Chirps from Center Ice

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5                                4

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If you want to beat the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins, you have to get to them early.

Any maybe have the referees on your side, too.

A 5-4 loss on a Wednesday night where the Penguins were a step slower than the Thunderbirds for the first two period and then picked it up in the third. A pair of Aidan McDonough goals tied it, but a controversial Mathieu Joseph power play goal was ruled a good goal when it was clear that Joel Blomqvist was interfered with.

I am long past the getting hot over what goaltender interference is or isn’t. No one knows what it is, no one can explain it, and if you think you can you are lying to yourself and others who believe you.

Here’s how they lined up…

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Lineup Notes: Back to the conventional 12/6, Tristan Broz indeed injured, their leading scorer, Nolan Renwick and Zach Gallant draw in at forward, Sebastian Aho out on defense.

First Period: A bad pinch by Owen Pickering sees Juraj Pekarcik score 17 minutes into the game.

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Okay, not bad. They were a step behind all period but a one goal lead is manageable.

Only they took three penalties in the period and gave all the momentum to Springfield.

Second Period: Dillon Dube strikes twice, once at even strength and then on a power play. Aidan McDonough netted a power play goal just six seconds into the first power play of the game for Wilkes-Barre, to get the Pens on the board.

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I didn’t particularly like that third goal by Dube, if we didn’t have what we had in the third period, I would have gave that the turning point of the game. It had the feel.

Third Period: To this point the Thunderbirds were on their fifth power play of the game to open the frame on a Matt Dumba roughing penalty at the conclusion of the second period. I didn’t particularly like Dumba’s game, he took too many penalties (three in total) and just handcuffed the team all night.

I made a comment that the keep it close and step on it in the third period strategy could only get them so far. It nearly worked here because the Penguins wee by far the better team the entire period, and tied the game on goals by Tanner Howe and Aidan McDonough. For McDonough, his second power play goal of the game.

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But then the Mathieu Joseph power play goal. Springfield’s social media team, while usually class of the field with the amount of stuff they put out there, casually didn’t post the video of the Joseph interference goal here. After a brief conference at the scorers table, the goal was allowed to stand.

That basically did it. A Chris Wagner empty netter put it out of reach but then a bonehead turnover by Springfield sees Rafaël Harvey-Pinard score to make it 5-4 and closer than it seemed.

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Three Stars: 3) Mathieu Joseph (goal) 2) Aidan McDonough (two goals, assist) 1) Dillon Dube (two goals)

The Good: Where would they be without Aidan McDonough, who is carrying the freight with consistency with Hayes recalled and Broz hurt.

The Bad: The officiating was an abomination tonight. You know you are in for a guessing game when you see Rob Hennessey in the arm bands. He’s one of the slowest referees in the League, is overmatched, guesses, and flies by the seat of his pants on most nights. Seven power plays for Springfield? I have heard of refereeing the score, but refereeing the standings? Get lost. They normally send the B-team referees to lazy weekday games, and Hennessey embodies what it is to be a middling AHL official.

That said, you cannot be giving away points to a seventh place team that doesn’t belong on the same ice as you.

Turning Point: The Joseph power play goal gets it here.

Around the Division: The Paper Tigers do it again, rallying from two goals down to beat last place Hartford 3-2. Too bad the Wolf Pack won’t be around in mid-April and beyond. Then what?`

Standings: Providence 85 – Penguins 78 – Charlotte 67 – Hershey 60 – Lehigh Valley 53 – Bridgeport 52 – Springfield 51 – Hartford 46

Wheeling Update: Nailers are out in Rapid City, SD for a trio of games against the Rapid City Rush. That game is ongoing at 11 o’clock on a Wednesday night, so I will leave the box here.

Video Highlights: 

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It doesn’t get any easier when they head to Syracuse Friday. More then.

Let’s Go Pens!