Chirps from Center Ice

The Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins again have a chance to draw ever closer to the first place Hershey Bears when the two teams meet in a few short hours Wednesday in Wilkes-Barre.

The Penguins have been casting away points and games in hand, and the lack of success in these departments have them bearing the brunt of a possible First Round series instead of a first round bye.

Music to Set the Mood…

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Seems like they have been primed to catch and pass the Bears all season and it hasn’t happened yet, there is still hope they do and the ultimate expectation is that it happens. The waiting is the hardest part.

A Quote…

Oh baby, don’t it feel like heaven right now?
Don’t it feel like somethin’ from a dream?
Yeah, I’ve never known nothing quite like this
Don’t it feel like tonight might never be again?
Baby, we know better than to try and pretend
Honey, no one could have ever told me ’bout this
I said, yeah, yeah (yeah, yeah)
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
— Tom Petty from “The Waiting is the Hardest Part”

Really leaning into it here.

The Setup

Hershey at home Wednesday, then a Friday and Sunday game in Allentown against the Phantoms.

Penguins three in three saw 15 goals scored across a game in Hartford and home against Belleville then just one measly goal in a blowout loss to Syracuse on Sunday. They went 2-1. The loss Sunday was a game in hand on Hershey wasted.

Hershey swept Cleveland last weekend 3-0 and 4-3. When they don’t play, they still win, as evidence Sunday when the Pens lost.

Phantoms were in Charlotte last weekend and split with the Checkers. Things are tightening up in the Atlantic Division.

Records

Hershey leads the class with a 35-15-5 record for 75 points.

Penguins are second, but tied with Providence on points, with a 31-16-7-1 record and 70 points.

Lehigh Valley isn’t that far behind, 29-22-5-2 record with 65 points.

Who’s Up? Who’s Down? Who’s Out?

They got Sam Poulin and Joona Koppanen back from injury, lost Jonathan Gruden to trade with New Jersey, got Chase Stillman in return, sent Gabe Klassen and Matty De St. Phalle back to Wheeling, saw Sebastian Aho and Matt Nieto go up to Pittsburgh and traded Nikolai KNyzhov to Grand Rapids for future considerations.

I get all of the moves but for the last one but understand the thought process. They signed Knyzhov to a preseason PTO, signed him to an SPC, he got hurt, returned, didn’t play in 10 games and then traded him away for nothing.

With an influx of ATOs on the way, Pittsburgh wants to get a look at their future vs. a hired gun they have no plans for. Such is life.

What can we learn about the Penguins this week?

They either are pushing for a spot at the top or they aren’t and could be a road team in the First Round.

Hershey is in the middle of a hellish road trip which will take them out to Chicago this weekend then a smattering of other places in the Eastern Conference until the end of the month.

Lehigh Valley is far too inconsistent but playing better, to be considered a threat for the top two seeds. They always play the Penguins tough and tight.

I wouldn’t be surprised if they swept all three games and I wouldn’t be surprised if they only won one game. So expect something in between, I guess.

Who’s in Goal?

I think it’s treason if they don’t start Sergei Murashov against Hershey. He’s 7-0 in the AHL, I think he gives the Bears fits and you are at the point of the season where styles make fights.

Filip Larsson can start Friday in Allentown and let Murashov go against the Phantoms on Sunday.

Clay Stevenson, Parker Gahagen and Alexei Kolosov for the opposition is my shot in the dark.

Oh, and Joel Blomqvist is injured, if he comes back this week that throws a monkey wrench in my treatise above.

Who’s Running the Show?

Andrew Bell and Rob Hennessey here Wednesday with Patrick Dapuzzo and Ryan Knapp on the lines.

Friday sees Harrison O’Pray and Chris Conway with Jud Ritter and J.P. Waleski on the lines. First time we are seeing Conway I think.

Sunday sees O’Pray again and Mason Riley with Josh Cleary and Bill Lyons on the lines.

Looking ahead…

Another three in three and another Sunday (road) game. Providence swings by for the first time this season next Friday, Hershey stops by the next day and then they board the bus to Bridgeport Sunday.

Give us a bold prediction…

Nail biter week. OT win over the Bears Wednesday, shootout win over the Phantoms Friday and they get to overtime Sunday and you write your own fate on how you think they do.