For this game, look no further than having an NHL defensemen come down on a conditioning stint and score two goals for you and a goaltender who is the Vancouver Canucks future in net. Combine the two and win you win the game.

That’s all she wrote, as Sami Salo would score two goals, one the game winner and Eddie Lack would save 40 of 42 as the Moose skated away with the two points and the 3-2 win tonight.

John Curry vs. Eddie Lack. Jesse Boulerice, as it turns out, got sick before the game and was a late scratch per Bombulie so John Hynes went with 17 forwards.

First period: Pens fired something like 6 shots at Lack, he turned them all aside then Mark Flood fires a lukewarm shot at the net, Curry was screeened, never saw it, and it ended up in the back of the net for the 1-0 Moose lead. Then a few minutes later, Sami Salo dekes around Curry to give the Moose a 2-0 lead. Hynes would use his timeout then. The Pens would get two straight power plays handed to them and not score, whether it was for lack of success on the power play or Lack just being that good. Manitoba has the league’s best PK, and with the Pens having a power play which is just not good these days, of course we went 0 for 3 on the night.

Second period: I prescout these teams. I have the AHL Live All-Access Pass. That said, I see a lot of Manitoba Moose games when I can. Eddie Lack is a fantastic goaltender. He is even better in person. Everything he sees he stops. You need to get bodies in front to have a chance at scoring. Well, Nick Johnson scored on a net front scramble to make the score 2-1. Later, Andrew Hutchinson would sit on a tripping call and Sami Salo would uncork an NHL caliber slap shot to put the Moose up 3-1. Pens would later sit in the offensive zone for a good two minutes but Lack was on his game and denied all chances. At the end of the period, the Moose would come in three on none and Curry would deny the chance with a pad.

Third period: Zach Sill would deflect a Corey Potter point shot to bring the Pens within one but they would get no closer. They would get chances, but not anything Lack couldn’t handle. The Moose are now 15-0-1-3 when leading after two and the Pens are now 2-8. Ryan Craig would have a golden chance in front of Lack late, but nothing doing.

Thoughts: Pens had some golden opportunities to get back into the game with the power play, but again, failed to convert. This will doom this team in the long run. If not but for Salo’s performance, I think we win this game.

Around the Division: Hershey has won 7 in a row, 5-3 winners over Albany in Atlantic City, NJ. The Bears keep winning and are within 9 and closing fast. Tomorrow’s opponent, the Syracuse Crunch, won 5-0 over the Adirondack Phantoms. Norfolk beat Binghamton 4-3 in overtime in Norfolk. Unrelated to the doings in the division, Milwaukee beat Rockford 4-2. Check out who got goals for the IceHogs in that one.

Standings: WBS (72) HER (63) NOR (61) CHA (59) BNG (54) SYR (40) ALB (39) ADK (35)

Tomorrow: If the Manitoba Moose go into Hershey tomorrow and get blown out to the tune of say 5-1, I officially start to worry about the Big Bear Machine. The Moose play two in Titletown Saturday and Sunday. Bears in the mirror may be closer than they appear. Bingo / Norfolk in a rematch. Charlotte is idle tomorrow. ManchVegas invades Albany. Wilkes-Barre is in Salt City for a game versus the upset-minded Crunch.

Let’s Go Pens!

My goodness this team is deep. When you have Rookie Defensive Defenseman Carl Sneep getting two goals and chasing starting goaltender Mike McKenna on a night where the Pens would win 4-1 it just speaks volumes to the depth that this Wilkes-Barre team has.

John Curry vs. Mike McKenna. Jesse Boulerice was back in the lineup after his 10 games suspension. The Pens sent Ryan Schnell to the Wheelhouse and scratched Bryan Lerg while Keven Veilleux centered the fourth line. Joey Mormina also was scratched.

First period: Devils had all the chances early in the period. Curry really had a great night in goal. About half way Brett Sterling boarded Brad Mills and picked up a five minute major for boarding. Mills would go to the locker room but would return. The Devils couldn’t do anything with it as the Pens only allowed two shots on goal for the entire five minute major. Late, the Pens were aggressive on the forecheck and then Carl Sneep uncorked a shot from the top of the right circle which found its way past McKenna to put the Pens up 1-0. Then with under a minute to play in the first Dustin Jeffrey would draw two defenders and feed a pass to Eric Tangradi right on Mike McKenna’s doorstep to put the Pens up 2-0 going into the first intermission.

I thought that the Devils won the first half and the Pens the seocnd half (clearly) that period.

Second period: At 2:02 of the second, Carl Sneep throws a routine wrist shot from a rookie defensive defenseman at McKenna which found it’s way in for a 3-0 lead. That was it for McKenna as Head Coach Rick Kowalsky went with Dave Caruso in goal. Caruso really settled things down I thought after that as about two minutes later Dan Kelly puts the Devils on the board. Then very late in the second Mattias Tedenby was just putting on a stickhandling and dangling clinic as the Devils sustained pressure in their zone for a bit. Curry made some neat pad saves and kept the score at 3-1.

Third period: Again, John Curry with some huge 10-bell saves in the third. Albany had established themselves in their offensive zone for at least a good three minutes and Curry kept them off the scoreboard. Late in the game, Olivier would sit for a tripping call and Nick Johnson would bury the rebound left by Caruso for the power play goal. Really that was it. Albany sent a lot of guys down for conditioning and the like but it was clear that they just could not run with Wilkes-Barre this evening. John Curry wins his 98th game as a member of WBS.

Three stars were Dan Kelly, Carl Sneep and Eric Tangradi.

Around the Division: Bingo lost to Hershey 3-2. Don’t look now but the Bears have won five in a row. If you ask me, no way that Binghamton loses two in a row this weekend. I am not saying expect the Pens to lose tomorrow, all I am saying is that tomorrow night’s game with the Senators just got that much more interesting in my opinion. Charlotte beat Adirondack 2-1. Springfield beat Norfolk in a shootout 3-2. Tough loss for the Admirals on a night where WBS, Hershey and Charlotte all win. Toronto beat Syracuse 5-2.

Miscellany: This gem from Bears beat writer frightens me a little bit. The Milwaukee Admirals pumped the Western Conference leading Peoria Rivermen 8-1 tonight.

Standings: WBS has 72 points in first. Hershey has sole possession of second now with 59 points. Norfolk has third with 58 points. Charlotte is a point behind with 57 points. Binghamton almost has to win to stay relavant tomorrow in fifth with 51 points. Right now they would cross over into the Atlantic Division if the playoff started tomorrow. Albany, Syracuse and Adirondack sit six, seven, eight with 39, 38 and 33 points respectively.

Tomorrow: I am traveling to Binghamton tomorrow for the game. While I am on my way to Binghamton, Charlotte and Hershey will play in Titletown at 2 p.m. Springfield and Norfolk will have a rematch.

Before I leave Binghamton tomorrow I would ideally like to have the postgamer up and posted. I am not taking my computer or my iPad with me to Bingo, rather will be taking “notes” for each period and throwing it all together at the conclusion of the game. Links to other action may not be immediately available, but if you have clicked on them before in the past, I trust you know where to find them.

Let’s Go Pens!