Chirps from Center Ice

 @

2                                       4

–

Another lead going into the third period and another victory for the opponent. It’s like clockwork for this team and the result again on Friday night as the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins lose 4-2 to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

Oh, and the Penguins didn’t have a shot on goal till about 4 minutes left to play when they were trailing 3-2.

Let’s just get into the recap.

Here’s how they lined up…

Lineup Notes: Buncha AHL debuts for Jagger Joshua and Justin Lee who the Pens signed to contracts so you will see them next year and Owen Pickering, who you won’t’ because he’s still too young for full time AHL work, so it’s either NHL or back to juniors for the guy next season but because his junior season is over, Pens brass wants to get the kid pro reps so here he is. Why they paired him with Taylor Fedun is beyond my comprehension, but it is what it is.

Filip Hållander, Colin Swoyer and Josh Maniscalco came out for the guys listed above.

The above is meaningless, because they will be done in two weeks anyway.

First Period: About half way through Valtteri Puustinen finds Drake Caggiula for a wide open net that gives the Penguins an early 1-0 lead.

Nice play.

But then Tyson Foerster scores a power play goal for the Phantoms with about three minutes left to play to tie the game at one.

Foerster is the Phantoms power play ace and it shows why here. Point shot through two guys.

Second Period: Wilkes-Barre scores on a two man advantage against the dead last penalty kill in the AHL when Ty Smith finds pay dirt with a blast from the point that puts the Penguins up 2-1.

Dustin Tokarski was dialed in during the period and had some of his finest work on display with the save right here.

Terrible foreshadowing…

Third Period: Clockwork.

Ex-Penguin Jordy Bellerive with a shot, Tokarski the initial save but Tokarski follows up and finds the puck and scores to tie the game at two.

Later, Bobby Brink scores when Ronnie Attard’s shot is blocked. This pulls Tokarski out of his crease and he either rover commits or something and that leaves the puck loses for it to be swept over to Attard who has a wide open net to shoot into.

First shot of the period comes with around four minutes to play already down one. They didn’t get a power play to work on to try and tie the game and with ti me dwindling and desperation setting in, they aren’t able to find the equalizer and instead Bobby Brink scores his second on an empty net.

Three Stars: 3) Jordy Bellerive (goal) 2) Valtteri Puustinen (two assists) 1) Bobby Brink (two goals)

The Good: Decent 40 minutes.

The Bad: Terrible last 20. No shot on goal for about 16 minutes? Come on guys.

Turning Point: The Bellerive goal was inevitable. The first Brink goal was inevitable.

Around the Division: Does it matter anymore? Springfield beats Charlotte 3-2 in overtime…Hartford shuts out Providence 5-0.

Standings: Providence 90 – Hershey 87 – Springfield and Charlotte 77 – Lehigh Valley 74 – Hartford 71 || Bridgeport 68 – Penguins 62

Wheeling Update: Nailers are out in Indiana and lost 3-1 to the Indy Fuel.

Back at it on Pizza Night against the Crunch. More then.

 vs.

4                                        3

–

Not because the score line was close, but because it’s about as close as this team will get to a playoff like atmosphere on the ice as the Atlantic’s top team, the Providence Bruins, skate away with a 4-3 shootout win Wednesday over the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins.

Putting myself in Providence’s shoes for a second here as I have been there with the Penguins, the Bruins can’t like how they won this game and how difficult it was for them at times to breakthrough against a last place team in their division. If you can’t beat a last place team, what makes you think you’ll have any success on the road in Game 6 of a Conference or Calder Cup Final?

But again, as I mentioned earlier in the day, maybe they sleepwalked through the game and won when they needed to. Sure looked like it.

Here’s how they lined up:

Lineup Notes: Jordan Frasca for Lukas Svejkovsky up front and the returning Ty Smith and Taylor Fedun for Andrew Nielsen and Peter DiLiberatore on defense.

First Period: Was going to tweet, “yawn” at some point but just as I was, a flurry of three goals in the span of 1:14.

Valtteri Puustinen off the bar and in for a 1-0 Penguins lead followed :49 later by a Tyler Sikura tip of a Taylor Fedun shot and it’s 2-0. Immediately after, Sam Asselin answers (that on again, off again thing I mentioned in the open) and Providence was on the board :25 later. Here they are…

Second Period: They held it at 2-1, but were badly outshot 13-4 in the period but the Bruins had a number of power plays. Jamie Devane fed J.D. Greenway his lunch with a few uppercuts and was give an instigator and a misconduct. A call I don’t agree with but an argument I will make another non-worknight day.

Third Period: Always had the sense that the bottom was going to fall out as it has in recent memory.

4:51 in and Luke Toporowski scores chasing his first shot and scoring via backhander on his second.

But the Penguins showed life and Valtteri Puustinen scores his second of the night giving the Penguins a lead again and made the score 3-2.

But Fabian Lysell dances through Ty Smith and flips a backbend shot at Tokarski to tie the game at three.

Just walking the dog there.

It was an offensive onslaught by the Providence Bruins, but Tokarski and the Penguins held the Bruins at bay and forced…

Overtime: Chances a plenty for both sides, but it was off then to a…

Shootout: Summarized here:

Three Stars: 3) Ty Smith (two assists) 2) Valtteri Puustinen (two goals) 1) Fabian Lysell (regulation and shootout goal)

The Good: I’d say it’s something to build on, holding the best team in the division close like that and something to build off of, but it’s the end of March and they aren’t making playoffs instead of it being early January.

The Bad: Potential is in there, somewhere, but it’s too little, too late.

Turning Point: I’ll give it to Puustinen and his second goal of the game which re-established the Penguins lead and showed they weren’t going to go down without a fight.

Around the Division: Hershey beats Toronto 3-1…Springfield crushes Charlotte 7-4…Hartford beats and overtakes Bridgeport for the 6th seed with a 4-1 win.

Standings: Providence 90 – Hershey 87 – Charlotte 76 – Springfield 75 – Lehigh Valley 72 – Hartford 69 || Bridgeport 68 – Penguins 62

Wheeling Update: The Nailers were off.

If I see video highlights and can get back around to an edit I’ll work them in.

Phantoms Friday in Allentown. More then.

Let’s Go Pens!

 vs.

5                                         1

–

On this massively important afternoon for the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins, the answer was learned quick.

Just :16 in, to be exact.

A 5-1 Hartford win Sunday should, at this point, close the books for the Penguins playoff chances. They are seven points off of Bridgeport for the sixth and final playoff spot and their schedule doesn’t get any easier. They host the first place Providence Bruins on Wednesday.

Hartford, the team that is ahead of the Penguins in seventh and chasing down the Islanders, are now just a point behind Bridgeport for that final playoff spot and six points clear of the last place Penguins.

Say goodnight, Gracie. It won’t be long now.

Here’s how they lined up…

Hartford didn’t post lines.

Lineup Notes: Justin Addamo is apparently injured, having been listed on the injury report before the game. Lukas Svejkovsky slotted in for him. No other changes. As expected, Tommy Nappier was reassigned to Wheeling. Coal Street also signed Louie Roehl to a PTO from Wheeling and received Jordan Frasca as well.

First Period: Hope you weren’t late, cause :16 in, the Penguins were down 1-0 on the first shot of the game from the Wolf Pack.

A terrible D to D pass by Peter DiLiberatore is intercepted by Ryan Carpenter who finds Will Lockwood in transition who makes a move on Dustin Tokarski and scores to make it 2-0.

Wilkes-Barre takes three penalties on the period including two back to back. They killed the first one but on the second it was captain Jonny Brodzinski scoring on a far dot one timer that made it 3-0.

I followed that analysis up with that simply, one team wants to push for a playoff spot and the other does not. Pure and simple.

Second Period: Bit of a brighter start, they outshoot Hartford 12-8 in the period, opened up like an 8-0 run on the shot board to begin but it was Anton Blidh winning a puck battle or rather the Penguins losing two puck battles where Blidh does a backhand roofer to make it 4-0.

Third Period: Jonathan Gruden, far and away the Penguins best player on the ice Sunday, nabs himself a power play goal to break up Louis Domingue’s shutout attempt and get the Penguins on the board 4-1.

But the Wolf pack would add an empty netter via Turner Elson to make it 5-1.

Three Stars: 3) Jonathan Gruden (goal) 2) Will Lockwood (goal, assist) 1) Zac Jones (goal, assist)

The Good: Baseball starts Thursday, Mets should contend. That ownership there seemingly knows how to build a winner.

The Bad: Massively important day and they lay this egg in what could be the worst loss of the season in a year full of some bad ones. Get your final looks at some of these guys, including the coaches because you shouldn’t be seeing them when they come back around this Fall.

Turning Point: Heh. :16 in, and you knew who the better team was going to be.

None of what happened around the division matters. Standings don’t matter either.

I’m not going to post video highlights. Wha was important was shown above.

Providence Wednesday. Weekend Preview of what is likely going to be a brief overview of the week ahead for the Penguins (home vs. Providence Wednesday, at Lehigh Valley Friday, home vs. Syracuse Saturday) will be up Wednesday morning.

Go Pens.

 vs.

3                                         2

–

I guess it’s better than nothing.

A 3-2 Lehigh Valley overtime loss Saturday in Wilkes-Barre, where the Penguins had the lead coming into the third period, lost it and Lehigh Valley forces overtime. It didn’t take long as Adam Brooks ended it just :37 into the overtime frame.

7 points off of 6th and the final spot in the Atlantic for playoffs and 4 points off of 7th, held by Sunday’s opponent Hartford, who were shutout 4-0 in Springfield in the only game that matters for the Penguins. Bridgeport was off.

Here’s how they lined up…

Lineup Notes: Tommy Nappier and Chris Ortiz were recalled earlier in the day. Nappier will be heading back as Dustin Tokarski was re-assigned by Pittsburgh this evening. Lukas Svejkovsky out, Nathan Legare back in.

First Period: Two big stops on two different shooters by Taylor Gauthier and then seconds later Drake Caggiula was in all alone on a breakaway and scored giving the Penguins a 1-0 lead.

But then Lehigh Valley answers right back with a goal from Garrett Wilson. Wilson was looking for someone in front and instead his pass goes off of a Penguin defender instead and in.

Bad team. Bad luck. Bad break. St. Ivany, I think in case you are wondering.

Second Period: Josh Maniscalco scores a power play goal in a similar way that Garrett Wilson scored in the first, off a defender.

I suppose they all count the same.

Third Period: One second left on a power play for the Phantoms and they score via Artem Anisimov goal to tie the game at two.

That goal breaks a streak of 25 straight penalty kills by Wilkes-Barre.

Ty Glover and Filip Hållander led a two on one and Hållander wasn’t able to finish.

I think at the end of the period Lehigh Valley wanted to preserve at least a point. The Penguins in flashes showed some push but were in the same boat.

Overtime: Face-off win by Artem Anisimov and then…

Three Stars: 3) Artem Anisimov (goal, assist) 2) Drake Caggiula (goal) 1) Adam Brooks (goal, assist)

The Good: There’s no consistency with this team. Explain how they can run into Allentown on the third game of a three in three and eat a rested Phantoms team alive like they did last Sunday then blow a third period lead (typical) then in overtime? I guess you can say there’s consistency in that they always bow the lead and find a way to lose.

The Bad: They let an extremely average and likely one and done in playoffs Phantoms team back in the game in the third period and let them take the extra point they were so desperately chasing.

Turning Point: Going to give it to Anisimov’s goal that tied the game back in the third. It was a feckless effort by the home team after that.

Bridgeport is off the rest of the weekend and have 68 points with 9 games left. Hartford, out of a playoff spot, have 65 points with 9 games left. The Penguins have 10 games left, a head to head with Hartford Sunday and 61 points.

Video Highlights: 

More Sunday night after Hartford.

Let’s Go Pens!

 @

5                                 2

–

Probably the finest weekend of Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins hockey played in a while.

Five out of a possible six points and now four points out of the sixth and final playoff spot with 11 games left. This weekend could have been make or break for the Penguins and with the trend of play of late it was leaning towards break, but they find a way to get 5 of 6 possible points this weekend with a methodical 5-2 takedown of the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on Sunday.

Justin Addamo scored again, his third goal in three games this weekend. Drake Caggiula had a pair of goals and an assist. Tyler Sikura, Jonathan Gruden, Filip Hållander all scored. Get scoring from these guys, 36 saves from Dustin Tokarski and yeah, you are going to win a whole heck of a lot more games than you are going to lose in this league.

Here’s how they lined up…

Lineup Notes: Josh Maniscalco for Taylor Fedun and Jamie Devane for Nathan Legare. Fedun was held out for precautionary reasons in case of a recall needed by Pittsburgh.

First Period: Figure that the Penguins, who are in their third game in their third day, would need a good start against a Phantoms team who didn’t play Saturday.

Drake Caggiula made sure that they got that good start.

A minute in and the Penguins had a goal. I’d say that’s a hell of a start.

They went 0/1 on the power play, Dustin Tokarski made a save that broke his blocker, Jonathan Gruden had a breakaway but then Kyle Olson took a later penalty giving the Phantoms a carryover power play into the…

Second Period: Drake Caggiula strikes again early, this time 1:04 in and shorthanded to give the Penguins a 2-0 lead.

Penguins took four straight penalties in the run of play here in the period. Phantoms thought they scored in one of the sequences but Adam Brooks makes incidental contact with Tokarski and referee Jack Young washes out the goal. Goaltender interference giveth and goaltender interference taketh away.

No one knows what it is, so let’s not pretend to start now. Make it reviewable.

Jackson Cates with a goal which was intended to be a pass, and the Penguins lead is halved.

Not to worry, Jonathan Gruden reestablishes the two goal lead.

Huge response, indeed.

Third Period: Justin Addamo scores his third goal in as many games to lift the Penguins to a three goal lead.

Loose puck out at the neutral zone that Bobby Brink pounces on and scores on to again cut the Penguins lead in half. But then Ian Laperriere pulls Samuel Ersson with about four minutes left to play, putting a lot of pressure on his forwards and inevitably Filip Hållander beats out an icing race and scores to put it away.

Three Stars: 3) Jackson Cates (goal) 2) Dustin Tokarski (36 saves) 1) Drake Caggiula (two goals, assist)

The Good: Boy, I bet they wish they had a game Wednesday because they seem to be onto something here. Coming back from multiple goals down against Rochester at home Friday to win, an overtime loss Saturday in Syracuse where I maintain they were the better team and then Sunday in Allentown, where they got in late against a rested team that didn’t play the night before and win decisively is a character weekend. I don’t know if they read the blog (doubtful, if so please stop and focus on winning) but they got kicked in the pants last weekend by me and a lot of others and responded this weekend about as good as anyone could ask. Take the next couple days off, get a couple good practices in this week and come out firing against this Lehigh Valley team Saturday against what will likely be a sellout crowd and continue to push. Be that team no one wants to play in the playoffs.

The Bad: They couldn’t cash against the last place penalty kill in the entire AHL.

Turning Point: The Gruden goal late in the second. It reestablishes the two goal lead and halts all momentum Lehigh Valley was building.

Around the Division: Hartford and Bridgeport were off. Providence beats Springfield in a shootout 3-2.

Standings: Providence 84 – Hershey 81 – Charlotte 76 – Springfield 71 – Lehigh Valley 68 – Bridgeport 64 – || – Hartford 63 – Penguins 60

Wheeling Update: Nailers were off.

Video Highlights: I’ll likely edit these in before I start work in the morning.

Who plays who this week: Bridgeport is in Laval Wednesday. Hartford hosts Springfield Friday while Bridgeport is in Belleville. My Weekend Preview will likely be out Friday morning so those games will be covered along with who else the Islanders and Wolf Pack play next weekend.

Let’s Go Pens!

 @

3                                4

–

They have certainly been better.

3 out of a possible 4 points out of tough North Division clubs they have not have any success against of recent, with Saturday’s result a 4-3 Penguins overtime loss to the Syracuse Crunch. Wilkes-Barre / Scranton sees a 2-1 lead flip to a 3-2 deficit in the span of 35 seconds in the third period. They could have packed it in, chased the game and lost 4-2 or 5-2, but Filip Hållander, returning from injury, scores to tie the game at 3 then nearly wins the game in overtime while the Penguins were killing a penalty.

Hållander was the best player on the ice for the visitors Saturday, bar none. Good to see him back out there.

Out of town, Hartford beat Bridgeport clean, so the deficit with the loser point for the Penguins is 6 now to the sixth and final spot in the Atlantic Division for the Calder Cup Playoffs.

Here’s how they lined up…

Lineup Notes: Mitch Reinke, Jos Maniscalco and Raivis Ansons all out, Filip Hållander, Andrew Nielsen and Jack St,. Ivany all in. I didn’t hear Nick Hart pregame, but the Reinke, Maniscalco scratches were warranted in my opinion and Ansons as well.

Mark Friedman was recalled by Pittsburgh Saturday morning.

First Period: Justin Addamo continued his holy streak, getting a goal when a puck wasn’t completely controlled by Crunch goaltender Hugo Alnefelt off a Taylor Fedun shot and the Pens were on the board first.

Syracuse gets a weird goal when a Trevor Carrick shot goes off Lucas Edmonds and in for a 1-1 game a minute or so past halfway.

Penguins controlled the Crunch on the power play, killing both of their chances in the period.

Second Period: Scrappy period, moreso then usual. two fights, a 4:00 roughing, just an overall scrappy period. I don’t think there have been two fights in the last 10 games, let alone two fights in one game. It’s been a while and good to see actually.

Penguins get a goal when Filip Hållander forces a turnover and finds Tyler Sikura streaking down the ice and finds him for a goal that gives the Penguins a 2-1 lead.

Third Period: Life comes at you quick.

Penguins go from up 2-1 to down 3-2 in the span of :35. Ex-Penguin Felix Robert scores to tie the game, then Trevor Carrick follows suit to give the Crunch a 3-2 lead.

Gauthier gets some of, but not all of, that shot.

Could have packed it in. Could have come undone. But no.

Filip Hållander to the rescue.

Hållander was everywhere Saturday. After his goal he had a late breakaway which was denied by Alnefelt.

Overtime: I didn’t like some of the calls referees Jim Curtain and Ian McCambridge doled out Saturday, but that’s hockey. I particularly didn’t care for the call in overtime where Alex Barre-Boulet folds like a house of cards on a soft check by Jonathan Gruden. The Penguins navigate out of it with the aforementioned Hållander nearly scoring shorthanded to end it for the Penguins, but it’s Declan Carlile finding a loose puck in a pile that was not covered and putting it in to give Syracuse a much needed win in their fight for a spot in the North Division Playoffs.

Three Stars: 3) Filip Hållander (goal, assist) 2) Declan Carlile (OT goal) 1) Trevor Carrick (goal, assist)

The Good: Certainly better than last week, week before. Rochester and Syracuse are playoff teams. Pens played them tough. Now, empty the tank against a rested Lehigh Valley team Sunday in Allentown and keep pushing.

The Bad: I don’t think the better team won the game.

Turning Point: Usually OT goals get them here and in this case, I’m not overthinking things and just going with the Carlile winner here.

Around the Division: Bridgeport, as I m mentioned off the hop, loses to Hartford clean 3-2…Charlotte beats Toronto 4-1….Hershey beats Rochester 2-1….Providence beats Springfield 4-1.

Standings: Providence 82 – Hershey 81 – Charlotte 76 – Springfield 70 – Lehigh Valley 68 – Bridgeport 64 – || – Hartford 63 – Penguins 58

Wheeling Update: Nailers can’t complete a sweep down in Norfolk, lose 4-2.

Video Highlights: 

I still don’t think the team that won was the best team on the ice. I suppose that’s promising, but we will see what Sunday brings. Talk to you then.

Let’s Go Pens!

 vs.

4                                   5

–

They are going to drag this out to the bitter end.

Or maybe it’s just the luck of the Irish on this St. Patrick’s Day.

After going down 3-0 in the first period, the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins pull themselves up from their bootstraps and comeback to win 5-4 in a shootout over visiting Rochester.

Full credit to them. They could have packed it in and said the hell with it. But a Jonathan Gruden goal off a deflection of a Mitch Reinke shot got them on the board late in the first period. After playing better in the second period they use the power play to get to within one on a Drake Caggiula slam dunk then ride a :19 span where Peter DiLiberatore and Justin Addamo score to tie and then take the lead, respectively.

But then Jeremy Davies scores a couple minutes later to re-tie the game to force overtime, which solves nothing. In the shootout, Ty Glover scores in the top of the second and starting goaltender Dustin Tokarski turns away all three Rochester shooters to win the game for the Penguins.

Character win if there ever was one. Bridgeport beat Saturday’s opponent Syracuse to maintain their seven point lead over the Penguins for the sixth and final playoff spot in the Atlantic, however, but a loss tonight would essentially end all hopes of playoffs. Seven is a lot of ground to make up, but is still (hypothetically) doable.

Let’s run through the lineup, the goals then get out of here.

Rochester didn’t post lines. I don’t know what’s up with Mark Friedman. Pittsburgh is carrying like 100 defensemen, so if it’s a recall we won’t find out till Saturday.

Pens came out flying in the first but it’s Jiri Kulich who sneaks behind the defense and scores on Rochester’s fourth shot of the game.

Mitch Reinke coasting there.

Then Mason Jobst scores one he receives a cross ice pass to make it 2-0.

That’s Reinke again and his defense partner Josh Maniscalco pretending it’s Halloween and dressing up like traffic cones as the competition just races past them.

I don’t know what Taylor Fedun is doing here. He leaves his spot to help out, which opens up space in transition which sets up Malone for the goal.

Pens on the board.

Mitch Reinke had a mercurial game, that’s for sure.

Second period. Here, I’ll let my tweets set it up.

:13 later, Drake Caggiula, with stick in hand, scores.

Now, late in the third period with Wilkes-Barre still pressuring Peter DiLiberatore, who actually has been a bit of a bright spot for the Penguins since the trade, scores to tie the game at three each.

:19 later, Justin Addamo.

I mean you can’t give a guy that big a path to the net that easy.

But then Jeremy Davies scores to re-tie the game because we just can’t win the game in regulation.

Nothing doing in overtime so it’s off to the shootout.

Just noticed something…

They didn’t skate on green ice tonight but from the color from this picture it would look like they did.

Justin Addamo (goal), Drake Caggiula (goal, assist) and Ty Glover (game winning shootout goal) were your three stars in that order.

Bridgeport beats Syracuse 5-2 in really the only game that matters for the Penguins at this point in the season. Wilkes-Barre is in Syracuse Saturday night. More then. Highlights will be edited in later if I get back around to a computer any time soon.

Let’s Go Pens!