Chirps from Center Ice

vs.

5                                      2

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The only changes the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins made from Friday’s win against these same Checkers on Saturday was Ryan Shea, recalled to Pittsburgh and in goal, with Taylor Gauthier in net.

So explain to me how they lose 5-2 Saturday.

Checkers went 0-for-5 last night, 2-for-4 Saturday. That’s one reason.

Pens went 0-for-3 on the power play, that’s another reason.

On one of those power plays they got scored on shorthanded. That’s one more.

Consistent inconsistency? Call it what you want. I think they are a good team. I do. You see flashes of brilliance with the team. Would I be worried if just the top four teams made it? Maybe. I think they can play as a top four team.

Look, every team save for Hershey in this division has its pitfalls. The Penguins are one of them.

Let’s get into this one.

I gave you the lineup changes above.

First Period: Role reversal from Friday. Pens bottled up the Checkers but it was the Checkers who scored first, on the power play, when Zac Dalpe scored from the slot to gibe the Checkers the early lead.

Second Period: The Checkers goals came fast and furious. Two in a minute, Brendan Perlini dart off the rush then Matt Kiersted less than a minute later and it was a Checkers runaway.

Patrick Giles followed up with a shot off of a face off and the rout was on.

Third Period: You figure that they can work an early goal in here and start a comeback.

Nope!

But the Penguins would get goals from defensemen when Dmitri Samorukov and Jack St. Ivany, for St. Ivany his first pro goal, to spoil a Waeber shutout bid.

But then Charlotte scores on a power play when Sam Poulin takes a dumb penalty. Poulin, if he knew how to fight, would have handled his matter with the Checkers player (I forget who) with a fight, but instead he trips the guy off a face-off and is rightly called for it.

Three Stars: 3) Jack St. Ivany (first AHL goal) 2) Zac Dalpe (two goals) 1) Patrick Giles (two goals)

The Good: Nice to see St. Ivany get a goal. Kid works hard.

The Bad: Just when you think they can do something right, they prove you wrong and do something wrong.

Turning Point: If it wasn’t the Giiles goal that made it 4-0, it was the Giles goal, shorthanded, that made it 5-0.

Around the Division: Hartford beats Bridgeport 3-2 … Hershey shuts out Lehigh Valley 4-0 … Providence pounds Springfield 8-2.

Standings: Hershey 54 – Providence 38 – Hartford 37 – Springfield 36 – Penguins 35 – Charlotte 33 – Lehigh Valley 31 – Bridgeport 20

Wheeling Update: Nailers beat Norfolk 5-3. Lukas Svejkovsky with a goal and an assist.

Video Highlights: Probably don’t want to see them.

Happy New Year, talk to you in 2024!