Chirps from Center Ice

The Penguins have four games in seven days, three at home and one on the road. That game is Wednesday in Hartford. Let’s take a look cause it’s a lot of ground to cover.

Music to Set the Mood…

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Ahh.. another SiriusXMU banger.

A Quote…

Just as there are four seasons, four phases of life, and four directions, the number 4 represents the natural order and balance in the universe. It reminds us to embrace both the light and the dark, as they are integral parts of our journey.
– Unknown

The Setup…

Four games this week, in Hartford Wednesday night, a Friday off, Saturday at home against Providence then a Sunday (💆‍♂️) afternoon home game against Charlotte then the Checkers are back here Tuesday night.

They swept Lehigh Valley and Hershey Friday and Saturday respectively in resounding fashion. When do you start having the discussion that the Penguins are in another class over these two opponents?

Hartford beat Springfield Friday at home and then lost big in Bridgeport on Saturday.

Providence needed overtime to beat a last place Springfield team on Saturday and then in the rematch with the Thunderbirds at home on Sunday they lost 3-1. The Bruins are in Hershey Wednesday and Friday before stopping in Saturday. Important to keep in mind that the Bruins have a game in hand on the Pens at this time.

Charlotte split with the Rochester Americans, beating them in OT on Saturday and losing clean to them on Friday. They hosted Cleveland last night and lost 3-1 and rematch with the Monsters Wednesday before heading up to Hershey on Saturday.

Records…

The Penguins are 17-5-1 and have 35 points in first place in the Atlantic.

Hartford is 8-10-4 and have 20 points in sixth.

Providence is 17-5 and have 34 points in second place in the division.

Charlotte has a 11-7-2 record and have 24 points and sit fifth in the division.

The Rest of Those Rascals…

Lehigh Valley lost to the Penguins Friday night then needed overtime to beat a four win Utica team in overtime Saturday. They went to Hershey Sunday and lost 3-2. They have a 12-8-1-2 record and have 27 points in third in the Atlantic. They are in Syracuse Friday, Rochester Saturday then return home for the rest of the month with six home games.

Hershey lost to the Penguins on Saturday and then hosted Lehigh Valley and beat the Phantoms. The Bears have a 12-8-1 record and have 25 points and are fourth in the division. Hershey hosts Providence Wednesday and Friday and then the Checkers on Saturday.

Bridgeport lost big in Utica on Friday and then walloped the Wolf Pack at home Saturday. They are 8-11-1-1 and have 18 points and are seventh in the division. The Islanders are in Laval Saturday and Belleville on Sunday.

Springfield lost clean in Hartford on Friday and then took the Bruins to the limit on Saturday but lost in overtime. On Sunday, they beat the Bruins clean. Despite this, they are 6-11-3-2 and have 17 points in last in the division.

Who’s Up? Who’s Down? Who’s Out?

Aaron Huglen is week to week with an upper body injury.

Jack St. Ivany and Harrison Brunicke were recalled after their conditioning assignments Sunday.

Boko Imama was returned to Wilkes-Barre Sunday.

Finn Harding was recalled from Wheeling Sunday.

Scooter Brickey followed on Monday. Why they staggered the two I’ll never know.

Danton Heinen and Sam Poulin went up Tuesday.

What can we learn about the Penguins this week?

I think they are in good shape and deep at all positions. They likely are tired of beating each other up in practice so I bet they are chomping at the bit to get some live fire in their face and play these games.

Gotta be careful though. Hartford can trip them up, Providence is as good as they are and Charlotte plays like a wild card. I think it’s another week they are favored in all the games, but as always need to be careful.

I liked how they ran away from the Phantoms and Hershey and just stepped on the accelerator, scored a bunch of goals and just sat on the lead. It’s a good strategy. Could it be dangerous like a cat playing with its food? (My cats don’t) Sure, but I think Kirk MacDonald has shown to all that he’s a hell of a coach that his players respect.

No reason to believe they can’t win all four games and put eight more points in the bank.

Who’s in Goal?

Murashov – Murashov – Blomqvist – Murashov would be my ideal setup. If you want them to get equal run in goal, then let Blomqvist start for you in Hartford, but by hook or by crook, Sergei Murashov starts Saturday against the Bruins.

Dylan Garand for the Wolf Pack, Simon Zajicek for the Bruins, Louis Domingue and Cooper Black for the Checkers in that order for the competition if you are making my guess which if you are reading this, you are.

Who’s Running the Show?

Good cop / bad cop situation in Hartford. One of my favorite referees, Jim Curtin is flanked by a guy who I think is out of his depth in Mike Sullivan. Kevin and Nick Briganti will work the lines.

Riley Brace and Nick Isaacson are the refs Saturday with J.P. Waleski and John Rey on the lines.

Sigh…Brace and Isaacson stick around, Jud Ritter tags in for John Rey and Wales sticks around on the lines Sunday when they host Hershey. Again, there are tons of referees in the league these days and they run the same two on back to back nights.

No referee data yet for Tuesday’s game with Charlotte. Hopefully by then, Isaacson and Brace skip town.

Looking Ahead…

Their first three in three of the year starts next Friday in Utica, then home with the Comets and then another Sunday home game against the Hershey Bears before the Christmas break.

Give us a bold prediction….

Kirk MacDonald will be packing bag for Rockford, Illinois. No, he’s not getting fired, he’s going to be named the coach of the Atlantic Division when All-Stars rolls around in January. The teams with the best records at the end of the year in each division send their head coach to the All-Star games. MacDonald will be set up for this dubious distinction after his team sweeps these four games.