Chirps from Center Ice

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Max Legace did it again.

A few weeks ago, the Crunch goaltender and ex-Penguin beat the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins 1-0. Well, Saturday night in Syracuse, he did it again, shattering a record in the process. His 48 saves against the Penguins breaks a record set in 2002 for total number of saves against in a shutout. The opponent then was Syracuse also.

I mean again, like I said when the Pens lost 1-0 to these Crunch a few weeks ago, you can’t fault them for losing 1-0. They gave up one goal and lost. You’ll win a lot of games at this level only allowing you if opponent to score one goal.

The Penguins better hope they don’t run into the Crunch in the Eastern Conference Finals, if these two teams make it that far.

Louis Domingue opposed Lagace.

Here’s how they lined up:

Lineup Notes: Filip Hallander has yo-yo’d up and down from the NHL and was sent back Saturday afternoon but obviously never made it in time. Thankfully, Alex Nylander was well enough to play, so he replaced Hallander.

First Period: No scoring. Crunch had a would be power play goal taken back on account of a high stick. Pens had a power play too where they pressured but didn’t score. Crunch had a little bit of a push to end the period.

Second Period: Pens bombed the Crunch for 21 shots in the period but Max Lagace kept them all out. Crunch score a goal early in the period when Gemel Smith takes a pass and scores on the back door to give the Crunch an early 1-0 lead that was the only scoring of the period.

Third Period: Penguins had essentially back to back back power plays and didn’t score on them. Later, they pull Domingue for the extra attacker and couldn’t set up offensively and Sam Poulin took a slashing penalty. It was elementary after that.

Three Stars: I don’t know why Darren Raddysh (the third star) and Fredrick Claesson (the second star) were named as such, they didn’t have any points. The first star was of course Lagace with his 48 saves.

The Good: Syracuse is a good team and the Penguins have stayed with them step for step.

The Bad: Syracuse is a good team that has the Penguins figured out, beating them in back to back shutouts.

Turning Point: Hafta think that failing to score on back to back power plays in the third period was the fate that sealed it for the Penguins.

Around the Division: Hershey beats Springfield 5-2, Providence beats Bridgeport 6-2.

Standings: 4) Hershey .537 5) Pens .522 6) Hartford .508 7) Bridgeport .508

Who Plays Who Sunday: Hartford plays their third in Charlotte…Lehigh Valley visits Bridgeport…Springfield and Hershey rematch in Hershey.

Wheeling Update: Nailers lose 4-3 at home to Toledo. Sam Houde and Josh Maniscalco scored in the loss.

Video Highlights:

More this week, Charlotte is in midweek.

Let’s Go Pens!