Chirps from Center Ice

Somehow, the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins have not played their closest rival yet in the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in the 2023-24 schedule.

They have played just about every other team in the Eastern Conference save for Toronto in the North and Bridgeport in the Atlantic, but haven’t played the Phantoms, a team they will play 12 times, so far this season.

That changes Saturday.

Music to Set the Mood…

The Phantoms? They are who we thought they are, a team playing below the Penguins in the standings with a coach that some say (like Wilkes-Barre) has overstayed his welcome behind the bench.

Listen, I don’t think anyone will catch Hershey in the division, so it’s a bunch of other teams playing for the five remaining playoff spots in the division. These are very important games for the Penguins and Phantoms coming up here.

A Quote…

Inconsistency is the only thing in which men are consistent.
– Horace Smith

Again, I think I am fine with them the way they are. I think they are good. Inconsistency befalls them. Inconsistency befalls every team in the division unless you are Hershey. Moreso (Bridgeport) than others (Hartford, for now) So I think it is OK for them to be inconsistent. It means that they are sometimes consistent, but often inconsistent.

The Setup

The first three in three of the season. Road trip to Springfield Friday, Lehigh Valley at home Saturday then an afternoon Sunday game against Hartford.

The Penguins lost in a mistake filled game in Hershey last Wednesday, then split with the Checkers at home Friday and Saturday.

Springfield beat Hartford last Wednesday, lost to Bridgeport in OT Friday then got smoked at home last Saturday against Providence.

Lehigh Valley beat Utica in an up and down game Wednesday, were shutout at home against Hershey Saturday and lost to Charlotte at home on New Years Eve.

Hartford lost in Springfield last Wednesday and beat Bridgeport this past Saturday and yesterday, Thursday.

Records

Penguins are 16-12-3-0, with 35 points and fifth in the Atlantic.

Springfield is 16-10-3-1, with 36 points and fourth in the Atlantic.

Lehigh Valley is 13-13-4-1 with 31 points and seventh in the Atlantic.

Hartford is 17-7-5-0, with 39 points and second in the Atlantic.

Who’s Up? Who’s Down? Who’s Out?

Pittsburgh: Jansen Harkins, Ryan Shea and Valtteri Puustinen.

John Ludvig, who Ryan Shea was recalled for, had knee surgery and is out 6-8 weeks. It’s honestly refreshing to see a detailed injury detail, treatment and estimated length of disability.

Returned from Pittsburgh: Vinnie Hinostroza (was at practice on Coal Street Thursday)

Signed to PTO: Jesse Puljujärvi. Fourth overall pick in 2016 NHL Draft. Should help, provided he is healthy and in shape.

Up from Wheeling: Owen Headrick, Raivis Ansons and Dillon Hamaliuk.

Returned to Wheeling: Taylor Gauthier.

Injured: Avery Hayes, Sam Houde and Raivis Ansons.

What can we learn about the Penguins this week?

How do they play against equally inconsistent teams.

Springfield will be looking to wash off that 8-2 ass kicking Providence laid on them Saturday. The Pens can run with the Thunderbirds.

The Pens will look to get the series with Lehigh Valley off to a good start with a big win Saturday. There are 24 points at stake in this 12 game series. You must figure that the Pens and Phantoms may be in a battle for the 4-5-6 seed as the season starts to wind down. Phantoms have been playing right around .500 all season, so you gotta make these points count.

Catch Hartford, who looked like a contender who can run with Hershey but have skidded as of late, and get all points available.

The question again is will they? Can they? I think yeah. The only team which worries me is Springfield really. I’d buy more stock in the Thunderbirds then I would in the Pens or Phantoms or Hartford. But again, they are a team in a long list of teams, who are battling inconsistency.

Don’t know anything about the Phantoms head to head because they haven’t met yet. They should handle Hartford.

Six points is a strong possibility. So are zero.

Who’s in Goal? 

I’m hoping the sickness that necessitated the Gauthier recall is out of the room and Hellberg can play again. I don’t pin everything on Gauthier in Saturday’s loss, but it did look at times like he was out of his depth but in his defense, so did the five guys playing in front of him. He’ll continue honing his craft with the Nailers in the ECHL.

Hellberg, Blomqvist, Hellberg is what I would do if I was Penguins head coach J.D. Forrest.

Malcolm Subban for Springfield, Felix Sandstrom for the Phantoms and Louis Domingue for the Wolf Pack if you made me bet a penny.

Who’s Running the Show?

Stephen Hiff and Chad Ingalls are the referee crew Friday in Springfield with Matt Heinen and Michael Tarquinio on the lines.

Austin O’Rourke and Chris Rumble are here Saturday with Spencer Knox and Patrick Dapuzzo on the lines.

And on Sunday Philip Kasko and Liam Maaskant are the referees with Spencer Knox again and J.P. Waleski on the lines.

Looking Ahead…

Ooh, who put that 3:05 Monday start in Springfield on the schedule? Before that, a trip to Providence on Friday, the first meeting with Bridgeport in Connecticut on Saturday then the afternoon contest in Springfield.

Give us a bold prediction…

They will sweep the weekend and sit second in the division behind Hershey as we sink our teeth into January.