Chirps from Center Ice

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So with the calendar flipped to 2024, every point is going to matter.

Looks like they got off on the right foot, as the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins go into Springfield and win 2-1. A clean two points over a team who was above them in the standings.

Springfield knows how to win from behind and nearly did, scoring a goal just :30 into the third period and pouring it on from there. Joel Blomqvist was stout in goal, only allowing just one goal and if you are sensing a pattern you are onto something, it’s the fourth game for Blomqvist where he has just allowed one goal.

Onto Lehigh Valley Saturday…

Here’s how they lined up:

Lineup Notes: Vinnie Hinostroza was back, Jesse Puljujarvi and Owen Headrick made their WBS debuts. Austin Rueschhoff and Joona Koppanen yielded for Hinostroza and Puljujarvi up front and Ty Smith was back from the Spengler Cup. Taylor Fedun and Will Butcher stepped out for Smith and the aforementioned Headrick.

First Period: Pens roared out to an 11-4 shot advantage and got one of them to go when Hinostroza nd Jack Rathbone played give and go on a nice play that resulted in a Hinostroza goal.

But then the Thunderbirds raced back to even shot total at 11 a piece and got themselves a late power play.

Second Period: They kept the pressure on Springfield, who knows how to win games after falling behind, and nearly had a goal when Jack St. Ivany threw a shot at the net that Vadim Zherenko absorbed and sort of fell into the net with. A brief video review by referees Chad Ingalls and Stephen Hiff confirmed Ingalls’ initial call of no goal.

But then, at the expiration of a power play, the Penguins would double their lead when Peter Abbandonato scored to make it 2-0 Penguins.

Nice setup by Sam Poulin and Rem Pitlick to get the puck to an unmarked in the slot Abbandonato.

Third Period: Thunderbirds capitalize off of a Colin White turnover and Adam Gaudette scores just :30 into the period.

The last thing you wanted to see as a Penguin fan with how good the Thunderbirds are at coming back from behind.

But the Penguins used the clock and two really good penalty kills to get through it all and hang on and with Zherenko pulled for the extra attacker the Thunderbirds never found the equalizer.

Three Stars: 3) Adam Gaudette (goal) 2) Peter Abbandonato (goal) 1) Joel Blomqvist (35 saves)

The Good: How good has Joel Blomqvist been here? Pulling the team through a tough game, on the road, against a team they may run into come last April?

The Bad: No but seriously, is he every going to get his first AHL shutout?

Turning Point: The Abbandonato goal that put the Penguins up 2-0 gets it here. Do they win this game in overtime?

Around the Division: I don’t know how this is possible, but it is indeed Friday in the AHL and there are no other teams in the division playing on this day.

Standings: Hershey 56 – Hartford 39 – Providence 38 – Penguins 37 – Springfield 36 – Charlotte 35 – Lehigh Valley 31 – Bridgeport 20

Wheeling Update: Nailers are in Florida and lost 4-1 to the Orlando Solar Bears.

Video Highlights: AHL VideoCenter will have them Saturday morning as you wait for the snow to fall.

More tomorrow for the first meeting between the Penguins and Phantoms.

Let’s Go Pens!