Chirps from Center Ice

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Pens down 3-1 to start the third. They were getting ran around the rink and not a lot of shots (only 11) on net. I had this.

Sometimes when you know you know. Pens with the comeback and win, 4-3 in overtime Saturday against the Hartford Wolf Pack.

There wasn’t a blog Friday because I was at my brother-in-law’s for his birthday and also because Filip Hållander was stretchered off late in the third. They didn’t play the remaining 1:12 and the Pens lost 4-2 to Charlotte. Hållander was later discharged home later that night and will be OK but at the time I didn’t feel a silly blog would be appropriate for a game I didn’t watch. Hope you understand.

Anyway, back to Saturday. Pens went down 3-0 to a last place team who were insulating their back up goaltender. They needed a boost and got one finally from a shot from Jonathan Gruden late in the second and then a few minutes into the third to cut into the Hartford lead.

Corey Andonovski deflects in a pin balling puck and it’s a brand new game.

Alexander Nylander with magic in overtime.

Full credit to J.D. Forrest for sticking with Taylor Gauthier, starting in his third straight, as things seemed like they were getting away from him. He was under a barrage early on, not getting all of a Brandon Scanlin one timer that bled through for a 1-0 Hartford lead.

That’s a save that has to be made at this level. I’m sorry.

Will Cuylle with a seeing eye shot through bodies made it 2-0.

In the second, Zac Jones stops at the blue line, dishes off then cuts to the net and scores to make it 3-0.

I’m giving you the post in reverse here, but got to the good part first and saved the bad stuff for last. Hartford is a good team, but you can see why they are a last place team because they are bang your head off a wall inconsistent.

Pens are resilient. They have a lot of offense up in Pittsburgh and leadership stepped in and the guys left to fill the roles (Gruden, Nylander, etc.) stepped up big and got them the win.

Jack St. Ivany had his best game as a pro, dishing three assists. He didn’t get any plaudits with the three star program, but he gets a mention here.

Here’s how they lined up:

Jamie Devane was indeed back. Tommy Nappier was recalled Friday, Filip Lindberg is day to day. He backed up Wednesday. Nappier backed up Friday.

Hartford didn’t post lines.

Three Stars: 3) Drake Caggiula (three assists) 2) Jonathan Gruden (two goals) 1) Alex Nylander (game winning goal)

The Good: Seems like the team is never out of it. Which is a good thing.

The Bad: They went down 0-3 against a last place team using their backup goaltender and held a good Pens team to just 11 shots through two periods. A better team puts down the Pens for good. Gotta turn that around.

Turning Point: The balding 44 year old paper pusher knew the Pens had it when Gruden scored his first and cut into the three goal deficit. You know what they say about two goal leads…

Around the Division: Toronto beats Lehigh Valley 4-3 in a shootout….Providence trounces Bridgeport 6-3….Hershey loses 3-1 to Charlotte at home….Utica slips by Springfield 2-1.

Standings: Providence and Hershey 47 – Charlotte 39 – Penguins 37 – Bridgeport and Springfield 35 – Lehigh Valley 34 – Hartford 30

Wheeling Update: Nailers and Cyclones are 2-2 late in the third when this goes up. Click here to see who won, cause I don’t yet.

Video Highlights: 

Back at it midweek against Hershey. More then.

Let’s Go Pens!