The ramifications of tonight’s 5-2 Penguins victory in Charlotte will be heard league wide tonight. Here are some stats to chew on I tweeted earlier as to why I feel this way:

• Charlotte is the second highest team in the league. They were shut down tonight by the Pens, who are second in the league in defense.
• Charlotte’s PP is ranked 6th in the league at a 20.9% success rate. Their PK is 2nd in the league, killing penalties at a 87.2% rate.
• Charlotte’s home PP is 3rd in the league, at 25.6%. WBS road PK is 16th in the league, 82.4%. Charlotte’s home PK ranks them 8th at 86.4% and WBS road PK is 16th with a 81.0% rate.

Stats were good up to this game, but none of it mattered to WBS. In my opinion, a dominating performance by the Penguins.

Brad Thiessen vs. Justin Pogge tonight. Joe Vitale played tonight. Keven Veilleux did not make the trip. Ben Street was the scratch.

First period: Very early, Charlotte came out firing with something like 5 straight shots on goal to start the game, but Brad Thiessen was up to the challenge. Then, Brett Sterling dispossessed a Checker trying to make a clear attempt and passed to Tim Wallace for the 1-0 lead. The Pens would get two power play chances in the first with a Drayson Bowman unsportsmanlike after a whistle and Oskar Osala interference. Lots of back door play by the Pens but no scoring. For the evening, WBS would go 0 for 4 on the man advantage.

Second period: The acting by Charlotte instead of reacting would continue. Joey Mormina really had a great game tonight. Was shut down island. Nothing would really materialize this period until late, Eric Tangradi would throw a knuckle puck at Justin Pogge at 19:45 of the second for a 2-0 lead. At this point the shots were 16-12 WBS.

To this point really a dominating performance by the road team against an up and coming Checkers team. Charlotte is ranked 2nd in the East, 3rd in the Eastern Conference and 8th overall in the league. For WBS to come in and just set up shop and set the tone really sent, in my opinion, a shot across the bow of all the other teams who think they can get close to WBS. You still have to play the games and all, but the mindset in the opposing players minds is such that a game vs. WBS is just not going to come easy.

Third period: Nothing much in the first half of the period. At 9:06, Dustin Jeffrey and Nick Johnson break in on a 2 on 1 and Johnson scores. 40 seconds later Jeffrey comes in on a 3 on 1 and Steve Wagner scores. At this point it is 4-0 and the rout is on. Justin Pogge got the hook and Mike Murphy relieved Pogge in net. Tim Wallace would get whistled for slashing and with :03 left in the penalty Jacob Micflikier would score. Then, Brett Sterling would get tagged for a high stick and Michal Jordan would score his first ever AHL goal to cut the lead to 4-2 at 18:10. It would prove to be too little, too late as Charlotte would pull Murphy and Tangradi would get an easy empty netter at 19:02 to secure the 5-2 win.

Three stars were Dustin Jeffrey, Jacob Micflikier and Eric Tangradi in that order.

Late, Bombulie chimed in on Twitter that he hadn’t seen hide nor hair (no pun intended) of Brian Strait. For what it is worth radio didn’t mention anything and I really didn’t see him out there for the third. We’ll have to see.

We were the only teams in the Division skating. The win puts us 10 points to the good on second with 54 points to Charlotte and Norfolk’s 44. Hershey sits in fourth with 43 points. Binghamton sits in 5th with 36 points. Syracuse and Albany sit six-seven with 32 and 28 points respectively. Adirondack is surging out of the cellar and have 22 points.

Rematch tomorrow. Would love to leave Charlotte with a 12 point lead up on the East. Breathing room. It isn’t going to be easy because Charlotte is going to adjust. But the good thing is so will Wilkes-Barre.

One more thing before I go, congrats to head coach John Hynes on being named co-coach of the Western Conference All-Stars later this month in Hershey.

Let’s Go Pens!

In my opinion the most complete 50 minutes of play the Pens have played all year in a 4-3 Wilkes-Barre win. But wait you say, aren’t there 60 minutes in a hockey game? Yes. The Pens were up 4-1 with about 10 minutes left to play in the third when the Admirals came storming back on two power play goals to make it at least interesting tonight in Wilkes-Barre Township.

John Curry vs. Dustin Tokarski tonight. Joe Vitale did not take warmups.

First period: Keven Veilleux and Tim Marks continued their hate-fest and fought about three minutes in. Decision BeastMode. WBS was controlling play, spending about two good minutes in the offensive zone below the dots. Brett Sterling did everything but score a goal in this game and the game before vs. Hershey. You have to think when he finally does score he will just fill up the nets. Finally Nick Johnson and Geoff Walker came in on a 2 on 1 and Johnson finished it off to open the scoring at 12:01. About 7 minutes later, Bryan Lerg scored on a ridiculous backhanded shot. The first would end 2-0 Pens, with them lead in 14-5 in shots.

Second period: Tim Wallace would be whistled for holding and James Wright would score at 11:24 of the 2nd. Right after that Keven Veilleux took a knee-to-knee hit which put him out of the game. He had to be helped off of the ice. He didn’t put any weight on his right leg when he went off either. Radko Gudas was the culprit on the hit and Geoff Walker fought him. Since Walker apparently wasn’t tied down with the fight strap he was given a game misconduct. No one would score and the period would end 2-1 Penguins with the shots on goal tallying 21-12 WBS.

To this point I felt it was the most complete game of the season for WBS. Finally it would appear the Pens would defeat someone relevant.

Third period: Veilleux did not return. I know where the orthopedic doctor for the team sits across from me and he was absent shortly after the hit. Bombulie said in his postgamer that Keven was icing the area above his knee versus the knee itself. He called it a “good sign.” We’d see two goals waved off this period. The first would come for Norfolk as Curry would be interfered with. As soon as the teams went even strength Ryan Craig would score, then later Steve Wagner would rip a shot that Bryan Lerg would deflect on the power play for a Mike Vernace hold. It looked like the rout would be on. Paul Szczechura would sit for high sticking and Tim Wallace would sc—no he didn’t, that was also waved off by referee Nick Krebsbach, saying it never went in. The goal judge turned the light on but after consultation it was ruled the puck never went in.

In hindsight if we lose this game, that moment is the turning point as Norfolk would score twice on two separate power plays. Robert Bortuzzo cross check would result in a Troy Milam goal and then Bortuzzo would interfere and Matt Fornataro would score to make it 4-3. Norfolk would pull Tokarski late but WBS would hold on for the win.

Bryan Lerg is playing out of his mind right now. 5 goals in 4 games. Someone who literally goes unseen most nights is tearing it up. Brett Sterling is way overdue. When he starts scoring again this team will be unstoppable. Norfolk 3 for 6 on PP. That has to change. We cannot win a playoff series if we continue to allow that.

Some news: Norfolk defenseman Ty Wishart was traded to the New York Islanders tonight in exchange for Islanders goaltender Rick DiPietro. As a result, Cedrick Desjardins was sent back to Norfolk. Jordan Staal made his return back to the Pittsburgh lineup and Chris Conner was scratched tonight. Every man on the Pittsburgh roster would need to clear waivers if put there, so we will see. An over healthy Pittsburgh is always a good thing to have.

Around the Division: Binghamton beat Charlotte 3-0. Bingo played last night at home, bussed to Philly last night and flew to Charlotte this morning. Great win for them and even better for us as 2-3 in the division don’t make up any ground. Break up the Adirondack Phantoms, 2-1 winners over the Albany Devils. Syracuse defeated Rochester 4-1. The Crunch are on a rare winning streak.

Standings: WBS is 8 points up now, with 52 points to Norfolk’s 44. Charlotte has 42 points in third. Hershey is in fourth with 41 points. Bingo is in fifth with 36, Syracuse in sixth with 30, Albany in seventh with 28 and Adirondack in last with 20.

Tomorrow: Bingo and Charlotte have a rematch. Norfolk plays Hershey. Would love to see the 8 point lead preserved and no one else really get closer. Charlotte can tie Norfolk with a win and an Admirals loss. Norfolk can get to 6 points to us again with a win. Hershey can get to 9 points to us with a win. I’m keeping my eyes on both games tomorrow afternoon on AHL Live.

Bombulie already said he’s not going to update unless something huge happens between now and the Pens next game which is Tuesday in Charlotte, so look for the same here on my blog at least, unless I feel creative enough to post an entry between Sunday or Monday.

Go Pens!

One of my biggest concerns tonight in this 1-0 Hershey shutout of Wilkes-Barre here at CONSOL Energy Center in Pittsburgh was the fact that Hershey is “big game tested” by winning two straight Calder Cup Championships. I was concerned that the Pens would come out doe-eyed and be overwhelmed by their surroundings and the opponent. Well partially tonight at least, Hershey’s goal came late in the second off of a Keith Aucoin point shot which batted around and in behind goaltender Brad Thiessen’s net. The Pens would come close more often than not, but “close” only happens in horseshoes and hand grenades.

I could probably leave it at that and call it an evening, but you expect more out of me so here goes…but before we do, my view for this evening:

http://twitter.com/#!/nafsnep/status/20623840379932672

Braden Holtby v. Brad Thiessen tonight. Joe Vitale took warm ups but was the scratch. In his place, Geoff Walker. You have to think Hynes wanted him to test the leg in warm ups to see how it felt and if it felt good sit him and play Saturday v. Norfolk.

Then I saw this guy:

http://twitter.com/#!/nafsnep/status/20631716263624704

Then Tux and Iceburgh had a family reunion I captured:

http://twitter.com/#!/nafsnep/status/20634816496013312

Bobby Day made the trek from Wilkes-Barre to serve as our public address announcer.

Alright. To the game.

First period: Back and forth action. Fourth line had the best shift of the game to that point. The teams would trade penalties which would overlap so we saw 4 on 4 hockey for a spell. No one would score in the feeling out period.

Second period: Before a crowd of 13,567 Corey Potter and Steve Wagner played more shoddy defense which was bailed out again by Brad Thiessen. Brett Sterling was everywhere. He has big game experience in playing for the Chicago Wolves and at Allstate Arena in Rosemont Illinois to a packed house of nearly 10,000 on weekends. You could tell he really wanted to put on a show. Hershey’s sticks were in all of the passing lanes though. More Thiessen seeing the puck well also. Late in the second he gloved a Hershey deflection. Ryan Craig would get whistled for slashing on an odd play where Tim Wallace looked like he took a puck to the teeth. The ensuing power play would see Keith Aucoin score. Jesse Boulerice and Patrick Wellar would fight and the period would end.

At this point and even prior to it, I felt that Wilkes-Barre needed to get scored on to wake up and take control of the game. I was fully expecting something along those lines in the third period.

Third period: More Brett Sterling looking for a goal that never came. Playoff-like intensity was felt by me at least. Folks I spoke with after the game found it to be a boring hockey game. Define boring? Hershey would kill two penalties and that was it. The Pens would pull Thiessen and Dustin Jeffrey and Eric Tangradi would have the game on their sticks but did not score.

Again, it all game down to the “big game” experience I think for Hershey to hang on and win.

Three stars were Keith Aucoin, Brad Thiessen and Braden Holtby.

Around the Division: Charlotte defeated Norfolk in overtime 4-3. That was it. Hershey plays Syracuse tomorrow in a game I will keep my eye on.

Standings: It’s going to get tight around here I think. WBS sticks on 50 points for first. Norfolk sit in second with 44 points. Charlotte has 42 points in third. Hershey has 41 for fourth. Binghamton has 34 points good for fifth. Albany-Syracuse sit in sixth and seventh with 26 points each and Adirondack is last with 16 points.

I return home to Northeastern Pennsylvania tomorrow morning with the booster club. Huge game vs. Norfolk New Years night.

Thanks for having me Pittsburgh. To quote General Douglas MacArthur if I may, “I shall return.”

Go Pens.