Chirps from Center Ice

EDIT: With the news yesterday that Saturday’s game was postponed to a Tuesday and the fact that I write these days in advance and just publishing them day of, please just mind the cross outs below.

The Penguins continue their plate of Canadian teams when they head to Laval, Quebec Wednesday then bus home to rematch again with the Belleville Senators on Saturday.

Music to Set the Mood…

–

Songs like these are why I have cats.

A Quote

High expectations are really intimidating…
– Mya

You can’t say they aren’t making things interesting this season.

The Setup

A trip they are all looking forward to and probably enjoyed a few days in after the Sunday Belleville game, it’s the only trip to Laval to take on the Rocket on Wednesday then a bus trip home, a Friday off and then the third game in eight days against the Belleville Senators.

The Penguins started their Canada trip on the right foot with a big win in Toronto last Wednesday and a 6-3 win. Then they went to Belleville and won 6-1 on Friday but lost on a last second Wyatt Bongiovanni power play goal with 2.2 seconds left to play and lost clean. Belleville wanted that game more and it showed throughout. It sucked because it was a game in hand lost to the Hershey Bears.

Laval was in Cleveland this past weekend ad took three out of four points. The Rocket shut out the Monsters 5-0 then lost a close one 2-1 in overtime.

I gave you what Belleville did above with the Penguins setup, but the Senators will be in Allentown Wednesday to take on the Phantoms, then are in Hershey on Friday before bussing up to Wilkes-Barre. That’s some hellish travel.

Records

The Penguins are 20-9-3, good for second in the Atlantic Division and 43 points.

But they are the number one team overall with a .672 points percentage. That’s tied with the Ontario Reign in points percentage and .010 points better than Hershey.

I know, I know. they don’t rank them by points percentage anymore, but it’s worth mentioning that they are still, despite their shortcomings, are a good team at their base.

The Rocket are 21-10-2-1 and third in the North with 45 points.

Belleville is 15-11-1-4 and sixth in the North with 35 points. No need to cross that out, it’s a fact.

Who’s Up? Who’s Down? Who’s Out?

The Canada trip ripped through the defenders, costing them to Sebastian Aho to a lower body injury week to week and Nate Clurman to a lower body injury also.

Good news is that they can afford a few losses on defense, but not many more.

The Roster Tracker has all the latest here, who’s up in Pittsburgh and down in Wheeling.

What can we learn about the Penguins this week?

I guess the real question is how long does it take for the Penguins to take the lead from the Hershey Bears for tops in the division if they continue their current run of play?

The answer would be, not long, since Wilkes-Barre has five games in hand against the Bears plus a handful of head to head matchups against the 13 time champions.

Provided their run of play continues to trend upwards and they can win games in hand.

Their power play is down right lethal, a term that Nick Hart used to describe it on Friday. I haven’t checked at all this season, but through Sunday, they are second overall, converting at a 23.7% success rate on the man advantage and that’s just unheard of in these parts.

Use a power play to get a goal and, if you are trailing, use that as a push to get you either tied or closer to tied. Or, get a goal to take a tight one goal lead into some breathing room with a two goal lead. It’s a big momentum push.

Barring an absolute collapse, which again we have seen in these parts, it should set up for a great second half.

Oh, and they can absolutely beat Laval and Belleville. Laval may throw up more of a stiffer test, so they have to be careful.

Who’s in Goal?

I don’t want to say Filip Larsson Wednesday, but let’s roll with it. I think he may be surpassing Joel Blomqvist as the number one or at the least the 1B.

That would mean that Joel Blomqvist would get the Saturday start.

Cayden Primeau shut the Cleveland Monsters out with an easy 16 save shutout Friday, he may get the nod Wednesday for the Rocket.

No idea on who Belleville could roll with. The Pens chased Søgaard on Friday and Michael Simpson put up more of a challenge for the Penguins but with all that travel, your guess is as good as mine.

Who’s Running the Show?

Mathieu Menniti and Will Kelly have the assignment Wednesday in Laval with Justin Johnson and Maxime Bédard on the lines.

Looking Ahead…

The Penguins remain an honorary member of the North Division in the foreseeable future, with the Utica Comets coming in and knocking out their part of the schedule with the Pens in a home and home next Friday in Utica, Saturday in Wilkes-Barre, provided they get the repairs done in time, which they should.

It’s also the first three in three as there is a (sigh) Sunday home game against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

Give us a bold prediction…

One day I will have kids and will play that rocket ship song above for them before I take them to a Sunday afternoon Penguins home game.