Chirps from Center Ice

The Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins are heading to Canada for a road trip which will span about 10 days. In it, they will see the Toronto Marlies, the Laval Rocket and the Belleville Senators. Of these three teams, the Penguins will play the Senators three times in the span of eight days.

I’m also calling this a trap trip. Why? They have points in six straight games and are in hot pursuit of the Hershey Bears and the rest of the division leaders. They have a boatload of games in hand on all of the teams in front of them. It’s time to make a move. No time to rest because you may be playing in front of friends and family in Canada.

Music to Set the Mood…

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The closest thing I can get to mentioning a Senator without profanity.

A Quote…

When they call the roll in the Senate, the Senators do not know whether to answer ‘Present’ or ‘Not guilty.’
– Theodore Roosevelt

That one made me laugh.

The Setup…

I spoiled it in the open. They play four in Canada starting this Wednesday in Toronto then two in Belleville, Friday and Sunday.

Was it a good week for the Penguins or a so-so week? I am kind of in both camps. It was good that they got three of four points with a 5-0 shutout win over Hartford Saturday but a so-so week because they had a 2-0 lead over Charlotte and lost in overtime. They beat a bad team and had a good team where they wanted, but let them back in and lost.

Toronto hosted Syracuse on New Years Day and lost 2-0. Then Cleveland came in for a pair and swept the Marlies. Toronto have lost three straight. They host the Penguins Wednesday then are not back home until February 7. They have TEN road games which take them through the All-Star break and out to California.

Belleville split a pair with Utica and lost to Syracuse.

Records

Penguins are 18-8-3, good for 39 points and third in the Atlantic.

Toronto is 17-8-2-3, good for 39 points and fourth in the North.

Belleville is 14-10-1-4, good for 33 points and are sixth in the North.

Who’s Up? Who’s Down? Who’s Out?

They got a couple of guys back from injury in Valtteri Puustinen and Sebastian Aho. The hope is that Tristan Broz is over his illness and can go Wednesday. They are certainly getting healthier, but are missing a few key defenders. As always, the Roster Tracker has the latest.

What can we learn about the Penguins this week?

Last week I said that they could be the best team in the division but after seeing them blow a lead against a team that is sending their coach to the All-Star event on account of them being the best team percentage wise, I think the Penguins are good, but not really good. I have to keep emphasizing the really here.

This week, there should be an opportunity here to make a serious move. I think they are catching a Toronto team that gives them fits at an opportune time and should hypothetically handle an underwhelming Senators team. All six points are never guaranteed, but I am not going to stop you if you want to expect them this week, given the run of play that the Penguins are on against the current runs of play with the Marlies and Senators.

Who’s in Goal?

Filip Larsson could have a shutout every time he goes out there and Joel Blomqvist would still be the number one goaltender. It’s just the way it is. If I was playing with this team on NHL 25, I would run Larsson out there every game. This week would give you the perfect opportunity to do that since they don’t play any back to back, but that’s not in cards here. It should be Blomqvist – Blomqvist – Larsson or Blomqvist- Larsson – Blomqvist.

For the opposition, I don’t see any reason why they don’t put Matt Murray (yes, him) out there Wednesday in Toronto and then some combination of 6’7 leviathan Mads Sogaard and Malcolm Subban out there for Belleville this weekend.

Who’s Running the Show?

Stephen Hiff and Kurtis Pare have the Toronto assignment with Adam Burnett and Dan Kovachik on the lines.

Saturday in Belleville sees Hiff again (can’t shake the guy) with Mike Sullivan and Nick Arcan and Dan Kovachik (can’t shake him either) on the lines.

Sunday’s matinee in Belleville has been assigned to Mike Sullivan (again) and David Elford with Jeremy Faucher and Spencer Knox on the lines.

Looking Ahead…

Wednesday trip to Laval, then they bus home, get Friday off and then host Belleville Saturday.

Give us a bold prediction…

Joel Blomqvist reminds us why he’s number one around here and gets himself a shutout this week.