Chirps from Center Ice

          vs.          

6                                              3

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I don’t think, and I have been watching this team for a lot more years than I have been blogging about them, I have ever seen a more unprepared team top to bottom than the first ten minutes of this game.

A 6-3 throttling by the Crunch on the Penguins which played out like this in the first period.

Two goals :19 apart when Gemel Smith and Boris Katchouk score to make it 2-0.

Smith, 1:10 later on a power play and it’s 3-0.

A little later, mind you this is still in the first period and within the games first 10 minutes, Gemel Smith completes his hat trick. I don’t know what the record is for hat tricks is for the Syracuse Crunch, but if Smith didn’t get the record for doing so, he was robbed.

Oh yeah, Emil Larmi, the Penguins starter, was pulled for the recalled today Alex D’Orio. Larmi made one (1) save.

D’Orio didn’t fare any better as Devante Stephens and Jimmy Huntington scored on him quickly. It was 6-0 Crunch.

There was still six minutes left to play in the first period.

The first period.

Tim Schaller scored in the first, Josh Currie in the second and Nick Schilkey in the third.

I don’t know if I could stick this all on Larmi. A few  examples:

Too easy. Just embarrassing. They look like a shell of a team who are as disinterested in being there as I am as doing this, not being there.

Somehow Tim Schaller and Josh Currie factored in on every goal; each had a goal and two assists.

Gemel Smith had a hat trick and two assists. He figured into the first five goals for the Crunch.

Here is how they lined up:

Lineup Notes: Jan Drozg returned after missing last game with injury.

The Good: I turned my computer back on after watching them go down 5-0 to put together this post mortem.

The Bad: Embarrassing effort tonight. Fans risked catching a novel virus for that performance in the first period? Puh-leeze.

Turning Point: Pick one of the first five goals. I’m putting wrestling back on.

Hope they are more prepared Friday at home against Hershey. Maybe it’s coaching, who knows.

Stay safe and Let’s Go Pens!