Chirps from Center Ice

          vs.          

2                                 3

–

So an interesting Saturday for the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins

–

The plan is to have Jarry here for the whole two weeks allowable and to have him start every game. That’s at Bridgeport this Wednesday, Hartford at home next Saturday, then a home vs. Lehigh Valley the following Wednesday. at Lehigh Valley that Friday.

Well if Saturday’s game against the Crunch was any indicator, I think Jarry will be fine, for now.

Syracuse is a BIG team. They look like a bunch of linebackers and wide receivers. They jammed up the Penguins Friday in Syracuse and shut them out. Saturday Kirk MacDonald made the necessary adjustments and the Penguins held on to win 3-2.

Here’s how they lined up:

–

Lineup Notes: Raivis Ansons in for Marc Johnstone up front was the only change from Friday.

First Period: Nothing much to report here, the teams were both 0/1 on the power play.

Second Period: Wilkes-Barre gets bang bang goals from Sam Poulin and Avery Hayes on the power play and take a 2-0 lead over the Crunch who battle back to within one when Steven Santini scores off a face-off win (a theme for the Crunch all night) on a hell of a shot then Tristan Broz scores a power play goal with .4 left in regulation to make it 3-1 Penguins heading into the third.

Here’s all the goals.

–

I think these next couple weeks could be big for Poulin. That was a hell of a shot.

–

This was a hell of a play. Shot / pass from the point deflected in by Hayes.

–

Saying Tristan Jarry, an all-star $5M a year goaltender should have stopped that is insulting to Steven Santini, who had a hell of a shot there to score the goal. Long distance, trajectory, deflection, whatever, still a hell of a shot.

–

I initially thought it wasn’t going to count but after video review, the goal stood with time remaining.

Third Period: Syracuse created chaos at the net front of Jarry and Gemel Smith chipped one past the Penguins goaltender to bring the visitors back within one.

–

I mean nothing you really can do there with guys buzzing all around you.

Penguins would hold on through a Syracuse too many men call late and hang on to win.

Three Stars: 3) Emil Bemström (two assists) 2) Tristan Broz (goal, assist) 1) Tristan Jarry (32 saves)

The Good: They battled all night and found a way to stay in front due to their NHL All-Star goaltender and won. Tristan Jarry was fine Saturday. This was the exact type of game that he needed, one where he was challenged a bit, especially at the end where he made a big save to preserve the win, and his team in front of him did the rest. Build off of that and see where this goes. They also scored two power play goals, which is always a bonus.

The Bad: For the love of god, win a face-off. I think next home game provided I remember, I am going to track the face-offs.

Turning Point: I kind of had a feeling that the Broz goal at the end of the second would get it here and out turns out I was right. We just didn’t know it at the time.

Around the Division: Charlotte sweeps Bridgeport with a 5-2 win….Grand Rapids beats Lehigh Valley 5-2….Hershey scores six unanswered to beat Springfield 6-2.

Standings: Herhsey 11 – Charlotte 10 – Penguins 8 – Hartford 7 – Providence and Springfield 4 – Bridgeport and Lehigh Valley 3

Wheeling Update: Nailers won a wild one in Reading 5-4. Matty De St. Phalle, Sam Houde and Logan Pietila among the ones with goals. Sergei Musharov and Mats Lindgren were sent down to Wheeling this afternoon by Coal Street. Musharov stopped 16.

Video Highlights: 

–

Back at it Wednesday in Bridgeport. Power Rankings sometime Monday and I will be here again Wednesday around lunch for the Weekend Preview.

Let’s Go Pens!

         @        

0                           2

–

A freak play tonight and first period goal ended up costing the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins who lose 2-0 in Syracuse on Friday.

Brandon Halverson also played a good game in net for the Crunch, turning away all 22 shots sent his way for his second shutout in three games. He’s only allowed one goal this season.

The two teams will rematch Saturday in Wilkes-Barre.

Here’s how they lined up.

–

Lineup Notes: So I said in the Weekend Preview that we didn’t think there were any injuries coming out of the Saturday game against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms…

–

Add Jimmy Huntington to the list of the wounded with an upper body injury, week to week. Avery Hayes replaced him up front.

Some good news, defenseman Nate Clurman was back from his injury, replacing Mats Lindgren.

The Roster Tracker Page has been updated in kind.

First Period: Penguins fell in an early 1-0 hole when a Boris Katchouk clearing attempt ricocheted off of a skate straight to Dylan Duke who scored at 7:55. Replay below doesn’t shot the ricochet, but this was a freak play.

–

The Penguins took the periods only two penalties, two cross checks, but were able to get out of them unscathed.

Rutger McGroarty had two really good looks but they were stopped by Brandon Halverson, who really wasn’t challenged much despite facing nine shots in the period.

Nick Hart noted on radio that it was the first time all season the Penguins were trailing after one period.

Second Period: Penguins had three cracks at the power play in the period but they were abject disasters. They were forechecked to death and that caused turnovers and it looked like the Crunch were the ones on the power play. No team scored.

Third Period: Best chance of the period came when Emil Bemstrom put a shot on goal, which was stopped, but then the rebound was pounced on by Justin Lee and Halverson gets over and stops that one too.

No penalties in the period. Time dwindled, Larsson vacated, and Maxim Groshev, who fought the aforementioned Lee at the end of the second period, scored an empty netter from center ice.

–

Three Stars: 3) Maxim Groshev (goal) 2) Dylan Duke (goal, assist) 1) Brandon Halverson (22 saves)

The Good: Rutger McGroarty looked good. But for getting beat on a fluke sequence, Filip Larsson looked good too.

The Bad: The explosive offensive juggernaut known as at the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins were no where to be located Friday, but that’s a knock on Syracuse, who put the Pens in a jar. When they leaked, Halverson was there to stymie the rest. I also didn’t like the power play, which went 0/3 on the night, all in the second period.

Turning Point: The Duke goal in the first gets it here and it’s one of those times where you don’t realize it until the game is over.

Around the Division: Charlotte pounds Bridgeport 8-2….Hartford beats Lehigh Valley 4-3 in overtime….Hershey beats Providence 2-1….Grand Rapids beats Springfield 2-1.

Standings: Hershey 9 – Charlotte 8 – Hartford 7 – Penguins 6 – Providence and Springfield 4 – Bridgeport and Lehigh Valley 3

Wheeling Update: Nailers were off, they are in Reading Saturday.

Video Highlights: I highly doubt regular readers of the blog will want to see these, but the Crunch will likely post these, the question is will I see them and edit them back in.

Back at it Saturday for the rematch.

Let’s Go Pens!

         @.        

3                             0

–

After giving up seven goals last Saturday in the home opener against the Charlotte Checkers and taking the loss, Penguins goaltender Filip Larsson was looking for a bounce back.

He had to wait a day because the NHL parent sent a goaltender down for a conditioning assignment, but on Saturday night Larsson rebounds in a big way, with 41 saves, his team does the rest and Wilkes-Barre / Scranton sweeps the weekend and beats the Lehigh Valley Phantoms 3-0 on Saturday night from Allentown.

I think that even if the Phantoms managed to somehow win, with 40+ saves, you pin the loss on the lack of offense moreso then the goaltender.

Oh, studsa tillbaka is “rebound” or “bounce back” in Swedish. Larsson is a Swede.

The more you know.

Here’s how they lined up:

–

Lineup Notes: Corey Andonovski and Marc Johnstone were back in for Avery Hayes and Raivis Ansons up front and Mats Lindgren made his AHL debut on defense for Filip Král.

Injury Updates: 

All I can say, four games into the season is yikes.

First Period: About 3:05 in, Sam Poulin and Emil Bemström find themselves on a 2 on 0 and it was Bemström who scored to make it 1-0 Penguins at 3:05.

–

They looked good in the period, offense looked fluid and Larsson was sharp, assisting on the Bemström goal. There was a power play about halfway through that looked bad, though.

Second Period: I think the Penguins had more icing infractions than shots in the period considering they only mustard three shots in a slog of a period for both sides with no scoring.

Third Period: Penguins were still nursing a one goal lead and the Phantoms were already up to 30 shots in the game, so you wanted something in the form of insurance while there was still a lot of time on the clock.

Just about three and a half minutes in, Joona Koppanen got on the scoresheet with a goal that gave the Penguins some breathing room and doubled their lead.

–

Hell of a shot.

Phantoms were generating shots but they weren’t resulting in goals, so they decided to pull Kolosov for an extra attacker with over five minutes to play, and with under a minute to play, Sam Poulin sets up Boris Katchouk, who has had himself a heck of a weekend, for an empty net goal.

–

All that was left was whether or not Larsson would do the thing and well, he did the thing. 41 save shutout.

Three Stars: 3) Ollie Lycksell (4 shots) 2) Emil Bemström (goal) 1) Filip Larsson (41 save shutout, assist)

The Good: I think the doubts we carried with us all week on Larsson’s shaky play Saturday night last can get put to bed. The kid looked as good as advertised against a Phantoms team that peppered him all night. This wasn’t a 13 save insulated shutout. He stopped 40+ shots and kept his team in it.

The Bad: I’m not nitpicking a road shutout, let’s just skip this.

Turning Point: The Koppanen goal gave them separation and put more desperation on the Phantoms. I don’t think it would have mattered because nothing was getting past Larsson Saturday.

Around the Division: The Chicago Wolves beat the Hershey Bears in overtime to win 3-2 in Hershey. The Bears, who were 8-0 in overtime last year, lose in their first opportunity this season….Cleveland splits another weekend series, this time beating the Charlotte Checkers 4-2….Hartford beats Bridgeport 5-4 in overtime and Springfield beats Providence clean 4-2.

Standings: Charlotte and Penguins 6 – Hartford and Hershey 5 – Springfield 4 – Providence and Lehigh Valley 2 – Bridgeport 1

Wheeling Update: The Nailers were beaten 4-1 up in Maine against the Mariners. Sam Houde had the only goal in the loss for the Nailers.

Video Highlights: Will likely be a later edit.

Power Rankings Monday, maybe.

Let’s Go Pens!

          vs.          

3                               4

–

No one under 40 is going to get the reference, but Boris Katchouk’s two first period goals were all the spark the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins needed in an explosive four goal opening period to beat the Lehigh Valley Phantoms 4-3 Friday night in Wilkes-Barre.

They scored a pair of power play goals in the first period, one from Katchouk, the other from Tristan Broz and Boko Imama’s gift of a goal stood up as the winner as four in the first was enough to get them across the line in a game you were either happy they won or upset that they didn’t win by more and almost lost.

Here’s how they lined up:

Lineup Notes: Justin Lee for Nate Clurman (listed as injured pregame) on defense and Rutger McGroarty and Raivis Ansons for March Johnstone and Corey Andonovski.

First Period: Oh boy, what a start.

:19 into a power play and Boris Katchouk camped out far side and scored to make it 1-0.

Just about four minutes later and there goes that man again.

Really not advisable to give a player the caliber of Katchouk that much time and space from that distance.

About two minutes later and on another power play, Tristan Broz collects the loose change and scores off of a rebound of an Emil Bemstron shot that made it 3-0.

Phantoms call time out to try to slow down the runaway train which was running them over.

It didn’t matter. And got worse.

An absolute boffo decision from Alexei Kolosov there and Boko Imama, not a guy known for scoring goals, gets about the easiest one you can think of and makes it 4-0 Wilkes-Barre.

Second Period: The Phantoms would respond quickly, with two goals in :16.

Oskar Eklind here left unmarked in front of the net that puts the Phantoms on the board.

Pens fail to win a face off then fail to clear and Jacob Gaucher scores to cut the lead in half.

Uh oh. Not this again?

But the Penguins tightened up from there, just allowing one power play for the Phantoms in the period and despite putting 15 shots on Alex Nedeljovic, didn’t find a third goal.

Third Period: I didn’t see defenseman Filip Král on the bench in the period and I didn’t notice anything of substance that took him out. Wilkes-Barre had a full 4:00 on a high stick double minor but couldn’t collect their third power play goal of the night.

Alex Nedeljkovic, the last time he was in the AHL scored a goal for the Penguins up in Springfield. With the Phantoms net empty and the Penguins winning 4-2, tried for the empty net goal again but didn’t put enough air under it.

Ethan Samson would score with under a minute to play.

Uh oh again?

But a late flurry of chances were denied by Nedeljkovic and the Penguins, up 4-0 in the first period with seemingly everything going in for them, hang on to win by a goal.

Hockey’s a funny little game, isn’t it?

Three Stars: 3) Tristan Broz (goal) 2) Boko Imama (goal) 1) Boris Katchouk (two goals)

The Good: Two more power play goals and a blazing offensive start, 14 goals through three games ties a 2005 team and a 2013 teams of the past.

The Bad: Oh dear they nearly coughed it all up and lost, but didn’t.

Turning Point: We didn’t know it at the time but the Imama boffo goal holds up to be the winner.

Around the Division: The Checkers, who I picked to finish last in the division because I don’t pay enough attention to this in the summer out by the pool, are out to a 3-0 start after a 5-2 win at home against the Cleveland Monsters….Hartford won a wild one in their home opener against the Springfield Thunderbirds 6-5. Everyone else was off.

Standings: Charlotte 6, Penguins and Bears 4, Hartford 3, Providence, Springfield and Lehigh Valley 2, Bridgeport 0.

Wheeling Update: Nailers open their 2024-25 ECHL campaign with a 4-1 win in Maine. Jaxon Castor stopped 25, Nailers struck twice on the power play. Jordan Martel and Phip Waugh with goals. Waugh is the only WBS contracted D in Wheeling, so on the way home they may need to drop him off if Renouf or Clurman can’t go unless they use Mats Lindgren who they recalled this week.

Video Highlights: 

These two teams rematch Saturday in Allentown. More then.

Let’s Go Pens!

         @          

4                               1

–

Well they got 27 saves from Sergei Musharov, a power play goal from Boris Katchouk and goals from Avery Hayes (his second of the weekend) Sam Poulin and Nate Clurman and beat the Springfield Thunderbirds 4-1 for their first win of the 2024-25 AHL season and Kirk MacDonald’s first win as head coach.

Now onto a home and home set with the Phantoms starting Friday in Wilkes-Barre, where this should pose an early test for two teams who meet 12 times this season.

Here’s how they lined up:

https://twitter.com/WBSPenguins/status/1845534781343191256

https://twitter.com/ThunderbirdsAHL/status/1845540008335229129

Lineup Notes: Didn’t hear the pregame so I don’t have nay obscure update on the health of Dan Renouf, who was replaced by Scooter Brickey on defense. Boris Katchouk slotted in at the top line for Raivis Ansons up front, with a lineup which had all types of jumbled lines.

First Period: Nate Clurman puts the Penguins on the board five minutes in.

–

I don’t know if that was a designed play or not, probably not when it’s Jim Huntingdon taking the shot, but the members bounce off the wall to a driving Nate Clurman was a nice setup and goal for the Penguins.

Pens took two penalties in the period but navigated through it fine.

Second Period: Wilkes-Barre tacks on two quick boom boom goals to go up 3-0.

Sam Poulin’s first of the season…

–

Then Avery Hayes with his second of the weekend in front of the net like Saturday at hime against Charlotte…

–

Two of the Penguins three goals were created of off turnovers. Nice dogged forechecking.

But then the Thunderbirds answer back with a goal from Mackenzie MacEachern when they fail to clear him out from the top of Musharov’s crease.

–

I didn’t want to say, “uh-oh” at this point. I almost did, though.

Third Period: They navigated through the waters okay, Springfield with a good push as expected but the aggressiveness bit them as the Penguins were rewarded a power play and Boris Katchouk scored to make it 4-1 and essentially put the game out of reach for the home team.

https://twitter.com/WBSPenguins/status/1845577793133822139

–

That’s some neat, tight puck movement there. Let’s hope it continues.

Three Stars: 3) Sergei Musharov (27 saves) 2) Sam Poulin (goal) 1) Jim Huntingdon (two assists)

The Good: 10 goals in two games is pretty explosive start if you ask me.

The Bad: I was struggling to find one here, which I suppose is a good thing. Call the MacEachern goal that spoils the Musharov shutout the bad here, but that’s nitpicking.

Turning Point: I’ll give it to Katchouk and the power play goal scored here. Springfield was waiting for something to develop off of the late goal scored in the second and when it never did desperation set in and instead of fumbling the ball, Katchoul scored a goal to make it three and ice it away.

Around the Division: It’s my last night camping in 2024 so I don’t think I am sticking around for the Hershey / Cleveland game to go final, the box is here if you are so inclined…Charlotted looks like a good team, shutting out Bridgeport 3-0 in the only other games in the Atlantic on this Sunday afternoon in October.

Standings: Pens have two. It’s the first weekend of the regular season. Relax, it will be fine.

Wheeling Update: Nailers start next weekend, you know that if you read last night.

Video Highlights: Pens socials will have this. It’s unseasonably warm here in Gettysburg, so I am having a cigar after this publishes. I return home Monday.

Maybe a surprise return this week if I can get the time, if not, Weekend Preview is yours this Friday setting up the pair with the Phantoms.

Let’s Go Pens!

            vs.          

7                                  6

–

Say it with me, they are young and this is just one game.

Normally at this level, you score six goals and nine times out of ten you will win the game.

This game was the outlier.

A disastrous third period sees a two goal lead evaporate, the experienced visitors score four unanswered and the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins are on pace for an 0-72 season after falling 7-6 to the Charlotte Checkers Saturday night at home.

Welcome to the AHL, Filip Larsson.

He didn’t look sharp, but the team in front of him didn’t exactly look good structure wise or defensively, especially in the third, and this cost them. Here’s how they lined up:

Lineup Notes: They sent Taylor Gauthier back to the Wheeling Nailers on Friday and as a result the roster tracker page has been updated.

First Period: Just 94 seconds into the season, Jaycob Megna scores a goal that gives the Checkers a 1-0 lead.

Normally, I would post videos of all the goals but since there were 13 in this game and this campground Wi-Fi is spotty at best here in the Gettysburg woods, you are only going to get what I give you, and today’s not your day here.

But the Penguins would respond in kind with a pair of goals from a pair of guys whom this is going to be expected of this season, Jimmy Huntingdon gets the debut goal for the Penguins in his Penguins debut and scores to level it with the Checkers about six minutes later.

–

Early theme of the night here. Penguins face-off loss, Checkers turnover and a opportunity for the home team that they cash in on.

Emil Bemström scores his first goal of the season that puts the Penguins up 2-1.

–

Pretty play. Get used to it.

Second Period: So to this point the Penguins had the games first three power plays and weren’t able to do anything with them. Mackenzie Entwhistle gets a shorthanded goal to go that ties the game for the Checkers but then Avery Hayes’ dogged termination in front of the net guarded by Chris Driedger pushed Wilkes-Barre back ahead.

–

I’ll let my tweet (post?) set up this next sequence here for you:

Aidan McDonough (get used to this name) for the visitors and then Broz here…

–

That’s a hell of a shot by the kid right there.

Third Period: It was a bit of a concern that the Penguins had all these power plays with nothing to show for it, but :51 into the third period, Filip Král scored his first of the season to make it 5-3 Wilkes-Barre.

–

So five past Driedger, a good goaltender, setting the tone for the final period, a multi goal lead and the Pens are off to the races right? Right?

Wrong.

Four unanswered for the Checkers as Trevor Carrick (power play at 2:44), Rasmus Asplund (shorthanded (second of the night for the Checkers) at 6:26) and Aidan McDonough twice (7:37 and 15:09) completing his hat trick make it 7-5 for the Checkers.

Not a great debut for Filip Larsson, whom I think will back up Sergei Musharov Sunday afternoon in Springfield (likely the plan anyway) and a few that he should have had stops on, the Asplund shorthanded one comes to current mind, as it was a breakaway from center ice and in.

Say it with me again, they are young and this is just one game.

Marc Johnstone got one late with 22 seconds left to play that gave them faint hope, but they never bagged the seventh.

–

A note, heard them mention that Dan Renouf wasn’t on the bench, picking up a knock of some sort in the first period.

Three Stars: 3) Emil Bemström (goal, assist) 2) Jaycob Megna (goal, assist) 1) Aidan McDonough (hat trick)

The Good: They managed to get six on an NHL caliber goaltender. Questions about the offense are put to bed early, it would seem. Guarantee me six a night and you will win more than you lose for sure.

The Bad: The power play looked bad, they couldn’t win a face-off and they gave up seven when they scored six. They need to figure that out and quick.

Turning Point: The Asplund shorthanded goal seemed to take all the air out of them. They cough up a two goal lead in the third and it just avalanched from there. Bad, bad, bad.

Around the Division: The defending champs Hershey Bears are off to a good start, blowing out the Cleveland Monsters 7-3 the night they raised banner 13 to the rafters at Giant Center….Providence gets their first win of the season, beating Bridgeport 3-2….Springfield beats Laval 3-1….Lehigh Valley wins in a shootout 4-3 over Hartford.

Standings: Hershey, Springfield, Charlotte, Lehigh Valley, Providence 2, Hartford 1, Bridgeport and the Penguins 0

Wheeling Update: Nailers are still in preseason, will get going next week.

Video Highlights: Click at your own risk:

Back at it Sunday in Springfield. Talk to you then.

Let’s Go Pens!

@

4                                  5

–

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!