Last Game: Saturday at home the Pens lost in a shootout 4-3 to the Portland Pirates. Riley Holzapfel had a goal. For Albany, they were in Hartford Sunday vs. the Whale and won 1-0. Joe Whitney had the only goal and Keith Kinkaid stopped all 30 shots faced.
Last Meeting: November 25 in Atlantic City at Boardwalk Hall, the Pens won 5-4 in a shootout. Brian Gibbons had a goal and two assists and was named first star of the game.
Record: For WBS: 13-7-1-1 (28 pts., 3rd place East Division) For ALB: 7-8-0-5 (19 pts., 5th place Northeast Division)
Why you should care: Penguins are in the Capital District of New York for a meeting against the Albany Devils. The Devils played the Pens tough last time. The Pens are coming off of a sort of a disappointing weekend. A date with division leaders Binghamton and Syracuse loom this weekend. The Pens cannot underestimate the Devils tonight.
Other Game to Watch: The aforementioned B-Sens and Crunch square off in Syracuse. These teams don’t like each other. This should be a fun contest to pay attention to.
Next Five Games: BNG 12/14, @ SYR 12/13, @ BNG 12/19, @ SYR 12/22, @ HER 12/26
Comments Off on Ryan’s No Slouch
Posted by nafsnep on December 11, 2012
There’s obviously a bit of concern when your starting goaltender goes down with an injury.
There’s always a bit of concern when the third string goaltender in your ECHL affiliate goes down with an injury thus making himself unavailable for recall to fill-in as backup.
Let’s just say, after hearing two separate reports from both Wilkes-Barre and Wheeling yesterday indicating that the starting goaltenders are hurt, I was concerned.
I am less so today.
The Penguins Tuesday morning announced the signing of Ryan Zapolski, only the best statistical goaltender in the ECHL right now and reigning Goalie of the Week. He plays for the South Carolina Stingrays.
I’d be interested to see if Zapolski gets game action or not in the immediate short term. My initial thought is no, when you are borrowing another team’s asset, you don’t thrust him to the wolves unless absolutely necessary. That said, I can’t foresee Brad Thiessen starting the next three games. I guess we will have to wait and see.
Jonathan also had updates on the rest of the walking wounded, including Jeff Zatkoff, Simon Despres and Brian Strait. Strait practiced, Despres and Zatkoff did not.
Bombulie had the update today, if you want to call it that. Too soon to speculate, but when have you ever heard a guy leave practice with the trainer then be back the next day as good as new? It just doesn’t happen.
With the unknown status of Killeen, this leaves Brad Thiessen as the lone healthy goaltender in the Penguins organization eligible to play.
Bombulie mentioned in his update that a reader had mentioned to him the possibility of bringing ex-PIT backup Brent Johnson in on a PTO. Apparently Johnson is working out in Pittsburgh with the rest of the locked-out players. What would it take to drive 300 miles East and help out the farm a bit? It makes too much sense, really, and that’s why I would be shocked that it come to fruition.
The ailments / injuries could not come at a more inopportune time for the Pens, who are about to embark in an eight game in twenty day journey, with seven of those eight against divisional opponents and looking more long term nine of ten against East Division foes. Albany Wednesday is the only non-divisional game on the Penguins immediate matrix.
I’ll think worst case here: Zatkoff is out a while. Brent Johnson doesn’t come in on a PTO. The Pens sign some unknown kid. Let’s benchmark Wednesday, Pens are three points out of the division lead and tied for second with Binghamton. Where oh where will the Pens be at the end of this ten game slog? Time (and good goal tending) will tell.
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There are a few other things I want to briefly touch on:
–> Here’s my other game story I wrote for the Maine Hockey Journal on Saturday night. Can’t thank Chris Roy enough for the opportunity to serve.
–> More AHL games were added to SiriusXM NHL Network Radio with the axing of more NHL games thru December 30. The Penguins aren’t featured in any games other than the one already scheduled for this Friday vs. Binghamton.
–> From the ex-Penguin alumni file: Colby Armstrong signed an ECHL deal with the Utah Grizzlies and Chris Collins signed on with the Springfield Falcons.
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If anything breaks on news regarding Penguins / Nailers back stoppers, either in the form of new signings or health status updates, I will have retweets in some from from Mssrs. Bombulie / Rine on Twitter then probably a blurb here on the blog. If not, next update will probably run Wednesday at 3 for the Albany Gameday setup.
Comments Off on Something for Everyone – Pens LOSE 4-3 (SO)
Posted by nafsnep on December 8, 2012
Did some freelancing for Chris Roy and the Maine Hockey Journal tonight and was back in the WBS press box again. That’s why if you tuned into the live-tweeting earlier you saw a much more reserved game call.
What a difference a day makes.
The Penguins, who were frustrated by the Hershey Bears the night before, had a goal fest in the first 6:10 of the first period of the game tonight.
But, you play sixty minutes. Not six minutes and ten seconds. The Pirates won tonight in a shootout 4-3 bolstered in net by Mike Lee, who saw his first action at the AHL level. He didn’t start the game though.
Classic game really that had a bit of everything. A big lead by the home team early. A rookie goaltender who never saw any AHL action thrust into duty against one of the leagues sharpest teams. Fights, lots of them. A comeback by the visitors and a hero in the aforementioned rookie in the end.
Brad Thiessen vs. Mark Visentin – Steve MacIntyre was in for Paul Thompson, Joey Mormina and Alex Grant for Simon Despres an Philip Samuelsson.
First Period: Philippe Dupuis swings around the net and does a spin-o-rama which fools Visentin. He fires the puck at him, then Trevor Smith deflects it in for a 1-0 Pens lead. Less than a minute later, Philippe Dupuis fires a puck towards the net, Visentin leaves a rebound that Jayson Megna gets a stick on and settles and slips past Visentin. Portland head coach Ray Edwards saw enough and replaced Visentin with Mike Lee, fresh from ECHL Gwinnett. Visentin, the night before got tuned up to the total of six goals in Binghamton last night. The Pirates settled from there and it was on to the…
Second Period: Pacquiao / Marquez 4 had nothing on this period. Steve MacIntyre finally got his chance to fight Joel Rechlicz. MacIntyre buried him with one punch. That wasn’t even the best fight of the period though as Andy Miele, not known as a fighter fought pest Baobby Farnham. Miele really represented himself well and stood right in there with the more established Farnham. Eric Tangradi and Alex Bolduc were the undercard with Tangradi dropping Bolduc.
Edit: Here is the MacIntyre / Rechlicz fight I captured on my phone from the press box. Yes, it looks like they are on Earth and I on the Moon. Check out the videoboard above them for a better view or hope that the highlights go up on the SendToNews package later.
Oh, there were goals too. Riley Holzapfel picks off a Pirates pass as they were attempting to clear the defensive zone and blasted it past Mike Lee. It looked like it caught Lee by surprise. Then rookie sensation Chris Brown scored for the Pirates after the MacIntyre and Farnham fights.
Third Period: Jordan Martinook scores a goal nearly the same way that Riley Holzapfel did the period prior. The Pirates had life. Later, Oliver Eckman-Larsson scored an NHL quality wrist shot on Brad Thiessen while Brian Dumoulin was in the penalty box. Tie game. Through penalties, no other goals were had in regulation or…
Overtime: There were penalties, but no scoring. Lee really showed himself well for this being his first AHL minutes.
Shootout: Lee really deserved a star of the game because he stopped Jayson Megna, Benn Ferriero, Trevor Smith and Beau Bennett. Bennett on his attempt tumbled into the boards hard and was down for a second. He left the ice on his own power. Chris Conner and Rob Klinkhammer scored for the Pirates.
Three Stars: 3) Rob Klinkhammer (shootout goal) 2) Riley Holzapfel (goal, +2) and 1) Oliver Eckman-Larsson (goal, assist, -1)
Editorial: Missed opportunity for the Pens to pick up ground on teams ahead of us that straight lost or did not maximize points. Can’t be happy with this effort this weekend at all.
Conference: 1) SPR 32 2) SYR 31 3) WOR 25 4) BNG 28 5) WBS 28 6) MCH 25 7) PRO 23 8) POR 24
Wheeling Update: The Nailers rematched against the defending champion Florida Everblades tonight and lost a heartbreaker in the shootout 5-4. Nailers allow Florida to score three goals in the third period to force overtime and lose in the shootout.
SendToNews Highlights: I think I can see Brian Coe editing these for everyone over in the media box. Maybe not, that looks like an empty popcorn box on second look. The highlights aren’t up yet. They may be when I get home.Here they are.
Pens are off until Wednesday when they are in Albany on December 12. I have a couple of things kicking around in my head I can use for blog fodder between now and then.
Last Game: Last night vs. Hershey, the Pens lost 5-4 in overtime. Eric Tangradi scored his team leading 10th goal of the season in the OT loss. For Portland, they were in Binghamton last night and lost 6-1. Brendan Shinnimin had the lone goal for the Pirates in the loss.
Record: For WBS: 13-7-1-0 (27 pts., 3rd place East Division) For POR: 10-10-1-1 (22 pts., 5th place Atlantic Division)
Why you should care: Both teams are coming off of tough losses last night. Each team will be looking to take advantage of the other. Also, Penguins head coach John Hynes is still searching for the win that puts him as the all time winningest coach in WBS Penguins history.
Television:AHL Live / My Network TV (WQMY-TV) in Wilkes-Barre.
Promotion(s): None
Other Game to Watch: Can the B-Sens make it ten in a row? If they beat the defending champion Norfolk Admirals they will. The two teams square off in the Southern Tier of New York.
Next Five Games: @ ALB 12/12, BNG 12/14, @ SYR 12/13, @ BNG 12/19, @ SYR 12/22
Comments Off on Bear-ied – Pens LOSE 5-4 in OT
Posted by nafsnep on December 7, 2012
The Penguins have lost games this season.
Here, I will name all the teams that the Pens have lost to.
Binghamton, Bridgeport, Springfield and Syracuse once.
Hershey. Four times.
The Pens and Bears play each other twelve times.
That’s not a good pattern.
The Penguins lose in overtime to the Bears by a score of 5-4. When the Pens were on, they were on. When they were off, Hershey scored. That simple. The Penguins did not play a full sixty minutes of hockey tonight and the results are indicative of the score.
Jeff Zatkoff vs. Dany Sabourin – Brian Strait was a scratch and Paul Thompson drew back in the lineup.
First Period: Bears come out flying. Coach John Hynes told Pens beat writer Jonathan Bombulie earlier this week that the Bears would be sharp from playing the night before in the Nation’s Capital in the AHL Showcase and that the Pens needed to match this or else. Well, in the short term they didn’t and the Bears found themselves up 1-0 thanks to a Mattias Sjogren tip of a Steve Oleksy shot from the point. Later, the Pens cash in on the power play just :04 in when Benn Ferriero rifled home a shot from the blue line to bring the game even at one. Then, Warren Peters below the goal feeds a cutting Simon Despres to put the Pens up 2-1. Late, as been the case with the Penguins with opponents under five minutes, the Bears scored to tie it at two.
Second Period: Robert Bortuzzo shoots from the blue line and it eludes Sabourin for a 3-2 Pens lead. The first ten minutes of the period were all Wilkes-Barre only allowing the Bears one shot on goal. Then, to start the second half of the period, Jon DiSalvatore would score to tie it at three. Under five minutes again in the period, Tomas Kundratek beats Zatkoff clean with a shot to push the Bears back out in front 4-3.
Third Period: The Pens would have extended power play time to work with when Steve Oleksy for Hershey took a penalty then argued the call nonstop with referee Terry Koharski. After a pretty inert stretch of power play time for the Pens, Eric Tangradi was finally able to breakthrough and even the game at 4 apiece. After that, a lot of back and forth but no scoring and it was onto…
Overtime: Philip Samuelsson coughs up a puck that T.J. Syner or Kevin Marshall pick off. They come in two vs. one and Kevin Marshall scores to end it.
Three Stars: 3) Eric Tangradi (goal, assist, -2) 2) Kevin Marshall (game winning goal, even) 1) Jon DiSalvatore (goal, assist, +2)
Editorial: I seem to be more miffed at the fact that we lost the game than I am the fact that we got a point out of the affair and by rights should have lost. I am really growing tired of Penguins rookie and/or second year defensemen getting doe-eyed when the slightest forecheck is applied while Alex Grant, Joey Mormina and others waste away as healthy scratches and Carl Sneep is buried in Wheeling. Yes, I understand development of players who are your future and fully understand the role of a minor league hockey team in the mess that is never-ending NHL labor strife. Just because I realize this doesn’t mean that I have to like it.
Oh, Simon Despres was not seen at all from the third period onward.
Around the Division: The two teams ahead of us in the East Division won. Syracuse dispatched the Hamilton Bulldogs by a score of 5-1 and the Binghamton Senators subjugated the Portland Pirates 6-1 good for their ninth win in a row. Norfolk was idle.
Wheeling Update: The Nailers come back from down 3-0 to the defending champion Florida Everblades only to lose 4-3 in a shootout. Carl Sneep had a goal for the Nailers in the loss.
SendToNews Highlights: Are slowly being pieced together as I type this but can be found here.
Pens back in action tomorrow night at 7:05 when they host the Portland Pirates.
I’ll be covering the game for the Maine Hockey Journal tomorrow and my friend Chris Roy. That means press box and “reporting” the game vs. “cheering” in case anyone is looking for my lanky seven foot frame in Section 104 tomorrow.
Gameday setup will be here on the blog tomorrow at 3 p.m.
Last Game: Last Saturday at home vs. St. John’s the Pens won 5-3. Dylan Reese had a goal and an assist and was named the game’s first star. For Hershey, they played Norfolk last night in Washington D.C. and won 2-1. Ryan Potulny scored the game winning goal for the Bears.
Last Meeting: November 21 in Hershey, the Pens shut out the Bears 4-0. Jeff Zatkoff made saves on all 15 shots he faced.
Record: For WBS: 13-7 (26 pts., 3rd place East Division) For HER: 10-11-1-0 (21 pts., 4th place East Division)
Why you should care: John Hynes needs one more win to become the all time winningest coach in Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins history. I am sure he’d love to accomplish this feat against his teams biggest rivals.
Other Game to Watch: There seems to be no stopping the Binghamton Senators of late. They host tomorrow’s opponent, the Portland Pirates, tonight in downtown Binghamton.
Next Five Games: POR 12/8, @ ALB 12/12, BNG 12/14, @ SYR 12/13, @ BNG 12/19
WBS News
