Chirps from Center Ice

         vs.        

2                             4

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Wilkes-Barre / Scranton takes Game 1 of the Best of Five Atlantic Division Semifinals by a 4-2 score Thursday night. Game 2 is set for Saturday at 6:05.

If you watched, you likely walked away thinking that the Penguins were the better team. I can’t fault you for that, but the 20% that they weren’t the better team the visiting Hershey Bears took advantage and scored. The Penguins tooth and nailed it for a large portion of the third period before an Avery Hayes empty net goal finally sealed the deal.

Sergei Murashov was dialed in. They scored a power play goal off the stick of Owen Pickering. Aidan McDonough, as he has done throughout the season, scored a goal. Atley Calvert got the party started with an early first period goal.

I didn’t think they played a full sixty minutes Thursday but they still managed to win a Calder Cup Playoff game, their first playoff win since 2022. What will Game 2 bring Saturday? Were they happy with their effort in Game 1?

I guess we find out in less than 48 hours.

Here’s how they lined up…

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Lineup Notes: Tanner Howe and Boko Imama served their one game suspensions. I thought Kirk MacDonald did a great job in swapping in Aaron Huglen and Raivis Ansons. Tough lineup decisions for him here come Saturday. What I didn’t agree with was on defense, where Finn harding took warmups but didn’t dress. Alex Alexeyev took his spot, but that’s deserved. You find room for a guy like Harding in my opinion.

First Period: Just 3:01 in, Atley Calvert scored on this snipe that made at 1-0 early for Wilkes-Barre.

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Rutger McGroarty missed a breakaway chance when his shot went off the post.

I didn’t like the final five minutes at all from Wilkes-Barre’s perceptive. Sergei Murashov was dialed in, though.

Second Period: Aidan McDonough passed on his first chance to shoot but didn’t on his second and scored at 5:17 to extend the lead to 2-0.

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I sound like a broken record, but where would we be without Aidan McDonough?

Mikhail Ilyin was hit up high by Ivan Miroshnichenko and on the ensuing power play for the Penguins, Owen Pickering scored to make it 3-0.

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If you are thinking that the Penguins would turn into a runaway train at this point, think again.

A minute and change later, Ilya Protas scores through a screen and it’s 3-1 as Hershey gets on the board.

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The Penguins sweated through a power play and Sergei Murashov again was pressed into action and came up big with some timely stops.

Third Period: Said this at the time…

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1:09 later, Henrik Rybinski on a breakaway and it’s a one goal game.

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How, in the hell, does that happen?

Bears, the next shift come in two on one but don’t score.

Teams trade power plays, no dice.

With time dwindling, I didn’t like whatever strategy they were employing in protecting the lead. Not a lot of offense, but enough defense I suppose to keep the Bears from tying the game.

With Clay Stevenson vacated, Avery Hayes scores an empty net goal.

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Bingo.

Three Stars: 3) Sergei Murashov (31 saves) 2) Alex Alexeyev (two assists) 1) Owen Pickering (goal)

The Good: Bend but not break against an opponent I think they are better then top to bottom. If the Bears would have somehow won the game after the Pens were up 3-0, that’s a momentum killer and a totally different series. Didn’t happen though. Up 1-0 with a chance to put the Bears in a deep, deep hole come Saturday.

The Bad: For the love of god can we get competent linemen that can drop the puck the proper way? John Rey was battling it all night. Anyway, they have to tighten up. If they are to last past this round, the competition only gets tougher. Would this effort work in a Conference Final? I’m not so sure.

Turning Point: It’s the Pickering goal that gets it here. You cannot overcome a 3-0 hole against a team that had 101 points in the regular season.

Video Highlights: 

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Game 2 goes Saturday. See you then.

Let’s Go Pens!