The Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins have a home game this Wednesday against the Hershey Bears (these guys again?) and then a home and home against the Springfield Thunderbirds.
Music to Set the Mood….
I love the summer but hate thunderstorms. Go figure.
A Quote…
If there’s thunder in the winter, we’ll have snow 7-10 days later
– Unknown
God, I hope not.
Anyway…
The Setup
Home against Hershey then a home and home starting Friday in Springfield then Saturday back at home against the Thunderbirds.
The Penguins had what I am calling their toughest week of travel last week and came out 1-2. Competitive in Hershey last Wednesday, a scheduled loss after Thanksgiving travel on Friday then a dominant win on Saturday with 44 saves from the best goaltender in the organization in Joel Blomqvist. Not bad, shows to me that they are competitive, but also kinda shows that they don’t have what it takes to lead the division quite yet.
I think that is fine, by the way. They have been like this for the past two months now. Come to think of it, all of the teams pretty much have been what they have been the entire first quarter of the season. Things start to break around the all star break, which we are approaching, so we will see if the Penguins can maybe push to that upper echelon of teams or are content with playing between third and sixth like they have.
Hershey hosted Iowa this past weekend and won both games 2-1. Consistency in Chocolatetown would have been the name of the blog post Sunday after that second 2-1 win over the Wild on Sunday.
Springfield beat Bridgeport on Wednesday, lost to Hartford on Friday and pasted Utica 7-0 on Saturday.
Records
The Bears lead the division with a 15-4 record, good for 30 points and number one overall in the AHL.
Springfield is 10-8-1-0, good for 21 points and fourth in the division and the Penguins are fifth with 20 points and 9-7-2-0 record.
Who’s Up? Who’s Down? Who’s Out?
Up are Justin Addamo, Raivis Ansons from Wheeling.
Up to Pittsburgh are Dmitri Samorukov, Jansen Harkins and Vinnie Hinostroza.
Alex Nylander was returned back to Coal Street from Pittsburgh on Wednesday.
Reassigned to Wheeling on Wednesday was Jordan Frasca. Cedric Desruisseaux was released from his PTO and returned to Wheeling in the same transaction.
Out of the organization: Mark Pysyk was released from his PTO Tuesday.
New to the organization: Peter Abbandonato and Owen Headrick acquired in a trade with the Chicago Wolves for future considerations.
Injured: Avery Hayes, Sam Poulin, Sam Houde, Colin White.
What can we learn about the Penguins this week?
I kinda gave it away in the setup. I think they are a good to great team. I don’t think they are lead the division type team. They aren’t anywhere close to championship contender type.
They can beat Hershey. They are one of only a very few that can lay stake to that claim. What other team gives the Bears fits more than the Penguins? Lehigh Valley? Possibly.
They should beat Springfield, who are a very explosive team that can run you over. Adam Gaudette can score at will and is a sure fire AHL All Star this year. He leads the AHL in goals coming into the week. Are the Thunderbirds one dimensional? Maybe, given the record and seemingly mirror image that they are to the Penguins in points.
Who’s in Goal?
Gotta go Blomqvist Wednesday and probably Saturday. You have two games at home this week. Give your #1 goaltender a break on the road, let Magnus Hellberg get that start and roll with Blomqvist Wednesday and Saturday.
It will likely be Hunter Shepard Wednesday for the Bears and then some combo of Malcolm Subban and Vadim Zherenko for the Thunderbirds Friday and Saturday.
Who’s Running the Show?
Stephen Hiff and Laura White are here on Wednesday with Tyler Loftus and J.P. Waleski running the lines.
Friday up in Springfield sees Justin Kea and Michael Zyla in the orange arm bands and Cameron Carlson and Trevor Disbennett keeping ’em onsides and out of trouble in between whistles.
Saturday in Wilkes-Barre sees Jack Young and Patrick Hanrahan with Patrick Dapuzzo and Chandler Yakimowicz on the lines.
Looking ahead…
No Wednesday game! Look at that! Friday at home against Cleveland then Saturday at home against Providence.
Give us a bold prediction…
The song title for the following weeks games (home against Syracuse, on the road against Utica, home against Rochester) will be Frank Sinatra’s, “New York, New York”
WBS News
Chirps from Center Ice 