Chirps from Center Ice

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5                                  2

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Bridgeport scored two empty net goals so the 5-2 Penguins loss score line is a bit askew, but a bad second half of the third period after Bridgeport edged ahead 3-2 sunk the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins Saturday night.

I think it’s a matchup problem with the Islanders, who game the Penguins fits a few weeks ago up in Connecticut and again Saturday night in Wilkes-Barre. The Islanders went up 2-0, then the Penguins battled back, a would be tying goal in the second period for the Penguins was waved off by referee Nolan Bloyer in the second period on account of a hand pass.

It’s a game that had everything, and not necessarily good things for the Penguins, who have to stew on this loss for an entire week when they rematch against these same Islander next Friday at home.

Here’s how they lined up, note that the Islanders did not post lines.

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Lineup Notes: Jagger Joshua and Joel Blomqvist made their AHL debuts. Note that Owen Pickering and Vasily Ponomarev went up to Pittsburgh, joining Sam Poulin. They ended the Matt Nieto conditioning experiment because they were in need of forwards. Otherwise Raivis Ansons, Avery Hayes, Nate Clurman. (returning from injury) and Phip Waugh for the aforementioned Nieto, Ponomarev, Corey Andonovski (listed as injured) and Justin Lee and Pickering.

First Period: Penguins come out flat, Islanders have 10-1 shot advantage and Julien Gauthier connects on a power play goal, the Islanders second, to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.

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Penguins had a better second half of the period, but that theme would not continue.

Second Period: Brian Pinho scores his tenth goal of the season for the Islanders on this shot and partial screen of Blomqvist.

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Hell of a shot. Pinho is good player and is carrying this team out of the Atlantic Division cellar.

But Wilkes-Barre would respond in kind, when the returning Jagger Joshua would connect with Raivis Ansons to put the Penguins on the board.

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But then, I guess you could call this the turning point, a would be goal was taken off the board when Boris Katchouk appeared to score. But referee Nolan Bloyer was right on top of the play and immediately signaled no goal on account of a hand pass. He and his counterpart Jordan Watt reviewed the play via replay. Bloyer’s initial call stood. He then went straight to Kirk MacDonald and provided a full explanation.

Two things. I think the call was not that Katchouk batted the puck into the net, but the pass to Katchouk was the hand pass in question, if I was reading body language right. Second, full marks to Bloyer, a second year referee in the AHL and I think the first time he has refereed a Wilkes-Barre game, for providing an explanation to the head coach. I have seen many, many, referees in the league who have more years than Bloyer, just skate away from a head coach looking for an explanation.

Third Period: Tristan Broz stays on his hot streak and scores for the Penguins.

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But then the Penguins would take a late penalty and with the extra attacker, before the whistle would go to apply the infraction, Liam Foudy would score.

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It started to implode from there, Isaac Belliveau took a late penalty, then Mac Hollowell took a slashing penalty. The Penguins had a slimmer of light when Wyatt Newpower hit Katchouk with a high stick that drew blood, and after a time out, the Penguins had an empty net man advantage but Cole Bardreau would hit not one, but two empty net goals.

(The Islanders feel the same way as I do about empty net goals and don’t post them)

Three Stars: 3) Brian Pinho (goal, two assists) 2) Julien Gathier (goal, assist) 1) Liam Foudy (goal)

The Good: I liked the battle that they had Saturday. The AHL is a slog and this is a trial by fire.

The Bad: It seemed that the inch of snow turned into a foot, right? Things went bad in a hurry for the Penguins late and a close game turned into a blowout.

Turning Point: I gave it to you above. You can’t fault the referee for making the call then going back to replay to make sure the call was correct, by the way.

Around the Division: Hartford beats Providence 4-2….Hershey doubles up Lehigh Valley 6-3….Springfield beats Charlotte 4-2.

Standings: Hershey 23 – Penguins 17 – Hartford 16 – Charlotte 15 – Lehigh Valley 15 – Springfield 13 – Providence 13 – Bridgeport 10

Wheeling Update: Nailers beat the Indy Fuel 5-2 Jaxon Castor with 30 saves, Matty De St. Phalle had four assists. Sam Houde had a goal.

Video Highlights: 

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Back here Monday with the Power Rankings, a likely big Islanders bump up, Penguins out of the top five likely also. Read anyway. Talk to your then.

Let’s Go Pens!