Chirps from Center Ice

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So there’s a lot of things I didn’t like about this one.

Penguins race out to a 1-0 lead after the first period, but the Syracuse Crunch adjust and counter punch in the second period and absolutely run circles around the Penguins in the third to turn a 2-2 game coming into the final period into a 5-2 laugher and win for Syracuse on Friday night.

The Crunch scored two empty net goals, but the damage was done earlier.

Syracuse regains the top spot in the North Division and the Penguins fail to make up ground on idle, second place Providence. The Bruins will now have two games in hand on the Penguins for the remainder of the weekend while Wilkes-Barre plays two more games.

Here’s how they lined up…

Lineup Notes: Jonathan Gruden was in for Jagger Joshua. I didn’t hear what the explanation was from Nick Hart in pregame sadly. Justin Addamo for Lukas Svejkovsky was the other forward lineup change. Taylor Fedun for Owen Headrick and Ryan Shea for Jack St. Ivan was the other change.

On St. Ivany:

First Period: Wilkes-Barre jumped out to a hot start but failed to score on their first two power plays but the third time was indeed the charm when Austin Rueschhoff tipped in a shot from Xavier Ouellet from the point.

I liked the pace and the hot start.

Second Period: You were kind of expecting a push from the Crunch, and it happened quickly, as ex-Penguin Felix Robert scored with a deflection off of his head that tied the game at one for the Crunch.

The Penguins would respond in kind with their second power play goal of the game when Joona Koppanen, playing in his 300th AHL game, scored to push the Penguins ahead 2-1.

But then Philippe Myers, who had the shot the deflected off of Robert’s face, scored a more conventional, safer goal, that tied the game up again for the Crunch.

Better push for the Crunch in the period but it was the Penguins power play carrying the day, to this point.

Third Period: Wilkes-Barre limited to just three shots in the period, Syracuse was really taking it to them and scored on a rush where a prone Ty Smith does more harm than good as the Crunch score a fluky goal that puts them ahead by one.

But then the Penguins fell in a deeper hole having to kill back to back penalties late, then got desperate and pulled Blomqvist. When that didn’t work, the Crunch scored two empty net goals.

(I’m not going to show them here)

Three Stars: 3) Cole Koepke (three assists) 2) Felix Robert (goal, two assists) 1) Philippe Myers (goal, two assists)

The Good: Two power play goals.

The Bad: Didn’t like the response in the second period onward. They got steamrolled in the third. Other teams as good or better than the Crunch are going to do this to this team the deeper they hope to get in the playoffs.

Turning Point: That third goal was scored by Waltteri Merelä. It’s that goal that gets it here. It was trending badly for the Pens to that point in the period and went downhill quickly from there.

Around the Division: All not totally lost for the Penguins as Charlotte beats Springfield 2-0. That should drop the Penguins magic number to 11 I believe. We will find out in Saturday’s AHL Playoff Primer. Hershey beat Cleveland 6-3 and Bridgeport beat Utica 2-1 on a shootout.

Standings: Hershey 95 – Providence 77 – Penguins 71 – Charlotte 70 – Hartford 67 – Lehigh Valley 62 – Springfield 59 – Bridgeport 47

Wheeling Update: Nailers lose a close one at home against Kalamazoo 4-3.

Video Highlights: 

Back at it Saturday at home against Utica. More then.

Let’s Go Pens!