Chirps from Center Ice

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The Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins muster just 20 shots at Phoenix Copley all game and this suppression in shots and limiting of offensive chances was a key element in a 4-2 Cleveland Monsters win Friday in Ohio.

That, and the Penguins played too fast and loose with the puck for my liking, which there Monsters capitalized on.

Rematch is Saturday at 3 p.m.

Here’s how they lined up:

https://twittter.com/WBSPenguins/status/2111226751036629358

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Lineup Notes: Melvin Fernstrom for Daniel Russell up front, Jake Livanavage and Finn Harding for Caleb Jones (traded) and Chase Pietila on defense.

First Period: Took them less than a minute, and Amery Hayes scores to give the Penguins a 1-0 just :54 into the game.

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Been a while since I was in Cleveland. Last time was a booster club trip where I visited the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, so I don’t remember if there were parking issues or delays where the Monsters play at Rocket Arena. Anyway, if there was and you were at the game, you likely missed the Mikael Pyyhtiä goal here that was scored on the power play.

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I don’t know how you get “tuna” out of “Mikael Pyyhtiä” by the way. 🤷‍♂️

(I may start mixing in emoji in the game recaps, you know, to stay hip with the youngsters)

Anyway there was no other scoring in the period and Wilkes-Barre took all the penalties in the period.

Second Period: Avery Hayes scores his second goal of the game the oddest way possible.

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Hayes tosses a puck into the zone which caroms off of the wall and into a vacated cage by Pheonix Copley. I would expect something like this to happen to the visiting goaltender more often than not, strange that a veteran goaltender like Copley let that one beat him.

Late, Mikael Pyyhtiä receives a Jack Williams pass off an odd man rush and beats Joel Blomqvist clean on a very nice shot that ties the game at two a piece.

Pens went 0/1 on the only power play they were afforded in the period.

Third Period: Wilkes-Barre comes out flat footed and it’s Steven Lorentz that scores 1:50 in, which gives the Monsters a 3-2 lead.

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I thought that Joel Blomqvist played great for the Penguins Friday, but he isn’t Superman and wasn’t stopping that shot. That was NHL caliber.

The game flowed fine, I thought that referees Nick Isaacson and Liam Maaskant were average however. The Penguins were given a power play with about 10 minutes to play in the period, down one, but were unable to score.

Late, with Blomqvist pulled, the Penguins treated the puck like a hand grenade and James Malatesta finally pulled the pin and scored after he picked off a pass in the Penguins defensive zone.

(no GIF here)

Three Stars: 3) Owen Sillinger (three assists) 2) Steven Lorentz (goal) 1) Mikael Pyyhtiä (two goals)

The Good: Avery Hayes is getting hot, I think.

The Bad: So they got exposed a bit and their offense was put in a pickle jar and the Monsters caused them to make mistakes that cost them goals. It isn’t the end of the world, but that was a blueprint on how to beat this team.

Turning Point: The Lorentz goal gets it here.

Around the Division: Charlotte beats Hartford 2-1 and Lehigh Valley doubles up Springfield 6-3. Hershey and Providence were off.

Standings: Hershey, Hartford and Charlotte 6, Penguins, Phantoms and Thunderbirds 5, Providence 2

Florida Update: The home and home with the Orlando Solar Bears is a Saturday / Sunday thing.

Video Highlights: 

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Back at it at 3 p.m. Saturday.

Let’s Go Pens!