Chirps from Center Ice

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Wilkes-Barre / Scranton has a consistency problem.

Explain to me how they get a pair of shorthanded and power play goals in Hartford, a competitive team, and then come to Providence, a team in seventh place and lose 5-0.

I think it’s a consistency problem. Players get too high into their heads and think they are gods gift to the AHL. But that’s just the thing, it’s the AHL. Things change, often. Your best yesterday isn’t going to measure up on most nights the next day.

Maybe Todd Nelson in Hershey is onto something. Every day might be the Super Bowl.

I started to write the Weekend Preview during the third period of this game, and the Penguins have Charlotte in for a pair this week and Springfield, probably the hottest team in the Conference right now. All teams have 25 points. But that’s for Wednesday…

Here’s how they lined up….

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Lineup Notes: Corey Andonovski returned from injury and Marc Johnstone were back in the lineup for Emil Bemström and Raivis Ansons up front. Bemstrom and Ansons are day to day with upper body injuries. I recall seeing Bemstrom crash hard in front of the net in Hartford, but he shook it off and continued. Isaac Belliveau was in for Jack St. Ivany who was listed as week to week with an upper body injury.

So just as they were starting to get healthy-ish, they lose three guys to injury.

First Period: So Providence was playing in their third game in as many nights and started this four and a half hours away in Utica, NY. You wouldn’t know it after watching the first period.

The Bruins outshot the Penguins 17-3 in the period and took a 1-0 lead into the first intermission when a Vinnie Letteri shot was tipped in by Georgii Merkulov.

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On top of that, Mac Hollowell may have been lost to injury as well.

Second Period: So they were only down 1-0 to start the period, manageable, have been there before, but the bottom fell out.

Penguins had a power play, but Jeff Viel steals a puck, dances in and scores shorthanded to make it 2-0 Providence.

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Wilkes-Barre were getting some looks, but Brandon Bussi was getting some lucky bounces and making the saves.

Bruins get a power play and seconds in, a shot from the point by Vinni Letteri hits the low post and dinks in to make it a triple for the Bruins.

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Matthew Poitras would make it 4-0 here…

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I don’t want to pick on the guy and I may be ranting ere, but I feel like the wrong guy is in Wheeling. Sure, the Penguins did Filip Larsson no favors by letting Providence outshoot them 17-3 in the first period, but it was a 1-0 deficit. To give up a shorthanded goal, a fluke goal and then a shot that you probably could make a save on doesn’t seem great.

Does Blomqvist make those saves? Does Sergei Murashov? I have no idea. But if hockey is a team effort they all needed to be better and you could say the same about the goaltender.

Third Period: Kirk MacDonald tried something unorthodox and pulled Larsson for an extra man when the Penguins had essentially a 6 on 3. It didn’t work, but I like the innovation.

Penguins, down four, gave the Bruins a pair of back to back power plays and the Bruins connect when Brett Harrison scores to make it five.

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The Penguins may have lost Nikolai Knyzhov late to an injury when he was banged hard near the Penguins game late. With the game a blowout and under two minutes, he didn’t return.

Three Stars: 3) Matthew Poitras (goal, assist) 2) Brandon Bussi (21 saves) 1) Vinni Letteri

The Good: If you can’t say something nice….

The Bad: …don’t say anything at all.

Turning Point: I think the goal that went off the post in the second that made it 3-0 should get it here. Perhaps the Viel shorthanded goal. Take your pick.

Around the Division: One other game, Hershey hosting Lehigh Valley, but that starts late on these Sundays and is still in action as this is going up. Box here.

Standings: I don’t know if I will be back around for an edit later, so the Penguins will stay in second place, for now, with 25 points. A three way tie with the Checkers and a suddenly surging Springfield Thunderbirds team. Wednesday’s matchup with the Checkers looms large.

Wheeling Update: Nailers started an hour later than the Penguins, hosting the Reading Royals. If Wilkes-Barre is indeed seriously banged up, look for some recalls from the Nailers this week. Box on that Nailers / Royals game is here.

Video Highlights: Hard pass on the search for this one.

Power Rankings Monday, Weekend Preview setting up the pair with the Checkers and Thunderbirds this Wednesday. Talk to you then.

Let’s Go Pens!