Chirps from Center Ice

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4                                  5

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Playoffs are a different animal man.

The Penguins, 20 points better than the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in the regular season, are swept in the First Round of the Calder Cup Playoffs on Friday night 5-4 2:11 into overtime on a Jacob Gaucher game winning goal.

The Phantoms will advance to the Atlantic Division Semifinals where they will face the Hershey Bears. The Pens will go home.

Wilkes-Barre had a 3-1 lead in the third period, then disaster struck. I don’t want to spoil the story for you, so please read on.

Lines were…

Lineup Notes: Marc Johnstone returned from injury, replacing Matt Filipe. On defense, Scooter Brickey from THEE Ohio State University was in for Dmitri Samorukov.

First Period: Wilkes-Barre seemed a step quicker than the Phantoms with their backs against the wall facing elimination. They kind of needed a quick start and got one 2:17 into the game when Valtteri Puustinen deflected a Jack Rathbone shot that put the Penguins ahead 1-0.

Penguins had three power plays in the period to the Phantoms one. Corey Andonovski had a shorthanded bid and, like he attempted in Game 1 on similar circumstances, tried to go five hole on Cal Petersen but Petersen read the play well then and read the play the same way in Game 2.

Second Period: Theme this period was the Penguins power play and inability to score on same. They had a carry over power play to open the period and didn’t score. They got another crack at 2:30 and didn’t score. Then the scales tipped into the favor of the home team. Lehigh Valley gets a chance on the power play and didn’t score but the Pens survive a scare of sorts when the red light comes on behind Blomqvist but the puck didn’t even enter the crease. Wilkes-Barre navigates out of this, but then the Phantoms get another crack at another power play and Ronnie Attard cashes and ties the game at one at 9:19.

Joel Blomqvist spills a rebound of the initial Attard shot there, bodies bussing in front and Attard picks the near corner.

Deflating, yes, as the Phantoms started running downhill and got some momentum back. But then Louie Belpedio puts a puck over glass for a delay of game and six seconds into the ensuing power play which followed, Radim Zohorna did this…

Big goal here on a rebound off a shot from Hinostroza from the point, and the Wilkes-Barre re-establishes the lead.

2:52 later and Ville Koivunen finds a streaking Jack Rathbone in the slot and Rathbone wires one home that gives Wilkes-Barre a two goal advantage.

I ragged on Jack Rathbone earlier in the year. I will admit that he has come into his own and has scored big goals late down the stretch for the Penguins.

Third Period: So the Phantoms have eight comeback wins this season.

The Penguins hit a disaster stretch of 2:43.

First, Jonathan Gruden was called for a check to the head when the replay clearly didn’t show contact.

Then on the power play in a scrum, Xavier Ouellet legitimately cross checks Rhett Gardner in the back and that put the Phantoms on a five on three for :38.

:16 into that, Emil Andrae scored.

But :22 after that, Tanner Laczynski tied the game at three on the back end of the two man advantage. There was some debate as to whether the shot was directed in legally with a high stick, but after a conference between linesmen Ryan Jackson and Jud Ritter, referees Jack Young and Jordan Deckard allowed the goal to stand. You be the judge.

Scoresheet credited the goal to Laczynski, not Brink as Bob Rotruck gleefully indicates above.

The Penguins gave up another power play but Wilkes-Barre navigated clean out of that.

Radim Zohorna to the rescue?

That was a hell of a pass by Valtteri Puustinen there that reestablished the Penguins lead with 3:48 to play. All five Penguins touched the puck on the play.

But, :34 later, Tanner Laczynski scored again to tie the game at four. Sam Poulin was tripped behind the play, no call. Marc Johnstone tackled in the corner, no call.

Suffice to say that Jordan Deckard and Jack Young shouldn’t see another playoff game this season. They will, but they shouldn’t.

No one else scored. It was off to…

Overtime: The Penguins didn’t record a shot, the Phantoms had a quick start and a hot finish.

Defensive zone face-off win. Brandon Furry with the initial shot, Joel Blomqvist with the save, but Jacob Gauthier there for the rebound to put the Phantoms through and the Penguins to the offseason.

Three Stars: 3) Emil Andrade (goal, assist) 2) Tanner Laczynski (two goals) 1) Jacob Gaucher (game winning overtime goal)

The Good: Overall positive season. They finished third, got better as the season wore on and got a playoff spot.

The Bad: Another early playoff exit. Will they ever win the big one? Faceoffs were an issue all series. They got killed in the dot in Game 1, and as you just saw they lose a face-off in the offensive zone which ultimately ended their season.

Turning Point: The 2:43 of madness that they seem to find themselves in the postseason sees Lehigh Valley score a pair of goals in :22, steals all the momentum and they ride the rail to overtime, where they can’t win a face-off and lose on a rush and a rebound that ends their season way too early.

Listen, I didn’t like their chances against the Providence Bruins if they got there. What we are doing is meaningless, because Hershey is the overwhelming favorite in the posteseason, but then sometimes these underdog teams like the Phantoms go on runs and upset everything in their way. Can the Phantoms beat Hershey? I don’t think so. But I’m also the guy that said the Penguins would sweep the team that just swept them.

So that’s it. Thanks for following along again for another season. Lots of woody banter with most of you which I appreciate.

I’ll be around, I may do a player grade thing like I did at the end of last season here and will be around on Twitter and will still pay attention to the Calder Cup Playoffs here to see the Colorado Eagles win the Calder Cup.

Talk to you soon.

Let’s Go Pens!

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2                                   1

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I guess the easiest thing going for me is that for as long as the Penguins are on the brink of elimination, I am going to whip out this headline because the theme for this postseason from Coal Street is, “Let ‘Em Cook” – just so you know.

A lot of chemists out there all of a sudden.

I say that because of the 2-1 setback the Lehigh Valley Phantoms dealt the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins in Game 1 of their First Round series Wednesday night and all of the chemists out there saying that due to “chemistry” it was one of the reasons the Penguins are already facing elimination.

Game 2 goes Friday from Allentown.

So, by these peoples logic, they would allow Raivis Ansons to play over Valtteri Puustinen because Ansons has been on the team all season here in the AHL and Puustinen hasn’t. All of these new players and this influx is allegedly messing with the “chemistry” all of a sudden. They complain when Pittsburgh takes the players then blame it on chemistry when they return them.

Going a step further, the Penguins would have about 24 points this season and would have only won 12 games if the chemistry argument was to believed, what with the constant lineup changes and recalls and injuries.

No, tonights game was a game of inches.

About midway through the first period in a then scoreless contest, Jonathan Gruden fed Matt Filipe on a two on one rush. Filipe received the pass, shot it into a wide open net but Cal Petersen was there for a diving save, knocking the puck out of the direction of the net with the backside of the glove.

Lehigh Valley strikes at 14:37 of the first when Adam Brooks sneaks in a shot through the right armpit of Joel Blomqvist and it was 1-0 to the visitors.

Inches.

Then, just :58 into the second period and the Penguins desperate for a response after getting run over in the last 10 minutes of the first period, Rhett Gardner, a Penguins killer, sweeps in a pinballing puck off an uncorralled rebound from Blomqvist and it’s 2-0.

There were multiple problems facing the Penguins in Game 1. None of it had anything to do with chemistry.

• Want. Phantoms played hungrier and a perfect road game, taking the fans out of it early after the first TV time out, dominating possession time.
• Bodies. Wilkes-Barre was manhandled below the dots in Game 1. The Phantoms played the game from the bottom up and it seemed to work.
• Joel Blomqvist was shaky. Remember he’s a rookie and this is his first playoff series. A lot of brass in the building tonight as well. He’s human and pressure busts pipes.

Ville Koivunen scored his first North American pro goal off a deft feed from Sam Poulin far side late in the second which gave Wilkes-Barre life.

He was acquired in the trade for Jake Guentzel and early returns on him were positive. He skated on a line with Poulin and Puustinen.

Nothing doing in the third for either side. I counted three posts that the Phantoms rang in the game, two in the second and one in the third. Evenly played period for the most part with a lot of play and not many whistles. It seemed at times that referees Jim Curtin and Riley Brace threw out the AHL rulebook because I counted a few blatant cross checks and trips that went uncalled that three weeks ago puts a team on a power play. They were fine. The Penguins did not lose the game because of the officiating.

Here’s how they lined up…

Lineup Notes: Jonathan Gruden (injury return) Tristan Broz and the aforementioned Ville Koivunen made their season debuts for the Penguins. No changes defensively from the last regular season game.

I, for one, didn’t particularly like the play of Dmitri Samorukov or Ryan Shea Wednesday. The Phantoms owned the ice from the dots down and Samorukov and Shea were a part of that, in part. I saw chatter about Taylor Fedun having a poor night, I didn’t notice him much which is a good thing in my book, your mileage may vary.

Three Stars: 3) Ville Koivunen (goal) 2) Cal Petersen (21 saves) 1) Rhett Gardner

The Good: Future is bright it would seem with Koivunen. He comes from overseas where they play on bigger ice but didn’t look out of place at all.

The Bad: I don’t know what defensive adjustments J.D. Forrest has at his disposal. I’m not advocating for placing Owen Pickering or Emil Pieniniemi in there for Game 2 with the season on the line. He may be in a box here.

Turning Point: I think it’s below…

Here’s your highlights…

The Petersen save on Filipe is right around the minute mark of the video. An argument can be had that if that goes in, it’s a different result for the Penguins maybe because it completely would turn the tide in the game. Since it really was just a save on just a shot, if you want to give it to Gardner and his goal :58 into the second period that made it 2-0, I am not going to stop you.

Game 2 is Friday with the season on the line. They better be ready.

I really am not looking forward to a Sunday at 5 p.m. start in Wilkes-Barre with both teams seasons on the line. Que será, será.

Let’s Go Pens!

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2                                0

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21 saves by Ludovic Waeber and the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins seal the third spot in the Atlantic Division with 87 points and a First Round date with the team that they defeated Saturday in the season finale in the Phantoms with a 2-0 win.

Here’s the First Round schedule.

For gods sake I hope it ends in a sweep because the last damn thing I want to do is come to a Sunday home game that starts at 5. And if there is overtime? On a Sunday? Which is a work night?! Egads!

Here’s how they lined up…

If some of those names on the Phantoms don’t sound familiar, it’s because they aren’t, Lehigh Valley, locked into the six seed, dressed a greener lineup and rested regulars.

Lineup Notes: Evan Vierling and Isaac Belliveau were sent to Wheeling Saturday afternoon. Scooter Brickey and Matt Quercia also yielded for the Pittsburgh reinforcements.

First Period: No scoring. No penalties. Slow start. Moving on…

Second Period: Teams traded penalties. Sam Poulin scored on a nice feed from Valtteri Puustinen and that gave the Penguins a 1-0 lead.

Great vision by Puustinen to find a streaking Poulin and better finish by Poulin for the goal.

Third Period: Penguins carried a penalty kill into the period but on the expiration of that Radim Zohorna finished off a tic tac toe play with Vinnie Hinostroza and the aforementioned Puustinen again that made it 2-0 Penguins.

My initial thought was Hinostroza was going to shoot there and it looked like he kinda did, but it was a pass to the front for the redirect by Zohorna and in.

Really it’s about uneventful hockey and just getting out clean, and that’s what they did here. Waeber, facing a more inexperienced lineup, only faced six Phantoms shots in the third.

Three Stars: 3) Alexei Kolosov (22 saves) 2) Sam Poulin (goal) 1) Ludovic Waeber (21 save shutout)

The Good: 87 points is about 10-15 points higher than I thought they would finish. They surprises all of us, and are getting hot at the right time. Maybe, just maybe…

The Bad: Not found. They sewed up the three seed and their backup goaltender got a shutout.

Turning Point: The Zohorna goal that made it two gets it here.

Around the Division: Charlotte beats Hershey 4-1. The Bears will not finish with the best points percentage in AHL history, that dubious distinction remains with our friends on the Southern Tier of New York and the Binghamton Rangers. Bridgeport beats Providence 4-1….Hartford beats Springfield 6-4.

Standings: Hershey 111 – Providence 91 – Penguins 87 – Charlotte 85 – Hartford 78 – Lehigh Valley 71 – Springfield 65 – Bridgeport 59

Wheeling Update: The Nailers needed a win in Game 2 and got one in a big way winning 7-1 in Indy over the Fuel. That series is tied 1-1. Justin Addamo had four assists. Evan Vierling had a pair of goals.

Video Highlights: Aren’t up yet. To the AHL VideoCenter you go.

I will have a generalized Calder Cup Preview from start to finish for you likely Tuesday here and we will just roll into Game 1 from there. I like their chances in the First Round against Lehigh Valley. Not so much against Providence in the next round. Explained more in depth Tuesday for you.

Let’s Go Pens!

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2                                  3

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Depending on your view of this one, a 4-3 Penguins loss in Hartford on Friday, the Penguins…

…sleptwalked through two periods and found themselves down 2-0 but then used a pair of goals in short order to tie the game, but got bit late on a 5-on-3 power play goal from the hosts.
…took way too many penalties (seven) in the contest and with the combination of a slow start crippled with having to kill 14 minutes of penalties ion a 60 minute hockey game, the results are what they are.

So it could have been way worse, but it wasn’t.

The bad news is that Providence beat Springfield and the Penguins cannot get to the second seed and first round bye. So they will be in the first round playing a best of three, we just don’t know against who, because they still haven’t nailed down the three seed yet.

Let’s get to that later.

Here’s how they lined up. Hartford didn’t post lines:

Lineup Notes: From Sunday in Hershey, it was Jagger Joshua for Logan Pietila up front and Owen Headrick for Isaac Belliveau on defense. Ryan Shea cleared waivers at 2 thus making him eligible for assignment to the AHL and the Penguins released Emil Järventie and defenseman Kalle Kangas from their ATOs.

First Period: Wasn’t good. It’s a good thing Joel Blomqvist is as decorated as he was this past week because he was busy in the first, stopping all 12 shots faced and stymying the Hartford power play three times. Wilkes-Barre had just a paltry three shots on goal.

Second Period: Bryan Yoon, playing in his second AHL game, breaks the deadlock with a rebound of a Bobby Trivigno shot that made it 1-0 Hartford.

Shots at the end of the second were 21-9 Wolf Pack. The Penguins could not get out of their own way.

Third Period: It continued into the third period. Nik Brouillard scored just :43 in to make it 2-0 Hartford.

But then, two goals in :39 for the Penguins had them tied and the Wolf Pack stunned.

First Jack Rathbone floated to the slot and snapped a shot home that made it 2-1 Pens.

Then Austin Rueschhoff, skating in his 200th AHL game, scored against his former team and tied the game at two.

But the Penguins continued to battle penalties and found themselves on the wrong end of a 5-on-3 and it was Nic Petan that scored to make it 3-2.

The Penguins, with Blomqvist pulled for the extra attacker, had a power play late but could not find the equalizer.

Three Stars: 3) Jack Rathbone (goal, assist) 2) Nikolas Brouillard (goal, assist) 1) Nic Petan (goal, assist)

The Good: I liked the scoring in flashes. They went down swinging.

The Bad: Gotta clean up the penalties and I didn’t like the fact that Hartford couldn’t win to save their arse two weeks ago, look like a well oiled machine and are getting hot at the right time all of a sudden.

Turning Point: The Petan gets it here.

Around the Division: Lehigh Valley takes the final spot in the Atlantic and qualify for the playoffs with a 3-0 shutout win in Bridgeport….Providence beats Springfield and earn a first round bye with a 4-2 win.

Standings: Hershey 111 – Providence 91 – Penguins 85 – Charlotte 83 – Hartford 76 – Lehigh Valley 71 – Springfield 65 – Bridgeport 57

Wheeling Update: Nailers lose Game 1 of Kelly Cup Playoffs in Indy 5-2. Dillon Hamiluk had a goal for the Nailers in the loss.

Video Highlights: AHL Video Center is probably your best bet for you sickos.

They wrap the regular season tomorrow in Allentown. Talk to you then.

Let’s Go Pens!

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5                                    1

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A perfect six point weekend thanks to a 5-1 win Sunday afternoon over the Lehigh Valley Phantoms have the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins just four points off the Providence Bruins.

Now the Bruins will have a game in hand on the Penguins, but for the Penguins the inconceivable is now believable and the Penguins may have a shot at a first round bye.

To get there however, they will need to get through Hershey, whom they play twice next weekend in a home and home.

But let’s talk about that next weekend.

Here’s how they lined up:

 

Lineup Notes: Jansen Harkins was down on an unannounced conditioning stint. He and Matthew Quercia were in for Jagger Joshua and Logan Pietila with Taylor Fedun in for Owen Headrick.

First Period: Penalty marred first, set the tone for the game with the way that it went. The Penguins got a shorthanded goal from Jack Rathbone that put them on the board first off a very nice feed from Avery Hayes.

Joel Blomqvist was sharp, really all game, and had three stops late all in quick succession.

Second Period: Penguins get a power play goal just :11 in from Vinnie Hinostroza.

Big news coming out of the game was the uncalled knee on knee hit that Garrett Wilson threw on Ty Smith.

You be the judge here. It was away from the play, predatory, and Smith didn’t return to the game.

On the very next shift, referees Mike Sullivan and Mike Zyla nabbed Wilson for a booking penalty putting the Penguins on the power play.

I’ve seen refs at this level come and go. Seen it all from good ones like Jeff Smith and Jim Curtain to abstract disasters like Nygel Pelletier, Dave Banfield and others. It usually follows a pattern. They get an NHL contract (Banfield was one of the refs involved in that Pens / Islanders fiasco from years ago) are so inept at the action at the NHL level that their contract isn’t renewed and it leaves them to toil in the minors for the rest of their lives. Banfield. Reid Anderson is another I can think of off the top of my head who was NHL contracted, fired, and now finishing out his career as a ref back in the AHL. Well, Mike Sullivan is one also. What’s likely the case here is his NHL contract isn’t being renewed and he’s banished to AHL work (I’ve seen his name a lot these past few weeks) and this is what you’re left with. Garrett Wilson was suspended three games earlier in the season for elbowing Ty Smith in the head. There’s a history here. To not watch out for that, especially when those two are on the ice, is unacceptable in a four man system.

Yeah, I get it. Human element, fast game, etc. I get it. But Sullivan was questionable Friday vs. Cleveland and was equally as awful if not worse Sunday. Rare that I go off on a tangent about AHL officials anymore because it has gotten better, but it’s a loss for Wilkes-Barre losing their highest point producer to a goon in front of an inept officiating crew.

Moving on…

Third Period: You didn’t want them to collapse. Hold the fort. All the clichés.

They didn’t. A big goal by a kid.

First pro goal by Mathieu De St. Phalle in a very big spot that gave the Penguins at three goal lead.

More penalties for the Penguins on ticky tack stuff. More ineptitude from the firm of Zyla and Sullivan refereeing the scoreboard instead of the action of the ice. 

Penguins were 6/6 on the kill against the Phantoms and the four dummies wearing stripes. 

Garrett Wilson fought Matthew Quercia, one of the only players on the Penguins that actually knows how to fight. Wilson handled Quercia quite easily but it was Quercia that got Wilson off the ice for five minutes ensuring that at least for that time the Penguins would not have any more players sent off the ice to the trailers room due to Wilson’t antics and the officials ineptitude.

Ian Laperriere pulled his goaltender Sandstrom with about six minutes to play and Jacob Gaucher scored on a third effort that put the Phantoms on the board with 5:03 to play. 

But then Avery Hayes continued to stay hot and scored into the empty net that re-established the three goal lead for the Penguins.

In a bit of irony, the Penguins would score a second power play goal off the stick of Lukas Svejkovsky.

Ballgame. A six point weekend.

Three Stars: 3) Mathieu De St. Phalle (first pro goal) 2) Joel Blomqvist (35 saves) 1) Vinnie Hinostroza (goal)

The Good: 6/6 on the kill. Battled through that and losing Ty Smith to injury to complete the six point weekend. Also, they scored two power play goals.

The Bad: Losing Ty Smith to injury was the lone speck on an overall good day for the Penguins. 

Turning Point: De St. Phalle’s first pro goal came at a great time that gave the Penguins the boost they needed to not blow it in the third, which we have seen them do. 

Around the Division: Charlotte wins 4-1 over Hartford….Rochester beats Bridgeport 5-4 in a shootout.

Standings: Hershey 105 – Providence 85 – Penguins and Charlotte 81 – Hartford 70 – Lehigh Valley 67 – Springfield 63 – Bridgeport 56

Wheeling Update: Nailers with a HUGE win over the Indy Fuel to help in Wheeling’s playoff push. Tanner Laderoute with a goal and an assist. Nailers win 5-3.

Video Highlights: It’s late and they aren’t up yet, so the AHL VideoCenter is your best bet.

Have a great week. A lot to talk about next weekend with Hershey twice. 

Let’s Go Pens!

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6                                  3

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A hat trick for Austin Rueschhoff, four assists for Ty Smith and the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins have won their fourth game in a row with a 6-3 win in Bridgeport Saturday evening.

The Penguins will keep pace with the Charlotte Checkers, who also won Saturday, and each team has 79 points with six games remaining for each.

Here’s how they lined up, Bridgeport didn’t post lines…

Lineup Notes: Logan Pietila made his AHL debut, replacing Matthew Quercia up front and Owen Headrick replaced Taylor Fedun on defense. If the Penguins can keep rotating decent players in and out of the lineup and get unavailable players back at some point down the line, who knows how far this car can go.

First Period: Penguins struck, and struck swiftly, for three goals before the Islanders recorded their first shot of the game. Wilkes-Barre strikes for not one, but two power play goals that give themselves a 3-0 lead quite quickly.

Vinnie Hinostroza with a power play goal that deflected off of starting goalie Jakub Skarek, off Seth Helgeson and in for a 1-0 Penguins lead.

Then Evan Vierling keeps his goal streak going with his second goal of the weekend with a tap in from a feed from Corey Andonovski that made it 2-0 Penguins.

Then Austin Rueschhoff scored a power play goal on a relentless display for the Penguins who kept the puck in the Islanders zone the entire time and Rueschhoff struck far side with a roof job that made it 3-0 and the rout was seemingly on.

Until it wasn’t.

The Islanders got a late goal from Daylan Kuefler that got the Islanders on the board and gave them a 3-1 deficit heading into the…

Second Period: Whatever vibe they had in the first where everything was going their way and every puck they shot was going in, was gone baby gone. Three penalties taken by the Penguins in the period. Bridgeport has, if you can believe it, a worse power play than the Penguins (dead last at 32nd) and didn’t score, but William Dufour scored to bring the Islanders back within one with a great second effort here.

+1 for the pun use there.

One other thing. Ken Appleby replaced Jakub Skarek in  goal at some point that wasn’t featured on TV and mentioned late by Penguins play by play man Nick Hart.

The Islanders were eating this elephant one bite at a time.

Third Period: It’s hard to eat a whole elephant.

Austin Rueschhoff, in beast mode, scores his second of the game off a nice feed by Ty Smith, his fourth assist of the game, that gives the Penguins some breathing room and a 4-2 lead.

Later, Xavier Ouellet scored off a face-off win that gave the Pens a 5-2 lead.

Good to see this. They were reeling, and they rely on their leaders and glue guys to pull them out the mud.

But Bridgeport wasn’t going away, never seemed out of it. Ruslan Ishakov shot blocked to Matthew Maggio who scores the Islanders goal on their first shot of the period that makes it 5-3.

The Islanders, if they were going to get back into it, weren’t doing themselves favors by taking penalties late that gave the Penguins a brief two man advantage.

Wilkes-Barre didn’t score, but they did get a third goal from Austin Rueschhoff who scored it on an empty Bridgeport net.

Three Stars: 3) William Dufour (goal, assist) 2) Ty Smith (four assists) 1) Austin Rueschhoff (hat trick)

The Good: They battled and came out on top on the road. That’s all you can ask for.

The Bad: A last place Islanders had no business having it be as close as it was at times against this Penguins team. It may be nitpicky, but you aren’t going to have teams like Bridgeport come late April and beyond.

Turning Point: The second Rueschhoff goal gets it here and took some of the heat off the Pens who were reeling.

Around the Division: Springfield loses in Laval 7-4…Charlotte shuts out Hartford 4-0.

In the later games, Herhsey beats Iowa in a shootout 3-2….Cleveland shuts out Lehigh Valley 3-0….Rochester beats Providence 3-2 in overtime.

Standings: Hershey 105 – Providence 85 – Penguins and Checkers 79 – Hartford 70 – Lehigh Valley 67 – Springfield 63 – Bridgeport 55

Wheeling Update: Nailers were off.

Video Highlights: AHL VideoCenter is your best bet here.

Lehigh Valley Sunday afternoon at home. More then.

Let’s Go Pens!

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2                                  3

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There are a lot of guys either hurt or on recall for the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins right now.

So the Penguins have had to plug deep into their ECHL affiliate, the Wheeling Nailers, for players.

One of those players is Evan Vierling.

A two point night for the man, a goal and an assist and the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins are off to the 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs with a 3-2 overtime win against the Cleveland Monsters.

I’m burying the hero of the night, Radim Zohorna, who scored the overtime game winning goal for the Penguins. It was Zohorna who took a penalty in the third period who put the Penguins down a bit against the Monsters but it was Zohorna who kept the puck the entirety of overtime it seemed and scored a beautiful goal crashing the net to give the seemingly masterful Penguins yet another overtime game winning goal all of a sudden.

For the first time in a while, the team is postseason bound.

Technically with Springfield losing to Belleville, they were in and Zohorna’s heroics were moot, but don’t tell the fans.

Here’s how they lined up….

Lineup Notes: As the graphic states, the AHL debut for Mathieu De St. Phalle. Jagger Joshua returned from injury. A reader was nice enough to fill me in that he heard that Joona Koppanen was injured in practice and Jonathan Gruden is injured. Owen Headrick out for Scooter Brickey was the other change.

First Period: Evan Vierling scores his first AHL goal with a nice hardworking play set up by Lukas Svejkovsky who was like a hungry dog on a bone with the puck, keeping it in. Svejkovsky throws a puck at the net and Vierling is there to deflect it home.

Second Period: I didn’t like the way they presented themselves. Something seemed off, and it was proven true when Roman Ahcan tipped in a shot similar-ish to the way Vierling tipped his (in exactly the same spot, almost) that tied the game at one a piece.

The sloppiness continued, but the penalty kill and their All-Star goaltender bailed them out the remainder of the period.

Third Period: Avery Hayes, obviously feeling it from scoring his first AHL goal last game, scored his second in front that put the Pens ahead 2-1.

Clutch, indeed, he nearly scored seconds before.

The Penguins had a power play with 3:03 left to play. I said at the time that a goal here would be huge.

They didn’t get a goal and instead Cleveland got a goal that tied the game at 19:00.

Stanislav Svozil with a shot from the point.

Brief huddle by the officials to discuss goaltender interference but since no one knows what it is or what it looks like, why bother. The goal stood.

Overtime: By this time the Springfield score went final so it didn’t matter, the Pens were in, but what would the vibe be?

I would say, pretty, pretty good.

Three Stars: 3) Jagger Joshua (two assists) 2) Evan Vierling (goal, assist) 1) Radim Zohorna (overtime game winning goal)

The Good: Ticket punched. All that matters is securing at least third place and trying to possibly chase down Providence for second place for a possible First Round bye.

The Bad: They got murdered on the face-off dots and that led to both Cleveland goals.

Turning Point: The Zohorna goal gets it here, it’s late, let’s not overthink it.

Around the Division: Light night by AHL on a Friday standards. Springfield is shutout in Belleville 3-0….Lehigh Valley scores three straight to take down Providence 3-2 in overtime….Hershey pummels the Iowa Wild in Des Moines 7-2.

Standings: Hershey 103 – Providence 84 – Penguins and Charlotte 77 – Hartford 70 – Lehigh Valley 67 – Springfield 63 – Bridgeport 55

Wheeling Update: Nailers were off.

Video Highlights: 

Back at it at 5:00 p.m. for a road game in Bridgeport. More then.

Let’s Go Pens!