Chirps from Center Ice

vs.

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A perfect six point weekend thanks to a 5-1 win Sunday afternoon over the Lehigh Valley Phantoms have the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins just four points off the Providence Bruins.

Now the Bruins will have a game in hand on the Penguins, but for the Penguins the inconceivable is now believable and the Penguins may have a shot at a first round bye.

To get there however, they will need to get through Hershey, whom they play twice next weekend in a home and home.

But let’s talk about that next weekend.

Here’s how they lined up:

 

Lineup Notes: Jansen Harkins was down on an unannounced conditioning stint. He and Matthew Quercia were in for Jagger Joshua and Logan Pietila with Taylor Fedun in for Owen Headrick.

First Period: Penalty marred first, set the tone for the game with the way that it went. The Penguins got a shorthanded goal from Jack Rathbone that put them on the board first off a very nice feed from Avery Hayes.

Joel Blomqvist was sharp, really all game, and had three stops late all in quick succession.

Second Period: Penguins get a power play goal just :11 in from Vinnie Hinostroza.

Big news coming out of the game was the uncalled knee on knee hit that Garrett Wilson threw on Ty Smith.

You be the judge here. It was away from the play, predatory, and Smith didn’t return to the game.

On the very next shift, referees Mike Sullivan and Mike Zyla nabbed Wilson for a booking penalty putting the Penguins on the power play.

I’ve seen refs at this level come and go. Seen it all from good ones like Jeff Smith and Jim Curtain to abstract disasters like Nygel Pelletier, Dave Banfield and others. It usually follows a pattern. They get an NHL contract (Banfield was one of the refs involved in that Pens / Islanders fiasco from years ago) are so inept at the action at the NHL level that their contract isn’t renewed and it leaves them to toil in the minors for the rest of their lives. Banfield. Reid Anderson is another I can think of off the top of my head who was NHL contracted, fired, and now finishing out his career as a ref back in the AHL. Well, Mike Sullivan is one also. What’s likely the case here is his NHL contract isn’t being renewed and he’s banished to AHL work (I’ve seen his name a lot these past few weeks) and this is what you’re left with. Garrett Wilson was suspended three games earlier in the season for elbowing Ty Smith in the head. There’s a history here. To not watch out for that, especially when those two are on the ice, is unacceptable in a four man system.

Yeah, I get it. Human element, fast game, etc. I get it. But Sullivan was questionable Friday vs. Cleveland and was equally as awful if not worse Sunday. Rare that I go off on a tangent about AHL officials anymore because it has gotten better, but it’s a loss for Wilkes-Barre losing their highest point producer to a goon in front of an inept officiating crew.

Moving on…

Third Period: You didn’t want them to collapse. Hold the fort. All the clichés.

They didn’t. A big goal by a kid.

First pro goal by Mathieu De St. Phalle in a very big spot that gave the Penguins at three goal lead.

More penalties for the Penguins on ticky tack stuff. More ineptitude from the firm of Zyla and Sullivan refereeing the scoreboard instead of the action of the ice. 

Penguins were 6/6 on the kill against the Phantoms and the four dummies wearing stripes. 

Garrett Wilson fought Matthew Quercia, one of the only players on the Penguins that actually knows how to fight. Wilson handled Quercia quite easily but it was Quercia that got Wilson off the ice for five minutes ensuring that at least for that time the Penguins would not have any more players sent off the ice to the trailers room due to Wilson’t antics and the officials ineptitude.

Ian Laperriere pulled his goaltender Sandstrom with about six minutes to play and Jacob Gaucher scored on a third effort that put the Phantoms on the board with 5:03 to play. 

But then Avery Hayes continued to stay hot and scored into the empty net that re-established the three goal lead for the Penguins.

In a bit of irony, the Penguins would score a second power play goal off the stick of Lukas Svejkovsky.

Ballgame. A six point weekend.

Three Stars: 3) Mathieu De St. Phalle (first pro goal) 2) Joel Blomqvist (35 saves) 1) Vinnie Hinostroza (goal)

The Good: 6/6 on the kill. Battled through that and losing Ty Smith to injury to complete the six point weekend. Also, they scored two power play goals.

The Bad: Losing Ty Smith to injury was the lone speck on an overall good day for the Penguins. 

Turning Point: De St. Phalle’s first pro goal came at a great time that gave the Penguins the boost they needed to not blow it in the third, which we have seen them do. 

Around the Division: Charlotte wins 4-1 over Hartford….Rochester beats Bridgeport 5-4 in a shootout.

Standings: Hershey 105 – Providence 85 – Penguins and Charlotte 81 – Hartford 70 – Lehigh Valley 67 – Springfield 63 – Bridgeport 56

Wheeling Update: Nailers with a HUGE win over the Indy Fuel to help in Wheeling’s playoff push. Tanner Laderoute with a goal and an assist. Nailers win 5-3.

Video Highlights: It’s late and they aren’t up yet, so the AHL VideoCenter is your best bet.

Have a great week. A lot to talk about next weekend with Hershey twice. 

Let’s Go Pens!