Chirps from Center Ice

Power went out outside the Arena late afternoon. A transformer blew behind the Marshall’s in the Arena complex. As a result, the Providence Bruins – Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins game was delayed an hour. Game start is scheduled for 8:05.

With this being a work night home game (last of the regular season thank heavens) and with such a late start, it’s going to be a running live blog tonight. I’ve always thought about doing these, but have always opted for the, ‘transcribe to the Notes app, copy paste and worry about formatting issues later’ approach.

Not tonight. Check back periodically for updates. I’ll have em after warmups, first, second and third periods. If there’s overtime I’m lodging a formal complaint.

Lineups:

Nothing I could tell lineup wise as far as a change from Sunday vs. Springfield. Tinkering with line pairings but otherwise unchanged.

First Period: Took the Pens about 4:30 to register the first shot on goal and then the Bruins 5:45. Pretty zippy start to the game and the first half of the period.

Jake Lucchini finished this nice cross ice pass from Jarrett Burton to give the Pens a 1-0 lead.

Bruins made a little bit of a push in the latter stages of the period but Jarry looked solid throughout.

Second Period: Cautious, calculated period. Two power plays a side, but no scoring. Bruins were eager to let the play come to them in their defensive end, and it worked as Wilkes-Barre only registered six shots on goal.

Game had all the makings of a defensive, closely contested affair heading into the third.

Third Period: Bruins with an early push but Jarry was dialed in. Two early saves preserved the 1-0 lead the Pens had.

Cooper Zech was stripped of a puck trying to exit the zone which set up a quick two on one with Ryan Haggerty and Sam Miletic. Miletic cashed to make it 2-0 Penguins.

Big goal at the time.

Bruins tried and tried, but couldn’t get anything past Jarry.

The Good: Joseph Cramarossa and Jake Lucchini were everywhere tonight, but how about Tristan Jarry? The shutout has eluded him this season and this past month he’s singlehandedly placed the team on his back and carried them to three points back of Providence now. Bruins have trended up, caught Hershey for third, and Jarry coolly makes 23 saves in a contest that could have easily finished 1-0.

The Bad: Not applicable.

Turning Point: Jarry’s saves in the open of the third that preserved the 1-0 lead. The Miletic goal was the icing.

Lehigh Valley beat Rochester in overtime 4-3. Charlotte shut out Bridgeport 4-0. No boxes. It’s late.

Pens will have a highlight package up later and I’ll work in an edit if I can.

Power Rankings Thursday. Pens are off Friday, Bruins are in Syracuse. Pens back in action Saturday at home against Springfield.

Let’s Go Pens!