Let’s start tonight’s recap with a nugget from Pens beat writer Jonathan Bombulie from the Citizens Voice:

What happened tonight was an expected result, as the Pens dropped this one 5-2.

Breakout passes from their own defensive zone looked a mess. Really a game where you can get down on things but I need to constantly remind myself that this is a patchwork team right now.

Anyway, Brad Thiessen vs. Dustin Tokarski. Ben Street was back in. Boris Valabik was in as well.

First Period: I tweeted in my pre-game nugget session that you have to stay disciplined when playing Norfolk with how good their power play is (second best on the road) – well, :32 in, Cody Wild was nabbed for interference. It did not take long for the Admirals to score as Matt Fornataro made it 1-0 before most of the sell out crowd were settled into their seats. Then, Radko Gudas fired a shot from the blue line which Carter Ashton deflected him to put the Admirals up 2-0. This shook up the Pens a bit as they came to life and started the comeback. Dan Henningson shot the puck from his own blue line and Ben Street deflected it past Tokarski to make it 2-1. Pens looked to carry the momentum into the…

Second Period: Geoff Walker threw the puck at the net at an odd angle and the puck deflected off of a Norfolk defensemans skate and in. Bryan Lerg would get credit for tucking it last. Then, after the Penguins killed off an Alex Grant hook, Tyler Johnson would score from the slot by zipping a shot over the glove of Thiessen. This was three goals on ten shots. Thiessen would get the hook after that and Scott Munroe would come in. The Admirals seemed to be the ones shook up after that as they continued to buzz. Later, Cory Conacher outworked the Penguins fourth line by blowing past everyone to score on a wraparound. Then, with under a minute, ex-WBS Penguin Michel Ouellet scored to make it 5-2.

Third Period: Thiessen returned to the WBS nets. The good news coming out of this period was that Wilkes-Barre limited Norfolk to three shots. The bad news was that they themselves only took six and scored on none of them. The Pens had two chances on a power play but did not convert.

Three Stars: 3) Scott Jackson (two assists, +2) 2) Tyler Johnson (goal, +1) and 1) Carter Ashton (goal, assist, +2)

Around the Division: Hershey thumped Bridgeport 5-0 on a Dany Sabourin 32 save shutout. The Bears are now tied with the Penguins with 37 points each. Binghamton lost to Worcester 5-2. Syracuse lost to Adirondack 4-3.

Standings: Hershey, by way of percentage points, claims top spot. Wilkes-Barre is second. Norfolk is third with 35 points. Syracuse has 27 points in fourth and Binghamton has 22 points in last.

Conference: 1-StJ (37) 2-HER (37) 3-CT (36) 4-WBS (37) 5-MCH (36) 6-NOR (35) 7-WOR (32) 8-ADK (32)

Tomorrow the Admirals play the Bears in Hershey. If Norfolk wins, its another three way tie for first in the East. If they lose, the Bears are outright the number one team in the East and could, depending on how St. John’s does against Portland tomorrow, be tops in the Conference.

Albany comes to town Monday. They are much improved so this game won’t be easy.

Craig Adams left tonight’s game in Pittsburgh with the ever specific “lower body injury” so if there is a call up made from Wilkes-Barre, it probably won’t come till Monday for cap reasons. Hopefully bodies heal and we can get back to somewhat bit of normalcy soon.

Let’s Go Pens!

Wilkes-Barre, on a patchwork conglomeration of bodies, wins it’s fourth straight game to put themselves back on top of the Eastern Conference standings by winning 3-2 this evening in Syracuse.

Eric Tangradi and Alexandre Picard’s recalls to Pittsburgh prefaced this from this morning.

Scott Munroe vs. Iiro Tarkki. Chris Barton made his WBS debut.

First Period: Penguins play sixteen minutes of bad hockey and nearly allow Syracuse to score multiple times but Munroe did not give many rebound chances and really made some big time saves in the game. Late, Brandon DeFazio cleaned up a rebound to put the Pens up 1-0 then Ryan Craig received a nice pass from Colin McDonald to put the Pens up 2-0 heading into the break.

Second Period: Munroe continued to see virtually everything. He did not give up many rebounds in the process which really was a plus. Ryan Schnell took an attempted head-butting call to put Syracuse on a double minor power play. I don’t think that afterward, Tom Grace called his name the entire rest of the evening. Wilkes-Barre would kill it with Munroe continuing to make ten bell saves.

Third Period: Ryan Craig blocked a shot with his hand. He would be fine. Patrick Maroon score at 5:37 to spoil the Munroe shutout bid. Brandon DeFazio was really everywhere this game. A late Bryan Lerg trip would put the second ranked Syracuse power play back on the ice but the Pens were perfect on the penalty kill all night. Munroe with more solid saves. Then, Brandon DeFazio fired a dart at Tarkki which surprised him and ended up in the net to make it 3-1 Pens. J-F Jacques would score late with Tarkki pulled but the Pens would hold on and win their fourth straight game.

Three Stars: 3) Patrick Maroon (goal, assist, even) 2) Ryan Craig (goal, assist, even) and 1) Matt Rust (assist, +1)

Pretty sure Brandon DeFazio should be the first star of the game, but whatever.

Around the Division: Hershey won a barn burner in Norfolk 4-3 and Binghamton beat Adirondack 3-1.

Standings: Wilkes-Barre leads Hershey 37 points to 35. Norfolk has 33 points in third. Syracuse has 27 points and Binghamton 22.

Conference: 1-WBS (37) 2-StJ (36) 3-CT (35) 4-MCH (36) 5-HER (35) 6-NOR (33) 7-WOR (30) 8-ADK (30)

Norfolk busses overnight here for a 7:05 start. Hershey busses home to host Bridgeport.

Doing more with less is what Wilkes-Barre is doing. Stupendous goaltending right now.

Gameday will be up tomorrow at 3 p.m. Let’s Go Pens!