Chirps from Center Ice

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To steal a wrestling term, Taylor Gauthier maximized his minutes Saturday.

A 32 save shutout for Gather making his Penguins season debut in the final game of the regular season and the Penguins win a tight contest 3-0 over the visiting Cleveland Monsters.

A nice way to roll into Wednesday’s Game 1 of the First Round of the Calder Cup Playoffs.

Or is it? The Penguins shutout their opponent in the 72nd game of the season last year, and were swept.

I get the sense this team is built different, however.

Here’s how they lined up

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Lineup Notes: Jack Beck, Matty De St. Phalle, Boris Katchouck and Pietila the forward were out for Valtteri Puustinen, Vasily Ponomarev, Joona Koppanen and Sam Poulin up front. Pietila the defenseman was in for Sebastian Aho.

First Period: No scoring. I don’t want to call it a feeling out process, but it felt like it. Penguins made short work of the only power play in the period, awarded to Cleveland.

Second Period: Dan Renouf slams home a ridiculous pass from Tristan Broz and the Penguins were up 1-0.

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Only Renouf’s second goal of the season. He will replace Boko Imama on scoring on your poverty franchise.

Third Period: A pair of goals just :19 apart.

It’s spring time in Wilkes-Barre and Avery Hayes is getting hot again. You love to see it.

This tip of a shot from Tristan Broz gave the Penguins some breathing room.

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Penguins were killing a 4:00 Zach Gallant double minor for high sticking at the time but that goal came four on four. Then Joona Koppanen scored on this ridiculous pass from Vasily Ponomarev and the floodgates opened.

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There was a bit of a fracas at 17:28 when Harrison Brunicke was back body dropped which set off both lines.

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Seven Monsters players and six Penguins players were all given ten minute misconduct penalties.

All that was left was whether or not Gauthier would get a shutout. He was dialed in, with saves like this:

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Three Stars: 3) Vasily Ponomarev (assist) 2) Joona Koppanen (goal) 1) Taylor Gauthier (32 save shutout)

The Good: Good to go out of the regular season with a shutout.

The Bad: You can’t come up with anything after a shutout.

Turning Point: The Hayes tip set the Monsters off, they get scored on again :19 later and then half their team gets ejected.

Around the Division: Providence beats Bridgeport 3-2 and that means the what I said two months ago will come true. Get ready for the first round series with Lehigh Valley, buddy.

Other scores essentially irrelevant, Lehigh Valley beats Hershey 4-3, Charlotte shutout Springfield 5-0.

Final Standings: Hershey 96 – Charlotte 94 – Providence 90 – Penguins 88 – Lehigh Valley 80 – Springfield 74 – Bridgeport 37

Wheeling Update: Nailers await Game 3 with Norfolk down 2-0 in the series.

Here’s your First Round Schedule…

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Blog wise, the final AHL Power Rankings will go up Monday and then the Calder Cup Preview Tuesday. How far do the Penguins go?

I can give you a bit of a preview. I think they get by Lehigh Valley easy. Providence does the same to Springfield. That leaves Pens / Bears, Checkers / Bruins in Round 2. I can see both series going five. Slight edge I think to the Penguins and Bruins, based on run of form.

Then it’s Pens / Bruins for the Division Finals, best of five. Well, you better hope someone else takes out the Bruins because you won’t get me to pick anything other than the Bruins in a sweep or four games.

Video Highlights: 

That’s as we sit here on Saturday. Things can change, and likely will.

Let’s Go Pens!