Chirps from Center Ice

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It was the penalty kill that got them tonight.

The Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins go 3-for-5 on the penalty kill. They lose 4-2. They took a 2-2 game into the third period and saw the Islanders score early and then an empty netter at the end.

It was a winnable game too because the Islanders were slumping. It’s the Penguins now who go back to square one with a pair of games down in Charlotte, NC starting this Monday.

Here’s how they lined up…

Lineup Notes: No changes to the forwards. Jon Lizotte was back after this two game absence. Taylor Fedun was out with what JD Forrest told Nick Hart with a minor lower body injury.

First Period: Seemed a bit marred by early penalties, but the Penguins were the beneficiary of a goal out of an Islanders penalty when Ty Smith scored to put Wilkes-Barre on the board:

The Penguins were 2/2 on the kill in the first.

Second Period: Penguins fund themselves in some penalty trouble and it cost them.

William Dufour scores to tie the game at one on a power play.

Penguins would get the lead back on a Sam Poulin breakaway set up by a nifty breakout.

But then Otto Koivula scored on the power play to tie the game again, this time at two to bring the Islanders even yet again with the Penguins.

Penguins, 2/2 on the penalty kill in the first period, went 0/2 in the second.

Third Period: Kyle MacLean breaks the deadlock and scores to give the Islanders the lead. Bridgeport was building a crescendo with the chances to open the period.

(sorry, no GIF of the goal here or of the Koivula goal from the second)

Penguins get back to back chances on the power play but couldn’t come up with anything to get back on even terms with the home team. They did hit four frustrating posts in the contest.

With Lindberg pulled, Parker Wotherspoon scores an empty net goal from about 180′ away.

Three Stars: 3) Kyle MacLean (goal) 2) Otto Koivula (goal, assist) 1) William Dufour (goal, assist)

The Good: I liked the start. That was about all I liked. Bridgeport is a sneaky good team.

The Bad: Obviously the penalty kill sunk them tonight. The power play didn’t help them either there late in the third.

Turning Point: Failing to score on back to back power plays there in the third. Don’t know what happens if they do, but it’s highly likely they get to overtime and at least a point. It’s a point they are going to wish they had in April.

Around the Division: The Lehigh Valley Phantoms are on a heater. They go into Providence and sweep the league leading Bruins in a weekend pair of games, tonight defeating the Bruins 3-2 in a shootout….Hershey jumps all over Hartford and beats them 6-1….Charlotte throttles Springfield 4-1.

Standings: Providence 23 – Hershey and Charlotte 20 – Bridgeport 19 – Penguins, Springfield and Lehigh Valley 15 – Hartford 12

Wheeling Update: Nailers were off.

Video Highlights: If I see them I will post them. AHL VideoCenter may be your best bet with these, they seem to have all of them.

Back at it Monday in Charlotte.

Let’s Go Pens!

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So they kept it simple, navigated through a rough second where they should have gave up a goal or two, and win 4-0. Dustin Tokarski with a 26 save shutout.

Penguins only had 22 shots. Four of them went in.

This game was less about luck and just more about methodical execution. It paid off where their goaltender picked up a shutout. He also had an assist.

Here’s how they lined up:

Lineup Notes: I have to get the skinny on what’s up with Jon Lizotte. The reinforcements were in from Pittsburgh.

First Period: Drake Caggiula scored off a rebound to give the Penguins a 1-0 lead.

First lead for the Penguins in a long time. First first goal for the Penguins in a long time as well. I gave you the when’s and where’s of that in the Weekend Setup. It’s been a while.

Wilkes-Barre went 1/1 on the penalty kill in a relatively clean period.

Second Period: Bears limited the Pens to just a shot about 12 minutes into the period. It was a lopsided period favoring the Bears. Penguins escape danger when a shot by Vincent Iorio deflects off Ty Smith and into the net, but Kale Kessy made contact with Tokarski and referee Matt Menniti waves off the gol as a result of that.

Third Period: The Penguins started rough. more carryover from the second and the Bears had :20 of a two man advantage. The Penguins would kill it all entirely.

Then, the Penguins started to finally pull away. Jonath Gruden would score off the bar and in to make it 2-o Wilkes-Barre.

Dustin Tokarski would assist on that goal.

Then Sam Houde would take a nice pass from Tyler Sikura and score to open the lead up to 3-0.

Filip Hallander into an empty net salted the game away.

I used to have a standing rule that I didn’t show empty net goals but the Pens put it out there so I may as well, you know?

Three Stars: 3) Jonathan Gruden (goal) 2) Drake Caggiula (goal) 1) Dustin Tokarski (26 save shutout, assist)

The Good: They kept it simple, methodically took it a shift at a time and took down their biggest rival.

The Bad: Took five penalties. Still won, though.

Turning Point: Getting out of that early two man disadvantage in the third period I think took the air out of the sails for Hershey. It was a 1-0 lead at the time and the Bears had all the momentum. Penguins keep not simple (sense a theme?) and got out it all unscathed.

Around the Division: Lehigh Valley takes down the top team in the AHL in the Providence Bruins with a 4-2 win…Charlotte beats Bridgeport 4-1. Hartford and Springfield were off.

Standings: Providence 22 – Hershey 18 – Charlotte 18 – Bridgeport 17 – Penguins 15 – Springfield 15 – Lehigh Valley 13 – Hartford 12

Wheeling Update: Nailers beat the Walleye 2-1 in Toledo. Seasn Josling, recently assigned, had a goal.

Video Highlights: Will be up soon and I can see if I can work an edit in the morning.

Bridgeport Saturday. More then.

Let’s Go Pens!

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Anthony Angello was everywhere tonight.

Yes, he plays for the other team these days and that other team, the Springfield Thunderbirds, defeated the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins on Saturday night by a 3-2 score.

After a third period comeback which saw the Penguins score back to back power play goals on a double minor, it was Angello which scored the Goa ahead game winner to send the Penguins to their fourth straight loss of this young campaign.

Winless in November. So far.

Here’s how they lined up.

Lineup Notes: Sean Josling for Lukas Svejkovsky up front and Colin Swoyer for Jon Lizotte. Lizotte picked up a knock Friday against Hartford and there’s no timetable. Upper body.

First Period: Innocuous. Lots of icings. No scoring.

Second Period: Will Bitten unmarked in front and scores to get the Thunderbirds on the board first.

Ty Smith leaves Bitten to pinch and puck chase and it costs them a goal.

Dmitrii Samorukov scores after yet another sloppy play with the puck in the defensive zone by the Penguins and Springfield goes up 2-0.

So you have guys leaving guys wide open in front and turning the puck over. Yes, these are correctable problems but they keep happening. If this was your job, HR would have you attend a seminar or something by now.

Here were the goals. Just brutal fundamental breakdowns between the Bitten goal above and the Samorukov goal below.

Third Period: Sam Houde was high sticked and this drew blood. Penguins score on both ends of the power play to tie the game at two.

Sam Houde slams one home back door for the first goal and Ty Smith atones for his previous mistake and scores to tie the game.

Elite call by Nick Hart there on the goal call.

Jack St. Ivany loses his situational awareness and a surprise hit by Nathan Todd separated the Penguins defenseman from the puck. This sends Jake Neighbours down the other way with ex-Penguin Anthony Angello. Angello drags a leg to stay onside while Neighbours enters the zone with the puck and here just watch the rest…

Penguins would get a couple more shots on the power play (they went 2/7 and they all came in the third period) but were unable to capitalize and find the tying goal.

Three Stars: 3) Vadim Zherenko (39 saves) 2) Ty Smith (goal) 1) Anthony Angello (goal)

The Good: They pumped 41 shots at Zherenko yet still lost. It’s not the quantity / quality. They could have 105 shots and if they still are careless with their markings or the puck, they will lose. It’s that simple.

The Bad: They have to tighten up this messy defensive play. It is now a problem and costing them points. Losing Lizotte, a contributor to the problems in his own right, may sting a bit. Hope it’s not long term.

Turning Point: Angello burning his ex-team.

Around the Division: Hershey beats Bridgeport 2-1 in overtime again…Charlotte picks up their first road win of the season with a 6-5 shootout win over Hartford…Don’t look now by Lehigh Valley has won three straight, beating Laval 3-2. Providence was off.

In the, “it could always be worse” department: Syracuse pummels Utica 8-3. Those two teams hate each other.

Standings: Providence 20 – Bridgeport 17 – Hershey 16 – Springfield 14 and Charlotte 14 – Penguins 13 – Lehigh Valley and Hartford 11.

Wheeling Update: Nailers fall to the Fort Wayne Komets 2-1.

Video Highlights: 

The Week Ahead: Off till next Friday vs. Hershey then away at Bridgeport. Bears have Laval at home Sunday, Bridgeport hosts Charlotte on Friday.

Let’s Go Pens!

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Sometimes games are won and lost on special teams. This game was a prime example of that, a 3-1 Hartford Wolf Pack win over the Penguins, who have now lost three straight and are winless in November.

A first period short handed goal and heavy hockey by the Wolf Pack coupled with a cocksure attitude by their goaltender Louis Domingue and Hartford made it look easier than it probably was.

Penguins don’t have a lot of time to regroup as the team that knocked them out of the Calder Cup Playoffs, the Springfield Thunderbirds, stop in for a Saturday evening visit.

Dustin Tokarski opposed Louis Domingue. Here’s how they lined up:

Hartford didn’t post lines.

Lineup Notes: Sam Poulin in fact did not make it in time for the game on his reassignment from Pittsburgh. Kyle Olson was back for Ty Glover and Drew O’Connor replaced the recalled Filip Hallander (essentially). Mitch Reinke also returned from injury and (essentially) replaced Mark Friedman.

Lines were all jumbled as well, as it should be when you lose two straight coming in.

First Period: Pretty innocuous start, until the Penguins went on the power play late.

But then Hartford breaks in on a 2-on-0 short handed and scores to make it 1-0 for them. Tim Gettinger gets the Wolf Pack on the board.

Second Period: This sequence kinda kicked things off in the period:

The Penguins would score on the ensuing power play via Drew O’Connor.

Tie game.

Tokarski had a hell of a save on C.J. Smith with about 10 seconds to play.

Third Period: Penguins were looking for a spark but couldn’t find one. Then leading scorer Lauri Pajuniemi scored to put the Wolf Pack up 2-1.

Brutal turnover by Jonathan Gruden there set the whole thing up.

I noted that I felt that the intensity in the game matched or exceeded anything we saw last weekend with the Hershey Bears. Seemed that the Penguins couldn’t get anywhere close to Domingue in goal because of the muscle that they have to go through first.

Penguins take Tokarski out of the net for an extra attacker and take two straight penalties putting them two men down. Hartford finds an empty net goal from Tim Gettinger, his second of the contest.

Three Stars: 3) Drew O’Connor (goal) 2) Lauri Pajuniemi (goal) 1) Tim Gettinger (two goals)

The Good: Pens limited Hartford shot chances Friday, only allowing 23 but…

The Bad: Three of team went in and one was a short handed goal while the other comes right after you take two stupid penalties late, chasing the game.

If you didn’t like the referees tonight I’m afraid I have some bad news for you. Morgan MacPhee and Marc-Olivier Phaneuf will be running things again tomorrow. I thought they could have let those two penalties (Svejkovsky hook, Fedun slash) go, by the way.

Turning Point: Chasing the game late, Pens take a pair of penalties squelching any chance of a tying goal.

Around the Division: Hershey beats a very good Bridgeport’s team 4-3 in overtime…Lehigh Valley beats Springfield 2-1…Providence, the AHL’s top team, pounds Charlotte 5-2.

Standings: Providence 20 – Bridgeport 16 – Hershey 14 – Penguins 13 – Charlotte and Springfield 12 – Hartford 10 – Lehigh Valley 9

Wheeling Update: Nailers pound Kalamazoo at home 5-1. Taylor Gauthier picks up the win in goal for Wheeling, stopping 28 shots.

Video Highlights: 

Back at it Saturday with the Thunderbirds. More then.

Let’s Go Pens!

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Put this entire game on Jonathan Gruden’s highlight reel.

I’lll tell you, the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins will be in big, big trouble if Gruden gets a deserved recall or is injured. He was everywhere Sunday afternoon for the Penguins, who lose 4-3 to Hershey.

The Penguins had a feckless effort the first two periods of the game, trailed 4-0, outshot 26-13, but storm back with a 20-3 barrage of shots and come one goal short of a split with the Bears.

I mean it’s something to build off of after a 0-2 weekend, especially coming into the weekend as the sole unbeaten team in the AHL. Maybe Hershey let off, who knows.

But Gruden, man, what an effort.

Here’s how they lined up:

Lineup Notes: Raivis Ansons for the now injured Jamie Devane was the only lineup change. Pittsburgh reassigned Drew O’Connor right at puck drop.

First Period: Pens play fast and loose with the puck in their own end and it costs them twice. Ty Smith turns the puck over to Shane Gersich and then Mark Friedman tiptoes through tulips and sees Mason Morelli score. Pens get two shots on a late power play and the shot board read 8-4 for the home team. Here were the goals…

Second Period: Ethen Frank, who is slowly budding into a Penguins killer, goes for a cross crease pass to a teammate which deflects in for a goal to give Hershey 3-0 lead.

The assault continued. Henrik Rybinski scored his first pro goal on a rebound and it was 4-0 Bears.

Third Period: :14 in and Gruden scores to kick start the comeback.

Wilkes-Barre continued to buzz. Filip Hallander scored his first of two. Bears defender’s stick breaks, Jonathan Gruden, out there stirring the drink, puts a shot on net that Hallander slams home for a rebound that brings the Pens within two.

Penguins get a late power play and like last night with the goalie pulled Hallander scores his second to bring the score within one.

Penguins nearly were mining for a fourth but a too any men call late sunk any chances of a comeback.

Three Stars: 3) Ethen Frank (goal) 2) Filip Hallander (two goals, assist) 1) Henrik Rybinski (goal)

The Good: Besides that third period kickstarted by Gruden and Hallander, can’t really come up with anything.

The Bad: You cannot sleepwalk in Hershey for two periods, have two of your better and more experienced defensemen cough up pucks in their own zone and expect to win. It’s magnified more because of the record you had coming into the weekend, and tonight it cost you two points you are going to wish you had in the Spring.

Turning Point: Hard to pinpoint one when it was so teeter-totter, but the too many men on the ice call late put down any faint but getting louder noise the away team had at tying the score.

Around the Division: Providence clips Bridgeport 1-0.

Standings: Providence 18 – Bridgeport 15 – Penguins 13 – Hershey 12 – Charlotte 12 – Springfield 11 – Lehigh Valley 7 – Hartford 6

Wheeling Update: Nailers were off.

Video Highlights: I’ll edit them in if I see them.

This Week: Pens off until Friday against the Hartford Wolf Pack at home then Springfield rolls in Saturday. Hartford and Springfield play Wednesday in Hartford. Springfield will be in Allentown Friday before heading up to Wilkes-Barre Saturday.

Let’s Go Pens!

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Well, I knew they wouldn’t go undefeated.

Penguins lose 2-1 in regulation, their first such loss of the season.

Biggest thing you could point to in this game is the Penguins lack of success on the power play. A paltry 1-for-6 Saturday including a 4:00 double minor back in the first period they could not score on. Hershey telegraphed the entires, which frustrated the Penguins.

Reigning AHL Goaltender of the Month Dustin Tokarski took the loss in net for the Pens but I thought he was fine and kept the team in in.

Here’s how they lined up:

Lineup: Caggiula for the recalled Drew O’Connor, Jack St. Ivany for Colin Swoyer on defense.

First Period: No scoring. Action flashed by. Bears took a too many men on the ice call late.

Second Period: Hershey took the first four penalties and one of them was a Bobby Nardella high stick which busted open Drake Caggiula. 4 minute power play to the Penguins. No dice. Few shots.

Later, no one marks Mike Sgarbossa in front (read: Taylor Fedun lost his assignment) and the Bears get on the board first.

Pens take a penalty. It’s Jonathan Gruden, one of their better penalty killers in the box. Hershey keeps it in the zone the whole time and Ethen Frank takes a high slot one timer for a goal that gives Hershey a 2-0 lead.

Third Period: Penguins with a too little, too late flurry, sees Alex Nylander bust up Zach Fucale’s shutout bid with under a minute to play. Ironically, it comes on a power play.

More late pushes by the Pens, but no dice for a tying goal.

Three Stars: 3) Alex Nylander (goal) 2) Ethen Frank (goal) 1) Mike Sgarbossa (goal)

The Good: The goaltender. If Tokarski wasn’t on his game Hershey may have one 5-1.

The Bad: Bears see their captain suspended for this game, a lot of offense get called up to Washington, and still waltz in here Saturday night and beat the Penguins. Can’t happen.

Turning Point: The Gruden penalty which led to the power play goal. I knew this when it happened. Turns out my premonition comes true.

Around the Division: Providence beats Springfield 3-2….Bridgeport beats Hartford 5-3….Lehigh Valley slips past Laval in overtime 3-2….Charlotte is shutout at home 4-0 by Syracuse.

Standings: Providence 16 — Bridgeport 15 — Penguins 13 — Charlotte 12 — Springfield 11 — Hershey 10 — Lehigh Valley 7 — Hartford 6

Wheeling Update: Nailers lose 4-3 in Reading. Power play problems? What power play problems? Reading went 3-for-5 on the power play while the Nailers went 2-for-4. Tommy Nappier takes the loss in goal, stopping 21.

Video Highlights: 

More tomorrow after the rematch in Hershey.

Let’s Go Pens!

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I told you yesterday that if the Iowa Wild beat the Manitoba Moose, the other unbeaten in regulation team in the AHL, and if the Penguins beat the Hershey Bears in any form or fashion, you would get that headline.

Iowa thumped the Moose 5-2 Saturday afternoon. The Penguins beat the Hershey Bears 2-1 in overtime.

The Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins are the sole unbeaten in regulation team in the 32 team American Hockey League.

6-0-1-0 to start the season. Unbeaten (in regulation) in October. I mean you can’t ask for a better start.

How are they doing this? They are grinding teams to dust.

Take the second period of this game as a classic example. Taking the Bears best shots, starting goaltender Filip Lindberg turning way all 13 shots faced and killing off a penalty. Nothing too flashy, nothing to tough to figure out, just grinding in what was a 1-1 contest at the time.

Taking nothing away from the aforementioned Lindberg and his counterpart Hunter Shepard, who both played outstanding in the contest, it was another methodical takedown of yet another rival of the Penguins.

Lines were…

Lineup Notes: Only change was in goal. You love to see it.

First Period: Slow strait, which as it went on had a thought it played into the hands (paws?) of the Bears, and my premonition came true.

Sonny Milano opens the scoring with a dart past Lindberg.

Pens were being outshot. It wasn’t for a lack of pucks at Shepard, they just weren’t on target.

Shepard was dialed in and below shows how dialed in he was, going post to post to deny a Valtteri Puustinen one timer on a Penguin power play.

Corey Andonovski with a Herculean effort to carry two Bears defenders with him down the slot and slip a shot past Shepard and in to tie the game at one.

Second Period: Gave it to you in parts in the lede. Nothing much to write home about here.

Third Period: Scary moment for the Penguins as they forget about Aaron Ness in the penalty box. Ness strips a Penguins defender of the puck and sets up Sonny Milano for a chance that Lindberg makes the stop on.

Bears took two late penalties, the Ness infraction being one of them, but they get out of it OK. Off to…

Overtime: This happened…

But then this happened…

Notable that Lindberg himself had a barrel roll save almost immediately after the Shepard stop on the 2-on-1.

Three Stars: 3) Hunter Shepard (27 saves) 2) Sonny Milano (goal) 1) Filip Hallander (overtime game winning goal)

The Good: Giant Center has been a house of horrors of recent for the Penguins, nice to see the Pens keep the unbeaten streak alive for another week in a place they don’t win often at of recent.

The Bad: Can’t put a finger on anything really. When you are good, you are good. I think tonight was a solid 60+ minute game by the team from the goalie out.

Turning Point: The Hallander goal, duh.

Around the Division: Providence takes down Springfield 4-3 in a shootout….Bridgeport keeps rolling and beat the Phantoms 6-3….Hartford takes down the Charlotte Checkers 3-2 in overtime.

Standings: Penguins 13 – Providence 11 – Bridgeport and Charlotte 9 – Springfield 7 – Hershey and Hartford 6 – Lehigh Valley 5

Wheeling Update: Busy night for minor league hockey, but the Nailers were off.

Video Highlights: 

Gonna open the mailbag this week. Haven’t done that in a while but I think it’s high time to bring its back. It will be here on the blog Monday. No game Friday for the Pens so it’ll make for good fodder between now and the Pens next game Saturday against these same Bears. Check it out then.

Let’s Go Pens!