Chirps from Center Ice

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

Category Archives: Postgamer

Play Your Kids, Part 1 – Pens LOSE 4-2

Comments Off on Play Your Kids, Part 1 – Pens LOSE 4-2 Posted by on April 18, 2025

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With the thoughts of a bye a distant memory, the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins dressed a younger lineup in game 71 of 72 in Hershey and were valiant, but were defeated 4-2 Friday in Hershey.

It is looking more and more like the Penguins and Lehigh Valley Phantoms will be meeting in a rematch of the First Round Series from last season. More on that Saturday night, I would suppose.

On Friday though, here’s how they lined up…

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Lineup Notes: Hart on radio stated that there were guys banged up, but they are all banged up and it’s a likely excuse to get the kids in. Hollowell, Pickering and St. Ivany are “day to day” with upper body injuries and so is Emil Bemstrom. Only Filip Kral, who was reassigned from Pittsburgh earlier in the day, was in Friday.

On the ice and in contrast to Wednesday, Brent Johnson and David Breazeale made their WBS debuts. Johnson up front with Jack Beck were in for Sam Poulin and Emil Bemstrom. Filip Kral for Owen Pickering on defense.

First Period: The Penguins were getting run out of the building and before they even registered a shot on goal they were down 1-0 on an Ivan Miroshnichenko goal on a rebound.

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Hunter Shepard wasn’t seeing a lot of rubber, so you figured that a weird shot could beat him and wouldn’t you know it, it was a Zach Gallant low angle shot that beat Shepard and tied the game at one.

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As heavily tilted the ice was in favor of the Bears (shots 12-3) the game was tied heading into the…

Second Period: Teams traded power plays but were not able to score, but Hendrix Lapierre scored his 11th point in seven contests against the Penguins when he scored after Wilkes-Barre was unable to get a clear.

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Third Period: Both teams traded early power plays but didn’t score, then at even strength it was Bodgan Trineyev getting a goal that made it 3-1 Bears.

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But the Penguins turned it on in the last seven or so minutes to play and Jack Beck, playing his third game in as many nights, scored his first AHL goal to bring the Penguins to within one.

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Penguins fought like hell with Blomqvist pulled to get the next goal, but the Bears finally pushed the puck out of their zone after a few icing calls and Matt Strome put enough english on the puck and it rolled safely into the empty net.

The Hershey Bears are your Atlantic Division Champions.

Three Stars: 3) Ivan Miroshnichenko (goal) 2) Bogdan Trineyev (goal) 1) Hendrix Lapierre (goal, assist)

The Good: Kids played decent, but were outgunned. With 11 players missing, they played the Bears close.

The Bad: Next Wednesday can’t come soon enough.

Turning Point: The Strome goal gets it here, which is weird to say on an empty net goal, but the Penguins were pressing. Who knows.

Around the Division: Lehigh Valley wins 7-3 over Cleveland … Hartford beats Bridgeport 4-1 … Charlotte wins 4-2 over Springfield.

Standings: Hershey 96 – Charlotte 92 – Providence 88 – Penguins 86 – Lehigh Valley 78 – Springfield 74 – Hartford 69 – Bridgeport 37

Wheeling Update: Nailers are off until next Wednesday when they host Norfolk in Game 3.

Video Highlights: I am not going to search for them.

Back at it Saturday for the regular season home finale against Cleveland.

Let’s Go Pens!

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Tufte Luck – Pens LOSE 3-2

Comments Off on Tufte Luck – Pens LOSE 3-2 Posted by on April 16, 2025

Nothing fancy as I write this in the fly on a busy (for me) Wednesday. Short week with being off Monday and again this Friday, so it’s a three day work week. Instead of boring you with the details, let’s get into it.

Kiss the bye goodbye. A Riley Tufte shot with 26.3 seconds to play in regulation give the visiting Providence Bruins a 3-2 regulation win Wednesday night in Wilkes-Barre. The Penguins cannot finish any higher than third now and are guaranteed to face either the Lehigh Valley Phantoms or Springfield Thunderbirds in a first round best of three series likely starting next week.

Here’s how they lined up:

Lineup Notes: Matty De St. Phalle for Nolan Renwick up front, Sebastian Aho for Filip Kral (recalled) on defense. Taylor Gauthier backed up Joel Blomqvist.

First Period: Both teams killed the others penalty. I was surprised Providence went DiPietro in net. Atley Calvert slammed home a goal at the expiration of a power play for the Penguins.

Striking first was likely in the game plan.

Second Period: Bruins outshoot the Penguins 16-10 in the period, dominate zone time, puck possession, you name it. The Pens stayed disciplined and didn’t take a penalty but it was a Dans Lačmelis deflection of a Chris Ortiz shot that tied the game at one for the visitors.

For as dominant that the Bruins were for the period, getting beat on a deflection is something that you can live with.

Penguins failed to score on the only power play awarded to them in the period.

Third Period: Joel Blomqvist was under bombardment in the period, facing 20 shots. The Penguins managed only six.

One of those shots was here when Emil Bemstrom through a backhand shot at the net in the rare offensive zone time the Penguins did enjoy in the period that gave them a 2-1 lead.

But Providencewould respond in kind with a power play goal by Bruins captain Patrick Brown who willed a puck past Blomqvist and in that tied the game at two.

Questionable interference call made by referee Patrick Hanrahan. I thought he and Rob Hennessey understood the assignment coming in, only calling what needed to be called, which wasn’t a ton, but this call didn’t need to be made in my opinion.

Wilkes-Barre sweats through another power play for Providence late and with time dwindling it looked like we were headed to overtime.

Nope.

Get ready for that First Round series with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, buddy.

Three Stars: 3) Patrick Brown (goal) 2) Dans Ločmelis (goal, assist) 1) Riley Tufte (game winning goal)

The Good: Joel Blomqvist had a hell of a game and was the only reason it wasn’t a blowout for the Bruins. There should be no doubt that he isn’t up to the task when playoffs start next week.

The Bad: Bruins win their 12th straight against the Penguins, sweeping the season series and keeping the league’s 2nd best power play off the scoresheet. This club masters the Penguins and, despite the fact Wilkes-Barre will be loaded by Pittsburgh in about 48 hours, I don’t like their chances against the Bruins in a five game series.

Turning Point: Do you need me to spell it out in crayon? Tufte’s goal gets it here.

Around the Division: Doesn’t matter really, but Charlotte wins 3-2 over Hartford and Syracuse beats Hershey 3-2 in overtime.

Standings: Hershey 94 – Charlotte 90 – Providence 88 – Penguins 86 – Lehigh Valley 76 – Springfield 74 – Hartford 67 – Bridgeport 37

Wheeling Update: Nailers lose Game 1 of their best of seven with Norfolk at the Scope 4-0.

Video Highlights: Aren’t up yet. Don’t think you’d want to see them.

Back at it Friday in Hershey.

Let’s Go Pens!

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I Didn’t See Any Elephants — Pens WIN 5-2

Comments Off on I Didn’t See Any Elephants — Pens WIN 5-2 Posted by on April 13, 2025

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I was away all weekend and didn’t take in either of the two home games in Wilkes-Barre this weekend. I didn’t see any live elephants in the Noah showing at Sight & Souud Theater this weekend in Ronks, PA. Just a large mechanical one which looked life like, but I had to use my imagination to believe it was real.

Highly recommend taking in a show down there.

Anyway, the Penguins, despite losing four straight, rattle off a 5-2 win Sunday afternoon in Bridgeport to give themselves a two game win streak heading into a very important game with the Providence Bruins while still trying to track down the Checkers for the second round bye.

Big, big, final week of the season for the Penguins who still control their own fate.

Here’s how they lined up Sunday…

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Bridgeport didn’t post lines.

First Period: The Penguins used the fact that Bridgeport is the worst team in the league and the worst team at home fact to their advantage. They scored three goals in the period, two by rookies, to go up three in the first period.

Gabe Klassen scored his first AHL goal with a nice setup by Logan Pietila, and both these guys notched their first AHL points.

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Then Nolan Renwick scored his second goal in as many nights (he scored Saturday vs. Springfield) on a backdoor play setup by Dan Renouf.

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Then Zach Gallant scored his first goal for the Penguins with this play here that made it 3-0.

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The Penguins couldn’t seemingly do anything wrong in the period, also killing a penalty.

Second Period: Bridgeport bit back in a big way.

The Islanders scored on a power play that cut the lead to one. Sergei Murashov made the save but left a rebound that Gleb Veremyev put in that got Bridgeport on the board.

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Gleb Veremyev is a hell of a name, by the way.

Then an Emil Bemstrom turnover led to a Ross Mitton goal that made it 3-2 in the final minute of the period that gave the Islanders the jump heading in the third.

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Big, big yikes.

Third Period: They settled, had to set through a Jack St. Ivany delay of game penalty and got a huge goal from Atley Calvert, stick handling in a phone booth to give the Penguins a 4-2 lead.

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Just a huge, huge goal.

Then, with. T.J. Semptimphelter pulled for an extra attacker, Sergei Murashov makes a huge save to keep it a two goal lead, then Avery Hayes puts a bow on it.

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Don’t normally show empty net goals, but the Murashov goal here makes it worth it.

Three Stars: 3) Ross Mitton (goal) 2) Atley Calvert (goal) 1) Zach Gallant (goal, assist)

The Good: Got the points needed in Bridgeport to keep the heat on Charlotte for second.

The Bad: This was the Islanders last home game in an epically bad, horrible season. You would think they would skate to center and acknowledge the fans in attendance for having them endure this embarrassing season? No. Just some half hearted stick raises as they came off the ice. I would be throwing my seat onto the ice trying to light the building on fire if that was me.

Turning Point: The Calvert goal gets it here.

Around the Division: Charlotte beats Utica 6-3 in the only other game in the division.

Standings: Hershey 93 – Charlotte 88 – Penguins 86 – Providence 86 – Lehigh Valley 76 – Springfield 74 – Hartford 67 – Bridgeport 37

Wheeling Update: Nailers lose in Quebec to the Lions 5-1.

Video Highlights: AHL VideoCenter you go.

Power Rankings sometime Monday afternoon, then I will set up the final week in the regular season the best I can for you Wednesday in the run up to the huge clash with the Providence Bruins.

Let’s Go Pens!

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Greave-ing — Pens LOSE 3-0

Comments Off on Greave-ing — Pens LOSE 3-0 Posted by on April 5, 2025

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Wilkes-Barre’s trip to Cleveland is not a fruitful one. A day before they are blown out 7-1 on Friday and Saturday they are shutout by Jet Greaves and lose 3-0.

Another game where they never got out of the blocks correctly, getting scored on in the first :36 on the first shot of the game, and the thought of a division lead are getting dimmer and if they don’t watch, the bye may slip away from them as well.

They have another week to get things straight, and I can’t believe I am saying this but I would like to see them play Wednesday or something to see if they work out whatever the hell this disaster of a weekend was sooner rather than later. The next time they are on the ice is next Friday at home against Hershey.

Anyway, here’s how they lined up:

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Lineup Notes: Nolan Renick made his AHL debut, replacing Kyle Jackson up front On defense a pair of changes on defense saw Mac Hollowell and Dan Renouf go out for Filip Kral and Nate Clurman.

First Period: First shot for the Monsters, err, Pierogis, goes in at :36 and Hunter McKown scored to give the Monsters an early 1-0 lead.

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Cleveland made quick work of the only power play of the period when McKown scored his second of the contest that doubled the Monsters lead.

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They managed to settle in, but down two goals in the first ten minutes is not how they drew it up.

Second Period: Jet Greaves was becoming a problem.

Penguins put 11 shots on the Cleveland goaltender, playing in his second game in as many nights, and he was dialed in.

The Pierogis did not get any further ahead of the Penguins in the period, with each team trading a power play heading into the…

Third Period: They had 1:30 of a power play to start the period then another crack at the man advantage but despite this, only managed six shots on goal in the period. Didn’t seem like there was a lot of urgency all weekend and this period was the bellwether.

Cleveland only had one shot in the period and wouldn’t you know it….

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That kind of weekend.

Three Stars: 3) Samuel Knazko (assist) 2) Daemon Hunt (shot) 1) Hunter McKown (two goals)

I don’t think those are right. They give a guy second star of the game because of a shot? No Jet Greaves and his 23 saves?

Around the Division: Charlotte beats Bridgeport 5-2 to take sole possession of second place in the Atlantic….Providence loses 6-4 in Utica….Springfield shuts out Lehigh Valley 1-0  in overtime and Hershey and Hartford went to overtime and the Bears win 3-2 to go seven clear on the Penguins.

Standings: Hershey 89 – Charlotte 84 – Penguins 82 – Providence 81 – Springfield 74 – Lehigh Valley 74 – Hartford 63 – Bridgeport 37

Sunday: Charlotte and Providence rematch Sunday in Rhode Island. You are cheering for a regulation decision.

Wheeling Update: Nailers lose 5-4 to the Reading Royals.

Video Highlights: Only if you are brave enough.

AHL Power Rankings coming at you Monday.

Keep your head up.

Let’s Go Pens!

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Gołąbki Are Better Anyway — Pens LOSE 7-1

Comments Off on Gołąbki Are Better Anyway — Pens LOSE 7-1 Posted by on April 4, 2025

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The Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins never got out of the starting gates Friday night in Cleveland and got steamrolled 7-1 by a Cleveland Monsters team that changed its name to the Cleveland Pierogis for the weekend. I always preferred my mother’s pigs in a blanket, which are what gołąbki are, as opposed to a pierogi.

Yeah, I am Italian but have Polish roots. Spadaj.

Anyway, since I write these on the fly when I watch them when they are playing on the road you are in luck! I have all seven goals scored by the Monsters for you in this one. Cieszyć się!

Here’s how they lined up…

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Cleveland beat the Penguins to the Pierogis nickname. I firmly believe the Plymouth Pierogis will happen with these local theme nights like the Pens are doing next Saturday when they morph into the Carbondale UFOs. Cleveland did it first, I guess.

Lineup Notes: Tristan Broz, Jack Beck and Emil Bemstrom were in. For Beck his WBS debut. Broz returned from one game suspension Sunday and Bemstrom was reassigned Friday. Joona Koppanen is up in Pittsburgh. Sam Poulin was ill. On defense, Dan Renouf for Filip Kral, who was a health scratch and no Scooter Brickey as they went back to the standard 12/6 lineup.

Joel Blomqvist is on the trip.

First Period: Roman Ahcan follows his rebound at 4:09 off a blocked shot and beat Filip Larsson to give the Monsters Pierogis a 1-0 lead.

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Avery Hayes hit both posts on a Penguins power play, which went 0/2 in the period.

Second Period: Floodgates opened.

Monsters cashed on their second power play of the period which came right after the Pens killed the first one when Mikael Pyyhtiä scored to make it 2-0.

Then Roman Ahcan struck again, this time on a breakaway to make it 3-0.

Guillaume Richard, in his first AHL game out of Providence College, scored on a nice backhander that made it 4-0.

Wilkes-Barre called it’s time out to try and settle down. While they didn’t give up any more goals to the home team, they never really threatened, even getting a power play and giving up a shorthanded bid then later icing the puck on the same power play.

For posterity, here are the Cleveland goals.

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Third Period: In keeping with the vibe check, Boris Katchouk comes flying into the Pens offensive zone with speed but runs into Chase Stillman. He still manages to get off a shot, but it was just that kind of night.

James Malatesta scored a few minutes later to make it 5-0.

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Chris Paul then hit a huge three to cut the deficit to 42 Vasiliy Ponomarev scored a power play goal to ensure that the Penguins would not be shut out on the night as the lone consolation for the Penguins, but then Luca Del Bel Belluz and Roman Ahcan scored power play goals to run it up to seven. Touchdown Cleveland with the extra point. I know it doesn’t happen a lot in that town, so the crowd of over 12,000 were extremely happy with the number. For Ahcan, it was a hat trick.

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Three Stars: 3) Guillaume Richard (goal, assist) 2) Jet Greaves (30 saves) 1) Roman Ahcan (hat trick)

The Good: Thank god for a Polish translator.

The Bad: Harrison Brunicke took three penalties. Filip Larsson looked completely overmatched but his team didn’t help him out a bit. I could go on, but it ain’t that deep.

Turning Point: That second period killed them, especially that sequence where they killed the first penalty but got called for a second a few moments later.

Around the Division: Providence beats Charlotte 4-0. That’s good because it keeps the Pens and Checkers tied in points. For now, because it brings fourth place Providence closer….Hershey beats Lehigh Valley 2-1 to go five clear of the Pens / Checkers and the rest of the riff raft in the Atlantic. Utica beat Springfield 5-2.

Standings: Hershey 87 – Charlotte 82 – Penguins 82 – Providence 81 – Lehigh Valley 73 – Springfield 72 – Hartford 62 – Bridgeport 37

Wheeling Update: Nailers beat the Reading Royals at home 6-3. Taylor Gauthier stopped 25. Gabe Klassen had a pair of goals and an assist.

Video Highlights: Sickos click here.

They will rematch Saturday and I would expect lineup changes and hopefully a different result.

Let’s Go Pens!

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Mr. Leonard! — Pens LOSE 5-2

Comments Off on Mr. Leonard! — Pens LOSE 5-2 Posted by on March 30, 2025

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Penguins lose 5-2 in Game 2 in Charlotte early Sunday afternoon off three points doom Checkers leading scorer John Leonard. The Checkers have all the tie breakers on the Penguins now as the two teams wrap up their regular season series.

The good news is that both teams are still within arm reach of the Hershey Bears for the division lead. The bad news is that if the Checkers and Penguins are tied in points at the end f the season, the Checkers would get the higher seed in the division.

They will have a week off then restart things next weekend in Cleveland.

Here’s how they lined up:

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Lineup Notes: Tristan Broz was suspended for the game because of the cross checking incident from Saturday where he paid a 4:00 penance in the penalty box. The league then comes over the top and tacks on a suspension. Everything is made up and the points don’t matter to the League. Guy gets called for a double minor, league comes over the top and sits him a game. Either hire more competent officials who throw him out of the game when it happens, or make it make sense.

With Broz turfed for the game, they went 11 forwards and 7 defensemen. Kyle Jackson, who they called up in the wake of McGroarty and Koivunen going up, made his AHL debut. Mac Hollowell returned from injury, Mathias Laferrière is day to day with an upper body injury. Scooter Brickey was also back in on defense with just Nate Clurman scratched.

First Period: Sergei Murashov lets in the first shot he sees off the stick of Matt Kiersted on what really was a wicked shot, that gave the Checkers early 1-0 lead at 4:39 then the Checkers kill a Penguins power play and a few seconds later off the rush ex-Penguin Jesse Puljujarvi scores to expend the lead to two.

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I liked what I saw from Kyle Jackson, who had two Grade A opportunities and seemed to me to have a nose for the net.

Second Period: Checkers really hounded the Penguins looking for a third goal that did not come. The Penguins withstood this and got a really greasy goal from Atley Calvert that brought Wilkes-Barre to within one.

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Third Period: Valtteri Puustinen tied the game at two with a nice shot.

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But then this is where John Leonard went to work.

On the first power play of the day for Charlotte, Leonard scores to re-establish the Checkers lead.

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And then the Penguins were unable to score on back to back power play opportunities and then with time dwindling had to kill one of their own. With Sergei Murashov pulled for an extra attacker, Leonard scores from deep to make it 4-2 then Ramsus Asplund follows up by walking a puck in to make it 5-2.

Three Stars: 3) Kaapo Kähkönen (24 saves) 2) Matt Kiersted (goal, assist) 1) John Leonard (two goals, assist)

The Good: They manage a split against a really good Charlotte team but their fate as it is with the Checkers alone, is not in their hands.

The Bad: Failing to score on back to back power play chances seemingly, when they needed it most.

Turning Point: When they didn’t get a goal on either of the late chances you know they were going to be desperate and Charlotte is too good and too skilled to let an extra man goal happen to them when they, too, needed the points.

Around the Division: Boxes on today’s action which is on or will be getting on by the time this goes up here. The important ones are Springfield / Providence and Utica / Hershey.

Standings: Three off the Bears are both the Checkers and Penguins, but the Bears are in action late at home against Utica.

Wheeling Update: Nailers were off.

Video Highlights: Will be located someplace here.

Week off for them to heal up, hopefully get some bodies back and then it’s off to a sliding Cleveland team next weekend.

AHL Power Rankings will be up Monday.

Let’s Go Pens!

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Special Teams Saves! — Pens WIN 5-3

Comments Off on Special Teams Saves! — Pens WIN 5-3 Posted by on March 29, 2025

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The Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins won 5-3 Saturday afternoon in Charlotte to propel themselves back to second place in the Atlantic Division and ties the Checkers with the second tire breaker, being regulation or overtime wins with some really good special teams play.

They killed off a Tristan Broz double minor and then another in the first period against a Checkers power play which is ranked third in the AHL.

Then, the Penguins scored a power play goal when Vasily Ponomarev scored with under seven minutes to play against the Checkers top ranked penalty kill.

The teams will rematch at 1 p.m. Sunday. I’ll be asking my priest to hurry up his sermon at the 11 a.m. mass I plan on attending.

Here’s how they lined up:

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Lineup Notes: AHL pro debut for Harrison Brunicke. Rutger McGraorty and Ville Koivunen were recalled to Pittsburgh and Joona Koppanen was sent back. Alex Gallant and Koppanen were in for those two and Brunicke went in for Scooter Brickey.

First Period: No scoring. Jack St. Ivany had yeoman like work on the Penguins penalty kill, which the Pens needed to do three times where one was a double minor Tristan Broz infraction.

Filip Larsson had a hell of a save on one of the closing sequences.

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Second Period: Sam Poulin scores when the puck gets lost in the pads of Checkers goaltender Cooper Black.

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Later, Valtteri Puustinen muscled his way into the Checkers zone and wired one past Black that made it 2-0 Wilkes-Barre.

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Then Charlotte started a furious push in the final five minutes of the period.

Nicholas Zabaneh played pitch and catch with Oliver Okuliar after creating a turnover and scored to get the Checkers on the board.

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Then Harrison Brunicke had a rookie mistake. He tried to bank a pass to himself off of the net he was defending and Sandis Vilmanis made him pay.

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To this point, I thought Brunicke looked good. He had some power play time as well.

Third Period: Fast forward to the 13:07 mark of the period where Wilmer Skoog was called for hooking. On the ensuing power play, Atley Calvert set a screen in front and Vasily Ponomarev unleashed a hell of a shot that beat Cooper Black to give the Penguins a 3-2 lead.

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As described above, first pro point for Harrison Brunicke who assisted on the power play goal.

With Black pulled for an extra attacker, Matt Nieto scored from about 185 feet away into the empty net and then Joona Koppanen muscled his way through all three zones to score an empty netter of his own to seal it for the Penguins.

Justin Sourdif had a wrap around chance that deflected off of the skates of Owen Pickering in front as a consolation goal for the Checkers with :36 left.

Three Stars: 3) Nicholas Zabaneh (goal) 2) Valtteri Puustinen (goal) 1) Vasily Ponomarev (power play goal)

The Good: Huge two points Saturday and they get to roll out Sergei Murashov out Sunday who has not lost in the AHL yet. Special teams ruled the day for the Penguins and this is a huge two points.

The Bad: Charlotte never went away and if it wasn’t for the late special teams theatrics for the Penguins, could have been a different result, but that’s a stretch.

Turning Point: Glaringly obvious here, the Ponomarev goal gets it here.

Around the Division: Well, hate to do this to you but with them playing early Saturday and even earlier Sunday, these won’t be here this weekend. I will leave links to the daily box here and Sunday if I remember. Heh.

Standings: As it stands the Penguins are three off Hershey for tops in the division with 82 points, but the Bears are in Utica Saturday night.

Wheeling Update: Nailers are hosting the Cincinnati Cyclones in a few hours.

Video Highlights: AHL VideoCenter is likely your best bet.

Back at it early Sunday afternoon.

Let’s Go Pens!

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