Chirps from Center Ice

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So if you read the Weekend Preview earlier today (below this post) you read that the Penguins are building their success from the inside out. Goal and defense is good, offense is iffy.

That was on full display Wednesday night up in Rochester as the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins lose 3-1 and see their five game point streak end.

Penguins scored the only goal in the first, then clamped down defensively. Hard.

Four shots against in the second. Three in the third.

The bad news? One of them went in in the second and two of them went in in the third. One of them was an empty net goal.

It happens. The Penguins will win a heck of a lot more games then they will lose if they follow this blueprint.

Alex D’Orio opposed Aaron Dell.

Here’s how they lined up…

Rochester didn’t post lines.

Lineup Notes: Sam Houde and Nathan Legare were back for the recalled Valtteri Puustinen and Michael Chaput. Another note was the news that Niclas Almari is returning back overseas. The Penguins reassigned him back to Finland. Consider his North American career over. A fifth rounder who never really panned out stateside. He’s a free agent next year. That’s why you never buy stock in European players. You never know what you will get. A good majority of them never pan out.

Anyway.

First Period: Just 1:09 in and P.O. Joseph takes a nice pass from ex-Amerk Alex Nylander to give the Penguins a 1-0 lead.

Pens were outshot 13-12 in a high flying period otherwise. Rochester had the only power play in the period.

Second Period: Through a minefield of penalties called in the middle of the period, Brett Murray scores what will go down as an even strength goal.

Goal came four on four.

Wilkes-Barre only allowed four shots against in the period but sadly one of them went in.

Third Period: Ex-Penguin Ethan Prow scores on a saucy feed from JJ Peterka to put the Amerks up 2-1.

Nothing you could do about that one.

Penguins had a power play but had a few shots but none that were worthy enough to beat Aaron Dell.

Peterka scored an empty net goal to ice the game away. The Penguins did have a great chance to score with D’Orio pulled.

Three Stars: 3) JJ Peterka (goal, assist) 2) Aaron Dell (32 saves) 1) Ethan Prow (goal)

The Good: Give me more of this defensive effort.

The Bad: The Penguins badly missed Valtteri Puustinen tonight.

Turning Point: When the Penguins couldn’t score on that power play in the third, you had the feeling it was curtains for Wilkes-Barre.

Around the Division: Only other team in action tonight was Springfield, who hand the Utica Comets a clean loss 3-2.

Standings: Pens back to .500 and will hold in sixth. That matchup next week with currently fifth place Rochester looks like it may be important.

Wheeling Update: Nailers with a 4-1 win in Kalamazoo. Nick Hutchinson with a pair of goals.

Video Highlights: 

Belleville at home Friday. More after then.

Let’s Go Pens!