Chirps from Center Ice

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Gonna just jump into the game story tonight because it’s a work night and I baked what I’d put in the lede there instead of here. Penguins lose 4-1 in Hershey.

What, you are off this week? No, I didn’t take this week off. I really should. I have been gainfully employed for 20+ years and I think I have only taken the Christmas-New Year in between off just once.

Anyway…

Here’s how they lined up:

Lineup Notes: Raivis Ansons for Matt Filipe at forward and Taylor Fedun for Ty Smith on defense. Smith is playing in the Spengler Cup.

First Period: I told you in the Weekend Preview that you could not make a mistake against the Hershey Bears. You needed to make the most of your opportunities.

Well, the Penguins had three opportunities, a Sam Poulin Grade A chance, a quick lightning in a bottle two on none and a Corey Andonovski shot that rang the post that did not go in. On that Andonovski sequence, back the other way and wouldn’t you know it…

…they made a mistake.

Rem Pitlick, who should know better, causally spills a puck away and tries to get it out of his zone, but there is Alex Limoges who rifles one home for a 1-0 Hershey lead.

Reiterating, you cannot make a mistake against this team.

Second Period: They continued to make mistakes.

Magnus Hellberg did his damndest to keep them in it, but then Ethen Frank tipped one past the Penguins netminder and it was a 2-0 Hershey lead.

Soon after that, Corey Andonovski gets tagged for a five minute boarding major when he just runs like a runaway train against Alex Limoges on the boards and in the ensuing power play Joe Snively (LOL, who else?) scores to make it 3-0.

Here are the goals.

The Penguins lost Raivis Ansons to injury back in the first when he took what looked like a knee on knee hit from Dylan McIlrath. No  penalty was called, it didn’t look egregious  by any means.

Third Period: Wilkes-Barre had an early power play but couldn’t score. Would it have been a different result if they could have got one to go there? I think so, but they didn’t so we will never know.

Quieter period. I think Hershey was waiting for a counterpunch but it didn’t come until Austin Rueschhoff scored while the Bears were in the midst of a line change that broke up the Shepard shutout bid.

With 4:30 left, J.D. Forrest pulls Magnus Hellberg. Then Aaron Ness blocks a Jack Rathbone shot and Pierrick Dube scores into the empty net to make it 4-1 Bears.

Three Stars: 3) Mike Sgarbnossa (two assists) 2) Alex Limoges (goal, assist) 1) Joe Snively (goal, assist)

The Good: Struggling here. They had a decent first but couldn’t finish, got deflated a bit when Limoges scored.

The Bad: Too many mistakes against a team you just can’t make mistakes against.

Turning Point: The Snively power play goal that made it 3-0 put the game out of reach for the Pens. 2-0 is manageable, 3-0 is impossible.

Around the Division: Lehigh Valley beats Utica 5-4…Providence edges Bridgeport 5-4…Springfield beats a suddenly cold Hartford team 3-1.

Standings: Hershey 50 – Hartford 35 – Springfield 35 – Providence 34 – Penguins 33 – Charlotte 31 – Phantoms 31 – Bridgeport 18

Wheeling Update: Nailers are edged in Indy 1-0 as the Fuel win.

Video Highlights: AHL VideoCenter for you diehards.

Back at it Friday against Charlotte.

Let’s Go Pens!