Chirps from Center Ice

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1                               4

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Finn Harding’s first AHL goal comes at a big moment of the game in the second period Saturday night. With Hartford scoring in the periods opening moments, the Wolf Pack continued to pressure for a good stretch until Aidan McDonough set up the Penguins rookie defenseman. That made it 4-1 at the time and took the pressure off and Wilkes-Barre / Scranton exacts revenge and holds on and wins by that score.

Rafaël Harvey-Pinard had a big first period playing into every goal with a goal and two assists, Gabe Klassen and Tristan Broz continued their hot streaks and Joel Blomqvist stopped 26. Treat Fix-Wolansky had the lone goal for the Wolf Pack.

Here’s how they lined up:

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Lineup Notes: Zach Urdahl for Zach Gallant up front and David Breazeale for Scooter Brickey on defense.

First Period: Wilkes-Barre rolled five forwards on an early power play; Broz, Puustinen, Harvey-Pinard, Koivunen and Gabe Klassen. Times like these I miss Jonathan Bombulie because he would have looked up how many AHL goals all but Gabe Klassen had and yet it’s Klassen netting his ninth of the season here on the power play.

Edit: Who needs JB when I have time and and internet connection. Harvey-Pinard – 60 career AHL goals; Puustinen – 71; Koivunen – 26; Broz – 33 and Klassen – 9, leading up to his 10th, right here.

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Tristan Broz wired one in at half way of the first and it was 2-0.

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Then Finn Harding took a shot that was deflected to Rafaël Harvey-Pinard who got it to go for his third point of the period and a 3-0 lead for the Penguins.

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Second Period: Oh no, here we go again. Trey Fix Wolansky scores 1:27 into the period and Hartford is out of the gate blazing and it’s a 3-1 game all of a sudden.

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Joel Blomqvist kept busy, and his team did little to help the cause taking three penalties, but they navigated through it all and then Finn Harding scored his first AHL goal that alleviated some of the concern that was bearing down on the Penguins and gave them a three goal lead.

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Harding seems like a good kid to pull for. Also, free coffee!

Third Period: Seemed like it took an hour, Jackson Dorrington and Chase Pietila fought early, but there was no scoring. Tristan Broz had a breakaway and had Wolf Pack goalie Callum Tung dead to right but couldn’t elevate the puck on the backhand high enough.

Three Stars: 3) Tristan Broz (goal) 2) Rafaël Harvey-Pinard (goal, two assists) 1) Finn Harding (goal, assist)

The Good: Whatever the message was 24 hours ago was received and they were lasered in and ready. No blown leads.

The Bad: It’s nitpicking, but skate away when a guy is egging you on. If Blomqvist isn’t dialed in the second, it’s a different story written about another blown lead because stupid penalties did you in.

Turning Point: The Harding goal gets it here. Hartford didn’t have an answer after looking for a lot of them leading up to the goal.

Around the Division: Syracuse beats Lehigh Valley 4-1…Hershey overcomes a multiple goal deficit and beats Charlotte 4-3 in overtime…Bridgeport wins 4-1 over Springfield and Providence shuts out Cleveland 5-0.

Standings: Penguins and Bruins 53 – Charlotte 45 – Lehigh Valley 42 – Hershey 39 – Bridgeport 35 – Hartford and Springfield 33

Wheeling Update: Norfolk doubles up Wheeling 6-3.

Video Highlights:

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Right back at it Monday afternoon in Springfield. More then. Are you off Monday? I am!

Let’s Go Pens!