Chirps from Center Ice

         vs.        

4                               3

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I wonder if Sergei Murashov went as a pair of pants for Halloween.

Or maybe it was a nice button down.

Perhaps a fitted sheet?

Nevertheless, Hartford comes into Wilkes-Barre and wins 4-3 over the first place Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins.

The Penguins would score, and seconds later a lapse in judgement by Murashov’s teammates and the puck ends up behind him.

Gabe Klassen had a pair of goals and Aidan McDonough had the other for the Penguins. Murashov stopped 28.

Here’s how they lined up. Hartford never posts lines.

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Lineup Notes: Scooter Brickey for Caleb Jones was the only lineup change. Jones left the game Wednesday with an injury and is here on a conditioning stint. I didn’t hear what the issue was but it can’t be good if he is missing games on a. conditioning stint.

First Period: Penguins off to a hit start early, with Gabe Klassen scoring to the Penguins a quick 1-0 lead.

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But less than three minutes later, Jaroslav Chmelar scores on a power play and it’s a tie game.

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Second Period: It was a close game to this point, but the foreshadowing was Hartford pressuring to open the period, but it’s Gabe Klassen again putting in a rebound of a Finn Harding shot that puts the Penguins ahead 2-1.

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But :26 later. a Scooter Brickey giveaway leads to a 2-on-0 and Brett Berard scores to tie the game at two.

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Hartford would edge ahead on a deflection in front and go ahead 3-2 with Kalle Väisänen getting the goal.

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And then they ran around like chickens with their heads cut off and Justin Dowling scores with 44 seconds left to play in the period and the Wolf Pack had a two gaol lead.

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It was like the Penguins were in slow motion and the Wolf Pack were like that podcast you listen to a 1.5x speed.

Third Period: Penguins with the obvious pressuring, but the pass first mentality has to go when you are down two in the third.

Finally Aaron Huglen sets up Aidan McDonough for a goal and the Penguins were within one.

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But they would get no closer.

I always appreciate when the referees stay out of the way so I liked, to some extent the work that Luke Stork and Adam Tobias put in, but the Penguins didn’t have a single power play all night and it’s the second game in a row where the Wolf Pack didn’t take a penalty. I also didn’t really see much in the way of infractions, and there wasn’t anything egregious.

With Murashov pulled (after a late Matt Dumba penalty) the Penguins would not find an equalizer.

Three Stars: 3) Jaroslav Chmelar (goal, two assists) 2) Gabe Klassen (two goals) 1) Brett Berard (goal, two assists)

The Good: Klassen is a hell of a find and a great player.

The Bad: Unfortunately he had no help from the guys that you would expect to provide the offense.

Turning Point: The late Dowling goal that gave Hartford a two goal lead gets it here.

Around the Division: Strange, for a Friday, that only Lehigh Valley at Bridgeport is the only other action in the division. Bridgeport wins 3-1.

Standings: Penguins 51 – Providence 51 – Charlotte 44 – Lehigh Valley 42 – Hershey 37 – Hartford and Bridgeport 33 – Springfield 32

Wheeling Update: Nailers fared no better, losing 2-1 down at the Norfolk Scope. Logan Pietila (Chase’s brother) had the only goal for the Nailers. Taylor Gauthier stopped 23.

Video Highlights: If you really want them, you should know where to find them by now.

These two teams rematch Saturday, an hour earlier, and I’ll be here after to write about it. Let’s hope for a better effort.

Let’s Go Pens!