish any offensive zone production. Forward tries to bring the puck in the zone, is knocked away by a defenseman. Regroup. Dump and chase. Puck skips and goes back out. Rinse and repeat.

Checkers had three power plays in the first and Maguire was up to the task. Shots after one were 14-4 Charlotte heading into the…

Second Period: Andrew Miller opened the scoring when the Penguins collapsed on the near side and him. Play was set up by Daniel Sprong listening to the fans yell SHOOT! all night…

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Checkers connected on a power play goal when Andrew Poturalski sniped this one in to put the Penguins in a big hole….

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Third Period: Penguins got a power play :34 into the period.

:03 in, J-S Dea wins a face-off back to Daniel Sprong….

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Penguins lose Jarred Tinordi to a blocked shot. He didn’t return. Donatelli told Tyler postgame that he didn’t think it was anything major.

After this, every penalty was met with a scrum or pushing and shoving. Garrett Wilson and Jarred Tinordi were thrown out of the game after a feeble attempt by Tufts / Anderson to get the game under control.

Then, on a Penguins power play, Checkers clear the puck out to Jeremy Smith. He comes out of his crease to play the puck and his run into by Ryan Haggerty. I don’t know who made contact with who but Haggerty was assessed a charging penalty.

The whole goaltender leaving the crease to play the puck is a gray area that should be addressed. They open themselves up to “fair game” but are protected by the referees. Either don’t allow a goaltender to play a puck or eliminate the “fair game” part of the rulebook.

Through the mess of what was supposed to be a hockey game at the end, the Penguins would lose 2-1.

Three Stars: 3) Daniel Sprong (goal, -1) 2) Andrew Miller (goal, assist, +1) and 1) Andrew Poturalski (goal, assist, +1)

Around the Division: Lehigh Valley fights off a late third period charge from the Hershey Bears and win 5-4….Providence takes a shootout win over Hartford 4-3….Rochester takes down Springfield 2-1. Bridgeport was off.

Standings: Providence (.682 percentage points) — Lehigh Valley (.660) — Charlotte (.646) — Penguins (.636) — Bridgeport (.591) — Hershey (.500) — Hartford (.420) — Springfield (.365)

Wheeling Update: The Nailers lost 3-2 in Indiana tonight against the Indy Fuel. Troy Josephs assisted on both goals scored by Riley Bourbonnais.

Doubt there will be any video highlights but if there are I’ll run an edit.

Pens have the night off Saturday. Phantoms and Hershey rematch Saturday in Hershey, Providence hosts Utica, Charlotte visits Binghamton and Bridgeport is in Springfield. I may run late Saturday final score updates here, but if not, look for the next post to be the 1 p.m. Gameday setup against Hershey Sunday afternoon.

Let’s Go Pens!