Chirps from Center Ice

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6                              5

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It would have really sucked if the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins squandered a Matt Dumba hat trick of all things and somehow found a way to lose Friday night in Allentown against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

But it’s the third Dumba goal that stands up as the game winner as Wilkes-Barre wins 6-5 in a nail biter that shouldn’t have been over the Phantoms.

Glass half full, the Penguins were in control all night and the issue was never in doubt.

Glass half empty, they took way too many penalties and gave the Phantoms a pathway to mount a comeback.

Look, they are only going to run into better teams come playoff time with really good power plays. They can escape against middling Phantoms and Bears teams but when they run into a Providence, Charlotte or a team with a top five power play (Rochester, Belleville) they are going to run into problems.

Kirk MacDonald is a hell of a coach, so I have full confidence he can coach this out of them.

Here’s how they lined up:

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Lineup Notes: Tons of news here. Daniel Laatsch was assigned to Wheeling yesterday. Ryan McAllister was signed to an AHL contract by the Penguins yesterday. Previously he had been with the Charlotte Checkers and had his contract terminated by NHL Florida. Avery Hayes went up to Pittsburgh, scored two goals, and was re-assigned with Rutger McGroarty Friday. Those two were out of the lineup because you can’t have Hayes play four straight games. Brayden Edwards and Zach Urdhal were shipped to Wheeling Friday.

Jeez. That’s a lot. But we aren’t done yet.

Alex Alexeyev and Tristan Broz returned from injury, Ryan McAllister and Melvin Fernström made their AHL debuts. They replaced Nolan Renwick, Avery Hayes and Zach Urdahl. Chase Pietila came out for Alexeyev on defense. Broz ends up missing 7 games, Alexeyev, 22.

Kirk MacDonald has his hands full with these lineup decisions.

How to Read Tea Leaves: When the AHL announced a number of changes to the Atlantic Division All-Star lineup and Tristan Broz wasn’t replaced, that gave me hope that he would play in this weekends games. Turns out I was right.

First Period: Matt Dumba and Ville Koivunen scored in the first 4:11 of the game. Melvin Fernström went to the top line with Broz and Koivunen and that line produced the first two goals of the game in their first two shifts of the game.

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But then the Penguins started taking dumb penalties again but navigated through them cleanly. They were awarded a power play but Emil Pieniniemi misplays a puck which leads to a Tucker Robertson shorthanded goal that put the Phantoms on the board.

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Second Period: Phantoms tie the game on a Max Guenette goal from around the same spot that Dumba scored from in the first period.

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Matt Dumba scored his second of the night off a really nice feed from Melvin Fernström again and the Penguins edged ahead 4-3.

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But then Phil Tomasino scored against his old team when a Devin Kaplan shot hits the post and rebounds straight to Tomasino for what was an empty net goal.

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3-3 at the end of two periods. The Phantoms were hanging around like an unwanted houseguest and it was getting annoying.

Third Period: Wilkes-Barre finally stepped on the gas and got a goal from Aidan McDonough from a low angle after an Atley Calvert shot missed the net and caromed back to McDonough for the goal and then Rafaël Harvey-Pinard on a delayed penalty where Alex Alexeyev busts up a Grade A Phantoms bid and sweeps the puck out to Gabe Klassen who was hooked on a breakaway.

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Matt Dumba then scores his first ever professional hat trick for his fourth point of the night.

I take back all the bad things I said about the guy. That tête-à-tête he had with that fan he scored a goal for a week ago flipped a switch in him and he’s been playing otherworldly since.

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But here come the Phantoms again.

After Garrett Wilson bloodies Ryan McAllister with a high hit and then fights and crumbles Zach Gallant, the Phantoms connect on the ensuing power play that referees Mike Dietrich and Alex Lepkowski put them on with a Lane Pederson power play goal that made it 6-4.

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In case you are wondering, Dietrich and Lepkowski are the assigned scheduled officials Saturday in Hershey.

This seemingly gave the Phantoms life, as after back to back penalties by the Penguins they had momentum to score a fifth with their goaltender pulled with a Jacob Gaucher goal that made it 6-5.

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They would not, however, find the equalizing goal.

Goodness.

Three Stars: 3) Maxence Guenette (goal, assist) 2) Ville Koivunen (goal, two assists) 1) Matt Dumba (three goals, assist)

The Good: Goaltending won them the game. Goaltending won them the game Wednesday also.

The Bad: 

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If I am Blomqvist I am swinging that pick axe at the dopes that took all those stupid penalties in the third period.

Turning Point: The third Dumba goal gets it here because it ended up winning them the game.

Around the Division: Charlotte shuts out Grand Rapids 3-0…..Utica beats Bridgeport in a shootout 2-1….Providence beats Hartford 3-1….Rochester shuts out Springfield 4-0.

Standings: Providence 69 – Penguins 66 – Charlotte 55 – Hershey 47 – Lehigh Valley 46 – Bridgeport 43 – Springfield 38 – Hartford 37

Wheeling Update: Nailers lose 3-2 in a shootout against the Indy Fuel.

Video Highlights: I think I gave you the list of it above what with 11 goals.

They are in action Saturday in Hershey. More after that then it’s the All-Star break.