Chirps from Center Ice

The Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins are 4-0 for the first time in a while and off to a great start to their 2025-26 campaign. They take on the Lehigh Valley Phantoms Wednesday at home before hitting the road for a pair in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Music to set the mood…

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Apt. They are first place in the AHL and looking to stay there.

A Quote…

To be the man, you have to beat the man!
– Ric Flair

So far they have run through Hartford twice, Bridgeport and Lehigh Valley. There are other teams, like the Checkers who they will see twice this weekend in North Carolina, that want a crack. This is apt too, as The Man Ric Flair is from the Queen City.

The Setup…

Home with the Phantoms then a pair in Charlotte this weekend. It’s hard to beat the Checkers twice in two nights. Are the Penguins up for it?

The Penguins went to Hartford and spoiled the Wolf Pack’s home opener. Then they went down 3-0 to Bridgeport on Saturday only to storm back for six unanswered and won 6-3. Message to the rest of the division? Maybe.

Lehigh Valley swept the Cleveland Monsters out in The Land this past weekend. Saturday’s game was won in the shootout. Friday, Aleksei Kolosov had a 35 save shutout.

The Checkers hosted and swept the hapless Iowa Wild, who are still winless this past weekend. Charlotte doesn’t have to go anywhere this week and will be waiting for the Penguins arrival this weekend.

Records

Penguins are 4-0 and have 8 points on top of the Atlantic. The Phantoms are 3-1 with 6 points. That one loss came at the hands of the Penguins two Sunday’s ago.

The Checkers are 3-1 with their loss coming to the hands of the Providence Bruins and have 6 points. Charlotte is third, Lehigh Valley is fourth.

The Rest of those Rascals…

Providence looks as good as the Penguins, off to a 4-0 start with weekend wins over Bridgeport and Hartford. The Bruins are 4-0 and host Springfield and Bridgeport this weekend.

Hershey picked up a win over the Springfield Thunderbirds on Saturday and rematched against the T-Birds Sunday and lost 5-1. The Bears are 1-2-1 with three points. The Bears have a home and home with the Phantoms this weekend.

Bridgeport lost both games this weekend to Providence and the Penguins. They are 1-2-1 and on 3 points in sixth place. The Islanders have a trip to Hartford Friday then a trip to Providence Sunday.

I gave you Springfield’s results above in the Bears paragraph. The Thunderbirds are 1-2 and have two points after winning their first game of the season Sunday in Hershey. They are in Hartford Wednesday, Providence Friday and then host the Wolf Pack Sunday.

Hartford is in dead last at 0-3 with no points and host the Thunderbirds Wednesday, Bridgeport Friday and travel to Springfield Saturday.

Who’s Up? Who’s Down? Who’s Out?

Light on the wire. Emil Pieniniemi was suspended by the team for failing to report to Wheeling. Status quo everywhere else with Scooter Brickey and Taylor Gauthier injured.

What can we learn about the Penguins this week?

I think if they get through the week and are still undefeated then we can say we may have a wagon on our hands. Lehigh Valley is going to give the Penguins fits just on sheer volume, as they meet 12 times this season. Charlotte may be a good team, but they haven’t beaten anyone of substance yet, beating a winless Wild team and a middling Springfield side. But they are the defending Eastern Conference Champions and need to be taken seriously. How confident are you if the Pens go down 3-0 against the Checkers as you were say against Bridgeport? I know I am not.

Who’s in goal?

It surprised many when Sergei Murashov got the start Saturday, after starting Friday. There’s a case if you want to do that again to go Filip Larsson Wednesday, since he was in net when the Pens and Phantoms last met, and then go Murashov on back to back nights in Charlotte. If not, then I think they go Larsson – Murashov – Larsson.

Kolosov for the Phantoms Wednesday is my guess with Cooper Black and Kirill Gerasimyuk for the Checkers, but Black got both starts against Iowa, so your guess on this is as good as mine. I’d like to think that a little stiffer competition is coming to town for Geordie Kinnear’s group, so play your hands carefully.

Who’s Running the Show?

Liam Maaskant and Rob Hennessey have the midweek assignment in Wilkes-Barre with Jud Ritter and Tommy George working the lines.

This weekend in Charlotte has Beau Halkidis and Sydney Harris on the referee job with Anthony Lapointe and Quinn Schafer working the lines. Same crew Saturday as per usual in Charlotte with Jake Rennert tagging in for Quinn Schafer on the line.

Looking Ahead…

How are we talking November already? Penguins host the Providence Bruins next Wednesday, the Bridgeport Islanders on Friday and then travel to Utica on All Saint’s Day which kicks off four straight against North Division competition, but let’s save that for next week.

Give us a bold prediction…

The Penguins sweep the Checkers in North Carolina by an aggregate of 12-4.