Chirps from Center Ice

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The Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins pumped 35 shots at Utica Comets goaltender Nico Daws Friday night and Daws and the Comets shut down the visitors, playing in their first game in nine games and Utica wins their fourth straight beating the Penguins 5-3.

The two teams rematch Saturday in Wilkes-Barre.

Daws made some jaw dropping saves from all angles. In close, in traffic, from the point, on breakaways, et cetera. It was partially the play of Daws in net and the fact that Tristan Jarry’s tick of allowing the first shot of the game he sees in continuing at the AHL level, and the Penguins played from behind all night and never could get it in gear.

Expect a different effort Saturday. Hopefully.

Here’s how they lined up:

Lineup Notes: Marc Johnstone for Corey Andonovski up front. Andonovski took warmups. Jack St. Ivany returned from injury and replaced Mac Hollowell.

Injury Updates: Filip Larsson is week to week with a lower body injury and Tristan Broz has mono. Fantastic.

First Period: I thought it was purely a Pittsburgh thing, but on the first shot of the game by Utica, Brian Halonen scored to give the Comets an easy 1-0 lead.

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I don’t pay attention enough anymore to know why they threw socks on the ice. I assume it was for a good cause.

Later, Dan Renouf scored his first goal of the season for the Penguins when his shot deflected off of a skate of a Comet and it was tied.

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Late and off of a face-off, Colton White scored to push the Comets back ahead.

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Wilkes-Barre had a furious final push in the last minute but it remained 2-1 Utica heading into the…

Second Period: They had two issues which were developing.

First, was the opposing goaltender. Nico Daws was stopping everything, including some breakaway-ish chances. He stopped Jesse Puljujarvi late after Xavier Parent scored to make it 3-1 after a Scooter Brickey turnover.

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The second issue was the defending and the shakiness that they were getting from their NHL All-Star goaltender whom I am sure was not pleased with some of the work of his rearguards.

But Jarry would stay dialed in and found Valtteri Puustinen for a long pass while Utica was making a change on a penalty kill. Puustinen found Puljujarvi who scored this time to cut the deficit to one.

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They were showing life, but needed to figure out Daws and correct things in house heading into the…

Third Period: Utica gets another when Xavier Parent nets his second of the night, cue balling one past Jarry during a fire wagon change and it’s 4-2 Comets.

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Less than ideal response by Wilkes-Barre, who had just one shot on goal for the first ten or so minutes of the period.

With Jarry pulled late, Sam Poulin scores with 1:46 left and the Penguins are, once again, within one.

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Ensuing face-off, Penguins threaten again with an extra attacker but then an errant pass finds the stick of Ryan Schmelzer who backhands the puck down the ice from about 180′ away and it finds the back of the net to make it 5-3 Comets.

Sigh.

Three Stars: 3) Jesse Puljujarvi (goal, assist) 2) Ryan Schmelzer (goal, assist) 1) Xavier Parent (two goals)

The Good: Man, I don’t know. They let the first shot of the game in and they chased from there. The power play scored a goal for them, let’s go with that.

The Bad: They went behind on the first shot that their goaltender saw and they chased the game from there, seemingly one step behind all night.

Turning Point: Don’t want to say the first shot of the game, but it seems to keep recurring, so let’s keep with it.

Around the Division: I am not sticking around for the Charlotte Checkers Friday, who are out in Milwaukee and somewhere in the second period when this post goes up. Box here. Other scores in the division: Belleville beats Hershey 4-3 in overtime, Laval beats Hartford 4-3, Bridgeport beats Syracuse 5-2, Springfield beats Lehigh 5-1 and Providence shuts out Rochester 3-0.

Standings: Can’t update these because Charlotte has all the fun and plays Western Conference teams. Pens will stay on 44 points and in fourth place but have a ton of games in hand still.

Wheeling Update: Nailers win 4-3 over the Kansas City Mavericks. Taylor Gauthier stopped 35. Kyle Jackson had a pair of goals.

Video Highlights: AHL Video Center is your best bet.

More tomorrow when these two rematch.

Let’s Go Pens!

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So when the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins miss a chance at the division championship or a first round bye or, let’s say a playoff spot by three points or less, we can point to this week.

They lost clean in Belleville with 2.2 seconds left on Sunday.

On Wednesday, they had a 3-0 lead in Laval and lose 4-3 in overtime.

Now, granted, it was a backup goaltender making his AHL debut which hasn’t seen live fire in a game in over a month, but the points count all the same.

Let’s get into it since it’s 10 p.m. on a Wednesday and I have work in the morning.

Here’s show they lined up:

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Lineup Notes: Jesse Puljujuarvi was officially re-assigned this week and joined the team. They are over the vet limit so Valtteri Puustinen drew the short straw for Puljujuarvi and Corey Andonovski was in for Marc Johnstone. On Defense Isaac Belliveau was in for Nikolai Knyzhov.

Waiver Wire: Tristan Jarry is back on waivers and will be assigned to Wilkes-Barre if no one claims him. I don’t think any other NHL team will because of the size of his contract. As a result, Jaxon Castor backed up Filip Larsson as Joel Blomqvist will go up tomorrow after 2 p.m.

First Period: Pens get a pair of goals in the period, one from Avery Hayes on a nice two on one rush with Rutger McGroarty and then a shorthanded goal by Jonathan Gruden, the second shorthanded goal of the trip. Goals are highlighted below:

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One item that came out of the period is that Filip Larsson was taking a bit of a beating. Death by a thousand paper cuts, if you will. A tap here, a shove there. He seemed okay.

Second Period: But then Jaxon Castor was out for the second period in relief of Larsson. Well, he acclimated himself nicely into the affair with this save after the Rocket came out full barrel to start the second period…

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The Penguins had a bunch of opportunities late in the period and had 1:25 of a two man advantage but failed to score. I didn’t particularly like this series of events.

Oh, it was Castor’s AHL debut.

Third Period: I didn’t particularly care for the penalties the Penguins were taking. This wasn’t a cause to question the calls that Mathieu Menniti or Will Kelly were making on the ice as the officials, they were fine.

Wilkes-Barre’s penalty kill was tested but was okay. The Penguins get what appeared to be an insurance goal off the stick of Emil Bemstrom that made it 3-0.

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Seemingly, you would think that this game was in hand.

Wrong.

Laval would start their comeback with a goal from William Trudeau at 12:04, then another at 14:40 from Florian Xhejaj and then the tying goal at 16:42 from Gustav Lindstrom. Three goals in the span of about four and a half minutes.

Laval didn’t GIF any goals I figure worthy for your perusal, so just trust me here.

Implosion? You bet. It was a snowball that rolled down hill and took out a village. All three goals I think beat Castor five hole. I am not blaming him for the loss because he’s thrust into his AHL debut in a hostile environment in Laval.

I mean if anything, it’s a bit of adversity that Kirk MacDonald, whom we have all sung the praises of this season, can help guide them out of.

Oh yeah, the game. They made it to…

Overtime: But had to kill a 4:00 Mac Hollowell double minor which carried over. They managed to to that but at the expiation of the penalty, Jared Davidson comes flying in from the point to slam home a loose puck and give the Rocket a 4-3 overtime win.

Three Stars: 3) Luke Tuch (two assists) 2) William Trudeau (goal, assist) 1) Jared Davidson (goal, assist)

The Good: The assumption is that they will hypothetically work on why they all of a sudden can’t close out a damn hockey game. Getting a point seems like an afterthought.

The Bad: I don’t know if having Filip Larsson in the net really would have made a difference. It felt like an artificial lead the whole game and you were just waiting for Laval to erupt. It happened way too late with little time to adjust.

Turning Point: I think that the William Trudeau goal that started the comeback should get it here because there was no looking back for the Rocket from there who come all the way back and win the game.

Around the Division: Kind of a busy night for the AHL for a Wednesday with 11 games. Springfield shuts out Bridgeport 4-0….Charlotte beats Milwaukee 4-2….Providence beats Syracuse 3-2 vis-a-vis shootout….Hartford loses 7-3 in Utica….Lehigh Valley beats Belleville 3-2. Hershey was the only team off.

Standings: Hershey 49 – Penguins 44 – Charlotte 44 – Providence and Lehigh Valley 42 – Springfield and Hartford 35 – Bridgeport 20

Wheeling Update: The Nailers were idle. There was news yesterday that they have a new team in the ECHL. Say hello to the Greenville Gargoyles. I don’t know if the Nailers will play the Gargoyles next year, but I am getting Beast of New Haven vibes from the newest ECHL team, which will begin play this Fall. If they go with glow in the dark jerseys I may just move there.

Video Highlights: With work in the morning, the AHL VideoCenter is your best bet.

No games this weekend with the postponement, so I will be back Monday with the AHL Power Rankings. Enjoy the time off.

Let’s Go Pens!

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So full credit here to the Belleville Senators who got smashed by the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins 6-1 on Friday night and saw the visiting Penguins put the game away essentially on the games first three shots which resulted in goals.

The Senators put up a hell of a fight, lost two forwards in the process and a late power play goal by Wyatt Bongiovanni with 2.2 seconds to play in regulation is enough to edge Belleville to a 4-3 win over Wilkes-Barre / Scranton on Sunday afternoon.

I will say it was a very gritty performance by the Senators who never went away on the Penguins with whatever Wilkes-Barre threw at them.

Result is bad for the Penguins because it is a game in hand up in smoke against the Hershey Bears and no ground made up on the division leading Bears and no separation from against the rest of the division.

Onto Laval Wednesday…

Here’s how they lined up…

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Lineup Notes: Isaac Belliveau for Nathan Clurman was the only lineup change. I didn’t catch any type of an update provided by Nick Hart pregame because I was out on a walk.

First Period: Emil Bemstrom scored at 10:44 after working a nice give and go with Boris Katchouk and the Penguins were off to the races.

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But they weren’t as Wyatt Bongiovanni scored on a Belleville power play that tied the game at one.

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Foreshadowing!

Teams were tied heading into the…

Second Period: Avery Hayes scored on the Penguins first power play of the game and juked Senators All-Star Jeremy Davies out of the building with this move that put the Penguins ahead 2-1…

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The Penguins were being badly outshot I think 20-9 but stepped on the gas with the help of that power play goal and continued to bomb Michael Simpson with shots.

Third Period: Bongiovanni would net his second of the game with a far shot a few steps down from the blue line that would tie the game at two.

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But then Emil Bemstrom would score again the same way he scored in the first period by working some nice tic tac toe with lineman Boris Katchouk and the Penguins edged ahead 3-2.

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But about 90 second later Stephen Halliday scored to tie the game at three again for the Senators.

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If that dogged determination wasn’t apparent with that goal, let me tell you as someone who watched the game it was there all game. Belleville was just not going away and the Penguins needed to find a way.

But the Penguins took a double minor penalty when Nikolai Knyzhov was assessed a double minor penalty with 91 seconds left in regulation. So the Penguins needed to find a way to grit the Senators to overtime.

Wyatt Bongiovanni had other plans.

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2.2 seconds left, so no time to respond for the Penguins.

Damn, or stronger words that my cats heard that I can’t repeat in print.

Three Stars: 3) Michael Simpson (25 saves) 2) Stephen Halliday (goal, two assists) 1) Wyatt Bongiovanni (hat trick and game winning goal)

The Good: Really can’t think of anything here after an eight game point streak. They clearly weren’t ready for what a desperate opponent kept throwing at them. The Bemstrom / Koivunen / Katchouk line is their best and I think they miss Tristan Broz a lot.

The Bad: A lost opportunity to get closer to the Hershey Bears. Sure, they have a lot of games in hand, but games in hand don’t mean jack if you don’t win them. This loss sucks.

Turning Point: The Bongiovanni power play goal gets it here.

Around the Division: Springfield – Hartford and Lehigh Valley – Bridgeport started two hours after the Penguins – Senators game. Boxes on each here and here, respectively.

Standings: Will be incomplete, but the Penguins stay in second with 43 points and are six off idle Hershey with 49 and a point ahead of idle Charlotte.

Wheeling Update: Nailers started an hour later than the Penguins and are hosting the Worcester Railers. Box on that game here.

Video Highlights: AHL VideoCenter is your best bet for this if you are interested.

Penguins head to Laval, Quebec next for a Wednesday road game. I’ll have the AHL Power Rankings up Monday and then the Weekend Preview setting up the game with the Rocket and the rematch at home back with these Senators Saturday night on Wednesday.

Let’s Go Pens!

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The Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins won easily in Belleville, Ontario Friday night 6-1 and have an eight game point streak, the longest streak since the 2019-20 season. It was a bit of a total team effort for the Penguins, who get 39 saves out of Joel Blomqvist on his 23rd birthday and three assists from Rutger McGroarty who set Sam Poulin up for a pair of goals, one of those shorthanded in the third period.

The teams rematch Sunday afternoon in Belleville.

Here’s how they lined up.

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Lineup Notes: Boko Imama for Corey Andonovski up front, Nikolai Knyzhov, returning from injury, replaces Scooter Brickey on defense. Sebastian Aho is week to week with a lower body injury.

First Period: The Penguins scored three goals on the first three shots they fired at Mads Søgaard, and they were off to the races.

Avery Hayes at 4:55, the first shot of the game for either side made it 1-0.

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Then Sam Poulin capitalized off of a Belleville turnover and it was 2-0 Wilkes-Barre.

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Then the Penguins go on a power play and Valtteri Puustinen scores a power play goal that makes it 3-0.

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It was surreal hearing Nick Hart on radio use the adjective, “lethal” when describing the Penguins power play, which is clicking at around 25%.

Sadly Valtteri Puustinen and Sam Poulin were denied on the fourth and fifth shots of the game for the Penguins.

The Penguins survived a late push by Belleville to conclude the period.

Second Period: Boris Katchouk tallied a goal at 2:03 of the period and that was enough to chase Mads Søgaard from the Belleville net. It was 4-1 Penguins and enter Michael Simpson. Here’s the Katchouk goal:

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Belleville would get on the board when Keean Washkurak would get a step on Jonathan Gruden and collected a nice pass from Jan Jenik and the Senators were on the board, spoiling a would be shutout bid for Joel Blomqvist on his 23rd birthday…

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Game started to devolve a bit as Nate Clurman took what looked like a knee on knee hit which drew the ire of Vasiliy Ponomarev who took a penalty. But there was no penalty heading the way of Belleville. The Penguins were able to kill that off, but then Jonathan Gruden fought Garrett Pilon and then eight seconds after that Boko Imama, who played last year for these Senators, fought Hayden Hodgson.

The Penguins were able to navigate these waters fine, then the aforementioned Imama scored a goal that made it 5-1 Penguins.

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Third Period: The Penguins get a second goal from Sam Poulin who was stopped once by Simpson on the breakaway but then he and McGroarty work some magic to get a turnover and Poulin scores to make it 6-1.

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Belleville put a lot of shots on Joel Blomqvist, but the quantity didn’t overcome the quality and while some of the saves were a bit challenging, at no point were the Penguins in danger of relinquishing the lead.

Three Stars: 3) Rutger McGroarty (three assists) 2) Sam Poulin (two goals) 1) Joel Blomqvist (39 saves)

The Good: Belleville is a bad team and the Penguins handled them easily, which is what a good team should do in this situation.

The Bad: Losing Nate Clurman to injury for one. That’s Clurman and Aho on this trip. There’s winning big, but losing guys to injury is never anything you want to see.

Turning Point: I think the third goal on the third shot would get it here. That buried the Senators and there was no coming back from that on their current run of play.

Around the Division: A three goal deficit is nothing for the reigning Calder Cup Champion Hershey Bears who were down 3-0 to start the third, storm back for three goals to tie and then an Alex Limoges goal in overtime gives the Bears a 4-3 win in Charlotte. Those two teams will rematch Saturday…Providence beats Bridgeport 4-1….Hartford beats Lehigh Valley 3-2 in overtime.

Standings: Hershey 47 – Penguins 43 – Charlotte 42 – Providence 40 – Lehigh Valley 38 – Hartford 35 – Springfield 29 – Bridgeport 18

Wheeling Update: Wheeling wins 4-1 in Indiana against the Indy Fuel. Taylor Gauthier stopped 25. Matthew Quercia had a pair of goals.

Video Highlights: Doubtful. Suggest if you really want them, head to the AHL VideoCenter sometime Saturday morning.

Enjoy the Saturday off, talk to you Sunday.

Let’s Go Pens!