Chirps from Center Ice

A fan blog about the AHL's Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins

Category Archives: WBS

Puusty Power! — Pens WIN 3-2

Comments Off on Puusty Power! — Pens WIN 3-2 Posted by on April 15, 2022

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I think we have a playoff preview on our hands. Only thing that is going to need to be decided is who gets the four seed.

The Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins take down the Hershey Bears 3-2 in overtime in comeback fashion. Their tenth goal scored with the goaltender pulled to tie it, then a Valtteri Puustinen power play goal to end it in overtime to win it. The Bears escape with a point, but Wilkes-Barre draws ever so closer to the Bears and the four seed with two games in hand.

Tommy Nappier from THEE Ohio State University opposed Zach Fucale. Here’s how they lined up:

Lineup Notes: Anthony Angello was out and Jamie Devane was back in. Cam Lee replaced Will Reilly. Angello is still dealing with illness.

First Period: Flying start by the Penguins who go up 1-0 on a Kasper Bjorkqvist shot that bleeds through Fucale that gives the Pens a 1-0 lead.

But then Hershey responds in kind on an Ethan Frank power play goal that looks eerily similar to the Hershey power play goals of yore.

Shades of Keith Aucoin setting up Alex Giroux from that very spot. That Frank kid was probably still in elementary school.

The power play goal by Hershey ended the Pens streak of 30 consecutive kills over eight games.

Second Period: No scoring, but the Penguins had a pair of back to back power play tries they were unsuccessful on.

Third Period: Next goal huge, obviously. Hershey scores it on a power play (again) on a  deflection in front by Mason Morelli.

The Penguins thought they scored a goal but referee Justin Kea washed it out immediately on account of a hand pass into the net. Replay confirmed his initial call on the ice. The fans in attendance weren’t happy, but the camera doesn’t lie.

Time dwindling, goal needed, delivered by Radim Zohorna off a deflection from a Juuso Riikola shot that ties the game at two with Nappier pulled with just over two minutes to play.

Overtime: Big save by Nappier :13 in. Brett Leason with a trip :24 in. Valtteri Puustinen a few minutes later on the power play:

Ballgame.

There Stars: 3) Kasper Bjorkqvist (goal) 2) Radim Zohorna (goal) Valtteri Puustinen (goal)

The Good: Nice way to come back there at the end with your backs at the wall. Playoff like intensity and the Pens prevail.

The Bad: Penalty kill was a weak spot when for so long it was a strong suit.

Turning Point: In a game full of them, the Puustinen game winner that ended it gets it here.

Around the Division: Only games that matter were Hartford losing in Toronto 4-1 and Bridgeport beating Lehigh Valley to vault into sixth in the division with a 2-1 overtime win in Allentown.

Standings: 4) Hershey .535 5) Penguins .522 6) Bridgeport .514 7) Hartford .500

I think you can stick a fork in the Wolf Pack.

Wheeling Update: Nailers clinched so its all about seeding for them. They lose to Fort Wayne 2-1 at home.

In the who plays who tomorrow, Hershey is off. This is one of the two games in hand the Pens play Saturday against the Islanders.

Video Highlights: If I see them and can work the edit in…you know the rest.

Let’s Go Pens!

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Ghosts From the Past — Pens LOSE 4-1

Comments Off on Ghosts From the Past — Pens LOSE 4-1 Posted by on April 13, 2022

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Two goals by ex-Lehigh Valley Phantoms in Connor Bunnaman ad German Rubtsov sink the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins tonight, who fell in a 2-0 hole in the first period, an abysmal one at that, and then get a shorthanded goal from Filip Hallander, but then in a tight third period give up a goal and lose 4-1 on Wednesday night.

All isn’t lost however in the division, as the Hershey Bears lose 2-1 to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms and the Hartford Wolf Pack lose 1-0 to the Belleville Senators.

It’s a work night, so let’s blow through this. Louis Domingue opposed Joey Daccord.

Here’s how they lined up:

Lineup Notes: Colin Swoyer made his pro debut.

First Period: A disaster for the Penguins, who played the game in first gear while the Checkers were lapping them on the ice in fifth gear.

Zac Dalpe whiffed on his initial shot, regathers and beats Domingue for a 1-0 Charlotte lead. Later, a turnover and ex-Phantom-now-Checker German Rubtsov scored to make it 2-0 Charlotte. This all the while the Pens were being outshot 10-1. Here were the goals:

Second Period: A much better Penguins period. They stayed step for step with the Checkers and finally get a goal shorthanded by Hallander.

But the Pens had back to back chances before that to score on back to back power plays and missed. Regardless, it was a more inspired period of hockey and a one shot game heading into the…

Third Period: There was this point in the game…

…where the Penguins didn’t or couldn’t score. Then this happened.

Alex True hits an empty net goal to make it 4-1.

Three Stars: 3) Filip Hallander (goal) 2) Joey Daccord (27 saves) 1) German Rubtsov (goal)

The Good: But for the start, they played them pretty decently five on five. But the start is what crippled them and with Charlotte being as good as they are (division leader) a comeback isn’t going to come easy. Also, the Penguins have killed off 30 straight power plays against.

The Bad: Score a frickin’ power play goal when it matters, will ya? 0/5 tonight.

Turning Point: Pick one. Either the two power plays to start the second period or the time where they were 4 on 3 and 5 on 3 and couldn’t get one to go in a one goal game.

Around the Division: I gave you what mattered at the top. Rounding out, Springfield loses to Syracuse 4-2.

Standings: 4) Hershey .536 5) Penguins .515 6) Hartford .507 7) Bridgeport .507

Wheeling Update: Nailers sew up a playoff berth with a 3-2 win in Kalamazoo against the Wings. Cam Hausinger with a pair of goals and Justin Almeida with the other.

Who Plays Who Friday: Hershey is in Wilkes-Barre, Hartford is up in Toronto, Bridgeport is in Allentown.

Video Highlights: 

Back Friday for a big one against the Bears.

Let’s Go Pens!

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Weekend Preview – The Gauntlet

Comments Off on Weekend Preview – The Gauntlet Posted by on April 13, 2022

So the Penguins are probably a playoff team, barring a collapse. That collapse could come this week as there are some really dangerous teams in this week as the home schedule wraps up with three this week and a Tuesday game next. Let’s dive right in.

First up are the Charlotte Checkers who are on a proverbial tear of late. 8-1-1 in their last ten and the first team in the division to wrap up a playoff spot. The Checkers are gunning for the divisional title so signs of letting off and playing the schedule out to gear up for a playoff push are off the table.

Then Hershey comes in. The Bears have been mercurial. They swept the Springfield Thunderbirds at home this past weekend and coming into this week, are five points clear of the Penguins for the four seed.

Finally Bridgeport will be in on Saturday, still smarting from that 9-2 beat down the Penguins laid on them two weeks ago. Don’t think the Islanders will be cooked up for revenge? Think again.

The Setups

Assuming that third place Providence does not fall into the clutches of four on back, let’s just focus on the Bears, Penguins, Wolf Pack and Islanders. I’ll give you the record and games remaining with each capsule. The Bears are fourth in the division, Penguins are fifth, so on and so forth…

Hershey Bears

Record: 33-27-5-4, .543 points percentage, 7 games left.

Bears swept the Thunderbirds at home Saturday and Sunday after dropping a decision in Allentown to last place Lehigh Valley last Friday. Go figure. Have Hershey righted all their wrongs? I don’t think so. It may have been more of a style thing with Springfield really. Last Saturday was a blowout for the Bears and Sunday was much more tighter. The Thunderbirds came from down 2-0 to start the third to force overtime.

Hershey has Lehigh Valley Wednesday, the Pens Friday then Providence on Easter Sunday.

Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins

Record: 31-28-4-4, .522 points percentage, 9 games left.

Boy, they better hope they don’t run into Syracuse in the playoffs because I don’t like their chances. Max Lagace with a 48 save shutout for the Crunch, his second shutout of his former team, and the Pens lose 1-0 in their only game of the weekend last this past Saturday.

Pens have Charlotte Wednesday, Hershey Friday and Bridgeport Saturday.

Hartford Wolf Pack

Record: 30-28-6-2, .515 points percentage, 6 games left. One of the teams only playing 72 games in the division.

Hartford was obliterated in two games in Charlotte then finally beat the Checkers in overtime to stop the skid on Sunday, winning in overtime. If there is a team that I would put money on to miss the playoffs, it’s Hartford. They are 2-7-1 in their last ten and free falling. They have Toronto and Rochester on the road this Friday and Saturday.

Bridgeport Islanders

Record: 29-28-7-4, .507 points percentage, 4 games left.

The Islanders have the fewest games left of all the teams in the division and have to make every game count, sitting outside of a playoff berth. They have this weekend (away at Lehigh Valley Friday, away at Wilkes-Barre Saturday) then next weekend home against Springfield Friday and Hartford Saturday.

That final game against the Wolf Pack may be the biggest game in the AHL this season for both teams.

Who’s Up, Who’s Down, Who’s Out?

Radim Zohorna and Anthony Angello are back from Pittsburgh, so currently there is no one on NHL recall. My guess is defenseman Taylor Fedun is done for the regular season. No one is up from Wheeling and the Pens didn’t make anymore ATO additions.

Who’s in Goal?

You kind of have to go Louis Domingue for all three, right? Or at least Domingue for the first two then reassess everything and see where things are Saturday standings wise? I don’t see a start for Tommy Nappier anywhere with how tight things are getting. If the Pens want to be a playoff team their playoffs start now. You ride your number one till the wheels fall off.

You are likely getting the oppositions number ones also, so Joey Daccord, Pheonix Copley and Jakub Skarek in that order.

What can we learn about the Penguins this week?

Fourth place fell into their lap Friday when they were off and the Bears lost to the Phantoms. Could they get the four seed? Yes, absolutely. Should they stop there and gun for higher? Yes, conceivably. But the four seed, with it being within reach, should absolutely be the goal here. Why? Four plays five in the first round, which is best of three. Three plays six also. The top two teams get byes. Get the four, possibly the three, and have home ice and the luxury of last change in a razor thin best of three series.

Play Charlotte like you did Syracuse, which is not an inch of space for their big guns to run wild, and do the same with a rival in Hershey, then finally put to bed Bridgeport’s playoff hopes with another big win in front of the biggest crowd of the weekend. It’s absolutely conceivable here and should be the number one goal. You want to be the hot team coming into a playoff series, win your best of three in a sweep then catch the higher seed napping in Game 1, steal home ice in that series (which is best of five) and let the chips fall where they may.

That’s how I have it mapped out. But that’s me, from my seats in Section 104, without skates under my feet and without a stick in my hands and pads on my shoulders. These guys have shown flashes of brilliance, so it’s time to put the plan into action.

All six points is a must this week if you want the above to become reality. I think they are OK with 4 out of 6, anything less and it gets crazy tight with the possibility of falling out altogether, depending on the out of town scoreboard.

Who is running the show?

Michael Zyla and Mike Dietrich are here with Tom DellaFranco and Michael Magee on the lines on Wednesday. Justin Kea sets up shop on Friday and Saturday joined by Marc-Olivier Phaneuf with Tyler Loftus and J.P. Waleski on the lines Friday and then on Saturday Peter Schlittenhardt drops by with Kea again and Waleski sticks around too and makes room for Richard Jondo.

Looking ahead…

Pens close out their home schedule with a makeup date next Tuesday against Hershey then head to Providence Friday, Springfield Saturday and Hartford Sunday.

Give us a bold prediction…

In his finest performance of the season, Louis Domingue finally gets his first shutout of the season in one of these games this week.

Weekend Preview

Max’s Deja-Two – Pens LOSE 1-0

Comments Off on Max’s Deja-Two – Pens LOSE 1-0 Posted by on April 9, 2022

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Max Legace did it again.

A few weeks ago, the Crunch goaltender and ex-Penguin beat the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins 1-0. Well, Saturday night in Syracuse, he did it again, shattering a record in the process. His 48 saves against the Penguins breaks a record set in 2002 for total number of saves against in a shutout. The opponent then was Syracuse also.

I mean again, like I said when the Pens lost 1-0 to these Crunch a few weeks ago, you can’t fault them for losing 1-0. They gave up one goal and lost. You’ll win a lot of games at this level only allowing you if opponent to score one goal.

The Penguins better hope they don’t run into the Crunch in the Eastern Conference Finals, if these two teams make it that far.

Louis Domingue opposed Lagace.

Here’s how they lined up:

Lineup Notes: Filip Hallander has yo-yo’d up and down from the NHL and was sent back Saturday afternoon but obviously never made it in time. Thankfully, Alex Nylander was well enough to play, so he replaced Hallander.

First Period: No scoring. Crunch had a would be power play goal taken back on account of a high stick. Pens had a power play too where they pressured but didn’t score. Crunch had a little bit of a push to end the period.

Second Period: Pens bombed the Crunch for 21 shots in the period but Max Lagace kept them all out. Crunch score a goal early in the period when Gemel Smith takes a pass and scores on the back door to give the Crunch an early 1-0 lead that was the only scoring of the period.

Third Period: Penguins had essentially back to back back power plays and didn’t score on them. Later, they pull Domingue for the extra attacker and couldn’t set up offensively and Sam Poulin took a slashing penalty. It was elementary after that.

Three Stars: I don’t know why Darren Raddysh (the third star) and Fredrick Claesson (the second star) were named as such, they didn’t have any points. The first star was of course Lagace with his 48 saves.

The Good: Syracuse is a good team and the Penguins have stayed with them step for step.

The Bad: Syracuse is a good team that has the Penguins figured out, beating them in back to back shutouts.

Turning Point: Hafta think that failing to score on back to back power plays in the third period was the fate that sealed it for the Penguins.

Around the Division: Hershey beats Springfield 5-2, Providence beats Bridgeport 6-2.

Standings: 4) Hershey .537 5) Pens .522 6) Hartford .508 7) Bridgeport .508

Who Plays Who Sunday: Hartford plays their third in Charlotte…Lehigh Valley visits Bridgeport…Springfield and Hershey rematch in Hershey.

Wheeling Update: Nailers lose 4-3 at home to Toledo. Sam Houde and Josh Maniscalco scored in the loss.

Video Highlights:

More this week, Charlotte is in midweek.

Let’s Go Pens!

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Spookin’ Gruden — Pens WIN 3-1

Comments Off on Spookin’ Gruden — Pens WIN 3-1 Posted by on April 6, 2022

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What the heck is it going to take for the Penguins to get Louis Domingue a shutout?

Domingue made 30 saves and put on a master class in goal yet again for the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins who defeat the Lehigh Valley Phantoms 3-1 Wednesday.

A shorthanded goal by Jonathan Gruden stands up as the game winner and Gruden’s empty net goal, when the Penguins were feeling the pressure nursing a one goal lead late, sealed it.

The Penguins vault to fifth in the Atlantic Division over the idle Hartford Wolf Pack. More on all this in a bit.

Domingue opposed Felix Sandstrom.

Here’s how they lined up:

Lineup Notes: Alex Nylander was out with a non-COVID illness. Nathan Legare went in for him.

First Period: Sam Poulin opens the scoring for the Pens off a rebound of a Felix Robert shot that went like this.

Good pace by the Pens in the period who were rewarded with a lead.

Second Period: Penguins weren’t doing themselves any favors, taking three straight penalties in the period, but on that third penalty, like a charm, Jonathan Gruden takes a Drew O’Connor pass and scores to give the Penguins a cushion and a 2-0 lead.

Third Period: Pens put up a paltry three shots. Louis Domingue earned his bread and bailed the Penguins out time after time. He was beat by a nice Hayden Hodgson wrist shot that finally put the Phantoms on the board.

(no GIF here)

Phantoms were pressuring. But with time dwindling, they call timeout. Jonathan Gruden scored into an empty net.

If you are thinking to yourself he does this a lot (scoring into empty nets) you are right. It was his fourth empty net goal of the season.

That took off a ton of pressure. The win by the Penguins should finally quell the pseudo hope that the Phantoms had at making playoffs.

Three Stars: 3) Sam Poulin (goal) 2) Louis Domingue (30 saves) 1) Jonathan Gruden (two goals)

The Good: Needed this to get up to fifth and they got it. I liked the methodical takedown of the Phantoms. Also, shout out to the penalty kill. It has been stout, which was on full display tonight.

The Bad: Where would they be if they didn’t have Louis Domingue? They need to get this man his overdue shutout.

Turning Point: The Gruden empty netter took off the immense pressure that the Phantoms were laying on. Rare that an empty net goal does it, but I think it was the turning point.

Around the Division: Rare that on a Wednesday, no other divisional action exists.

Standings: 3) Providence .600 4) Hershey .538 5) Penguins .530 6) Hartford .534 7) Bridgeport .500

Who Plays Who: Hartford plays their first of three in Charlotte Thursday. On Friday, Bridgeport hosts Providence. Hartford and Charlotte rematch. Lehigh Valley hosts Hershey.

Wheeling Update: Nailers beat the Iowa Heartlanders out in Iowa 6-4. Justin Almeida and Patrick Watling score goals.

Video Highlights: If I see them and can work the edit in, it will go here.

Enjoy the Friday off. Let’s Go Pens!

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Weekend Preview – Devil in the Details

Comments Off on Weekend Preview – Devil in the Details Posted by on April 6, 2022

Hold on…

…sorry about that. I was checking to see if the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins were finished scoring goals on the Bridgeport Islanders.

After a nine goal explosion on the Islanders and other out of town implosions on the scoreboard, the Penguins find themselves in a tight race for what could be at best a four seed and at worse a ticket to an early summer.

Here’s a look at the standings as we enter Wednesday.

4 – Hershey Bears: 10 games remaining, 31-26-5-4, .538 points percentage
5 – Hartford Wolf Pack: 9 games remaining, 29-26-6-2, .524 points percentage
6 – WBS Penguins: 11 games remaining, 30-27-4-4, .523 points percentage
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7 – Bridgeport Islanders: 7 games remaining, 27-27-7-4, .500 points percentage

Bridgeport and Hartford are playing 72 games, The Penguins and Bears are playing 76.

So, as fortunes would have it, the Penguins go from, “shaky ground” from last weeks preview to the possibility of a four seed, if they continue to pile up wins and the out of town scores break their way.

The Setups

I think that with less than a month to play in the regular season and the Penguins in a playoff battle that I look at the weekend for not only the Penguins but the three other teams that the Penguins are battling. Just brief words. Here we go.

Hershey Bears

Were swept in Charlotte and played Bridgeport in a kids day game Tuesday. They won that game against the Islanders 4-3 in overtime, their 3000th win in franchise history. Despite this, the Bears are in free fall mode. They are 3-5-1-1 in their last ten. Their schedule doesn’t relent, they host the Atlantic Division leading Springfield Thunderbirds this weekend for a pair after a stop in Allenton on Friday.

Hartford Wolf Pack

No one has been worse than Hartford. 2-7-1 in their last ten. Eked out an OT loser point Monday in Providence. Now head to Charlotte for three this weekend.

Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins

Played a close one in Allentown against a too little, too late Phantoms team and lost. Flipped that into an obliteration of the Bridgeport Islanders where they scored nine unanswered goals, including five in the second period. There’s a lot to like about the Penguins right now. Goaltender Louis Domingue is keeping them in games and they are finally getting offense. They still lack a finisher and are prone to clunkers as you saw in Allentown on Friday. Calder Cup favorite? Hardly. Playoff team? Maybe.

Pens host Lehigh Valley Wednesday then take a Saturday trip to Syracuse.

Bridgeport Islanders

Got smoked Saturday in Wilkes-Barre as the more rested team. Played Tuesday morning against the Bears and as you saw above lost 4-3 in overtime. Bridgeport has cooled off considerably over these last two games played vs. how they came into last weekend. Still, a very dangerous team and one you have to keep an eye on.

Islanders host Providence for a home and home this Friday / Saturday, then Lehigh Valley stops in Sunday.

The Records

Are above. I may scrap this going forward this season.

Syracuse plays Toronto Wednesday and Springfield on Friday before hosting the Pens Saturday. They are third in the North, 32-24-6-2 with a .563 points percentage in an ultra competitive North Division where you literally can go from a top seed to an out of playoff seed in one game. There is no margin for error in that division.

Who’s Up, Who’s Down, Who’s Out?

Radim Zohorna and Anthony Angello are still up. There is no one up from Wheeling because it its ATO season. Pens didn’t make any additions in that department. Taylor Fedun is still out, my guess is the rest of the regular season.

Who is in Goal?

I would like the record to indicate I was 6/6 in my predictions last week. That said, I’ll probably go 0/4 this week. Got to think Domingue gets both games, Felix Sandstrom for the Phantoms and probably ex-Penguin Max Lagace Saturday in Syracuse.

Fun fact…this is the first trip to Syracuse for the Penguins this season.

What can we learn about the Penguins this week?

They need to beat teams that they should beat (the Phantoms) and beat teams that are slightly better than them (Syracuse) if they want to make us fans believe that they are serious contenders for 1) a playoff spot and 2) a serious push in the Calder Cup Playoffs.

I will believe it when I see it. The Pens will be playing the caliber of what is an essentially a playoff mode / intense Syracuse Crunch team Saturday. You can expect a playoff like intense game, kind of what you experienced Saturday. If the Penguins don’t stand and deliver in Syracuse, the Crunch will flatten them and the Pens will be back at square one again.

Aren’t you overlooking Lehigh Valley?

I am, slightly. Look, this team is done and this talk about their mythological playoff push is nonsense. They exist to play spoiler, nothing more, in a faint-but-not-impossible push to the six seed in the Atlantic.

The Penguins though, can’t mess around with a team like this, especially at home. Get to them early so you don’t have to worry about them late.

Who is running the show?

Jim Curtain and Mason Riley get the assignment Wednesday with Jud Ritter and CJ Murray on the lines Wednesday. Saturday sees Jordan Deckard and Marc-Oliver Phaneuf with Brian Wasilewski and Tory Carissimo on the lines.

Looking ahead…

Four game homestand to close out the regular season for the Pens; Charlotte in a makeup game next Wednesday, Hershey Friday and Bridgeport on Saturday. So three crucial games that the Penguins have to prepare for, but in order to do that they must first address the current week ahead.

Give us a bold prediction…

The Penguins will not finish sixth in the Atlantic Division.

Weekend Preview

Bridgepounded — Pens WIN 9-2

Comments Off on Bridgepounded — Pens WIN 9-2 Posted by on April 2, 2022

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Biggest game of the season, and the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins, having lost the night before to the last place Lehigh Valley Phantoms, come home in front of a sellout crowd ad throttle the Bridgeport Islanders 9-2 Saturday night to reclaim the sixth and final playoff spot in the Atlantic Division.

The nine goals is the most they have score since 2010 against Albany. Seven goal scorers, 15 skaters recorded a point.

The Penguins throttled the Islanders, plain and simple. Ran them out of the building. Perhaps this is a message for the rest of the division. Maybe it’s a one off. But the Islanders had something the Penguins wanted more tonight and it showed.

Louis Domingue opposed Jakub Skarek. Here’s how they lined up: 

Islanders didn’t post lines: 

Lineup Notes: Shuffles to the lines, Jamie Devane for Nathan Legare otherwise. 

First Period: Didn’t go well for the Penguins in the first 14 or so minutes of the game, they fell down 2-0 after getting run around by Bridgeport. Islanders moved their feet, Pens caught looking and standing around, and they were down 2-0. Austin Czarnik off a nice pass from Michael Dal Colle then later Chris Terry on a deflection in front to make it 2-0. 

https://twitter.com/ahlislanders/status/1510384925123436546?s=21&t=HN3KoNndR8SuVps2ALO88Q

That finally got the Pens going somehow because Alex Nylander put home a rebound of a Cam Lee shot to put Wilkes-Barre on the board. 

You could tell there was life in the body cause every stoppage had pushing and shoving. 

Second Period: An absolute barrage of goals for the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins. 

Two goals :20 apart, a third a minute later. It was a deluge. 

Sam Poulin first, Jamie Devane second then the minute later, Felix Robert, prompting Brent Thompson to call his time out. The Islanders we’re shell shocked. It was Super Hero night at the Arena and it was if the Islanders (the bad guys) awoken the beast. 

But they weren’t done! After a penalty kill, the Penguins tacked on two more goals to make it a five goal outburst for the period. 

Kyle Olson with an innocuous backhander that beats Skarek somehow then Michael Chaput off a rebound of a Mitch Reinke shot that made it 6-2. 

To quote Tom Grace, that period was OK air you like perfect. 

Third Period: Thompson went with Ken Appleby to start the period. 

It didn’t matter to Drew O’Connor. 

:38 in…

And then later, on a power play Sam Poulin nets his second on a breakaway. Total breakdown by Bridgeport here. 

O’Connor would score the ninth goal with 1:01 left and some of the fans left were chanting for ten goals.

What a response from the night before, where they hung with and let a worse team in the standings in Lehigh Valley beat them. 

There is there, there with this team. 

Three Stars: 3) Juuso Riikola (three assists) 2) Drew O’Connor (two goals) 1) Sam Poulin (two goals)

The Good: Nice response after going down two there. They picked themselves off the mat, fought back, drew blood, broke bones, stomped a mud hole and walked it dry.

The Bad: Didn’t like the start, a better team than Bridgeport probably doesn’t allow nine straight scored on them.

Turning Point: The barrage to start the second gets it here. The Islander were hit by a truck, then another truck, then a freight train.

Around the Division: Roses for the Pens on the out of town scoreboard. Hershey loses 3-1 in Charlotte. Hartford loses 8-5 in Syracuse. Those are the only scores that really matter for the Pens. Springfield clips Belleville 4-3 in overtime. Lehigh Valley beats Utica 3-2.

Standings: 4) Hershey .531 – 5) Hartford .524 6) Penguins .523 – 7) Bridgeport .508

Wheeling Update: Nailers were off.

Who Plays Who Tomorrow: Bridgeport is in Allentown.

Video Highlights: Pens will have them. It will probably take them all night to upload the goals.

More as it comes, as I see it. If not, talk to you Wednesday morning setting up the week, starting with Lehigh Valley on Wednesday.

Let’s Go Pens!

Postgamer

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