Chirps from Center Ice

The Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins have a home and home against an old rival, the Syracuse Crunch. The Crunch and Penguins play four times this season and half of that season set will be burned off this weekend.

The Penguins were 33 seconds away from nailing down 4 of 6 possible points in the week but saw the visiting Belleville Senators tie it in regulation then win it in overtime. Wilkes-Barre settles for three points in what’s shaping up to be, if early returns are to be believed, an extremely competitive Atlantic Division. Every point is going to matter.

Music to set the mood…

I can’t tell if this is supposed to be funny, or just is what it is, a song about Syracuse.

A Quote…

The best part about Syracuse is leaving.
— Tom Grace

I am actually quite surprised Syracuse hasn’t had any snow yet because it’s Fall and it usually snows up there for six months out of the year. I have only been there a few times and while I think personally it’s a decent city, the fact it gets blasted a lot with lake effect snows isn’t for me.

The Setup

A home and home starting Friday in Syracuse.

Records

Syracuse is 5-2-0-2 and played the Penguins last opponent, Belleville, up in Canada on Wednesday and lost 3-2 in a shootout. They are third in the North Division.

Last weekend the Crunch split a home and home with the Rochester Americans 7-4 (win) and 5-4 loss in a shootout.

The Penguins are 5-4-1-0 and have 11 points and are currently fifth in the Atlantic Division.

Pens got drilled by Providence last Wednesday to a tune of 3-1, had a literal last second shot from Marc Johnstone go in Friday against Hershey and lost to the aforementioned Belleville Senators in the fashion I described above.

Who’s Up? Who’s Down? Who’s Out?

Recalled are Radim Zohorna and Magnus Hellberg. Injured are goaltender Garret Sparks and recalled from Wheeling is Taylor Gauthier. Joel Blomqvist went up because Tristan Jarry was injured Tuesday. In that same transaction, Pittsburgh sent Vinnie Hinostroza back down. Colin White got the hell beat out of him blocking a number of shots but finished the game Saturday. After a week, perhaps he is good to go but adrenaline and swelling may spin a different tale.

I saw Sparks at Penguins practice this week, if the photos the team posted on Coal Street are accurate, so maybe he is good to go. Coal Street has yet to make another recall from Wheeling, likely David Tendeck, if they need one.

Andreas Johnsson hasn’t appeared in a game yet (family issue) and his contract was terminated Thursday and he signed overseas. Mark Pysyk, signed to a PTO by Coal Street last week, hasn’t played yet for the Penguins.

I think we can consider Zohorna permanently recalled. I think they realized it was a mistake starting him in the AHL and they quickly corrected that error.

What can we learn about the Penguins this week?

If they sweep or take 3 of 4 points away from the Crunch, then they can hit at an above average clip and, as long as they stay consistent throughout (tough to do at this level) they could play as a 1 to 3 seed in the Atlantic. If they, which I am predicting, split the series with the Crunch this weekend, they will toil at the 4 to 6 seed the whole season and they are a rash of injuries / schedule of hot teams better than them from being a playoff contending team.

I don’t think that Coal Street gets caught with its proverbial pants down, with what you have seen with the signings to PTOs, veteran statuses be damned, so I think it’s in between both, but you never know.

I don’t think they are championship caliber, but I also don’t think they finish dead last in the division, save for an epic collapse or miracle.

You probably can say the same about the Crunch, all things considered.

Who’s in goal?

Well if Blomqvist goes up, it will be Taylor Gauthier probably both nights, depending on Sparks’ status. I can’t see J.D. Forrest having fourth string goalie David Tendeck, who’d likely be the recall from Wheeling if Sparks can’t go, start Saturday against the Crunch. For Syracuse, Hugo Alnefelt Friday and Pyotr Kochetkov on Saturday.

Remember Gauthier is made of glass and historically can’t stay healthy, so it’s only a matter of time before he gets hurt.

Who’s running the show?

Jordan Samuels-Thomas and Austin O’Rourke with Dylan Blujus and Spencer Knox on the lines Friday and Mathieu Menniti and Jim Curtin with J.P. Waleski and Chandler Yakimowicz Saturday.

Looking ahead…

Home against Hershey on Wednesday, then they take to the road for five straight beginning with a pair next Friday and Saturday in Providence.

Give us a bold prediction…

Wilkes-Barre sees its first foot of snow before Syracuse.