Chirps from Center Ice

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So with the calendar flipped to 2024, every point is going to matter.

Looks like they got off on the right foot, as the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins go into Springfield and win 2-1. A clean two points over a team who was above them in the standings.

Springfield knows how to win from behind and nearly did, scoring a goal just :30 into the third period and pouring it on from there. Joel Blomqvist was stout in goal, only allowing just one goal and if you are sensing a pattern you are onto something, it’s the fourth game for Blomqvist where he has just allowed one goal.

Onto Lehigh Valley Saturday…

Here’s how they lined up:

Lineup Notes: Vinnie Hinostroza was back, Jesse Puljujarvi and Owen Headrick made their WBS debuts. Austin Rueschhoff and Joona Koppanen yielded for Hinostroza and Puljujarvi up front and Ty Smith was back from the Spengler Cup. Taylor Fedun and Will Butcher stepped out for Smith and the aforementioned Headrick.

First Period: Pens roared out to an 11-4 shot advantage and got one of them to go when Hinostroza nd Jack Rathbone played give and go on a nice play that resulted in a Hinostroza goal.

But then the Thunderbirds raced back to even shot total at 11 a piece and got themselves a late power play.

Second Period: They kept the pressure on Springfield, who knows how to win games after falling behind, and nearly had a goal when Jack St. Ivany threw a shot at the net that Vadim Zherenko absorbed and sort of fell into the net with. A brief video review by referees Chad Ingalls and Stephen Hiff confirmed Ingalls’ initial call of no goal.

But then, at the expiration of a power play, the Penguins would double their lead when Peter Abbandonato scored to make it 2-0 Penguins.

Nice setup by Sam Poulin and Rem Pitlick to get the puck to an unmarked in the slot Abbandonato.

Third Period: Thunderbirds capitalize off of a Colin White turnover and Adam Gaudette scores just :30 into the period.

The last thing you wanted to see as a Penguin fan with how good the Thunderbirds are at coming back from behind.

But the Penguins used the clock and two really good penalty kills to get through it all and hang on and with Zherenko pulled for the extra attacker the Thunderbirds never found the equalizer.

Three Stars: 3) Adam Gaudette (goal) 2) Peter Abbandonato (goal) 1) Joel Blomqvist (35 saves)

The Good: How good has Joel Blomqvist been here? Pulling the team through a tough game, on the road, against a team they may run into come last April?

The Bad: No but seriously, is he every going to get his first AHL shutout?

Turning Point: The Abbandonato goal that put the Penguins up 2-0 gets it here. Do they win this game in overtime?

Around the Division: I don’t know how this is possible, but it is indeed Friday in the AHL and there are no other teams in the division playing on this day.

Standings: Hershey 56 – Hartford 39 – Providence 38 – Penguins 37 – Springfield 36 – Charlotte 35 – Lehigh Valley 31 – Bridgeport 20

Wheeling Update: Nailers are in Florida and lost 4-1 to the Orlando Solar Bears.

Video Highlights: AHL VideoCenter will have them Saturday morning as you wait for the snow to fall.

More tomorrow for the first meeting between the Penguins and Phantoms.

Let’s Go Pens!

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The only changes the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins made from Friday’s win against these same Checkers on Saturday was Ryan Shea, recalled to Pittsburgh and in goal, with Taylor Gauthier in net.

So explain to me how they lose 5-2 Saturday.

Checkers went 0-for-5 last night, 2-for-4 Saturday. That’s one reason.

Pens went 0-for-3 on the power play, that’s another reason.

On one of those power plays they got scored on shorthanded. That’s one more.

Consistent inconsistency? Call it what you want. I think they are a good team. I do. You see flashes of brilliance with the team. Would I be worried if just the top four teams made it? Maybe. I think they can play as a top four team.

Look, every team save for Hershey in this division has its pitfalls. The Penguins are one of them.

Let’s get into this one.

I gave you the lineup changes above.

First Period: Role reversal from Friday. Pens bottled up the Checkers but it was the Checkers who scored first, on the power play, when Zac Dalpe scored from the slot to gibe the Checkers the early lead.

Second Period: The Checkers goals came fast and furious. Two in a minute, Brendan Perlini dart off the rush then Matt Kiersted less than a minute later and it was a Checkers runaway.

Patrick Giles followed up with a shot off of a face off and the rout was on.

Third Period: You figure that they can work an early goal in here and start a comeback.

Nope!

But the Penguins would get goals from defensemen when Dmitri Samorukov and Jack St. Ivany, for St. Ivany his first pro goal, to spoil a Waeber shutout bid.

But then Charlotte scores on a power play when Sam Poulin takes a dumb penalty. Poulin, if he knew how to fight, would have handled his matter with the Checkers player (I forget who) with a fight, but instead he trips the guy off a face-off and is rightly called for it.

Three Stars: 3) Jack St. Ivany (first AHL goal) 2) Zac Dalpe (two goals) 1) Patrick Giles (two goals)

The Good: Nice to see St. Ivany get a goal. Kid works hard.

The Bad: Just when you think they can do something right, they prove you wrong and do something wrong.

Turning Point: If it wasn’t the Giiles goal that made it 4-0, it was the Giles goal, shorthanded, that made it 5-0.

Around the Division: Hartford beats Bridgeport 3-2 … Hershey shuts out Lehigh Valley 4-0 … Providence pounds Springfield 8-2.

Standings: Hershey 54 – Providence 38 – Hartford 37 – Springfield 36 – Penguins 35 – Charlotte 33 – Lehigh Valley 31 – Bridgeport 20

Wheeling Update: Nailers beat Norfolk 5-3. Lukas Svejkovsky with a goal and an assist.

Video Highlights: Probably don’t want to see them.

Happy New Year, talk to you in 2024!

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Gonna just jump into the game story tonight because it’s a work night and I baked what I’d put in the lede there instead of here. Penguins lose 4-1 in Hershey.

What, you are off this week? No, I didn’t take this week off. I really should. I have been gainfully employed for 20+ years and I think I have only taken the Christmas-New Year in between off just once.

Anyway…

Here’s how they lined up:

Lineup Notes: Raivis Ansons for Matt Filipe at forward and Taylor Fedun for Ty Smith on defense. Smith is playing in the Spengler Cup.

First Period: I told you in the Weekend Preview that you could not make a mistake against the Hershey Bears. You needed to make the most of your opportunities.

Well, the Penguins had three opportunities, a Sam Poulin Grade A chance, a quick lightning in a bottle two on none and a Corey Andonovski shot that rang the post that did not go in. On that Andonovski sequence, back the other way and wouldn’t you know it…

…they made a mistake.

Rem Pitlick, who should know better, causally spills a puck away and tries to get it out of his zone, but there is Alex Limoges who rifles one home for a 1-0 Hershey lead.

Reiterating, you cannot make a mistake against this team.

Second Period: They continued to make mistakes.

Magnus Hellberg did his damndest to keep them in it, but then Ethen Frank tipped one past the Penguins netminder and it was a 2-0 Hershey lead.

Soon after that, Corey Andonovski gets tagged for a five minute boarding major when he just runs like a runaway train against Alex Limoges on the boards and in the ensuing power play Joe Snively (LOL, who else?) scores to make it 3-0.

Here are the goals.

The Penguins lost Raivis Ansons to injury back in the first when he took what looked like a knee on knee hit from Dylan McIlrath. No  penalty was called, it didn’t look egregious  by any means.

Third Period: Wilkes-Barre had an early power play but couldn’t score. Would it have been a different result if they could have got one to go there? I think so, but they didn’t so we will never know.

Quieter period. I think Hershey was waiting for a counterpunch but it didn’t come until Austin Rueschhoff scored while the Bears were in the midst of a line change that broke up the Shepard shutout bid.

With 4:30 left, J.D. Forrest pulls Magnus Hellberg. Then Aaron Ness blocks a Jack Rathbone shot and Pierrick Dube scores into the empty net to make it 4-1 Bears.

Three Stars: 3) Mike Sgarbnossa (two assists) 2) Alex Limoges (goal, assist) 1) Joe Snively (goal, assist)

The Good: Struggling here. They had a decent first but couldn’t finish, got deflated a bit when Limoges scored.

The Bad: Too many mistakes against a team you just can’t make mistakes against.

Turning Point: The Snively power play goal that made it 3-0 put the game out of reach for the Pens. 2-0 is manageable, 3-0 is impossible.

Around the Division: Lehigh Valley beats Utica 5-4…Providence edges Bridgeport 5-4…Springfield beats a suddenly cold Hartford team 3-1.

Standings: Hershey 50 – Hartford 35 – Springfield 35 – Providence 34 – Penguins 33 – Charlotte 31 – Phantoms 31 – Bridgeport 18

Wheeling Update: Nailers are edged in Indy 1-0 as the Fuel win.

Video Highlights: AHL VideoCenter for you diehards.

Back at it Friday against Charlotte.

Let’s Go Pens!

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Looking back at this game on the schedule back in August, you could point to this game and say it would be a scheduled loss for the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins.

You know, it is a stark contrast playing in Belleville, Ontario, which looked like a high school auditorium in front of maybe 500 fans Thursday night vs. Friday in Laval. They had a band, lasers, a packed house and it’s not far from Montreal. A lot of players aren’t making the trip back home to Wilkes-Barre, opting to stay in Canada for the Christmas holiday. A lot of players family were in attendance as well.

So, yeah, I guess you could say this was a scheduled loss.

A 5-2 Rocket win.

You may look at the AHL standings coming into this and see Laval at the bottom of the North Division. Well, the Rocket are not playing like a last place team. Bellville played like a last place team. This Laval team had won 3 out of their last 4 coming in to the bash with the Penguins.

Here’s how they lined up…

Lineup Notes: 200th AHL game for Magnus Hellberg.

First Period: A penalty marred first period was a harbinger of what was to come. No scoring.

Second Period: Rocket connect for three, yes, three power play goals. These all came in consecutive order but before William Trudeau scored at even strength to give the Rocket a 1-0 lead.

The Penguins would answer right back when Alex Nylander would tip in a Ty Smith shot to tie the game at one.

OK, you figure, they got theirs, that snaps the Penguins to life and they score here and then will score again at some point, right?

Right?

Wrong.

Three power play goals in a 2:57 span put the Rocket up by three goals.

Penguins second overall penalty kill looked bad, very bad, there. Shots from the point that should not be taken without interference in the form of a player wearing black.

Third Period: Wouldn’t you know it, but more shots from the slot taken unabated as Sean Farrell scores from there to extend the Rocket lead to 5-1.

Too easy.

Dmitri Samorukov or Matt Filipe would score here to make it 5-2, but this happened with close to five minutes to play in the game.

Sadly there is no three point line in hockey.

Three Stars: 3) Arber Xhekaj (goal) 2) Logan Mailloux (goal, assist) 1) Philippe Maillet (three assists)

The Good: Not going to lie, not a lot of good to come out of this.

The Bad: Three straight power play goals against was bad, man.

Turning Point: Those three straight power play goals will be keeping the coaching staff up on the trip back home Friday.

The only thing that you hope is that they rest and recover, wash this one out of their systems, regroup and get ready for Hershey Wednesday in Hershey. Huge game.

Around the Division: Bridgeport beats Hartford 5-4 in what has to be an upset….Providence doubles up Rochester 6-3….Charlotte beats Lehigh Valley 5-4 in a shootout….Hershey beats Springfield 4-3 in a shootout.

Standings: Hershey 46 – Hartford 35 – Penguins 33 – Charlotte 31 – Springfield 31 – Providence 30 – Lehigh Valley 29 – Bridgeport 17

Wheeling Update: Nailers are in Cincinnati and that game started about an hour after the Penguins. Box on that here.

Video Highlights: Watch a Christmas movie instead.

More next week when they are in Hershey.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Let’s Go Pens!

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Sometimes it’s nice to watch a game and know that the issue is never in doubt. This was one of those games.

A 5-1 walloping of the Belleville Senators by the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins. The power play went 3/6, Rem Pitlick scored again and Joel Blomqvist was sharp as a tack. Not much more you could ask for in this one.

Here’s how they lined up:

Lineup Notes: Jonathan Gruden and Marc Johnstone were back for Lukas Svejkovsky, who they went to Wheeling earlier in the week and Raivis Ansons. On defense, Ryan Shea made his WBS debut and Will Butcher was back in for Taylor Fedun and Xavier Ouellet.

First Period: They didn’t waste any time, scoring at the expiration of an early power play when Jonathan Gruden scored to open the scoring for Wilkes-Barre.

Colin White doubled the Penguins lead with this nice shot.

Penguins seemed to be in control from the jump.

Second Period: Before you could say Bay of Quinte, the  Penguins were down two men for 1:56 and Max Guenette blasted home a one timer to put the B-Sens on the board and broke up any prospective Joel Blomqist shutout bid.

But the Penguins answered right back on a power play when, guess who, Rem Pitlick scored a power play goal to re-establish the two goal lead for the Penguins.

That’s points in nine straight games for Rem Pitlick.

Sam Poulin added yet another power play goal for Wilkes-Barre when he scored to make it a 4-1 lead for the Penguins.

Third Period: Sam Poulin scores on the back end of a 4:00 double minor for his second of the game for the third power play goal scored for the Penguins in the game.

Penguins didn’t let off at all in the period, outshooting the Senators 13-4 in the period.

Three Stars: Max Guenette (goal) 2) Colin White (goal, assist) 1) Sam Poulin (two goals)

The Good: A better team in the Penguins should wallop a last place team like Belleville. The Senators seemed directionless, and the Penguins made them pay. It was good to see.

The Bad: I’m nitpicking, but they gift wrapped Belleville nearly two minutes of a two man advantage and lost a shutout bid for their goaltender.

Turning Point: Poulin’s first goal, that made it 4-1 at the time, erased any hope of Belleville mounting anything close to a comeback in this one.

Around the Division: Just one other game on this Thursday, Lehigh Valley beats Charlotte in overtime down in North Carolina 3-2.

Standings: Hershey 44 – Hartford 35 – Penguins 31 – Providence and Springfield 30 – Charlotte 29 – Lehigh Valley 28 – Bridgeport 15

Wheeling Update: The Nailers were off.

Video Highlights: Check the AHL Video Center for them if you really want them.

Back at it Friday in Laval.

Let’s Go Pens!

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Wilkes-Barre / Scranton’s mastery of the North Division continues, with a 4-1 win in Utica Friday night.

It was not a close affair.

The Comets had only six shots after two periods and only registered their third shot with 4:21 to play in the period, after the Penguins were already up 2-0.

Peter Abbandonato scored in the third and made it 3-0. Utica finally breaks through shorthanded to get on the board but it was far too little far too late.

Here’s how they lined up…

Lineup Notes: The Penguins sent Justin Addamo back to Wheeling and released Libor Hajek. Addamo got shuffled out and Hajek never really had an impact and was taking up a veteran spot.

First Period: No scoring, tons of penalties. The AHL’s top two penalty kills were getting a workout. Penguins by some miracle outshot the Comets 13-4.

Second Period: Goals in this period were scored by defensemen.

Will Butcher’s first as a Penguin then a nifty play, move and shot by Jack Rathbone.

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The Comets didn’t have a shot on goal for well over 15 minutes into the period. When they did manage their first shot, it was too raucous cheers by the Utica faithful. You thought Penguins fans were rough?

Third Period: Penguins notch another goal when Peter Abbandonato, who has been the Penguins most consistent player, scored to extend the lead to 3-0.

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But then Utica scored shorthanded when captain Ryan Schmlezer scored to break up the would be shutout Joel Blomqvist had going for him.

The Penguins locked down from there, getting an empty net goal from Colin White to seal the game away.

Three Stars: 3) Ryan Schmelzer (goal) 2) Colin White (goal, assist) 1) Jack Rathbone (goal)

The Good: They seem to be on a roll right now and that’s a good thing.

The Bad: Would have like to have seen them get a shutout for their goalie, but it was a good night at the office for the road team.

Turning Point: Abbandonato’s goal in the third squashed any hopes for a Utica comeback. You knew the Comets would respond (they had 16 shots in the third) but having to dig from three down after a sleepwalking start is a daunting task for any team, anywhere.

Around the Division: Charlotte shuts out Bridgeport 3-0….Rochester beats Hartford 3-2 in overtime….Laval comes back from down two to beat Lehigh Valley 4-3 and Toronto pounds Providence 8-3. The Bruins eight game point streak is over.

Standings: Hershey 40 – Hartford 34 – Providence 30 – Penguins 29 – Springfield 28 – Charlotte 27 – Lehigh Valley 26 – Bridgeport 13

Wheeling Update: The Nailers played host to the Indy Fuel and won 4-1. Jordan Frasca had two goals and Taylor Gauthier stopped 24 shots.

Video Highlights: AHL Video Center is your friend here.

Housekeeping: I will be out of town tomorrow and not at the Saturday home game against Rochester. I may not have a full writeup, but will try to recap something.

Let’s Go Pens!

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Syracuse has lost now three straight. The Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins made them look like that with a 4-1 handling Wednesday night. Goals scored by Rem Pitlick, Jack Rathbone, Austin Rueschhoff and a beautiful breakaway goal by Matt Filipe had the Penguins off to the races against the Crunch.

Work night, school night, let’s get this over with.

Lineup Notes: 

First Period: Seemed like a sleepy start, until Daryl Hall from Hall and Oates Rem Pitlick scored on a deflection to put the Penguins in front 1-0.

You kind of wanted this type of sleepy start if you were the Penguins with how offensively potent the Crunch are and can be.

Second Period: Penguins stay relentless on a wall battle, it is dug out and over to Jagger Joshua who finds Jack Rathbone at the top of the slot. Rathbone unleashes a shot that beats Matt Tomkins and it’s a 2-0 Penguins lead.

Syracuse gets on the board with a shot off of the face-off from Shawn Element that rings the bar and goes in.

But almost immediately, the Penguins respond for a goal from Austin Rueschhoff off a deflection from Dmitri Samorukov that re-establishes the Penguins two gaol lead.

Good get for Rueschhoff, who I say has two left hands for his lack of finish.

Goal came :20 after the Element score for the Crunch.

Then old buddy Felix Robert draws a penalty (sound familiar?) and the Penguins are off to a penalty kill.

Matt Filipe’s finest work, right here.

Look at that explosion right there. That’s power skating and I don’t even know how. With every stride, he’s losing his defender. He has to finish, and does. Just an all around great play.

Third Period: Penguins went 0/4 on the power play, and had three of those four chances in the third period but didn’t score.

Three Stars: 3) Corey Andonovski (two assists) 2) Matt Filipe (shorthanded goal) 1) Jack Rathbone (goal, assist)

The Good: Team effort, team win. Goals came from all walks of life with half the team on recall. That’s how you do it.

The Bad: Power play was humming, until Wednesday. 0/4 is manageable because you beat a out of division rival, but these are habits you don’t want to fall into.

Turning Point: I love Filipe’s shorthanded goal so much it gets it here. The Rueschhoff goal could get it, but the Filipe shorthanded goal when you have a chance to get back into it if you are Syracuse just deflates you.

Around the Division: Points for all! Hershey beats Providence 3-2 in overtime…Lehigh Valley comes back and beats Charlotte 3-2 in overtime and Springfield needs a shootout to get by Rochester 4-3.

Standings: Hershey 40 – Hartford 33 – Providence 30 – Springfield 28 – Penguins 27 – Lehigh Valley 26 – Charlotte 25 – Bridgeport 13

Wheeling Update: Nailers were off.

Video Highlights: 

Back at it Friday in Utica. Let’s Go Pens!