Chirps from Center Ice

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I don’t know if this game tonight, a 2-1 Penguins overtime win over the Providence Bruins, classifies as an instant classic, but if it didn’t it would awfully be close.

Playoff like intensity on the ice with neither team giving the other an inch and the Penguins scrap and claw two points away from the Bruins who get the loser point. Wilkes-Barre stays five back of the Bruins with two games in hand on Providence. They don’t control their own destiny yet, but if they keep on this winning way, they will soon.

Tristan Jarry opposed Zane McIntyre.

Lines were…

Lineup Notes: Ryan Scarfo returned from injury and replaced Anthony Angello on the second line, who bumped to the fourth line. Trevor Yates took warmups but was the scratch. No changes on defense.

First Period: Penguins and Bruins played a careful period of hockey I thought. Both teams traded power play chances but neither team scored.

Second Period: Jimmy Hayes picked off a Bruin at center ice, skated in and put a shot on McIntyre which was stopped but Jake Lucchini was there to put the rebound in for his first goal as a professional.

Penguins outshot the Bruins 14-5 in the second period.

Third Period: The Bruins would flip the script on the Penguins, outshooting Wilkes-Barre 21-7. Tristan Jarry stopped 20 of t hem, getting beat on this shot for a goal by Ryan Fitzgerald. Karson Kuhlman put the shot on initially, Fitzgerald was there to sweep in the wreckage.

Tristan Jarry made some goo saves, none better than this windmill save…

Penguins killed two Providence power plays rather easily, but were on their heels the entire period and weren’t able to muster much in the way of offense.

So it was off to…

Overtime: Had the feeling that if the Bruins didn’t score another goal in the third, they weren’t scoring one in overtime. Adam Johnson saw to it that it didn’t happen.

Nice backhander in a tight area for the goal.

Three Stars: 

Around the Division: Hershey throttled Bridgeport 5-1…Lehigh Valley gets a Chris Conner goal with 0.5 seconds left in regulation to stun Toronto 4-3….Charlotte sweeps Rochester with a 3-1 win in North Carolina…Hartford beats Utica 5-3. Springfield was off.

Standings: Charlotte 89 — Bridgeport 79 — Hershey 77 — Providence 74 — Penguins 69 — Lehigh Valley 68 — Springfield 66 — Hartford 65

Wheeling Update: The Nailers lost to Toledo 3-2. Renars Krastenbergs scored for Wheeling.

Setting up Sunday: Pens will burn off one of their two games in hand on Providence, Hershey and Lehigh Valley who are all off Sunday. Expect a pissed off Marlies club here Sunday at 3.

Video Highlights: 

Gameday setup vs. Toronto hits the blog here Sunday at 11 am.

Let’s Go Pens!