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So the Charlotte Checkers lost 4-0 to the Hershey Bears Saturday night and the Hershey Bears lost twice to the Providence Bruins Wednesday and Friday and the Penguins beat the Bruins in overtime on Saturday.
Looking at all of that, you would think that the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins would cream a Charlotte Checkers team that came into Sunday afternoon in fifth place in the Atlantic Division and 13 points behind the Penguins.
Wrong.
A 6-2 Charlotte thrashing of the Penguins who were out of it from the drop and thanks to Filip Larsson, would have probably lost by ten or more.
Wait, what? Larsson was the one giving up all those goals you big bald oaf! Technically, yes, but you are wrong if you blame him for the loss. Did he let the Checkers get 37 shots off? No. That’s the defenseman’s job. Did he take four penalties? No, but the Checkers did score two power play goals.
You could have put Marty Brodeur in net for the Penguins today, with the way that they played as a unit, they were not winning the game.
So the moral of the story? There are no scheduled wins in the AHL.
Charlotte is a good team. They are structured, but the standings place shows otherwise. There is a team in Grand Rapids, Michigan that have a 22-1-0-1 record. That one regulation loss? It was the Checkers that beat them. Maybe it’s a style thing, where they play better against better competition. Don’t get me wrong, the Penguins are a great team, but they are prone to clunkers. Hershey two weeks ago. Charlotte Sunday. When they are bad, they are bad.
Anyway, let’s move this along. Here’s how they lined up:
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Lineup Notes: Raivis Ansons and Zach Gallant out for Rafaël Harvey-Pinard and Nolan Renwick. I’m glad that whatever it was that kept Harvey-Pinard out Saturday was minor. On defense, Scooter Brickey replaced Sebastian Aho. Coal Street recalled recalled David Breazeale from Wheeling earlier in the day. Matt Dumba should debut for the Penguins on Tuesday.
First Period: You could feel it. They were being outshot 7-2 and Larsson was holding the fort. Then they get a goal from William Dufour and you think that they can just turn it on and turn it off like truly elite teams do.
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Second Period: Chase Pietila gets absolutely worked by by Gracyn Sawchyn and the Checkers score.
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Sick backhand. Larsson didn’t have a chance.
Jack Devine and Robert Mastrosimone scored power play goals. Devine’s goal came on a five on three and Mastrosimone’s came off of a bonehead Penguins too many men penalty.
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Phil Tomasino tips in a Chase Pietila shot to bring the Penguins back within two and you think that we aren’t going to take it anymore and the epic come back is on, right?
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Wrong!
Brian Pinho scores :40 later and re-establishes the Checkers two goal lead.
https://twitter .com/CheckersHockey/status/2000330380415832526
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Third Period: Ryan McAllister scores :47 in and that buried the Penguins for good. Think Carol putting pavers over Helen’s grave in Pluribus buried.
(Charlotte didn’t GIF up the third period goals)
Wilmer Skoog scored the sixth goal to pile on.
With the Penguins net empty Owen Pickering takes a tripping penalty which just turned a bad game worse fro the defensive corps. Particularly, I thought Pickering was bad. This guy is an NHL defender? I ain’t seeing it and haven’t been seeing it for a while.
Three Stars: 3) Trevor Carrick (two assists) 2) Jack Devine (goal, assist) 1) Robert Mastrosimone (goal)
The Good: I turned 47 today and don’t feel old. I have a VO2 Max in the low 50s per my Apple Watch and as long as that stays higher than my age, I will take it.
The Bad: My favorite professional sports team let me down on my big day in a big way.
Turning Point: Pick one. The. back to back power play goals or the Skoog goal :47 into the third.
Around the Division: Bridgeport wins in overtime in Belleville 4-3. That was it.
Standings: Penguins and Bruins 39 – Lehigh Valley 29 – Charlotte 28 – Herhsey 27 – Hartford and Bridgeport 22 – Springfield 19
Wheeling Update: Nailers were off.
Video Highlights: I doubt you will want to see these. VideoCenter is the best bet.
They rematch with the Checkers Tuesday at 7. You should hope for a much different result.
Let’s Go Pens!