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A total of 81 shots combined between these newly formed divisional rivals turned into a defensive battle and a goaltending war.

The Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins win this one 2-1 in overtime thanks to two goals by Scott Wilson and 40 saves by Matt Murray, who was only 1:49 away from yet another shutout but it wasn’t to be.

[tweet https://twitter.com/nafsnep/status/652622017590599684]

That was the view for me all night. Someone forgot to hook up a wire or turn on a camera. I pay a pretty penny for the league wide package. People tell me I am crazy. I think that they may be right…

Lines were…

Scott Wilson – Kael Mouillierat – Conor Sheary
Dominik Simon – J-S Dea – Bryan Rust
Dominik Uher – Oskar Sundqvist – Tom Kostopoulos
Tom Sestito – Carter Rowney – Josh Archibald

Derrick Pouliot – Steve Oleksy
Reid McNeill – David Warsofsky
Niclas Andersen – Will O’Neill

Matt Murray – Tristan Jarry

Scratches were defensemen Harrison Ruopp and Barry Goers and forwards Matia Marcantuoni and Tyler Biggs. Biggs is recovering from a minor injury. Will O’Neill and Steve Oleksy wore the “A’s” for the Penguins tonight.

First Period: The Penguins were outshot 17-9 in the first period of their 2015-16 campaign, mainly because they took all of the penalties in the period. Three total. Matt Murray was sharp. When called upon, opposing goaltender Zane McIntyre was sharp as well. There was a fight, Steve Oleksy and Anthony Camara:

[tweet https://twitter.com/AHLBruins/status/652629652339597312]

Murray had a save on a two on one with P-Bruins sniper Alex Khokhlachev barring down.

Second Period: Pens stopped taking penalties and started to control the pace a bit. Finally, Scott Wilson scored on a turnaround shot on a shot from the slot. Conor Sheary had the lone assist. Penguins started to generate pressure coming from all lines, but Zane McIntyre was college hockey’s top goaltender last season and kept his team in it. Despite me not being able to watch the game tonight because of the NeuLion difficulties, I still listened to Mike O’Brien and he was calling a lot of chances for the Penguins that were just smothered by McIntyre.

Teams traded power plays late but neither scored. Shots through two were 30-21 in favor for the Bruins.

Third Period: Penguins penalty killing along with the solid goaltending won them the game tonight. The Penguins took two additional penalties in this period but the special teams and Matt Murray kept the P-Bruins off of the board.

But the Bruins continued to press. Seemed like every other word out of Obie’s mouth on radio was, “Khokhlachev” as the Bruins sniper was being double or triple shifted. Finally, on setup by Khokhlachev, Frank Vatrano threw a shot at Murray’s net from the side wall from a bad angle that tied the game with 1:49 left. The game would need to be decided via…

Overtime: Scott Wilson’s group of he and Oskar Sundqvist with Will O’Neill was the second group to go over the wall in the 3-on-3 overtime and Wilson didn’t waste much time scoring 1:18 into the overtime period to secure the full two points for the Penguins.

Three Stars: 3) Zane McIntyre (38 saves on 40 shots) 2) Matt Murray (40 saves on 41 shots) and 1) Scott Wilson (two goals, +2, 6 shots)

Around the Division: Portland, Springfield, Bridgeport Hartford, Hershey and Lehigh Valley all start their 2015-16 campaigns Saturday.

I am not going to put the Standings or Conference standings up until everyone plays a game, so if you want this, check back tomorrow when everyone in the Atlantic plays a game.

Wheeling Update: The Nailers are in preseason and lost to the Cincinnati Cylcones 4-2 tonight in West Virginia. The Nailers open on the road in Norfolk next Friday.

SendToNews Highlights: See above, first picture.

Pens bus to Bridgeport for a 7 p.m. game against the divisional rival Sound Tigers. Gameday for this will hit the blog Saturday at 3.

Let’s Go Pens!!

The Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins wrapped up their 2015-16 preseason with a trip to Allentown to take on the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

It was an exciting contest to what could have otherwise been a Phantoms blowout.

After trailing 3-0 by the time the third period rolled around, the Penguins rattled off three goals to tie the affair, but ultimately fell in regulation 4-3 to the Phantoms.

In an otherwise meaningless game in the big picture, a lot of players used today to battle for the final positions available. Some made strong cases, others not so much. Sahir Gill and Ty Loney in particular made strong cases today.

Personell wise, defenseman David Warsofsky and forward Kevin Porter cleared NHL waivers today at noon and will join the Penguins tomorrow.

As for this game, the lines were…

Dominik Simon – Carter Rowney – Josh Archibald
Dominik Uher – Oskar Sundqvist – Anton Zlobin
Shane Bakker – Sahir Gill – Ty Loney
Patrick McGrath – Jarrett Burton – Michael McCarron

Niclas Andersen – Clark Seymour
Nick Petrecki – Ryan Parent
Matt Maione – Mike Beauregard

Tristan Jarry – Brian Foster

Harrison Ruopp took warmups but was scratched.

Penguins gave up the first goal to Petr Straka after a failed clear from the neutral zone which gave the Phantoms a 1-0 lead. The hosts would tack on a second goal via power play when ex-Penguin Tim Brent swept home a rebound of a shot that Jarry never fully controlled. Phantoms veteran goaltender Jason LaBarbera stopped all 13 shots faced in the period.

Lehigh Valley extended the lead to 3-0 when Nick Cousins fired a quick shot past Jarry. Play was set up back in the Penguins offensive zone when a hard shot sailed past Jason LaBarbera and out of the zone. Players watched the puck sail out, the Phantoms pounced on it and took off to a three on two to Cousins for the goal.

Off the ensuing face-off, Patrick McGrath fought heavyweight Jay Rosehill.

The Penguins didn’t really, to this point, make Jason LaBarbera work on the 22 shots he faced to this point.

In the third, the rally was on. Sahir Gill broke the LaBarbera shutout with this nice move five hole:

[tweet https://twitter.com/nafsnep/status/650807691561058304]

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Penguins killed two consecutive minor penalties rather easy and then Gill struck again. This time setting up Ty Loney:

[tweet https://twitter.com/nafsnep/status/650809759835267072]

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The Penguins looked to be the better even strength team, but were down three and had a hole to dig out of.

Oskar Sundqvist tied it with this nice shot:

[tweet https://twitter.com/nafsnep/status/650810752073400320]

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The Phantoms found their legs, Jarry was forced into a few strong saves. A clearing attempt by the Penguins hit Josh Archibald’s skate and right to Danick Martel and he wasted no time in putting it past Jarry for a 4-3 Phantoms lead.

Penguins had a late power play and with Jarry vacated for the six-on-four advantage, never found the equalizer.

So that is it for preseason. Here is what to look for here on the blog this week…

— Cuts. They will happen this week and when they do, I will have a blog of who went where.

— AHL Previews. Starting Monday at noon with the Pacific Division and running Tuesday for the Central Division, Wednesday for the North Division and finally Thursday for the Atlantic Division.

— Pregame setup for the Penguins first regular season game of the season on the road at Providence 3 p.m. Friday with full blog recap to follow complete with graphics, links, and a pun headline.

Here’s to a great season. I am ready to get started.

Let’s Go Pens!

The Penguins continue to roll though preseason with out a loss with a 5-3 win down in Hershey, Pennsylvania. The game was radio only, so it’s a really stripped down version of a postgame recap.

In case you missed the news earlier, the Pittsburgh Penguins hammered out their 23 man roster and that meant that guys were cut and placed on waivers. Details here.

As for this game tonight, here was a look at the lines…

Anton Zlobin – Oskar Sundqvist – Adam Krause
Dominik Simon – Sahir Gill – John McCarron
Derek Army – Matia Marcantuoni – Tyler Biggs
Shane Bakker – Jarrett Burton – Patrick McGrath

Nick Petrecki – Clark Seymour
Reid McNeill – Harrison Ruopp
Barry Goers – Ryan Parent

Matt Murray – Tristan Jarry

Penguins couldn’t get anything going on the games first power play. The Bears got one a few minutes later and cashed when Chris Bourque found Jakub Vrana for a one timer and a goal for a 1-0 Bears lead. Shots were 10-8 Bears after one. The line of Dominik Simon, Sahir Gill and John McCarron generated the most chances for the Pens in the first period.

Bears had an early power play in the second. They didn’t score, but Dustin Gazley had a great look on goal but Matt Murray made the save. Immediately after, Harrison Ruopp and Max Sauve fought to what sounded like a draw. You be the judge:

[tweet https://twitter.com/WBSPenguins/status/650459606414696449]

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Out of that, the Bears got a power play. Madison Bowey for the Bears misplayed a puck and Matia Marcantuoni scored shorthanded to even the score at a goal a piece.

Later, Riley Barber broke in on a two on one and scored to push the Bears ahead 2-1.

But the Penguins got it right back as Shane Bakker stuffed one past Dan Ellis to tie the game again for the Penguins. The Bears failed to clear and Wilkes-Barre made them pay. It was a dogged forecheck by homegrown Patrick McGrath that set it all up.

The second period ended that way, shots were 21-14 Bears.

In the third, Wilkes-Barre would score their first power play of the preseason when Clark Seymour snapped a shot though a screen from the center point for a 3-2 lead:

[tweet https://twitter.com/WBSPenguins/status/650473182814699520]

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The Penguins held the Bears to just two shots in the period when Oskar Sundqvist scored to make it 4-2 Penguins through bodies:

[tweet https://twitter.com/WBSPenguins/status/650476718499733504]

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Jakob Vrana scored with the Hershey net empty off a nice feed from Chris Bourque to cut the Penguins lead to one, but Hershey still trailed by one, pulled Ellis again, and this time Sahir Gill stole a puck in the neutral zone and rolled a puck into the empty Bears net for a 5-3 Wilkes-Barre lead.

Hershey will end the preseason without a win and so far the Penguins are undefeated. It’s preseason and will be forgotten by the time next Friday rolls around, but it’s always nice beating Hershey.

Penguins are back in action for the fourth and final time in preseason in Allentown tomorrow when they take on the Lehigh Valley Phantoms Sunday at 5 p.m. Unless something out of the ordinary happens and Porter or Warsofsky are claimed on waivers, look for the next recap to come after the game tomorrow.

Two things from this game. One, the play of Tristan Jarry, who started in goal for tonight and played the entire game and the other the play of offseason acquisition Kael Mouillerat.

Jarry stopped 19 of 20 shots and was outstanding (for a preseason game) and Mouillerat was an offensive threat every time he had the puck. That’s a scouting report that has followed him around all of his career, really.

The Penguins won the game tonight 2-1 in overtime off of a goal by the aforementioned Mouillerat and the sound play in net by the young Jarry, who faced a 1:42 of overtime penalty killing.

The Penguins were in preseason action Friday night for the final time at home against the Albany Devils. Before the game, Friday morning actually, Wilkes-Barre announced the signing of Tom Sestito, who was cut by Pittsburgh earlier this week.

Lines were…

Scott Wilson-Kael Mouillierat-Conor Sheary
Anton Zlobin-Carter Rowney-Ty Loney
Dominik Uher-Sahir Gill-Tom Kostopoulos
Tom Sestito-Matia Marcantuoni-Tyler Biggs

Will O’Neill-Steve Oleksy
Niclas Andersen-Harrison Ruopp
Reid McNeill-Barry Goers

Tristan Jarry – Brian Foster

First period was scoreless. Penguins came out flying, shots at one point were heavily favored for the Pens. Neither team did anything memorable on the power play. Both Scott Wedgewood for the Devils and Jarry for the Penguins were leaving rebounds all over the place.

Foreshadowing by Mouillerat this period. He got open, got around guys and got shots off in the first.

The second period started and out of the gate Anton Zlobin was hauled down and awarded a penalty shot. Wedgewood batted it away with the glove.

Best save of the period was a Tristan Jarry one on a Jim O’Brien blast.

Later, Conor Sheary broke the scoreless deadlock with a nice shot off some tic tac toe work from Scott Wilson:

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Pens found themselves on a 5-on-3, but Albany killed it all off. The Penguins really worked the Devils in this period but weren’t able to get anything other than the Sheary goal.

Albany got on the board after the Penguins were unable to score in an extended power play time when they were running around all over and didn’t actually do anything. A Reid McNeill defensive zone turnover to Joseph Blandisi caught everyone off guard, Jarry included, and the Devils were off and running.

But ultimately it was the Penguins with the last laugh when Mouillerat ended it:

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Here’s (bad) video…

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Three stars were: 3) Joe Blandisi with a goal for Albany, 2) Conor Sheary with a goal for the Penguins and 1) Kael Mouillierat with the overtime game winner for the Penguins. Jarry deserved a star in my opinion and in my opinion a spot on the team. But, that is yet to be determined. If Pittsburgh wants him to play, he will go to Wheeling. I think that happens but time will tell.

I am telling you, the Albany Devils are going to give teams fits this season. They make you play a certain way and if you can’t adjust or take advantage you are going to get frustrated and lose. They could surprise some this season. Wedgewood especially. He was outstanding.

Elsewhere, actually just 90 minutes south of here, two ex-Penguins were in Hershey transactions. First, the Bears cut D Nick D’Agostino. He’ll report to the Bears ECHL affiliate South Carolina. Second, parent Washington cut old fan favorite Zach Sill. He is on waivers. If no one claims him, he should report to Hershey, where the Penguins play Saturday in more preseason action. Sullivan told the media that Matt Murray will get the start for the Penguins in net.