Chirps from Center Ice

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So if you have followed the Pens / Bears rivalry long enough you know all of the usual suspects that irk the Penguins.

Mike Sgarbossa, Pierrick Dube and Ethen Frank are three. Well all of these players scored in that order and Wilkes-Barre gains a point but loses 3-2 in overtime.

Penguins played the Bears, who got Sgarbossa and Ethen Bear (another usual suspect) back from injury, very well in my opinion. Losing in overtime on a breakaway goal by the AHL’s fastest skater at All-Stars last year is something that happens that you can’t let happening but in the spirit of three on three usually does.

Here’s how they lined up…

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Lineup Notes: Only change was Jagger Joshua for Boko Imama up front.

First Period: Late at four on four, Mike Sgarbossa scored to put the Bears on the board.

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Second Period: After the first period shenanigans where every whistle there was pushing and shoving and some penalties, Avery Hayes scored at even strength for both teams to bring the Penguins level.

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Avery Hayes is not a guy that you want to get hot if you are the opposition.

Wilkes-Barre was good on the power play, but didn’t score Saturday and were 0/4 yesterday. Mac Holloweell can’t get back from Switzerland soon enough.

Third Period: Pierrick Dube scored at 2:34 and the Bears were off and running. With it being 1-1 coming in, I had a sense that the team that scored first in the period would get all the momentum.

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To some extent yes, but then Ville Koivunen scored and they were level again.

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No one scored and they played a clean, penalty free third so it was off to…

Overtime: Ethen Frank scored on a breakaway when he broke up a pass in his own defensive zone, raced up the ice and made a nifty move on Joel Blomqvist and backhanded it in to send a crowd of over 10,000 home happy on a Saturday in Hershey.

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Three Stars: 3) Ville Koivunen (goal) 2) Pierrick Dube (goal) 1) Ethen Frank (game winning overtime goal)

The Good: Hung with the Calder Cup Champs and got a point on the road.

The Bad: I saw some of you say you were happy with the point. That’s why we don’t win championships around here. The complacency kills you, and the point lost here kills you in April when you go on a run but lose out on a first round bye or home ice in the first round when you are short three points. Like Herm Edwards once said, you play to win the game!

On the ice, going 0/3 on the power play hurt. Being unable to finish on Hunter Shepard on some stops that Shepard made (which were highlight reel worthy) obviously hurt them. You have to find a way to finish those chances.

Turning Point: The Frank goal gets it here, as overtime game winners usually do.

Around the Division: Lehigh Valley beats Charlotte 2-1….Providence stays hot and has second place to their own with a 4-1 win in Hartford…Bridgeport beats Springfield 7-5.

Standings: Hershey 41 – Providence 37 – Penguins 36 – Charlotte 35 – Springfield, Hartford and Lehigh Valley 29 – Bridgeport 18

Wheeling Update: Nailers beat up the Iowa Heartlanders 6-2. Taylor Gauthier had 28 saves. Jack Beck had three assists. Atley Calvery had a gaol and two assists.

Video Highlights: Nothing posted yet, I will work an edit in if I see one.

So that closes the books on 2024. Power Rankings Monday. I have to remind myself that I have all day New Years to write the Weekend Preview, which would be up Friday.

Let’s Go Pens!