Chirps from Center Ice

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7                                       3

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No, you read the headline and score right. The Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins laid seven goals on the Hershey Bears Sunday afternoon, beating the Bears 7-3.

Hershey had a five game win streak coming into the game Sunday, in those seven games the Bears allowed just seven goals by the opposition. After looking lost Saturday against the Bridgeport Islanders, the Penguins come to Hershey and wallop the Bears with a seven spot.

Hockey is a funny game.

It wasn’t all rainbows and roses for the Penguins. They lost Alex Nylander and Sam Poulin to injury.

Filip Lindberg opposed Zach Fucale.

Pens didn’t post any lines. Alex Nylander was back after a “maintenance day” from Saturday. Jack St. Ivany was out for Mitch Reinke on defense.

Hershey lined up this way:

First Period: Two of the best defensive teams in the AHL so of course there was an explosion of goals for both sides.

Hershey gets the scoring started with Sam Anas playing a give and go for a goal to put the Bears on top 1-0.

Filip Hållander nearly scored a goal while killing apenlaty but at the expiration of the penalty he stays on and scores to tie the game at 1.

But, as the theme of the period will reveal itself, the Bears respond to the adversity that the Penguins throw at them.

On a 5-on-3 power play, Hendrix Lapierre scores to make it 2-1.

But then Alex Nylander plays some give and go of his own to tie the game at two.

So at this point you think that they will stay in lockstep with the Bears. But then Mike Vecchione picks off a Penguin player and then goes up top on Lindberg to make it 3-2.

Boffo turnover but a shot that should have been stopped in my opinion.

Shots were 15-6 Penguins. Bears score three goals on six shots. 😬

Second Period: I mean I am going to give you all the goals as they came in this period.

Valtteri Puustinen seconds into a power play and it’s a tie game.

Mitch Reinke pinches for his second point of the contest and scores to make it 4-3 Penguins.

Drew O’Connor on a two-on-one and the Pens started pouring it on and it’s 5-3.

Jonathan Gruden and it’s 6-3. A little stare down with some of the Hershey faithful after the goal.

Tyler Sikura adds the extra point and chases Zach Fucale and it’s 7-3.

Bears signed Justin Kapelmater to a PTO as a backup goaltender as Hunter Shepard was unavailable for the game. He seemed to settle things down for the Bears because the onslaught of Penguins goals stopped.

One note from the period, Sam Poulin was missing with what was probably a knock picked up in the first period as Nick Hart didn’t see him take his regular shift early on in the second period.

Third Period: No scoring. Pens lost Alex Nylander to injury this period and Sam Poulin didn’t return.

Three Stars: 3) Alex Nylander (goal, assist) 2) Mitch Reinke (goal, assist) 1) Drew O’Connor (goal, three assists)

The Good: Not many teams beat Hershey in Hershey and fewer put seven past their goaltender. Credit the Penguins for sticking to the game plan, which was clearly working despite the deficit at the end of the first period, and never giving in and turning the game into a runaway.

The Bad: I didn’t like that Vecchione goal. But the Penguins put seven in Hershey, so it doesn’t really matter in the end.

Turning Point: Mitch Reinke pinching in and getting himself a goal that gave the Penguins the lead for good gets the nod here.

Around the Division: Providence beats Hartford 3-1….Springfield beats Bridgeport 3-1.

Standings: Providence 33 — Hershey and Bridgeport 30 — Charlotte 27 — Penguins 25 — Lehigh Valley 20 — Springfield 20 — Hartford 15

Wheeling Update: Nailers in action at home against Toledo. They started later. Here’s the box.

Video Highlights: 

Also, O’Connor got some recognition from the League with his offensive display Sunday.

Off until a Friday game at home with Cleveland, the Penguins only action of the weekend.

Let’s Go Pens!