Chirps from Center Ice

         vs.        

4                               6

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The second hat trick in three games for the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins, this time by Boris Katchouk, who also added another goal for four on the night, is enough to carry the Penguins to a 6-4 win over the Charlotte Checkers Wednesday night.

These teams rematch Friday.

I’d love to stay and chat, but the job that actually pays me starts at 8:30 and it’s past 10:30 now and I don’t normally stay up this late on work night, so let’s get moving!

Here’s how they lined up:

https://twitter.com/CheckersHockey/status/1866996978707730578

https://twitter.com/WBSPenguins/status/1866988694571565511

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Lineup Notes: Ten guys injured for the Penguins. Minutes after the Weekend Preview went up, Coal Street signed Chris Ortiz to a PTO. He, Justin Lee and Mats Lindgren were in for Nikolai Knyzhov, Mac Hollowell and Filip Kral, all injured. Forwards from Sunday were unchanged, but shuffled.

First Period: Boris Katchouk was either hooked on a long delayed call that award him a penalty shot or Jaycob Megna’s stick throwing in the defensive zone at a puck caused a penalty shot, which Katchouk buried here…

https://twitter.com/WBSPenguins/status/1867005212784795850

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I got the sense that despite the lead, they were playing with house money.

Second Period: Charlotte has the leagues best power play. The Penguins, who were not only badly outshot in the period, gave the Checkers opportunity after opportunity on the man advantage.

Only a matter of time before future AHL Hall of Famer and Checkers captain Zac Dalpe scored ti tie the game on the power play.

https://twitter.com/CheckersHockey/status/1867018632842317830

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Less then a minute mater, Mikulas Hovorka scored and the Checkers took the lead.

https://twitter.com/CheckersHockey/status/1867018919917260853

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It was a low shot with traffic in front.

Shots were 30-12 Checkers for the game and 15-6 in the period, same as the first.

Third Period: They adjusted in this period.

They get the kickoff goal from probably a player that isn’t long for the AHL if he keeps this up, Tristan Broz scored at 3:43 off a rebound of an Isaac Belliveau shot that tied the game.

https://twitter.com/WBSPenguins/status/1867030827952984566

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Katchouk followed with his second of the night on a tip of a Dan Renouf shot and it was 3-2 Wilkes-Barre at 5:23

https://twitter.com/WBSPenguins/status/1867031005535629775

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Boko Imama must love scoring goals against the Charlotte Checklers because he did so on opening night and again here that made it 4-2 Penguins.

https://twitter.com/WBSPenguins/status/1867032539170250891

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Still, I didn’t think that it would be enough to hold on because there was too much time on the clock.

But Katchouk would get his hat trick on a power play that made it 5-2 Penguins. Some breathing room…

https://twitter.com/WBSPenguins/status/1867033397727486255

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But here’s where the game got interesting. Wilmer Skoog scored at 17:02 that made it 5-3 and then John Leonard followed about a minute and a half later with Chris Driedger pulled that made it a one goal game!

(The Checkers didn’t bother to post these goals)

Geordie Kinnear called time out but then Boris Katchouk stepped back up and flipped a shot in front of his own goaltenders crease 190′ down the ice and scored into the empty net that sealed the deal for good.

https://twitter.com/WBSPenguins/status/1867044854141706518

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Three Stars: 3) Zac Dalpe (goal, assist) 2) Sam Poulin (two assists) 1) Boris Katchouk (four goals)

The Good: They said enough already and took over the third period from the opponent and won a hockey game.

The Bad: No matter what, until the Katchouk fourth goal, it never seemed like it was in the bag.

Turning Point: I hate to go with it, but the Katchouk empty netter ended all bad vibes and guaranteed an important two points for the Penguins.

Around the Division: Hartford shutout the Hershey Bears in Connecticut 3-0….Providence beats Bridgeport 4-2.

Standings: Hershey 37 – Penguins 27 – Providence 26 – Springfield, Charlotte, Hartford 25 – Lehigh Valley 23 – Bridgeport 14

Wheeling Update: Nailers were off.

Video Highlights: 

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Back at it Friday with these same Checkers. Talk to you then.

Let’s Go Pens!