Chirps from Center Ice

        @        

4                          3

–

So, that was interesting.

After blitzkrieging the Bridgeport Islanders for two goals in the games first three minutes, the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins see the offense dry up, the home team score three goals three different ways in the second period and need a Jonathan Gruden goal late in the third to force overtime and takedown Bridgeport 4-3 in a shootout.

Two points anyway you can get them.

Here’s how they lined up….

https://twitter.com/WBSPenguins/status/1851754609536073812

–

Bridgeport didn’t post lines.

Lineup Notes: Marc Johnstone for Boko Imama up front and Isaac Belliveau comes off the injured list to make his season debut on defense replacing the newly injured Sebastian Aho. Aho is day to day with a lower body injury.

First Period: They didn’t waste any time. Nick Hart mentioned on radio that the Penguins were waiting for their turn to play on a weekday and were looking forward to getting the opportunity to do so.

Before the Islanders had a shot on goal, the Penguins were up 2-0.

https://twitter.com/WBSPenguins/status/1851766371740258355

–

Koivunen is a guy you want to get hot.

https://twitter.com/WBSPenguins/status/1851766753488941515

–

Another guy you want to get hot is Gruden.

A pair of goals in less than 90 seconds apart is a good way to jump on an opponent.

Second Period: I didn’t count face-off wins / losses, but one thing I noticed was all the shots the Penguins took that went high or wide.

The Islanders responded in kind with a power play goal, a shorthanded goal and an even strength goal to overcome the 2-0 deficit and take a 3-2 lead heading into the third. Here were the goals.

https://twitter.com/AHLIslanders/status/1851786085866598737

–

Nothing Jarry can do with that one there where he was partially screened.

https://twitter.com/AHLIslanders/status/1851787272338780178

–

Brian Pinho leads the AHL with shorthanded goals. This was his third. If I had to nitpick an NHL All-Star goaltender down on assignment making $5M a year, it would be this goal here. You have to do a better job here.

https://twitter.com/AHLIslanders/status/1851787920052506921

–

Defensive breakdown.

Third Period: Penguins do everything they can on a power play but do not score. Setup and execution were there, finish was not.

Jonathan Gruden scored when he stayed camped out at the goal mouth and waited to pick up the loose change.

https://twitter.com/WBSPenguins/status/1851796264788365577

–

Hope he stays hot heading into November.

Overtime: Solved nothing. Penguins had a power play and again the. setup and execution were there but the game winning goal was not.

Shootout: Emil Bemström scored in the top of the first, Ville Koivunen in the top of the second. Matthew Maggio scored in the bottom of the second but Tristan Jarry stopped Alex Jeffries and Chris Terry. Tristan Broz also participated but was denied.

https://twitter.com/WBSPenguins/status/1851803382987592114

–

Three Stars: 3) Brian Pinho (goal, assist) 2) Jonathan Gruden (two goals) 1) Ville Koivunen (goal, shootout goal)

The Good: Found a way to battle back and win.

The Bad: 0/5 on the power play.

Turning Point: The Gruden goal that forced overtime gets it here.

Lots for the coaching staff to look at and work on with a Friday off. You can’t go up 2-0 that early against a last place team that was obliterated in Charlotte last weekend and let off and nearly lose. They should have had six or seven, but that’s a knock against Marcus Hogberg, who started in goal for Bridgeport and was fantastic after the first three minutes of the game.

Around the Division: Hartford takes down Grand Rapids in overtime 3-2…Lehigh Valley beats Hershey clean in Hershey 2-1...Providence beats Belleville 3-2 in a shootout.

Standings: Hershey 13 – Charlotte and the Penguins 10 – Hartford 9 – Springfield, Lehigh Valley and Providence 6 – Bridgeport 4

Wheeling Update: Nailers were off.

Video Highlights: If I see them, I will edit them in here on the blog only.

Enjoy the Friday off and we will talk to you again Saturday against the Hartford Wolf Pack.

Let’s Go Pens!