Chirps from Center Ice

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3                              2

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Wilkes-Barre puts up an eye popping FORTY-FIVE shots on net, but Springfield Thunderbirds goaltender Georgii Romanov stops 43 of them and it’s Springfield that walks away with a 3-2 overtime win on Saturday spoiling the Penguins home debut.

Let’s get this elephant in the room out of the way right now, the Penguins went 0/5 on the power play and that is what cost them the game. If you can’t execute on special teams, especially since the referees were giving them to you, you probably don’t deserve to win on most nights, no matter how many shots you put on the board.

Here’s how they lined up…

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Lineup Notes: First game of the season, dummy, there were no lineup changes.

First Period: Penguins come out hot, but it’s the Thunderbirds scoring first at 3:11.

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Uncontrolled, loose puck, and it goes in.

But then Atley Calvert, who I think is primed for a breakout season, scores the first goal of the season for the Penguins that ties it at 5:05.

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Wilkes-Barre was being gifted power play after power play but the Springfield penalty kill stood up. Late, Springfield goes up 2-1 here….

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Owen Pickering should know better. T.J Tynan is a future AHL Hall of Famer. I didn’t like Pikcering’s game at all.

Second Period: Springfield goes on a power play but it ends up in disaster as Atley Calvert comes through for a shorthanded goal that leveled it at two.

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The Penguins kept punching at Springfield and Romanov, but no dice as the score stayed 2-2 heading into the…

Third Period: No scoring. Both teams sweat through the others power play. Rutger McGroarty was hauled down late on a sticky tack hooking call from Adam Tobias and Mason Riley who I thought were fair tonight, and this put the Pens on a late power play but they failed to score in regulation.

Overtime: They didn’t score in overtime either and while four on four, Calle Rosen misses on the first attempt, but that just teed up his second attempt he didn’t miss.

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Ballgame.

Three Stars: 3) Georgii Romanov (43 saves) 2) Atley Calvert (two goals) 1) Justin Carbonneau (goal, assist)

The Good: Sucks to lose your first game and the power play is an abomination it would seem, but if your team puts 45 shots on goal night in and night out, I would venture that I like my chances.

The Bad: Again, 0/5 on the power play.

Turning Point: The Rosen goal in overtime gets it here, as an overtime game winner usually would.

Around the Division: Charlotte beats Hershey 5-2, spoiling the Bears home opener….Hartford does the same to Lehigh Valley with the exact same score. Providence was off.

Standings: Charlotte, Hartford and Springfield 2, Penguins 1, Providence Hershey and Lehigh Valley 0

Florida Update: I have to come up with a better name for this section and will, but for now the Everblades don’t get going with their regular season until October 17 when they host the Orlando Solar Bears.

Video Highlights: 

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More Sunday evening after the Wolf Pack come calling.

Let’s Go Pens!