Chirps from Center Ice

       vs.     

  1                                            4

–

Quite frankly, the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins needed this one. Badly.

A 4-1 win Sunday afternoon at home against the Rockford IceHogs where they got depth scoring, good defense and solid goaltending from Tristan Jarry who made 33 saves.

Two goals from Jimmy Hayes in the second period, who found out Saturday that he and his wife are having a baby boy, and it is a good afternoon for the Penguins who use their game in hand to their advantage on the division and get some help on the out of town scoreboard to keep themselves in the running in the Atlantic Division push for the playoffs.

Jarry opposed Kevin Lankinen.

Lines were…

Lineup Notes: The Penguins recalled Cam Brown and Jeff Taylor from Wheeling Sunday morning. They both went right into the lineup. Taylor for Macoy Erkamps and Brown for Anthony Angello, who despite being listed above was indeed thescrtach. Jimmy Hayes was on the fourth line. Adam Johnson returned from his illness and replaced Linus Ölund.

Lines, from Friday, were all jumbled up. Even the D pairings.

First Period: Jeff Taylor pinches down, wheels around the net, throws a shot on and Ryan Scarfo is there near side to sweep the puck in for a 1-0 Penguins lead.

The Penguins played very well in the opening frame, probably the beneficiaries of having the night off Saturday, and controlled play. They lacked on special teams and gave up two quality chances that Tristan Jarry had to bail them out on. Here is one, on a breakaway.

Rockford tied it when Luke Johnson called for the puck mid slot and flicked one past Jarry low to tie the game at one.

First Intermission: One of the zambonis broke down. It took a team effort to get it off of the ice.

So, you want to work in pro sports?

Second Period: Jimmy Hayes scored the first of two two goals when he throws a puck at the net trying to find Ryan Scarfo parked in front when it goes off of Lucas Carlsson’s skate and in for a 2-1 Penguins lead.

Hayes added a second when he had a clap shot from the near dot with Joseph Cramarossa screening that gave the Penguins a 3-1 lead.

Penguins took a stand in the final thirty or so seconds of the period when Rockford pushed really hard for a goal but they got out of it with the two goal lead heading into the third.

Third Period: Wilkes-Barre was getting badly outshot in the period, but that is where Tristan Jarry went to work. Rockford came up empty with each passing attempt. Jerry attempted another goal at the empty net but his attempt sailed wide.

Adam Johnson beat out a Sam Lafferty bid from around the same area and the Penguins sealed it.

Three Stars:

The Good: I think I mentioned it in my open but I’ll mention it again here. Depth scoring, solid goaltending and defense. Put the three together like you did today and see how far this team can go in the 20 or so games left in the season.

The Bad: Week of practice coming up, I hope they work win special teams. They were a mess today. If not for Jarry being laser dialed in, who knows where this goes.

Turning Point: Jimmy Hayes’ second goal of the period gave the Penguins a two goal lead in the second period and a swagger that felt good for them and even in the stands. It’s a game that you go back and look at and say that they had all the way because of the full effort on display. Hayes goal that gave the Pens a two goal lead was the turning point.

Around the Division: Good afternoon on the out of town scoreboard. Hershey’s point streak is over, Bridgeport beats the Bears 5-1 to open up an eight point lead on Hershey for second place….Hartford beats Providence 4-1. The Bruins are the Penguins next opponent this Friday in Rhode Island in a game with huge playoff implications. Everyone else was off.

Standings: Charlotte 79 — Bridgeport 73 — Hershey 65 — Providence 64 — Lehigh Valley 60 — Penguins 59 — Springfield 55 — Hartford 55

Wheeling Update: The Nailers were off all weekend, are back in action Tuesday.

Video Highlights: 

Trade Deadline is tomorrow. I don’t expect anything major to impact Wilkes-Barre here but have been wrong in the past. If there is anything of note to talk about, my Twitter will have it first followed by a blog probably Monday afternoon or evening. If not, look for news and notes this week if there are any and the Power Rankings on Thursday.

Let’s Go Pens!

       vs.     

  4                                           2

–

The other headline would have been, “Close Only Counts in Horseshoes and Hand Grenades.”

Ryan Haggerty’s two goal effort is bested by Hershey’s Riley Barber’s hat trick as the Hershey Bears win 4-2 in Wilkes-Barre to separate themselves from the Penguins by six points in the Atlantic Division race.

The Penguins for whatever reason could not break the press that the Bears had on them all night long. It was like a giant Chocolate and White blanket just covered the entire ice. You would swear that the Bears knew what the exit play before the Penguins even executed.

After a scoreless first period which felt like a chess match, Riley Barber deflected an Aaron Ness one time shot from the near side three seconds after a Hershey two man advantage power play expired in the second period.

Ryan Haggerty would provide all of Wilkes-Barre’s offense in the second period and the game when he made a move around a guy at the high slot and ripped a shot through bodies that found the back of the net to tie the game at one.

Joseph Cramarossa found a streaking Haggerty off of the bench on a cross ice pass that connected for a goal and the Penguins were up 2-1 heading into the third.

Those were my two tweets as the third period started.

No one helped out Zach Trotman and bang, Megna unabated and it’s a tie game.

And yes Joe, you do hate to see it.

Back to the chess match we saw in the first until Barber scored mid slot for his second of the game that gave Hershey a 3-2 lead with 3:41 left to play in regulation.

With Jarry pulled and a time out to set things up in the end, the Pens got close with J-S Dea getting robbed point blank, Barber sweeps clear a puck that travels in a straight line down the ice for an empty net goal from about 170′ away.

I mean that’s it. It wasn’t a game marred by penalties. Wilkes-Barre got in trouble in the second, but that was erased by Haggerty’s goals right after. The Pens could not score on the only power play that they were awarded.

The game lacked a true scorer from the Penguins in the first period. I keep saying it, but Teddy Blueger is missed in these parts. With what’s left, J-S Dea is in a slump, Joseph Blandisi’s new car smell has faded, and Ryan Haggerty remained hot with 9-3-12 in his last eleven games.

Tristan Jarry took the loss. It really can’t be pinned on him. A one time deflection on a power play, a man left unmarked streaking down the slot, same in the mid slot and the empty net goal doesn’t go against him.

Here’s how they lined up.

Lineup Notes: No Adam Johnson tonight. He’s been sick this week. Pat McGrath skated as the extra body. Linus Ölund drew in. Lines were shook up as a result. Flip Haggerty and Blandisi on top line wing. Hayes in Johnson’s spot, third line intact and Ölund on fourth line. On defense, Macoy Erkamps went in for Blake Siebenaler.

Three Stars: 

The Good: Ryan Haggerty should get the “C” pinned to his chest if Garrett Wilson remains up for the duration.

The Bad: Without looking, when was the last time the Penguins won at home? It was February 1 against Cleveland, a 7-2 throttling of the Monsters that night. If the Pens want an easy way into playoffs, it’s going to come at home where the Pens play nine times in the month of March. The Penguins are 10-13-2-0 at home. That is not good and downright unacceptable.

Turning Point: Barber’s second goal that gave the Bears the lead is the easy, obvious choice.

Around the Division: Charlotte beats Lehigh Valley 2-1….Bridgeport and Providence go to overtime and the Sound Tigers get the OT win 5-4….Hartford beat Springfield 3-2.

Standings: Charlotte 77 — Bridgeport 69 — Hershey 63 — Providence 62 — Lehigh Valley 60 — Penguins 57 — Springfield 54 — Hartford 52.

Wheeling Update: Nailers were off.

Setting Up Saturday: Lehigh Valley and Charlotte rematch. Bridgeport hosts Springfield. Rockford visits Hershey. Providence travels to Hartford. You want a Checkers, Sound Tigers, IceHogs and Wolf Pack regulation win.

Video Highlights: 

Wilkes-Barre is off Saturday. They are back in action Sunday at 3 pm against Rockford. Gameday setup hits the blog here Sunday at 11 am.

Let’s Go Pens!

       @       

5                                       4

–

If the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins would have lost this game today in Hartford, you would get no argument from me if you said to me that their playoff chances are done like dinner.

If the way that the Penguins would have lost this particular game, I would be the one telling you that here in this opening.

After going up 4-1 to start the third, Hartford ties it to force overtime, but Adam Johnson scores in the extra session to give the Penguins a 5-4 overtime win and a much needed two points in Connecticut this afternoon.

The Penguins may still not make playoffs, but this afternoon’s game didn’t close the door entirely. Faint hope remains.

John Muse opposed Dustin Tokarski.

Lines were…

Lineup Notes: Blake Siebenhaler made his Penguins debut on the third defensive pairing with Chris Summers, replacing Macoy Erkamps.

First Period: The Penguins put up a ton of shots at Dustin Tokarski, but couldn’t score. Then, the Wolf Pack put their first shot on goal at Muse and it goes in. Vinni Letteri threw a seemingly harmless backhander at Muse and it found daylight and squeaked in near post.

Later, Ryan Haggerty got credit on a deflected puck which fluttered past Tokarski to even the game at one. Penguins had the only power play of the period and didn’t capitalize.

No GIFs of the goals today. Sorry.

Second Period: Penguins added three goals in the period. Adam Johnson put a shot on Dustin Tokarski and Sam Lafferty was there to collect the rebound and put it in to make it 2-1.

Then the Penguins made it 3-1 when Chris Summers scored his first of the season when a puck squeaked through Tokarski.

Hartford picked up the pace a bit, putting a few pucks on Muse and even were the benefactors of two power plays, but Muse closed the door on all of the chances.

Joseph Blandisi deflected a Zach Trotman shot that made it 4-1.

Brandon Halverson replaced Dustin Tokarski in net.

Man, I miss those GIFs.

Third Period: When Ethan Prow turned a puck over to Steven Fogarty to make it a 4-2, game, I felt that it was a bad omen.

When Peter Holland scored to make it 4-3 when the Penguins flew the defensive zone, I knew it was a matter of when, not if.

Jimmy Hayes took a trip at 9:51 and Sean Day let one rip six seconds later for a power play goal for the Wolf Pack and a tie game.

What an implosion. Hartford is a last place team!

Wilkes-Barre continued to play fast and loose. Some of the exit passes were lazy and blind. Then Blake Siebenhaler turned a puck over to Peter Holland but Johnny Muse was there to make the cool glove save. I don’t think its was a matter of playing not to lose, as much as Hartford just going for the kill at the hop at the start of the third, knowing that they couldn’t win the game with one shot, but methodically eating the elephant one bite at a time, if I can use a metaphor.

Overtime: Blog story is absent of visuals and I apologize, but I Periscoped it for you here.

That is Adam Johnson with the goal. If you don’t want to sit through the whole thing, Coal Street was good on getting the GIF of the game winning shot up on Twitter quickly:

The Good: Getting out to a three goal lead.

The Bad: Blowing said three goal lead.

Turning Point: There were a few which are crumbled up in a ball here in my mom’s basement. The glove save by Muse on Holland to preserve the tie to get it to overtime get an honorable mention, but let’s go with Adam Johnson’s game winning shot.

Three Stars: 

Around the Division: Charlotte loses to Bridgeport 7-3. Checkers are sputtering, but they won Friday and Saturday….Springfield beats Providence 5-1. Hershey beats Lehigh Valley 4-3 to tie a franchise record with a. point in 15 straight games.

Standings: Charlotte 75 — Bridgeport 67 — Hershey 61 — Providence 61 — Lehigh Valley 60 — Penguins 57 — Springfield 54 — Hartford 50

Wheeling Update: Nailers take down the Fort Wayne Komets in Indiana 6-5 in a shootout this afternoon. Alec Butcher had a goal and two assists and scored the shootout winners for the Nailers.

In the evening update, I didn’t see any video highlights from Hartford or Wilkes-Barre’s accounts.

Pens are back in action Friday at home against Hershey. News as it comes this week.

Let’s Go Pens!