It’s another one of those times when I have the headline for my postgamer in my head no matter the outcome of the game. This time, a 3-2 WBS shootout loss to the Portland Pirates. Pirates played a heck of a game despite their standings spot. Penguins pretty much controlled the Pirates offensively but for a few gaffes which, in the end, cost the Penguins the win.

Scott Munroe vs. Curtis McElhinney. Both Colin McDonald and Geoff Walker were back for the Pens. Paul Thompson and Alex Grant were the scratches.

First Period: Right off the hop it looked like the Pens were outworking the Pirates with their speed. So much so, that the intermission guys who do the interviews mentioned it to the coaches and players. Portland would go over 10 minutes to start the game without a shot on goal. Then, Max Goncharov would score to put the Pirates up on what would be their third shot of the game. The Pirates would get no more, the Penguins would get a few power plays but not score on any of them.

Second Period: Munroe made a few good saves to open the period, denying Brett MacLean on a backdoor play to keep it 1-0. Later, Brian Gibbons would score as the puck would deflect off of Portland defenseman Michael Stone and in the net. Lerg later came in and tried the deke that won the Pens the East Division last year in Hershey but McElhinney made the save. Later with Jason Williams in the box for tripping, Michael Stone would redeem himself by scoring on the power play finishing off a nice cross crease pass which he slammed in the net back door.

Third Period: Ben Street would rifle home a power play goal with M-A Pouliot locked away in the box for a cross check. Late in the period Eric Tangradi hit the bottom of the post with the Pens a man up late.

Overtime: Portland buzzed and buzzed looking to end it early. It almost looked to me that they didn’t want the shootout.

Shootout: Ryan Duncan and Colin McDonald scored in the first round. Brett MacLean scored in round five and Jason Williams then could not and the Pirates picked up the extra point in the shootout win.

Three Stars: 3) Simon Despres (assist, even) 2) Brett MacLean (game winning shootout goal, -1) and 1) Curtis McElhinney (35 saves on 37 shots)

I thought it was a well played game by WBS. Again, Portland is a very good team. By rights, Portland should have won this game 2-1 in regulation.

Around the Division: Hershey lost in a shootout to the Syracuse Crunch 3-2. Norfolk beat St. John’s 6-2. Impressive win for the Admirals there in just rolling the league’s best team in their home barn. Binghamton got back on the winning side of things winning in Quebec at Bell Centre by defeating the Hamilton Bulldogs 4-2 at the home of the Montreal Canadiens.

Standings: WBS 23 to Norfolk’s 21. Hershey has 18 points and is a point ahead of Syracuse with 17. Binghamton is last with 14.

Conference: 1-StJ (25) 2-WBS (23) 3-CT (19) 4-NOR (21) 5-HER (18) 6-SPR (18) 7-BRI (18) 8-ALB (18)

The thing that is weird about conference standings is that with an Albany win and a Connecticut loss tomorrow, and depending on other factors Albany can pole vault to third place. Funny.

Pens travel to Manchester tonight. I will be making the trek there tomorrow morning. Let’s Go Pens!

Normally when a goaltender is off for a month during the season one would expect some rust in the form of a few goals he should have had in his next game. Not Scott Munroe. Munroe and the Penguins shutout the Binghamton Senators 3-0 tonight. It was Binghamton’s eighth straight loss.

Mike McKenna vs. Scott Munroe. Colin McDonald was sidelined with the flu, or flu-like symptoms. Dustin Jeffrey was recalled from his conditioning stint back to Pittsburgh.

First Period: B-Sens were flying out of the gate, Bobby Raymond hit a post. Six minutes in and Wilkes-Barre didn’t have a shot on goal. Then Brandon DeFazio goes out and gets two in his shift. The teams would trade two penalties a side and they’d skate back to the locker rooms scoreless.

Second Period: Pens had to kill two straight penalties and did so successfully, then Nick Petersen scored to make it 1-0 after McKenna was unable to control a rebound in a scrum. Steve MacIntyre had a shift in the middle of the period which really impressed me. He was throwing the body and nearly scored on a deflection. Late, Paul Thompson would score to make it 2-0 then nearly immediately afterward, Brian Gibbons would snipe a goal from the far dot to make it 3-0. Much like the two prior games, Wilkes-Barre gets two goals late to put itself out front.

Third Period: Not a whole lot to report here. Lots of end to end action. Carl Sneep made a few defensive plays. WBS would clamp down and play defense. They only took 5 shots on goal and allowed 8. Really nothing to report on. Munroe made the saves when he needed to preserve his second shutout on home ice.

Three Stars: 3) Jason Williams (2 assists, +2) 2) Scott Munroe (25 save shutout) and 1) Nick Petersen (goal, assist, +2)

Petersen and his wife welcomed a baby girl this morning right before lunch. Bombulie tweeted that he told his daughter that he’d score a goal for her. That he did, and more.

Can I say that WBS has a goaltending controversy on its hands? Thiessen and Munroe both have two shutouts now and are playing lights out in goal. Who gets the nod in Portland on Friday? Who sees two out of three in the weekend?

Around the Division: Wilkes-Barre and Binghamton were the only games in town.

Standings: The old saying is that games in hand don’t mean bunk unless you win them. WBS is the division leader up on Norfolk, 22 points to 19, Hershey sits third with 17 points. Syracuse 15 and Binghamton 12.

Conference: 1-StJ (25) 2-WBS (22) 3-ALB (18) 4-NOR (19) 5-ADK (17) 6-HER (17) 7-CT (17) 8-BRI (17)

Pens will probably have a light skate or a meeting or two before shipping to Portland on Thursday. I will be doing the same, but for attending meetings and practicing. If there isn’t anything to report on Wednesday, check me out on Thursday afternoon as I live-tweet (or attempt to) my six-hour trip to Portland.

Let’s Go Pens!