The Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins are mired in a road trip that will keep them away from the Mohegan Arena until the start of March. This weekend they make a trip through New England.
Music to Set the Mood…
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The inspiration for this came to me on a walk this past Wednesday.
A Quote…
Snow’s too cold for winter!
— Bugs Bunny
I’m reminded of the old Bugs Bunny clip where he throws the snowball at the guy in the middle of July and the guy asks him where he got the snowball from. Bugs answers it’s too cold for snow in winter.
I guess where I am going with this is that despite it being the coldest winter in these parts in 10 years I haven’t had any snow that I have had to run through my snowblower. So maybe Bugs is onto something!
The Setup
Hartford, Springfield and Providence in that order starting Friday.
The Pens had a Pennsylvania three in three last weekend and went 1-0-2, or 1-0-1-1 if you want to get technical.
It was a 3-2 shootout loss to Lehigh Valley at home Friday, 12 seconds from a win but a 4-3 overtime loss Saturday against Hershey and then a 4-3 road win in Allentown Sunday.
For Hartford, it has been rough. 4-0 shutout and 4-3 overtime losses last weekend in Charlotte and a 5-3 setback in a Wednesday game in Springfield.
For Springfield, a 4-1 win in Grand Rapids last Wednesday, 5-4 loss in Milwaukee the next night and then a 4-3 loss in Rockford Saturday. They got right with the 5-3 result this past Wednesday against Hartford.
For Providence, 5-1 home win against Utica Friday, a 5-0 shutout win in Bridgeport Saturday and then the Islanders clap back and win 4-2 Sunday.
The Bruins will host Utica Friday and travel to Hartford Saturday before hosting Wilkes-Barre Sunday.
Records
Penguins are 27-12-5-1 and in second with 60 points in the Atlantic.
Hartford, 20-24-5-1, seventh, 46 points.
Springfield, 24-19-2-3, sixth, 53 points.
Providence, 27-16-4-1, third, 59 points.
Who’s Up? Who’s Down? Who’s Out?
Jonathan Gruden missed Saturday and Sunday with a lower body injury. He went down hard Friday, left the game briefly but returned against Lehigh Valley. Hopefully, his lower body injury isn’t too bad and he’s OK this weekend, although likely not all three games.
Tristan Jarry was sent back and Joel Blomqvist and Emil Bemstrom went up Tuesday. Matty De St. Phalle, Wheeling’s leading scorer, joined the team Thursday.
They have been okay, but championship caliber teams aren’t just okay. It’s a great weekend to pick up two in Hartford Friday, two more in Springfield Saturday and battle it out and empty the tank Sunday in Providence.
No reason to believe they can’t beat a struggling Hartford team and a beatable Springfield team and, if you want to be considered a championship caliber team, beat a Providence team Sunday.
It’s a prime weekend to maximize points, is what I am saying. A New England, indeed.
Who’s in Goal?
I would go Jarry / Larsson / Jarry. I think that’s reasonable.
Louis Domingue, Colten Ellis, Michael DiPietro for the competition is my guess here. Let the record show I nailed my guess last week.
Who’s Running the Show?
Beau Halkidis and Sydney Harris have the Friday assignment in Hartford with Jeremy Faucher and Brent Colby on the lines.
Liam Maaskant and Tyler Spott are the referees Saturday in Springfield with Shawn Oliver and Nick Briganti on the lines.
Sunday sees Maaskant and Harris again with Mitchell Hunt and Shawn Oliver on the lines.
Looking Ahead…
March, you say? Wow!
It’s a Wednesday in Rochester, a Friday in Syracuse then a Saturday in Hershey. They return home for Belleville the following Tuesday.
Give us a bold prediction….
Penguins close to under three points off the Hershey Bears by close of business Sunday.
WBS News
Chirps from Center Ice 