Chirps from Center Ice

          vs.          

4                                3

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I’m going to let play by play man Bob Rotruck explain this one for you.

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Straight up, this Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins team is going nowhere fast if they can’t…

a) score
b) defend a lead when they score
c) win special teams battles

They did two of the three this evening. Even me, a C student and the living embodiment of the term, “C’s get degrees” would think this has to be enough to win the game, right?

Wrong. They lost 4-3 in overtime. They carried a 3-1 lead into the third period, the Phantoms score a power play goal to get within one then a late goal with Carson Bjarnason pulled to tie it and then Lane Pederson scores his second of the night on the power play to win it in overtime.

The two teams rematch Sunday in Allentown. The only silver lining out of the evening was that no matter what happened here, the Penguins could not clinch a playoff spot. More on that in a bit.

Here’s how they lined up…

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Lineup Notes: Zach Urdahl for Boko Imama up front, Chase Pietila for Sebastian Aho on defense.

First Period: Ryan Graves atones for his -3 in the second period Friday against Hershey with a goal that gives the Penguins a 1-0 lead.

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Good link up there with the passing.

Penguins were playing with fire giving away two power plays to the Phantoms.

Second Period: Joona Koppanen scored two goals but only one of them was deemed good as the other was taken down after video review. Finn Harding had the other goal in the period when he snaked to the far side and fired a shot that was screened.

Ex-Penguin Boris Katchouk scored the opposition goal, the Phantoms only even strength goal of the game.

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Third Period: All they need to do is defend a lead and not give a sliver of momentum to the opponent.

Wilkes-Barre couldn’t do anything with a power play about midway through the period, Lehigh Valley cashes on their sole opportunity in theirs, and here’s Mr. Moe Mentum changing his address.

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But it’s still a one goal game and the Penguins have second in the division thanks to defense and goaltending and…

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Momma, there go them men (Jack St. Ivany and Ryan Graves) again.

Overtime: I mean it was inevitable, and more so when they take not one, but two penalties in the period. They get out of one, but momentum, man. It’s a game of momentum, and Lehigh Valley wasn’t going to miss on the second power play of overtime.

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Ballgame.

Three Stars: 3) Anthony Richard (three assists) 2) Joona Koppanen (goal, assist) 1) Lane Pederson (two goals, assist)

The Good: I mean they manufactured a point?

The Bad: They are developing bad habits at the worst time of the season and it is going to cost them a first round bye. Kirk MacDonald has his first real headache of the season to deal with because fans will not stand for another first round exit this season. It’s trending straight in that direction. I saw it last year with the New York Mets in a different sport when they collapsed in June and never were the same team and completely missed playoffs. It’s a different story here because the Penguins are a playoff team, but what does that mean when everyone makes it and all the momentum you have is bad momentum.

Turning Point: The Pederson goal that tied it gets it here, because the rest was elementary.

Around the Division: Providence wins 7-0 over hapless Hartford….Charlotte picks up another two points with a 2-0 shutout at home against Bridgeport where the Islanders are shutout in back to back games in North Carolina…Springfield wins 6-3 at home against Utica so the Penguins couldn’t clinch anyway and Belleville doubles up Hershey 6-3.

Standings: Providence 91 – Penguins 80 – Charlotte 75 – Hershey 62 – Lehigh Valley 58 – Bridgeport 56 – Springfield 54 – Hartford 50

Wheeling Update: Nailers win 4-2 over visiting Adirondack. Matty De St. Phalle with a goal and and assist.

Video Highlights: 

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Hope for a better fate Sunday in Allentown. Talk you to then.

Let’s Go Pens!