Chirps from Center Ice

The Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins swept the week last week and lead the Atlantic Division over the Providence Bruins by a point. But, are they truly elite?

Music to set the Mood…

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In keeping with the Hair Nation vibes and the greatest of them all, Dokken poses a good statement. Are the Penguins good? Don’t lie to me!

A Quote…

If you tell the truth you don’t have to remember anything.
— Mark Twain

I have to dust off the Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn books from the bookshelf and start being a bookworm again.

The Setup

They beat a middling maybe not as good as we thought they were Bridgeport team last Wednesday in a school day game via shootout then exploded for five third period goals in a romp of the Islanders on Friday. They toyed with a really dysfunctional Springfield Thunderbirds team on Saturday.

Are they good? Beating mid teams like Bridgeport and the Thunderbirds would say yes, but they have Providence this Saturday who only have two losses all season. The Pens lost to Providence clean a few weeks ago.

They play Hartford Friday, who hasn’t been good either.

Recently Hartford lost last Wednesday in overtime in Providence, then clean at home to Rochester and Laval and needed overtime to beat Springfield Tuesday morning.

Providence may be asking the same question on whether they are good this week, needing overtime to beat a last place Utica team Saturday and then getting shutout at home against Laval Sunday. The Bruins host the Phantoms Friday.

Records

Wilkes-Barre is 12-3-1 with 25 points good for first in the Atlantic, Eastern Conference and tied with the Colorado Eagles for best overall team in the entire League.

Providence is 12-2, good for 24 points and sit second in the Atlantic.

Hartford is 4-7-4 and have 12 points in seventh in the Atlantic.

The Rest of those Rascals…

Gave you Providence’s and Hartford’s docket and record above. Hartford will host Lehigh Valley Saturday.

Lehigh Valley have a 10-4-1-1 record and have 22 points in third and played a three in three last weekend with a big win over Springfield Friday, then were swept by Hershey but earned an OT loser point Sunday. They played Rochester Wednesday and beat the Amerks (something the Pens couldn’t do a few weeks ago) and then are in Providence Friday and Hartford Saturday.

Hershey started their three in three weekend last Friday in Syracuse and took down the North Division leading Crunch 2-1 then swept the Phantoms. They are in Cleveland this weekend and played the Monsters yesterday and won. They have another date with the Monsters Saturday and have a 10-4-1- records good for 21 points and fourth place in the Atlantic.

Hershey has won five straight and don’t look now, the Big Bear Machine is heating up.

Charlotte swept the Iowa Wild in Des Moines last weekend and one of those were a shutout. There are a lot of teams in this division that think they are good, Charlotte is one of them but I haven’t been impressed with their body of work beating a sixth place in the Central Division Iowa Wild team. Their mettle will be tested when they play a Grand Rapids Griffins team which has yet to sustain a regulation loss so far Friday and Saturday in Michigan. The Checkers have a 8-4-1 record with 17 points good for fifth in the Atlantic.

Here’s the drop-off of teams that, in my opinion, aren’t good and you don’t need an 80’s hairband to ask you not to lie them.

Bridgeport, after getting smoked by Wilkes-Barre in two games returned home and lost to Rochester on Saturday. They are in Rochester Friday then Syracuse on Saturday. They have a 5-8-1-1 record, good for 12 points and sixth in the Atlantic.

Hartford, whom I gave you above are next. The Wolf Pack host Lehigh Valley Saturday.

Springfield has a 2-10-2-1 record for seven points and in dead last in the Atlantic. They lost to Laval last Wednesday, Lehigh Valley Friday, the Pens on Saturday and then in overtime to the Wolf Pack on Tuesday. They host Utica Friday in a battle of dead last in their division teams.

Who’s Up? Who’s Down? Who’s Out?

Joel Blomqvist and Rutger McGroarty returned Saturday and made an instant impact. Blomqvist picked up the win and McGroarty scored a goal.

Max Pavlenko and Jaxon Castor returned to Wheeling.

Sam Poulin was recalled in the wake of Ville Koivunen going week to week with a lower body injury after getting injured in practice over in Sweden.

Philip Tomasino was waived, cleared waivers and is eligible for assignment to the AHL.

Sebastian Aho came off injured reserve, Taylor Gauthier did too and was assigned to the Wheeling Nailers.

No word on Avery Hayes, who is still considered day to day.

Harrison Brunicke may exploit a loophole and come to the AHL on a conditioning stint because he’s missed so many games in the NHL and the rules allow for same. It would make sense and would likely benefit all parties.

Hey, Cap!

So I like to listen to the WBS Penguins Podcast on my walks during the week on my lunch break. Mathieu De St. Phalle was the guest this week and casually dropped that this guy was named captain of the team at practice on Wednesday.

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Makes total sense. Kemp, “gets it” at this level and will make a fine captain and has my full and unabashed support. Mazel Mazel!

What can we learn about the Penguins this week?

Things are so in flux in the AHL, as they are, so the real question of, “are they good” changes from week to week.

I think they handle Hartford and play Providence tight and it comes down to bounces. It’s just that simple. Are they good? Yeah, I think so because you aren’t expecting them to have their heads kicked in like you would if you are a Springfield Thunderbirds fan. They will play teams like Providence tight and beat teams like Hartford like they are supposed to.

I like the fact that Kirk MacDonald isn’t tinkering with the lineup. Play the guys you are supposed to play and work in B-level players like Gabe Klassen and Raivis Ansons in here and there.

Who’s in Goal?

MacDonald is foolish if he sends Blomquvist out of the tunnel first Friday. You have to have him start Saturday in Providence. That means Filip Larsson gets the start Friday in Hartford.

Talyn Boyko for the Wolf Pack and Michael DiPietro for the Bruins are my educated guesses for the goaltending opposition.

Who’s Running the Show?

It’s about time that AHL Head of Officiating Riley Yerkovich assigned Jim Curtin to a Penguins game. He’s one of the best the League has and he will be paired with Samuel Heidemann Friday in Hartford with Dylan Blujus and Kevin Briganti on the lines.

Mike Sullivan and Nick Isaacson get the Providence job Saturday with Dmitrii Antipin and Michael Tarquinio on the lines. All this referee repetition and we can’t get Curtin in back to back games? Come on!

Well, I guess I can’t have it both ways.

Looking Ahead…

Get ready for a pair with Hershey, buddy. The Pens are in Hershey on Thanksgiving Eve, host Lehigh Valley Friday then right back down I-81 for another meeting with the 13ears.

Give us a bold prediction…

They will get some daylight and win both games and open a small lead on the rest of the division heading into Thanksgiving week.