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East Divison Final Game 6

AHL Game: J6

Who: Charlotte Checkers

Where: Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza

When: 7:05 p.m. EST

Series: Charlotte leads 3-2 (best of seven)

Media Kit

Last Game: Chris Collins’ deflection goal in the third period after a Pens power play had just expired held up for the game winner as the Pens won 1-0 last night and Brad Thiessen made 23 saves for the shutout.

What to watch for: Goals are a rare thing in this series. Both goaltenders have been that good. This could be a “first team to score wins” game. Pens are not out of the woods yet. They need to win to force a Game 7. The Checkers will be looking to silence what is sure to be a raucous Wilkes-Barre / Scranton crowd on a Saturday night. Will a hero emerge for the Pens? Will Brett Sterling score again?

Referee(s): Marcus Vinnerborg / Francis Charron

Linesmen: Jameel Chaudry / Judson Ritter

Twitter: @wbspenguins / @CheckersHockey / @nafsnep

Beat writers: @CVBombulie

Radio: For WBS: 102.3 The Mountain. For Charlotte: I think this is broadcast through the radio tab on AHL Live. Here is the link.

Television: AHL Live

When is Game 7?: Well, if the Pens don’t win, there is no Game 7. If the Pens win, Game 7 is Monday night at Mohegan Sun Arena at 7:05.

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East Divison Final Game 5

AHL Game: J5

Who: Charlotte Checkers

Where: Time Warner Cable Arena

When: 7:00 p.m. EST

Series: Charlotte leads 3-1 (best of seven)

Media Kit

Last Game: Wednesday night in Charlotte Chris Terry scored a power play goal at the beginning of the third period and it held up as the game winner as the Pens would go on to lose 1-0. Checkers goaltender Mike Murphy made 44 saves for the shutout.

What to watch for: If you don’t score, you don’t win. Pens simply need to do better than scoring 1 goal the entire week in North Carolina as Chris Collins’ marker back on Monday in Game 3 was the Penguins only goal. One goal may not be enough. Charlotte will be looking to push the Pens to an early summer with an elimination win tonight. They have cowbells for the first 2,000 walking in the Time Warner Cable Arena tonight and many are expected from Raleigh, North Carolina home of the parent Carolina Hurricanes. This series has been dead even in every area except the goals department. Pens just need to score.

Referee(s): Ryan Fraser / Chris Ciamaga

Linesmen: Mike Sheehan / Alex Stagnone

Twitter: @wbspenguins / @CheckersHockey / @nafsnep

Beat writers: @CVBombulie

Radio: For WBS: 102.3 The Mountain. For Charlotte: I think this is broadcast through the radio tab on AHL Live. Here is the link.

Television: AHL Live

When is Game 6?: Well, if the Pens don’t win, there is no Game 6. If the Pens win, Game 6 is tomorrow night in Wilkes-Barre at Mohegan Sun Arena at 7:05.

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East Divison Final Game 4

AHL Game: J4

Who: Charlotte Checkers

Where: Time Warner Cable Arena

When: 7:00 p.m. EST

Series: Charlotte leads 2-1 (best of seven)

Media Kit

Last Game: Monday night in Charlotte the Checkers won in overtime 2-1 via a Brett Sutter odd angle shot at 5:04 of overtime.

What to watch for: Penguins played a physical Game 2 and won and a lackluster Game 3 and were defeated. The players said all the right things in Bombulie’s Tuesday update. Now it is time to execute. This is a pivotal game for the Pens playoff chances. Fall in a 3-1 hole and the outlook is grim. Even up the series and it’s a best of three. We get to find out soon.

Referee(s): Jean Hebert / Tim Mayer

Linesmen: Mike Sheehan / Alex Stagnone

Twitter: @wbspenguins / @CheckersHockey / @nafsnep

Beat writers: @CVBombulie

Radio: For WBS: 102.3 The Mountain. For Charlotte: I think this is broadcast through the radio tab on AHL Live. Here is the link.

Television: AHL Live

When is Game 5?: Friday night from Time Warner Cable Arena at 7 p.m.

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East Divison Final Game 3

AHL Game: J3

Who: Charlotte Checkers

Where: Time Warner Cable Arena

When: 7:00 p.m. EST

Series: Tied 1-1 (best of seven)

Media Kit

Last Game: Saturday night in Wilkes-Barre, the Pens shutout the Checkers 3-0 via a Brad Thiessen shutout. Brett Sterling, Chris Collins and Ryan Craig scored the goals.

What to watch for: Charlotte was basically pushed around in Game 2, as the Pens dominated the physical aspect of the game. Look for Charlotte to try and match the hitting and make adjustments on the near misses they had in Game 2 in scoring. For the Pens, they have been a better road playoff team than home playoff team. Charlotte is a different animal however with the comforts of home.

Referee(s): Jean Hebert / Tim Mayer

Linesmen: Mike Sheehan / Alex Stagnone

Twitter: @wbspenguins / @CheckersHockey / @nafsnep

Beat writers: @CVBombulie

Radio: For WBS: 102.3 The Mountain. For Charlotte: I think this is broadcast through the radio tab on AHL Live. Here is the link.

Television: AHL Live

When is Game 4?: Wednesday night from Time Warner Cable Arena at 7 p.m.

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East Divison Final Game 2

AHL Game: J2

Who: Charlotte Checkers

Where: Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza

When: 7:05 p.m. EST

Series: CHA leads 1-0 (best of seven)

Media Kit

Last Game: Thursday night in Wilkes-Barre, the Checkers won 3-2 behind two goals by Jon Matsumoto.

What to watch for: Pens knew at the end of Game 1 that a better effort was needed. Look for it in Game 2. Whether the Checkers allow for it is a different story. The Checkers will want to duplicate the effort from Thursday night, that is get goals from unsung guys like Matsumoto. It isn’t a “must win” game by any means, but by the standards of level of skill of opponent, tonight can be construed as a must win game for the Penguins.

Referee(s): Marcus Vinnerborg / Ryan Fraser

Linesmen: Bob Fyrer / Chris Allman

Twitter: @wbspenguins / @CheckersHockey / @nafsnep

Beat writers: @CVBombulie

Radio: For WBS: 102.3 The Mountain. For Charlotte: I think this is broadcast through the radio tab on AHL Live. Here is the link.

Television: AHL Live

Promotion(s): First 5,000 fans get white pom-poms.

When is Game 3?: Monday night from Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte, North Carolina at 7 p.m.

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East Divison Final Game 1

AHL Game: J1

Who: Charlotte Checkers

Where: Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza

When: 7:05 p.m. EST

Series: Tied 0-0 (best of seven)

Media Kit

Season Series: 7-1 for WBS; October 15: WBS 4 @ CHA 2 — October 17: WBS 4 @ CHA 2 — January 4: WBS 5 @ CHA 2 — January 5: WBS 3 @ CHA 2 (SO) — January 23: CHA 9 @ WBS 5 — January 26: CHA 4 @ WBS 6 — March 20: CHA 1 @ WBS 2 — April 1: CHA 3 @ WBS 6.

How the Checkers got here: They defeated the Hershey Bears in 6 games on Sunday in Hershey.

How the Penguins got here: After falling in an 0-2 hole to the Norfolk Admirals, the Penguins stormed back to win the next three on the road and wrapped the series up last Saturday night at home in 6 games.

Top four scorers for the Penguins vs. the Checkers: 1. Tim Wallace (7 GP, 6-0-6, +6) 2. Ryan Craig (6 GP 3-3-6, +3) 3. Brett Sterling (7 GP, 3-3-6, +2) 4. Corey Potter (8 GP, 1-5-6, +10)

Top four scorers for the Checkers vs. the Penguins: 1. Zach Boychuk (5 GP, 5-5-10, +5) 2. Jon Matsumoto (8 GP, 1-7-8, -6) 3. Bryan Rodney (8 GP, 1-7-8, -6) 4. Jacob Micflikier (6 GP, 4-2-6, -4)

Referee(s): David Banfield / Chris Brown

Linesmen: Judson Ritter / Jameel Chaudry

Twitter: @wbspenguins / @CheckersHockey / @nafsnep

Beat writers: @CVBombulie

Radio: For WBS: 102.3 The Mountain. For Charlotte: I think this is broadcast through the radio tab on AHL Live. Here is the link.

Television: AHL Live

Promotion(s): None

When is Game 2?: Saturday night at 7:05 from Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre Township.

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East Division Semifinal Game 6

AHL Game: C6

Who: Norfolk Admirals

Where: Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza

When: 7:05 p.m. EST

Series: WBS leads 3-2 (best of seven)

Media Kit

Last Game: Last night in Norfolk, Nick Petersen scored two power play goals and it held up as good enough as the Pens won 2-1.

What to watch for: Whoever has scored first in this series is 5-0. The road teams are 5-0 also. Look for WBS to try and match what they did last night in Norfolk. That is, shut down an intense crowd and a hungry Norfolk team and put the Admirals away for good. This game is either going to be a blowout either side or it’s going to end in overtime.

Referee(s): Chris Brown / Francis Charron

Linesmen: Jameel Chaudry / Judson Ritter

Twitter: @wbspenguins / @NorfolkAdmirals / @BeekerAdmirals / @nafsnep

Beat writers: @CVBombulie

Radio: For WBS: 102.3 The Mountain. For Norfolk: 102.1 FM The Game

Television: AHL Live

When is the next game?: If Norfolk wins, Game 7 will be played Monday in Wilkes-Barre. If the Penguins win, stay with us on the blog for the announcement on Game 1 of the East Division Finals from Wilkes-Barre sometime early next week.