Chirps from Center Ice

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0                              8

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I’m in.

Last year, and the year before, the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins shutout their opponent on the last regular season game.

They were bounced by the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in the First Round the following week.

Not this year.

Not only is Lehigh Valley not going to be their first round opponent, the Penguins have a first round bye and the Phantoms were eliminated from playoff contention.

An 8-0 win over a Rochester team that needed to win in order to punch the final playoff ticket in the Calder Cup Playoffs? This game meant more to the Americans than it did to the Penguins. Sure, a 100 points on the season would have been cool, but it’s about keeping your nose clean and not getting anyone hurt or suspended.

More on that in a minute, but the Penguins absolutely curb stomped a listless Americans team that had no answer for anything that essentially nine forwards threw at them for sixty minutes.

Avery Hayes was lost due to injury in the first. I think it’s precautionary, but you be the judge here…

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Boko Imama (abuse of officials) and Tanner Howe (5 and a game for a cross check to ex-Penguin Jack Rathbone) were given game misconducts.

So it’s nine forwards and an avalanche of goals.

I’m a believer.

They finish the season with 101 points which just two other teams, Providence and Grand Rapids, can lay claim to and maybe Ontario, depending on a later game. The Penguins have been the class of the league consistently from the jump. There isn’t a team in the Eastern Conference that can touch them five on five. This was evident Saturday against Rochester.

That makes them favorites in any series.

We will know tomorrow who plays who 3 through 6 in the Atlantic, but I don’t think it matters. The Penguins will be favored until they aren’t.

I’ll put my predictions together Sunday evening and fine tune things for a debut probably Tuesday or Wednesday, depending on the schedule but if there’s one thing that they got out of me after a showing like this Saturday it’s this.

I like their damn chances.

Here are all the goals, cause why the hell not. But first, they lined up like this…

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Lineup Notes: Aidan McDonough, Gabe Klassen and Boko Imama for Aaron Huglen Daniel Russell and Ryan Miller up front. On defense it was the same as Friday, but the pairings shuffled.

I think it’s the lineup, or close to it, you see Game 1.

Okay here are the goals.

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McGroarty was FLYING all night. They go as he goes, I get the feel of.

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Power play humming or is Rochester’s penalty kill just that bad?

Avery Hayes was hit at around the 7:19 mark. Beau Halkidis and Cole MacDonald completely lost control of the game. What did I tell you about Halkidis Friday? Pair him with a guy like Morgan MacPhee and they look great. Put him in charge as head ref and you have this dogs breakfast of a penalty slop fest.

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I don’t think you get any lower of an angle there for a goal. Again, McGraorty was FEELING it.

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You get Tristan Broz running down hill and it’s curtains for the other team.

Here’s your turning point….

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Tanner Howe assessed a 5:00 major for cross checking which carries an automatic game misconduct. Rochester power play looking to get back into it. Owen Pickering just crushes what little life they had in them and it’s a runaway train after that.

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Harvey-Pinard has stayed healthy and is an underrated asset this team has that makes them dangerous.

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Koivunen too. This is a ten headed monster of a hockey team. Again, they were right there in front of me and I refused to buy in. I’m in already.

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This was at the goal that did it. Harvey-Pinard from his stomach, deflects a goal. I’m in.

The only question was whether Sergei Murashov, who seemed like a non-factor, would get a shutout.

Rochester only put two shots on him in the third. He got his shutout. 27 saves.

Three Stars: 3) Rafaël Harvey-Pinard (two goals) 2) Rutger McGroarty (two goals, assist) 1) Sergei Murashov (27 saves)

The Good: 101 points. Testament to Kirk MacDonald and his coaching strategy. He pressed the right buttons, the team stayed overall healthy and they have a bye. Shutout their opponent on the final regular season game is a cherry on top of an almost perfect regular season.

The Bad: Beside the health of Avery Hayes, my percentages with predictions suck, but we will talk to you Tuesday or Wednesday with them anyway. Blind guesses are Four, Five, Six and Five. Caveat Emptor.

Around the Division: Providence does not set the AHL record for best ever regular season team after Utica beat them 4-2. Utica is done at 71 points, tied with Rochester now who head to Hershey Sunday. The Amerks need just one point to claim the final spot. If not, then Utica gets in. Hershey loses 2-1 to Bridgeport dropping the Bears to the sixth spot. They cannot catch Bridgeport at fourth and that means the Islanders are locked in at four. Springfield is also done, winning 4-3 over Hartford. Hershey needs a point to bump Springfield to the six. More on this tomorrow. I may pop in with a Sunday blog.

Lehigh Valley shutout Charlotte 2-0 in other action.

Standings: Providence 110 – Penguins 101 – Charlotte 91 – Bridgeport 76 – Springfield 72 – Hershey 71 – Lehigh Valley 68 – Hartford 60

Wheeling Update: The Nailers lose 4-3 to the Indy Fuel. The Nailers, much like the Penguins, didn’t have anything else to play for this weekend. Kelly Cup Playoffs start next week.

Video Highlights: 

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Talk to you soon. Maybe Sunday. If not, early next week with the Calder Cup Playoff Prediction.

Let’s Go Pens!