Chirps from Center Ice

Probably the most hellacious stretch of travel for the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins as they are in Hershey on Wednesday at 7 p.m., then in Charlotte on Friday at 4 p.m. then Saturday at the same time.

Good thing they took 5 of 6 points last week and have a bit of a buffer in case this travel week goes terrible.

Music to Set the Mood…

Just stay safe if you are traveling this week (like me) for Thanksgiving. Give people space. Just get there safe.

A Quote…

It’s not the destination, it’s the journey.
– Ralph Waldo Emerson

They don’t go out to St. John’s, Newfoundland anymore and they only fly when they go to Charlotte, but this week could be good for them, or it could be the latter and another “consistently inconsistent” week we are used to.

The Setup

Trip to Hershey, then I don’t know if they are bussing back to Coal Street, staying in Hershey or bussing to Allentown to fly out the next morning. Travel day likely Thursday when everyone is coming and going with a destination to Charlotte, North Carolina. Then a Friday afternoon game against the Checkers at 4 p.m. then again Saturday at the same time.

The Penguins lost to these Bears at home last Wednesday in overtime then went to Providence and swept the P-Bruins in a pair of games and their goaltender in Alex Nedeljkovic scored them a goal. His second goal scored and the second goaltender goal in team history (Tristan Jarry)

Hershey, after beating the Penguins in OT back in Wilkes-Barre, nearly let slip a big lead against Bridgeport on Friday then went up to Bridgeport and shut the Islanders out.

Charlotte’s last six games coming into this week have been against Pacific Division teams. They were in San Diego this past weekend and beat the Gulls 3-2 and 1-0 respectively. They will host the Cleveland Monsters this week, Monday and Wednesday, before greeting the Penguins. Cleveland beat the Checkers 3-1 on Monday.

Records

Hershey leads the division with 24 points and a 12-4 record. The Penguins are 8-5-2, good for 18 points and the Checkers are 9-5 and also on 18 points coming into the week.

Who’s Up? Who’s Down? Who’s Out?

Up from Wheeling: Justin Addamo and Jordan Frasca.

Down to Wheeling: Justin Lee, Taylor Gauthier

On Recall: Vinnie Hinostroza, Alex Nylander and Jansen Harkins. John Ludvig went back up after his conditioning stint ended.

Back from Pittsburgh: Magnus Hellberg

Injured: Avery Hayes, Sam Poulin, Sam Houde, Colin White

Pittsburgh needed to recall Nylander and Harkins. They are dealing with injuries. Old teams like Pittsburgh will have injuries.

What can we learn about the Penguins this week?

I think a lot. Adversity. Toughness. How do they fare in hostile environments? Will they sleepwalk? Cut corners?

Can they win in Hershey? Yeah. Will they? They need to limit mistakes. Bears are good at home but can be beat.

Can they win in Charlotte? They have already (first game of the season) but the Checkers rarely lose back to back.

If they lay an egg and get two or less points out of a possible six, do you chalk it up to inconsistency? I don’t think I will. I think Joel Blomqvist is a really good goaltender and the defense looked about as good as it has all season in Providence this past weekend. You just don’t play better because you are in a different state or playing on different ice.

If they get four or more out of a possible six, then a reasonable expectation is that they can play in the top three in the division. I think they will.

Who’s in Goal?

I think you go Joel Blomqvist Wednesday and Friday, then Garret Sparks or Magnus Hellberg Saturday.

Hunter Shepard for the Bears, then one of Ludovic Waeber Matt Zenzola for the Checkers this Friday and Saturday.

Who’s Running the Show?

Alex Łepkowski and Patrick Hanrahan have the referee duties Wednesday in Hershey with Tommy George and Bob Goodman on the lines.

Friday sees Samuel Heidemann and Mike Dietrich in the orange arm bands with Dan Kovachik and Felix-Antoine Voyer manning the lines.

On Saturday, Heidemann takes a hike and is replaced with Beau Halkidis with Mike Dietrich again and Brian Pincus replaces Felix-Antoine Voyer on the line. Dan Kovachik will continue to skate off all that pumpkin pie from Thursday.

Looking ahead…

Wednesday at home against Hershey (what is it with Wednesday and the Bears?) before December gets here (wait, what?) and home and home with the Springfield Thunderbirds starting Friday in Springfield and concluding with a Saturday home game in Wilkes-Barre.

Give us a bold prediction…

They beat Hershey clean Wednesday, come back from two goals to beat the Checkers Friday then lose in a shootout Saturday. That’s 5 out of possible 6 points.