Chirps from Center Ice

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They needed to get something out of this trip.

All they got was frequent flyer miles and slightly warmer weather.

A short end of the stick run and gun affair Tuesday was met with a feckless effort Wednesday and the Charlotte Checkers sweep the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins with a 4-1 win.

What have we learned about the Penguins? There’s a divide in the division. The Penguins are on the wrong side. It’s a team that is going to hover at the cut line (the six seed in the Atlantic) and really won’t be able to push up the standings unless they go on a tear. At present, the team isn’t built like one that can go on a tear. Even if the Penguins swept the Checkers clean this week, they still would be sixth, but closer on percentage points to the Checkers. Now, the divide widens.

Sometimes, it is what it is.

Alex D’Orio opposed Joey Daccord.

Here’s how they lined up:

Lineup Notes: Hallander back, replaced Sam Houde; Cam Lee also, replacing Will Reilly.

First Period: Furious rush for the Checkers to start and Zac Dalpe shoots, follows his own rebound and scores for a 1-0 Checkers lead.

Things settled down from there and the Penguins had the only power play of the period but still trailed one after the end of the period.

Second Period: The Penguins were building a crescendo towards tying up the game but Carsen Twarynski scores on a slow developing 2-on-1 that gives the Checkers a 2-0 lead.

Thought at the time was that that goal there was a momentum buster for the Penguins. It’s like you have a tuba you are playing in high school band and you accidentally sit on it on the school bus the way to the performance and ruin everything.

Connor Carrick scores on a power play to make it 3-0. The Penguins were hot about an interference call made by one of the referees far away from the play and then a more blatant call that went unwhistled.

Here’s both goals for you.

Third Period: Something about Charlotte and scoring early goals, Henry Bowlby takes a feed from Cole Schwindt and scores to make it a 4-0 lead.

Pens break up the Daccord shutout bid with this Nathan Lagare goal.

But they wouldn’t get any closer.

Three Stars: 3) Joey Daccord (22 saves) 2) Serron Noel (two assists) 1) Connor Carrick (goal)

The Good: Hard to find something out of this wreckage. They needed at least two points here in this series, and get zero.

The Bad: 1/5 on the power play, slow starts, overall disjointed. The team is what it is, and that’s a .500 at best team which will hover at the cut line for the remainder of the season.

Turning Point: The Twarynski goal that made it 2-0 was a real back breaker.

Around the Division: They all watched us.

Standings: Springfield .622 percentage points – Hartford .619 – Hershey .600 – Providence .579 – Charlotte .578 — Lehigh Valley .488 — Penguins .478 – Bridgeport .467

Wheeling Update: Nailers were off.

Video Highlights: I don’t think anyone wants to watch highlights of this but if I see them I will work the edit in.

Springfield Saturday. Enjoy the Friday night off.

Let’s Go Pens!