Chirps from Center Ice

The Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins took 5 of 6 points out of their first three in three of the season.

Music to Set the Mood…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wB9YIsKIEbA

Wait a minute, didn’t Shrek make this song???? Didn’t Smash Mouth write this song???////

Anyway, I digress.

The Penguins are turning me into a believer. It’s all there. They are only two points off of second place in the division.

Counterpoint, they are only three points out of a playoff spot as well, but they have been playing better of late especially mining five out of six points out of divisional opponents and some really good teams.

A Quote…

Believe you can and you’re halfway there.
— Theodore Roosevelt

Like I said last week, I think I am fine with them the way they are. But that was before they traded away Rem Pitlick, their top scorer, and struggled on the power play this weekend including the 1:43 of two man advantage against Hartford on Sunday. They will need to score a power play goal at a key time at some point here in the foreseeable future. It’s how the coaching staff adjusts to this to make it work which remains the question.

Sam Poulin didn’t look out of place much on the top line Sunday, so that’s a start.

The Setup…

A trip to Providence Friday, then the first meeting with the last place Islanders Saturday, a Sunday off (woo hoo!) then a MLK Day matinee in Springfield.

The Pens handled the Thunderbirds on Friday, then had a two goal lead evaporate on them in the third period against Lehigh Valley and lost in overtime then won a gritty contest at home at the end of a three in three against a very snarly Hartford Wolf Pack team on Sunday.

Providence swept the Springfield Thunderbirds in a Saturday-Sunday home and home. On Saturday they beat the Thunderbirds in a shootout and on Sunday they beat them clean.

Bridgeport had an eventful week, keeping it close Thursday at home against Hartford, then took three of four points from Charlotte, winning and losing in overtime in a Saturday-Sunday series with the Checkers.

Fun fact about the Islanders schedule this month, they play nine games at home and the other three road contests are in Providence.

Springfield had a bad weekend. They took one point out of a possible six (the shootout loss against the Bruins on Saturday)

Bridgeport hosted Springfield Wednesday and coughed up a lead and lost 4-3 in overtime. Sound familiar?

The Thunderbirds are in Syracuse on Friday, then Utica on Saturday. So they have a very busy week.

Records

Providence is 19-12-2-2, good for 42 points and second in the Atlantic.

The Penguins are 18-12-4-0, good for 40 points and fourth in the Atlantic.

The Islanders are 10-19-4-0, good for 24 points and last in the Atlantic.

The Thunderbirds are 17-12-3-2, good for 39 points and fifth in the Atlantic.

Who’s Up? Who’s Down? Who’s Out?

Pittsburgh: Jansen Harkins, Ryan Shea and Valtteri Puustinen.

Up from Wheeling: Owen Headrick and Raivis Ansons.

Returned to Wheeling: Dillon Hamaliuk.

Injured: Avery Hayes, Sam Houde and Raivis Ansons. I saw Houde on a knee scooter with a walking boot on his left foot in the locker room video the team posted on social media on Sunday, for what it is worth.

What can we learn about the Penguins this week?

Do they have us fooled that they are actually good or are they actually decent? I think it could be a bit of both and the only reason I say that is because of the way they ran around like chickens with their heads cut off after they scored to make it 3-1 Saturday against Lehigh Valley. They go up two, then the Phantoms start throwing eephus pitches and curveballs at the Pens and they look like they have never held a bat before.

You can’t have that. If you want to be a playoff team, you have to be able to react to anything. You can’t go into a shell and expect to win, not against a rival you play the most on the schedule.

But that’s in the past and hopefully coached out of them and in reality, it was the worst period of the nine that they played this past weekend. Providence worries me because that team is mercurial. Do the Pens catch them on a bad week? They should beat Bridgeport, but the Islanders are playing better of late. Thunderbirds are there to be ran over. They will have played three games in a week before the Monday afternoon game. That two points is there for the taking.

It should be expected that they can amass all six points. You can also make the same argument that they struggle with Providence, underestimate against Bridgeport and sleepwalk in Springfield and walk away with three or less points. It’s all possible.

Who’s in Goal?

This is Joel Blomqvist’s team, full stop. He turned the page after some shaky play and has only allowed one goal in each of the five games he has played. All that is left is a shutout. He will get the start in Providence. Magnus Hellberg will go for the Pens in Bridgeport and Blomqvist will get the nod Monday in Springfield.

Michael DiPietro, Jakub Skarek and Malcolm Subban for the opponents if you made me guess. But for Brandon Bussi who went up to Boston for Providence Thursday, all of the number one goaltenders are ready for the Penguins this week. You should expect every ones best.

Wait, didn’t Smash Mouth from above write All-Star?

Where I’m going with this is that on Wednesday, the AHL announced the All-Star rosters for San Jose on February 4. Joel Blomqvist was the lone Wilkes-Barre representative.

I said on Twitter that there are lot of guys in prior years I would get legit mad they don’t get recognized and not get named for All-Stars. Blomqvist, had he not been named, would have been one of them. I’m happy for the kid. I think he’s by and far the best prospect in the organization.

Who’s Running the Show?

Jordan Deckard and Casey Terreri get the Friday assignment with Matt Heinen and Kenneth Gates on the lines.

Deckard makes the trip south to Bridgeport Saturday to meet up with Tanner Doiron and those two will be joined on the lines by Cameron Carlson and Dylan Lewis.

On Monday, Riley Brace and Amanda Tassoni get the assignment with Trevor Disbennett and Matt Heinen again on the lines.

Looking ahead…

Wednesday at home against Providence, a Friday off, Saturday in Hershey then home against Springfield on Sunday.

Give us a bold prediction…

Power play goal scored in every game, they get five out of possible six points again and are second in the division when they wake up Tuesday morning.