Chirps from Center Ice

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Penguins goaltender Alex D’Orio had a birthday today.

His gift? A 41 save performance and a, “I have arrived” moment as the goaltender of the future for the Penguins. Wilkes-Barre beats Lehigh Valley 2-1 in overtime Wednesday night.

It goes without saying that D’Orio has kept his team in the game tonight as well as Sunday against Hershey. He singlehandedly stood down the barrel of two of the better teams in the division and navigated his team to a positive result.

Imagine if this team had a goal scorer.

Here’s how they lined up:

First Period: Not much to write home about. Linus Sandin scored on a 2-on-1 after a failed Penguin clear to give the Phantoms a 1-0 lead. There was a fight, with Will Reilly and Brennan Saulnier getting after it.

Second Period: No scoring, teams traded power plays. Goalies were stealing the show.

Third Period: Penguins still down one and time was becoming the enemy, Pens find themselves on ~1:45 of two man advantage and Anthony Angello cashes for a power play goal.

But that kid I mentioned at the open was starting to steal the show. It’s his birthday, after all.

Post to post to keep it level.

Overtime: About 90 seconds in, Josh Currie found Tim Schaller for the game winner.

Three Stars: 3) Felix Sandstrom (32 saves) 2) Tim Schaller (overtime game winning goal) 1) Alex D’Orio (41 saves)

The Good: Consider the corner turned. The Penguins are no longer that pushover team you saw a few weeks ago. They have jelled, you can buy the coachspeak and captain talk, and they have a hell of a goaltender budding into a star.

The Bad: Hard to nitpick when you have a rookie goalie stop 41, only give up one and win in overtime.

Turning Point: Has to go to Angello’s power play goal in a gotta have it moment for the Penguins on the power play there in the third.

They are back at it Friday in Newark.

Let’s Go Pens!

Stay safe.