After a week where the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins saw their first defeat of the season come at the hands of the Providence Bruins and then another loss to the then winless Utica Comets, the Penguins are facing their first bout of adversity on this overall successful start to the season.
Music to Set the Mood…
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A Quote…
“Fall seven times, stand up eight.”
– Japanese Proverb
I may be getting ahead of myself here. The Penguins are 8-2 and there are a ton of teams in the AHL that would trade places with the Penguins in a heartbeat.
The Setup…
The Penguins played the Providence Bruins tight but had a bad second period and lost to the Bruins on Wednesday. They played Bridgeport the same way but outclassed the Islanders Friday and won and lost in Utica to a winless at the time Comets team Saturday in Utica.
I think it sucks that Marc Johnstone, who was a fan favorite last year, will be in town with his Toronto Marlies team on Wednesday and the place will be half empty or more. They then head to Rochester for a Friday night game and then bus back overnight for a 6 p.m. start at home against Utica.
Bussing overnight 5+ hours from Rochester for an earlier start seems downright unfair, by the way. I would have no issues with the team putting out an announcement that the Saturday start time moves up an hour to 7:05, but such is life in this league.
So Toronto was out in Chicago this weekend and split there and are in the midst of an eight game road trip that takes them to Pennsylvania this week, then Grand Rapids for a pair then Belleville before Iowa comes in November 22. They have a very diverse schedule, playing Iowa, Grand Rapids and Chicago. They also see Manitoba, but not this month.
Rochester split in Laval last weekend and host Syracuse Wednesday.
Utica picked up their first win of the season against the Penguins last Saturday after the night before get shutout 3-0 to Syracuse. Utica hosts Belleville Friday.
Records
The Penguins are tied with the Providence Bruins at the top of the Atlantic Division with 16 points. The Pens have an 8-2 record.
The Marlies are 4-4-0-1 and have 9 points and are in a dead heat with the Cleveland Monsters and Belleville Senators who also have 9 points in the North Division.
Rochester is tied with Syracuse atop the North Division with 14 points and a 7-3 record.
Utica is 1-6-1-0 and have 3 points in last in the North.
The Rest of Those Rascals…
Providence has an 8-1 record and lead the Atlantic with 14 points. That one loss? A 2-0 setback to none other than the Hershey Bears on Saturday. The Bruins also beat Charlotte 5-2 Sunday. The Bruins are in Cleveland this weekend.
Lehigh Valley is third in the Atlantic with a 6-3-0-1 and 13 points. The Phantoms were blanked in Laval 3-0 on Wednesday then won a pair of overtime games against the Hartford Wolf Pack Friday and Saturday. They are in Bridgeport Wednesday then host Toronto Saturday.
Hershey is fourth in the division with a 5-3-1 record and 11 points. It was perfect weekend for the Bears, who won in Bridgeport Wednesday, in overtime Friday in Springfield and then shutout Providence Saturday. Are the Bears back? Hershey hosts Toronto Friday the Rochester on Sunday.
Charlotte is 4-4-1 with 9 points, in fifth place and lost in Hartford Wednesday, won in Springfield and lost to Providence Sunday. The Checkers host Syracuse this weekend.
Hartford is 3-4-2 and on 8 points in sixth place. If you paid attention, I mentioned them above, heads up! The Wolf Pack have a trip to Laval Friday, Belleville Saturday.
Bridgeport is 3-5-1 and have 7 points in seventh. Hershey beat them Wednesday, the Pens beat them Friday and then the Islanders won in a shootout over the Springfield Thunderbirds. They host Lehigh Valley Wednesday then a home and home with the Thunderbirds this weekend.
Springfield is last in the division with a 1-6-1-1 record and have 4 points. OT loss to Hershey Friday, 5-3 loss to Charlotte Saturday and a 2-1 SOL to the Islanders Sunday made for a tough three in in three weekend. Home and home with the Islanders this weekend.
What can we learn about the Penguins this week?
I think they are all winnable games this week but you have to be careful. Toronto always plays them tough, Rochester may be elite and Utica can and should be beaten.
They need to tighten things up I think, they played too loose in Utica. They played almost a perfect first period against Providence Wednesday and somehow managed to beat Bridgeport and then laid an egg against Utica. They have to get the power play straight if they want to continue to contend in and win hockey games. Don’t do that and you are struggling against winless teams like the Comets.
Who’s in Goal?
This seems meaningless if you don’t sync up the offense because you need to score goals to win hockey games. This isn’t Sergei Murashov’s fault, either.
Dennis Hildeby, Devon Levi and Nico Daws for the opposition of you made me guess, which if you are reading this are asking me to?
First of all, if you think that is a lot of transactions for a team in one day, you obviously are not a New York Mets fan like I am. This was an every day occurrence for the Metropolitans every day in August.
In response, Coal Street recalled Goaltender Maxim Pavlenko and Forward Zach Gallant.
Valtteri Puustinen joins Sebastian Aho and Taylor Gauthier on the injured list.
Wait, you never answered who was staring in goal for the Penguins!
You’re right, but I hope you understand why now!
I say Filip Larsson starts Wednesday and Friday and then you let Maxim Pavlenko start at home against Utica. Mix in Taylor Gauthier if he’s healthy.
That’s one thing with following baseball, they actually disclose injuries, unlike hockey. So you had an idea of who was close / still far off.
Who’s Running the Show?
Alright, so back to my gripes about the 80+ referees contracted to officiate games in the League. They get Adam Tobias and Riley Brace Wednesday with Jud Ritter and Bill Lyons on the lines. They have seen Brace already this year. Tobias? They will see him again Friday in Rochester with Mitchell Hardy. Shawn Oliver and T.J. Dockery will work the lines. Hardy? You guessed it…Saturday in Wilkes-Barre paired up with Mathieu Menniti with J.P. Waleski and Davids Rozitis on the lines.
Mix it up a bit, can we?
Looking Ahead…
Wednesday bus trip to Bridgeport, the Islanders return the favor for a Friday night game in Wilkes-Barre and then Springfield comes in Saturday night.
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Chirps from Center Ice 