Chirps from Center Ice

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They will be talking about this one for a while. In the history of Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins comebacks, this one will rank right up there.

After two periods, the Penguins were down 5-2. Brian Foster started the game and stopped just 15 of 20 shots. The Penguins just signed goaltender Franky Palazzese to a PTO in the morning and things were looking bleak. It wasn’t looking like the Penguins night.

But Wilkes-Barre mounted an epic comeback. Two early goals in a span of :44 in the third period that cut it to one then J-S Dea scored with 4.1 seconds left that forced overtime. Carter Rowney scored the overtime game winner.

I am working on my fourth paragraph and haven’t even mentioned his name yet. Tom Kostopoulos had not one, not two, not three, not four, but FIVE assists in the game. It is his second three assist game or more in a row for the Penguins captain.

The Penguins won 6-5 in overtime.

Early in the day today it was announced that Carter Rowney was signed to a two year NHL contract by the Pittsburgh Penguins that begins in the 2016-17 season. Certainly well deserved contract for Rowney who has been the most consistent player on the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins amidst countless call-ups to Pittsburgh.

Brian Foster opposed Anthony Stolarz.

Lines were…

Kael Mouillierat – Dustin Jeffrey – Dominik Simon
Matthias Plachta – Carter Rowney – Tom Kostopoulos
Ty Loney – J-S Dea – Josh Archibald
Derek Army – Jarrett Burton – Patrick McGrath

Ryan Parent – Steve Oleksy
Will O’Neill – Barry Goers
Reid McNeill – Tim Erixon

Brian Foster – Franky Palazzese

Lineup Notes: Nic Andersen is ill and he must have passed it onto Jarry as that was the official word given as to why Jarry missed the game. Harrison Ruopp and Anton Zlobin were the healthy scratches. Derek Army replaced Tyler Biggs place on the fourth line. Biggs has an upper body injury, apparently from the hit that Garrett Mitchell laid on him Sunday.

First Period: Sleepy start to begin. Many whistles. Finally the Phantoms chipped one behind Foster’s net and won the race to the puck when Aaron Palushaj found Kevin Goumas parked in front. Goumas shot the puck over Foster’s shoulder and in for the 1-0 Phantoms lead.

About five minutes later and after a Penguins power play that came and went, Steve Oleksy hammered his second goal of the year home when Stolarz was screened for a tie game at one.

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Lehigh Valley edged ahead off of a face off play when Cole Bardreau one timed one past Foster and in far post for a 2-1 Lehigh Valley lead.

The Penguins were getting shots to Stolarz, 11 of them exactly, so the offensive effort was there.

Second Period: Phantoms extended it to 3-1 off a similar play that opened their scoring. Phil DiSimone scored a tap in when Lehigh Valley chipped it in deep. Pens couldn’t make the clear needed.

Phantoms would score on both power plays awarded them in the period. Adam Comrie took a shot from the mid slot that beat Foster that made it 4-1. The Penguins blocked the initial shot but it went straight to Comrie who got all of it.

Foster to this point stopped just 4 of 11 shots.

Pens got one back on a power play goal by Carter Rowney. Will O’Neill took the shot that Rowney deflected.

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The Pens were a step quicker than the Phantoms and were buzzing for the third goal. Not for anything but you had the sense that despite the play of their goaltender and the two goal deficit that they were still in the game.

So the last thing they needed to happen, did. Tim Erixon took an interference penalty and that changed the momentum completely for the Penguins.

Danick Martel left his stick on the ice, Max Lamarche made a perfect slap pass to Martel’s tape and the puck deflected top shelf and in. Nothing Foster could have done there. It was an elite deflection goal by Martel.

Third Period: Franky Palazzese took over for Foster to begin the period. It was his AHL debut. Foster stopped 15 of 20 Phantoms shots sent his way.

The comeback was on.

In a span of :44, the Pens made it a one goal game.

Kael Mouillierat swept in a puck left on the paint by Stolarz on a power play.

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:44 later, Jarrett Burton lasered this one home for his first AHL goal of his career and it was a one goal game.

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The Phantoms were on tilt. The Penguins were winning every single puck battle. But time was beginning to become the enemy of the Penguins. Then with 70 seconds left, Clark Donatelli used his timeout and pulled Palazzese for the extra attacker.

The Penguins actually went with six forwards in a desperate effort to tie the game.

It wasn’t looking like the Penguins were going to get the equalizing goal but then Dustin Jeffrey took a shot that Tom Kostopoulos collected a rebound on, Kostopoulos calmly slid the puck over to J-S Dea and Dea scored with 4.1 seconds left.

(Coal Street didn’t post a GIF of the Dea tally, sorry)

The six forward gamble paid off big.

Overtime: Palazzese had a big save in overtime that led to the Rowney goal that ended it…

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Nice shutdown of the Phantoms by the Penguins who allowed Lehigh Valley just three shots on goal in the third and just the one in the overtime period.

How about Franky Palazzese winning in relief in what was his AHL debut stopping just four shots?

Three Stars: 3) Danick Martel (goal, assist, -1) 2) Tom Kostopoulos (five assists, +3) and 1) Carter Rowney (two goals, +3)

Around the Division: They all watched us.

 Standings: Hershey (.650 percentage points) — Penguins (.642) — Providence (.595) — Portland (.579) — Bridgeport (.576) — Hartford (.517) — Lehigh Valley (.492) — Springfield (.422)

Wheeling Update: The Nailers were off tonight.

Video highlights…

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Pens are off Friday before they host the Bridgeport Sound Tigers for a Saturday and Sunday home and home.

Let’s Go Pens!

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Two sides to this one, a 5-4 Penguins win against the Hershey Bears and the first home win for Wilkes-Barre / Scranton since January 9 of this year against the Utica Comets.

The one side says that take this game and throw it away. Nothing that you can take from the third game in three days for both teams facing off against the backups, Justin Peters for Hershey and Brian Foster for Wilkes-Barre. Both backups were virtual sieves in the first period, a period that saw seven goals. Put it this way, it’s a different game for Wilkes-Barre if Tristan Jarry starts tonight and a different game for Hershey if Dan Ellis started the night.

The other side says that no matter what, a response was needed from the team in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Maybe you throw away the final score and take the Penguins reaction in the games first ten minutes of this one, a Patrick McGrath fight with Liam O’Brien :08 in, two goals for each team and no easy space for either side as something out of it. After getting thrashed in Hershey the night before, firing a limp 14 shots on Bears nets on Saturday, the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins got the jump on the Hershey Bears from within the first ten seconds of the game and sent a message that they were not going to take the Bears smashing them up and down the ice and that if Hershey was going to win the game, they would do so bruised and bloodied.

It was an exciting game. Probably the most exciting game under the Clark Donatelli Era. The Penguins were prepared and reacted to everything.

It was the aforementioned Brian Foster against Justin Peters.

The braintrust at Coal Street did GIFs of the Penguins goals so they will run in this recap. Jump though.

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You will look at this scoreline only and think, “Fire Donatelli!”

Nope.

Okay, then. You look at this scoreline and think, “Foster, right?”

Nope. Try again.

Out of ideas? Okay. I will help you.

The Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins fire a meek 14 shots at the net tended by Hershey starting goaltender Dan Ellis and get blown away by the Bears by a score of 6-2. Carter Camper had a goal and two assists, Nathan Walker scored twice. Dustin Gazley had a goal and an assist. I couldn’t work Garrett Mitchell’s name into the blog headline for some reason. I will try and do better the next time.

The Bears also connected three times on the power play. Just the second time this season the Bears have done that.

Tristan Jarry started the game and was opposed by Dan Ellis. Both goaltenders started least night, so expect Justin Peters for Hershey and Brian Foster for the Penguins tomorrow.

Jump through to see all my amateurish videos of the goals and read the game story…

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You knew that the trade for Dustin Jeffrey on Monday would have immediate implications on the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins going forward.

Two assists for the former now current Penguin, two goals by Dominik Simon, a 35 save shutout by Tristan Jarry, his fourth of the season and second against Lehigh Valley and the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins roll to a methodical 3-0 win over the Lehigh Valley Phantoms Friday night.

Jarry snapped an eight game losing streak.

He opposed Anthony Stolarz.

Lines were…

Kael Mouillierat – Dustin Jeffrey – Dominik Simon
Mattias Plachta – Carter Rowney – Tom Kostopoulos
Tom Sestito – J-S Dea – Ty Loney
Anton Zlobin – Jarrett Burton – Patrick McGrath

Reid McNeill – Niclas Andersen
Tim Erixon – Steve Oleksy
Reid O’Neill – Barry Goers

Tristan Jarry – Brian Foster

Lineup Notes: Josh Archibald was recalled to Pittsburgh with the injury to Kevin Porter. Porter had ankle surgery today and will be out till mid-June. Both Beau Bennett and Eric Fehr are close, so Archibald may be back sooner rather than later…Patrick McGrath was back in the lineup for the first time since February 13…Mattias Plachta, Barry Goers and Dustin Jeffrey all made their Wilkes-Barre debuts…Conor Sheary is day to day with an upper body injury.

First Period: Pens couldn’t do anything with an early power play. A line of Dustin Jeffrey, Carter Rowney, Tom Kostopoulos, Kael Mouillierat and Will O’Neill came out first. Then the Phantoms took over and outshot Wilkes-Barre 10-3 at one point. Then the Penguins after a media timeout got their sea legs. The line of Jeffery, Mouillierat and Simon had a dangerous shift…

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But Stolarz was up to the challenge.

But Stolarz later had a puck handling gaffe and never really touched the puck when Jeffrey bore down, took it off of him and passed to Simon who scored.

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This note from Russ Hryvnak:

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And one from Seth:

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The Penguins were faced with a challenge going forward. That was playing with a and protecting a lead.

Second Period: The Dustin Jeffrey Effect was nearly immediate, as he threaded a pass directly through Phantoms defenders and straight to the tape of Kael Mouillierat who had defenders draping him and backhanded a shot on Stolarz. The Phantoms net minder made the save but the chemistry with Jeffrey and his line mates was boiling.

Pens killed two consecutive penalties. Jarry was under fire and made a save in the splits. You could feel Wilkes-Barre biting at a second goal. But Jarry was pressed into another save in a mass of Phantoms defenders with a fluttering, bouncing puck:

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Game was settling into a goaltender duel. With the mass of shots being presented at Tristan Jarry, you had a feeling that one goal would not do it for the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins.

The Penguins third line came through.

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That was J-S Dea, scoring his second goal in three games, providing the insurance heading into the…

Third Period: 1:28 into the period, Simon tacked on his second of the game. Just watch where Simon lets go of that backhand shot…

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It was Simon’s ninth multipoint game for the Penguins.

Phantoms outshoot the Penguins 10-8 in the period but Wilkes-Barre just methodically closed off all serious threats at Phantoms potential scoring chances and made it easy on Jarry.

Three Stars: 3) J-S Dea (goal, +1) 2) Tristan Jarry (35 save shutout) 1) Dominik Simon (two goals, +2)

Around the Division: The Hershey Bears maintain their lead on the Penguins in the division with a 3-1 win up in Binghamton…Springfield loses 7-3 to Rochester in Western New York. Ex-Penguin Matia Marcantuoni was a -2 in that affair…Providence gives up two goals late to have Bridgeport tie it then Bracken Kearns scores on a penalty shot and the Sound Tigers stun the P-Bruins in Rhode Island by a score of 4-3 in overtime…Syracuse beats Portland 3-1 up in Maine. Hartford was off.

Standings: Hershey (.655 percentage points) — Penguins (.640) — Portland (.591) — Providence (.580) — Bridgeport (.568) — Hartford (.526) — Lehigh Valley (.500) — Springfield (.438)

Wheeling Update: Cody Wydo had a hat trick, Tyler Biggs scored a goal as did James Melinda acquired in the Jeffrey trade and the Wheeling Nailers roll the Reading Royals by a score of 7-4. The two teams rematch tomorrow in Reading.

Here is the postgame infographic from Coal Street:

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Pens are in Hershey tomorrow. A regulation win by Wilkes-Barre puts them on top of the Atlantic Division again. Have to think that Brain Foster gets that game in goal though. Who knows. Gameday setup for that will be on the blog Saturday at 3.

Let’s Go Pens!

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Tristan Jarry faced a firing squad today. They wore white Providence Bruins jerseys and shot 50 pucks at him Sunday afternoon.

The Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins did not allow the top rated Providence power play unit to score with the man advantage today, scoring twice shorthanded. The Penguins had two shorthanded goals scored all season coming into this game.

The Penguins came up short this afternoon and lose 3-2. It was an effort that, but for all the shots in the first period, the Penguins could have came out on the better end of.

Tristan Jarry vs. Zane McIntyre

More videos in this postgame so if you didn’t link in direct, hit the jump to see the rest.

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This was a game that the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins had to have. Plain and simple.

The Penguins came into Springfield owning the Falcons, beating them eight straight times before. You looked at the schedule of games this weekend on Wednesday afternoon after getting crushed by Hershey the night before and put all of your money on this game tonight as one that the Penguins would easily win.

Well, I have some bad news for you. The Penguins lost tonight by a score of 5-2. Springfield captain Craig Cunningham had a natural hat trick and Phil Lane added two more goals.

I have determined that the problem is one part coaching and one part player attitude. There is no one on a consistent basis that stands out for the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins anymore on a nightly basis. It used to be Conor Sheary, Scott Wilson and Bryan Rust but those players are in Pittsburgh now. In Wheeling, a team that is pillaged by recalls equally as bad as the Penguins, they battle. They continue to win. Those players want it. There has not been a single player in the past few weeks that has stood out to me as a player in danger of a recall. Not one. Carter Rowney, Tom Kostopoulos and Sahir Gill are all AHL contracted players. They call can’t carry the load night in and night out. You have guys like Josh Archibald and J-S Dea that are just “bodies” and not players or difference makers. You have excellent goaltending in Tristan Jarry that’s wasted because players coast. I am going to start calling it the, “Wilkes-Barre Mentality” of just put the uniform on and expect that the other team is going to lay down before you and hand you the win.

It doesn’t work like that, sadly. Everyone wants the big time. No one wants to work for it.

Anyway, gamer with video highlights is after the jump. Caveat Emptor.

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First impressions are lasting ones. It’s an old saying. In an important weekend for the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins with the Hershey Bears dangerously breathing down the necks of the Penguins, a strong start to a five game road trip beginning with a three in three starting in Portland, Maine was key to keeping the Penguins at the top of the Atlantic Division.

It took a shootout this time, but the five game losing streak is over. The Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins defeat the Portland Pirates by a score of 3-2 in a shootout.

It was Matt Murray vs. Mike McKenna in goal in what turned out to be a classic battle between an old lion in McKenna and a young lion in Murray.

Lots of video highlights in this one again as I am working on my terrible video edit skills. So please, jump through if you didn’t link in direct.

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