Chirps from Center Ice

A fan blog about the AHL's Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins

Category Archives: The AHL

Monday Notes 2/11

1 Comment Posted by on February 11, 2019

Bunch of stuff to get to today, so let’s get after it.

Here is a recap of Sunday afternoon’s action…

Bridgeport beats Utica in overtime 5-4. Pens have two games in hand and see the Sound Tigers two more times.

Providence shuts out what was a rested Syracuse team 4-0. Pens and Bruins are even on games played with 50. They meet three more times.

Lehigh Valley beats Hartford 5-2. That’s a split with the Wolf Pack this weekend. Wilkes-Barre and Lehigh Valley are on same games played and play six more times.

Hershey keeps winning, sweeping Charlotte with a 2-1 win Sunday. That is points in 12 straight for the Bears. Hershey has a game in hand on the Pens and these teams meet just three more times, with one of those games this Wednesday in Hershey.

Wilkes-Barre has three more games with Springfield and two more with Hartford.

Here is a look at the standings through Sunday night:

Charlotte 71
Bridgeport 62
Providence 59
Lehigh Valley 57
—–
Hershey 55
PENGUINS 53
Springfield 52
Hartford 46

So a lot of catching up to do but room to improve with six more matchups with Lehigh Valley. I have a feeling that just one Pennsylvania team is going to make playoffs. No one is going to catch Charlotte and even if they do, I can’t see them falling out of contention entirely. Bridgeport looks OK for now and Providence just had a twelve point run snapped on Saturday, they are good. So it’s really down to Wilkes-Barre, Hershey and Lehigh Valley for the final spot in the playoffs. I don’t see Springfield recovering and you can stick a fork in Hartford.

Monday, some news came out. Troy Josephs was released from his contract to head overseas. He’s the second such Penguins prospect (Freddie Tiffels at the beginning of the season) to bolt overseas. Josephs was more than a point a game player and one of the best players for the Wheeling Nailers.

Josephs had just three assists in 11 contests for the Pens this season. I think that he was long overdue a shot at AHL work given the fact that Wilkes-Barre has an unproductive veteran overage. Surely Josephs could produce at or better than some of the bottom six forwards that Clark Donatelli puts out on a nightly basis? Ask yourself this, Cam Brown has seemed to carve a nice niche here in Wilkes-Barre. No knock against him intended, but I were to ask you at the start of the season who would stick in the AHL between Brown and Josephs, most of you pick Josephs. Is is coachability? Attitude? Something else I am missing?

That, with Freddie Tiffels bolting before the season really got going, doesn’t set the best look.

I am not ready to have discussions over a debate about coaching vs. general manager yet. I will say this, there is a price that the Pittsburgh Penguins paid to win back to back Stanley Cups. It is starting to slowly erode and the first place it is felt is through the minor league system.

And there is nothing wrong with that per se, provided it pays off for you and it has mightily for the Penguins in the last three seasons.

One other piece of news for this Monday, in the form of a trade!

The Pittsburgh Penguins acquired right handed defenseman Blake Siebenaler from the Columbus Blue Jackets Monday for a conditional seventh round pick. Siebenaler will report to Wilkes-Barre. He has 17 games played this season for the Cleveland Monsters with a goal and an assist and a -11 rating. Professionally, Siebenaler is a -31 in three seasons for Cleveland with a total of seven goals, seven assists, including this season. He’s been injured for the Monsters and Cleveland hasn’t been the best AHL team overall in the last three years since winning the Calder Cup in 2015-16, so maybe a change in scenery will do well for him.

Scouting reports based off of what I have seen on Twitter include the following:

I also saw on Twitter that Siebenaler was a fan favorite in Cleveland and a very passionate player. He has a very hard shot from the blue line also.

The condition on the pick? Siebenaler would have to play in 10 NHL games for Pittsburgh and Columbus would get a seventh round pick from Pittsburgh. That probably isn’t happening, so it’s a contract dump for Columbus and some help for Wilkes-Barre / Scranton, however I would be the first to admit that the Penguins biggest problem isn’t keeping pucks out of their net as much as it is depositing them into the nets of the opponents.

So there you have it. Back here on Wednesday with the Gameday setup against Hershey.

Pittsburgh, The AHL, WBS, Wheeling

AHL Power Rankings: Week 18

Comments Off on AHL Power Rankings: Week 18 Posted by on February 7, 2019

Week 18 has come and gone and we are finally past that All-Star hangover. Things are beginning to take shape in the division and the finish should be fun.

There has been a shakeup to the top five this week. San Jose remains the top team. However, they are followed closely by the two hottest teams in the AHL, the Bakersfield Condors who have won ten straight games and the Hershey Bears who have a ten game point streak.

Charlotte hasn’t dropped out of the top five after a pair of overtime setbacks to the Providence Bruins this weekend and stay fourth and Rochester rounds out the top five, for now.

Peek through if you didn’t link in direct to see where the rest of the teams ended up this week.

1

 Last Week: SJ 6 @ STK 4, STK 2 @ SJ 4, IA 4 @ SJ 2
Roy Sommer earned his 750th AHL win on Friday. Barracuda stay hot in a division which has been one of the best.

n/a

 This Week: @ BAK 2/8, @ ONT 2/10, vs. TUC 2/12
Record: 26-9-2-4

2

 Last Week: IA 2 @ BAK 5, BAK 6 @ ONT 2
Ten wins in a row for the Bakersfield Condors. Pulled themselves up from mediocrity and head into a huge matchup against the San Jose Barracuda this weekend.

+6

 This Week: vs. SJ 2/8, vs. SD 2/9, vs. STK 2/13
Record: 26-15-2-1

3

 Last Week: LV 1 @ HER 2, BEL 2 @ HER 3 (SO), HER 4 @ SPR 2
Ten straight games without a regulation loss for the Bears who are on fire. Huge tests this weekend against Charlotte followed by a midweek matchup against a pissed off Penguins team looking to continue their playoff streak.

+3

 This Week: vs. CHA 2/9, vs. CHA 2/10, vs. WBS 2/13
Record: 24-20-0-3

4

 Last Week: PRO 2 @ CHA 1 (OT), PRO 1 @ CHA 0 (OT), CLE 1 @ CHA 3, CLE 5 @ CHA 1
You could say that the Checkers are slipping, but with a 12 point lead on the division and a 9 point lead on overall best team in the AHL, does it really matter?

-2

 This Week: @ HER 2/9, @ HER 2/10
Record: 32-12-6-0

5

 Last Week: RCH 3 @ BNG 2, RCH 4 @ HFD 1, SYR 2 @ RCH 1 (SO)
Still hold the division lead, but for how long? Crunch are coming.

-2

 This Week: vs. SPR 2/8, @ UTI 2/9, @ CLE 2/12
Record: 28-13-3-2

Read more of this post

Power Rankings

AHL Power Rankings: Week 17

Comments Off on AHL Power Rankings: Week 17 Posted by on January 30, 2019

We have hit the All-Star break here in the AHL and while the festivities from Springfield have wrapped up, it’s time to take a look at where things stand in the league and that’s where these weekly Power Rankings should help you out.

Two constants have been San Jose and Charlotte, who are 1-2 this week. 1a if you want to call them that have been Rochester and Grand Rapids, who are entrenched in playoff battles themselves for the pinnacle of the divisions they lead. The hottest team of recent has been San Diego, but there are other teams past the Gulls at the five spot who are equally on hot runs.

Pop past the Gulls if you didn’t link in direct to see where your favorite team ended up.

1

 Last Week: SJ 4 @ GR 0, SJ 2 @ GR 3 (SO)
San Jose has a new threat gunning for them in the form of the Bakersfield Condors. No one has got close yet so it should be interesting to watch.

+2

 This Week: @ STK 2/1, vs. STK 2/2, vs. IA 2/5
Record: 24-8-2-4

2

 Last Week: CHA 3 @ PRO 5, CHA 5 @ HFD 2
Snapped out of that three game losing streak with a good win Saturday in Hartford. The Atlantic is Charlotte’s to lose.

n/a

 This Week: vs. PRO 2/1, vs. PRO 2/2, vs. CLE 2/5, vs. CLE 2/6
Record: 31-11-4-0

3

 Last Week: UTI 2 @ RCH 3 (SO), RCH 3 @ SYR 4 (OT)
Amerks have a three point lead on Syracuse for tops in the North. Have been the class of the division for a good chunk of the season.

+2

 This Week: @ BNG 2/1, @ HFD 2/2, vs. SYR 2/6
Record: 26-13-3-1

4

 Last Week: SJ 4 @ GR 0, SJ 2 @ GR 3 (SO)
Griffins sit atop the Central at the All-Star break. Busy week against some hungry teams as the unofficial second half of the season begins in earnest Thursday.

+2

 This Week: @ TEX 1/31, @ SA 2/1, vs. MTB 2/6
Record: 25-14-3-4

5

 Last Week: SD 0 @ SA 4, SD 4 @ TEX 1
Good win in Cedar Park to slightly stop the slide that the Gulls have been on. Busy week this week with some winnable games.

-4

 This Week: vs. ONT 2/1, vs. IA 2/2, vs. ONT 2/6
Record: 22-13-2-3

Read more of this post

Power Rankings

AHL Power Rankings: Week 16

Comments Off on AHL Power Rankings: Week 16 Posted by on January 24, 2019

We have a new number one and a shakeup in the Week 16 Chirps from Center Ice AHL Power Rankings.

The San Diego Gulls take the top spot in the Rankings this week. After being 31st about two months ago, the Gulls work their way through 30 other teams and now sit at the top of the Power Rankings.

But the Gulls aren’t even the top team in their own division and aren’t even the runners up, but those two teams (San Jose, 3rd and Tucson, 4th) are in the top five in this weeks Rankings.

Charlotte didn’t go far and if they are as good as we think they are will go back to number one next week. They drop to second.

Rochester rounds out the top five with a three point lead on second place Utica, who the Americans meet up with this weekend.

After the Americans, jump in to the rest of the Rankings if you didn’t link in direct and if you are headed to Springfield this weekend for All-Star Classic festivities, enjoy.

1

 Last Week: BAK 6 @ SD 2, SD 4 @ ONT 1
The Gulls 42 days without a point came to an end Saturday at home against Bakersfield. They went out in their next game and pasted Ontario. They head to Texas for some Central Division action before the All-Star break.

+1

 This Week: @ SA 1/25, @ TEX 1/26
Record: 21-12-2-3

2

 Last Week: TOR 4 @ CHA 3 (OT), TOR 5 @ CHA 0
Got smacked around a bit by the defending champion Toronto Marlies at home this week. How do the Checkers respond to the first bit of adversity they have faced all season?

-1

 This Week: @ PRO 1/25, @ HFD 1/26
Record: 30-10-4-0

3

 Last Week: TEX 1 @ SJ 2, BAK 6 @ SJ 5 (OT)
It is hard to believe that at the All-Star break the possibility exists that the Barracuda may still have only just single digit regulation losses. However, Grand Rapids is a great team that cannot be discounted.

n/a

 This Week: @ GR 1/25, @ GR 1/26
Record: 23-8-2-3

4

 Last Week: TUC 3 @ COL 7, TUC 2 @ COL 0, TEX 3 @ TUC 6, TEX 0 @ TUC 4
Two shutouts this week for Tucson who are the closest to first place second place team there is in all the AHL.

+1

 This Week: vs. BAK 1/25, vs. BAK 1/26
Record: 23-11-3-1

5

 Last Week: RCH 5 @ WBS 4, RCH 2 @ LV 3 (SO), BNG 5 @ RCH 7
Amerks take a three point lead into the weekend before the All-Star break over Utica, in second and four points over Syracuse, in third.

+4

 This Week: vs. UTI 1/25, @ SYR 1/26
Record: 25-13-2-1

Read more of this post

Power Rankings

AHL Power Rankings: Week 15

Comments Off on AHL Power Rankings: Week 15 Posted by on January 17, 2019

Some shakeups to the top five and top ten this week in the Week 15 version of the Chirps from Center Ice AHL Power Rankings.

Charlotte remains number one. They have thirty wins and 60 points. San Diego jumps up to second after fifteen games in a row without a regulation loss.

San Jose drops down one, they still lead the Pacific but are feeling the heat from the Gulls. Chicago stays fourth as the leaders of the Central and Tucson jumps back into the top five.

Go past the Roadrunners if you didn’t link in direct to see where your favorite team, if they aren’t already mentioned above, filled out this week.

1

 Last Week: WBS 5 @ CHA 1, WBS 3 @ CHA 5, BRI 0 @ CHA 1, BRI 4 @ CHA 6
OK, we get it. The Checkers are good. But they are approaching territory of some of the greatest teams to have ever played in the AHL.

n/a

 This Week: vs. TOR 1/19, vs. TOR 1/20
Record: 30-9-3-0

2

 Last Week: SD 5 @ MIL 2, SD 2 @ IA 3 (OT), TEX 1 @ SD 2
Point streak is up to 15. Gulls are second in the Pacific now. Trades made by Anaheim may end up throwing cold water on these hot Gulls, though.

+1

 This Week: vs. BAK 1/19, @ ONT 1/21
Record: 20-11-2-3

3

 Last Week: ONT 3 @ SJ 1, STK 1 @ SJ 2
Barracuda shouldn’t be worried as much about the second place Roadrunners as much as they should the third place Gulls who are on a tear right now.

-1

 This Week: vs. TEX 1/18, vs. BAK 1/21
Record: 22-8-1-3

4

 Last Week: CHI 6 @ TUC 3, CHI 2 @ TUC 3, GR 2 @ CHI 5
Sole possession of first in the Central, but only three points from being out of the playoffs. Razor thin margins.

n/a

 This Week: vs. RFD 1/19, vs. MIL 1/20
Record: 23-13-3-1

5

 Last Week: CHI 6 @ TUC 3, CHI 2 @ TUC 3
Split with Chicago but San Jose is opening up more of a lead on the Roadrunners. Busy week coming up with four games.

+1

 This Week: @ COL 1/18, @ COL 1/19, vs. TEX 1/21, vs. TEX 1/23
Record: 20-10-3-1

Read more of this post

Power Rankings

AHL Power Rankings: Week 14

Comments Off on AHL Power Rankings: Week 14 Posted by on January 10, 2019

We are hitting mid-January and things remain the same at the top of the Chirps from Center Ice AHL Power Rankings in Week 14.

Charlotte remains the top team. They can play a man short and beat you. They can play with eleven forwards and seven defensemen and beat you. No lead is safe on them, by the way. Don’t believe me? It’s what they did this past week against the opponents they played.

San Jose is still second and are starting to feel the heat from the hottest team in the AHL in San Diego who are third.

Central Division foes Chicago and Iowa round out the top five.

Click past the Wild if you didn’t link in direct to see where the rest shook out this week.

1

 Last Week: CHA 4 @ BEL 1, CHA 6 @ BEL 3, CHA 5 @ TOR 0
It is starting to become obscene with how good this team is right now. Starting to open up a lead on Bridgeport (9).

n/a

 This Week: vs. WBS 1/11, vs. WBS 1/12, vs. BRI 1/15, vs. BRI 1/16
Record: 27-8-3-0

2

 Last Week: SJ 3 @ SD 4, SJ 2 @ ONT 1, ONT 1 @ SJ 3
San Jose starting to open up a bit of a lead on second place Tucson now. It’s four points right now as we hit mid-January.

n/a

 This Week: vs. ONT 1/11, vs. STK 1/13
Record: 21-7-1-3

3

 Last Week: SJ 3 @ SD 4, SD 4 @ ONT 1, SD 7 @ STK 4
There is no hotter team right now than the San Diego Gulls. Points in their last 12 games and just six points from the Barracuda for tops in the Central. A Central Division trip is going to prove to be a big test.

+5

 This Week: @ MIL 1/12, @ IA 1/14, vs. TEX 1/16
Record: 18-11-1-3

4

 Last Week: SA 3 @ CHI 0, SA 1 @ CHI 3
Split a fun series with San Antonio but are feeling the heat from Grand Rapids, Milwaukee and back in the division. Head to Arizona this weekend.

-1

 This Week: @ TUC 1/11, @ TUC 1/12, vs. GR 1/16
Record: 21-12-3-1

5

 Last Week: RFD 0 @ IA 3, IA 2 @ RFD 6, IA 4 @ SA 5
Two losses this week close things up on the Wild’s grip on the Central Division as we enter mid-January. Dangerous games ahead.

-2

 This Week: @ SA 1/11, @ TEX 1/12, vs. SD 1/14
Record: 20-10-4-3

Read more of this post

Power Rankings

Ethan Prow Named to All-Star Team

Comments Off on Ethan Prow Named to All-Star Team Posted by on January 3, 2019

In news that should surprise no one, the AHL announced their playing rosters for the All-Star Classic later this month up in Springfield, Massachusetts and Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins defenseman Ethan Prow was named as the sole Penguins representative.

For you visual learners, here are the entire rosters for all four divisions in one tweet. Click to expand if you have to:

On Prow, here is a snippet from the Coal Street release mentioning some of his accomplishments….

Prow is second on the Penguins with 10 goals, and he has also earned 22 points this season. He was able to double his goal output from his previous two seasons combined by notching his 10 goals in 30 games. Prow’s 10 tallies also put him in a tie for the second-most goals among all AHL defensemen.  Furthermore, Prow is the first Penguins defenseman to have reached double digits in goal scoring at the end of December since Ross Lupaschuck (2002-03).

Prow, 26, is one of 48 players selected to AHL All-Star rosters.

Prow has consistently improved over the course of his three seasons as a pro, all of which have been spent with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. He amassed 16 points (1G-15A) in his rookie year, then followed that up with four goals and 13 assists for 17 points with the Penguins in 2017-18.  He has 15 goals and 41 assists for 56 points in 139 career AHL games.

Former Penguins Colin McDonald (Lehigh Valley) and Cal O’Reilly (Iowa) were also named. McDonald was appointed as playing captain for the Eastern Conference in December.

Charlotte sends two players, plus their head coach because the Checkers finished first in the division at the end of 2018. Bridgeport, Lehigh Valley and host Springfield are sending two each and Providence, Hartford, Hershey and Wilkes-Barre are only sending one player.

Hershey’s appointment was Vitek Vanecek. I don’t know how you can send a goalie as your appointment as a last place team, but perhaps that’s just me.

Back here Friday for the 3 pm Gameday setup against Grand Rapids.

The AHL, WBS

← Older posts

Newer posts →