Chirps from Center Ice

Seven AHL games on a Tuesday seems strange, but then I realized it’s likely all December COVID make ups, like the game being played tonight between the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins and the Hershey Bears.

No full weekend preview, as that will come later in the week for the three road games the Penguins play this Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

The Penguins, winners of two straight host the Hershey Bears who are 0-2-1 in their last three games. That one OT loss came at the hands of the Penguins, who battled back to tie and then beat Hershey in overtime on Friday. Wilkes-Barre won a too close for comfort game 6-5 over the Bridgeport Islanders on Saturday.

Hershey hosted the Providence Bruins on Easter Sunday and let a team full of still wet behind the ears rookies beat them 1-0. Michael Callahan, playing in his 11th game in the AHL, scored in the third period and Brandon Bussi, playing in his second game, records 26 saves for his first professional shutout in goal.

I think that says more about Boston / Providence’s scouting and depth, than it does anything else. I have always been amazed by teams who bring in players I have never heard of, playing in their first professional game or games, that come in and are an immediate factor for the opposing team.

With the loss Sunday, the Bears dipped to fifth in the Atlantic, while the Penguins took fourth. Hershey has four games left and has a 33-29-6-4 record. The Penguins have six games left and a 33-29-4-4 record. Simply put, these two teams play the same amount of games. Hershey has 76 points, the Penguins have 74. Wilkes-Barre has two games in hand on the Bears and this is the last regular season head to head matchup.

I think this is a First Round or Play-In, whatever you want to call it, preview. Neither team I think can get to third, and neither team is going to fall to sixth I don’t think. So the reality is that these teams are on a collision course to meet in the postseason, and what matters is who has the home ice advantage. If you want to look past qualifying for playoffs and focus on settling for the four seed, I won’t blame you.

I’d rather the Penguins finish fourth, because in a traditional playoff format, the top four teams in the division make it, instead of this nonsense of “expanded” playoffs.

Michael Zyla and Casey Terreri have the assignment Tuesday. The linesmen are John Rey and Tyler Loftus.

Bears close out their regular season with a home and home with Lehigh Valley and a Sunday home game against Hershey. The Penguins are on the road in Providence Friday, Springfield Saturday and Hartford Sunday. The two games in hand the Penguins have on the Bears won’t be used until the following week when they are in Syracuse next Friday and Allentown next Saturday. More on all this later this week with the official Weekend Preview.

More after the game tonight.

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So I was thinking about this win the drive home.

The Pens have played the Bridgeport Islanders twice in a two week span and also played the Syracuse Crunch in that same two week span. They beat the Islanders with 9 goals two weeks ago and  6 goals tonight. 15 goals total. They don’t score a single goal in two games in two games against Syracuse. Go figure.

Pens win 6-5 and, as the headline says, by the skin of their teeth. They had a 6-3 lead then hold on to win 6-5.

Magic number to clinch is 7. I think. Math was never my strong suit.

Tommy Nappier is going to be the guy around these parts. Tristan Jarry is week to week.

Nappier opposed Corey Schneider

They lined up like this:

Bridgeport didn’t post lines.

Lineup Notes: Jordy Bellerive and Jamie Devane out, Anthony Angello and Felix Robert in up front. Will Reilly for Colin Swoyer on defense.

First Period: Bridgeport scores on their first two shots of the game. Simon Holmstrom and Michael Dal Colle score.

Hot start by the Islanders, but the Pens have been in these waters before.

Felix Robert should be a lineup regular. After a move like this, he has to be.

What a pass, what a shot, what a play.

Later, Filip Hallander deflected a shot off of Schneider and it was tied.

No GIF of this one.

Second Period: Valtteri Puustinen on a snipe and the Pens lead 3-2.

Mitch Reinke gets a baffling goal. Corey Schneider makes a glove save, the puck pops out of his glove, goes up in the air and then goes behind him and in the net for a 4-2 Penguins lead.

Just a terrible, awful blunder by Schneider. I would have pulled him if I were Brent Thompson, especially after that gaffe. Islanders in a battle for their playoff life, and you let in a boffo goal like that.

Penguins penalty kill used to be reliable, and Louis Domingue may have a hand in that, but Chris Terry, who is developing into a Penguins killer, scores far dot to make it a one goal game again.

Michael Chaput scores a power play goal, Sam Poulin tries The Michigan, Drew O’Connor scores and the Pens give up another power play goal and it’s 6-4 heading into the third. Here’s all what I just mentioned…

Third Period: A note about the officiating. Justin Kea didn’t have a very good game in my estimation, officiating the scoreboard vs. the action on the ice. A minor infractor would be a penalty on the Penguins, while a blatant foul by the Islanders goes uncalled.

Paul LaDue brings the Islanders to within one.

Puff out your cheeks moments for the Penguins, but they hold on as even with an empty net, the Islanders would not find the equalizer.

Three Stars: Valtteri Puustinen (goal, assist) 2) Drew O’Connor (goal, assist) 1) Juuso Riikola (four assists)

The Good: Too much fun and gun for me but it was nice to see the offense come to life.

The Bad: Domingue is going to be gone a while guys, hafta figure out the penalty kill. You aren’t scoring six goals every night.

Turning Point: The O’Connor goal was one at the time made it a bit of a laugher, but was just enough to get the Pens across the line first.

Around the Division: None of the other games mattered. It’s late. Hershey was off.

Standings: Hershey with 76 points in fourth; Pens in fifth with 74 and a game in hand. Pens have enough of a cushion I think on sixth place Bridgeport who only have two games left.

Wheeling Update: The Nailers lose 5-0 to Fort Wayne.

Video Highlights: Will probably go up when this does.

Happy Easter. Let’s Go Pens!

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I think we have a playoff preview on our hands. Only thing that is going to need to be decided is who gets the four seed.

The Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins take down the Hershey Bears 3-2 in overtime in comeback fashion. Their tenth goal scored with the goaltender pulled to tie it, then a Valtteri Puustinen power play goal to end it in overtime to win it. The Bears escape with a point, but Wilkes-Barre draws ever so closer to the Bears and the four seed with two games in hand.

Tommy Nappier from THEE Ohio State University opposed Zach Fucale. Here’s how they lined up:

Lineup Notes: Anthony Angello was out and Jamie Devane was back in. Cam Lee replaced Will Reilly. Angello is still dealing with illness.

First Period: Flying start by the Penguins who go up 1-0 on a Kasper Bjorkqvist shot that bleeds through Fucale that gives the Pens a 1-0 lead.

But then Hershey responds in kind on an Ethan Frank power play goal that looks eerily similar to the Hershey power play goals of yore.

Shades of Keith Aucoin setting up Alex Giroux from that very spot. That Frank kid was probably still in elementary school.

The power play goal by Hershey ended the Pens streak of 30 consecutive kills over eight games.

Second Period: No scoring, but the Penguins had a pair of back to back power play tries they were unsuccessful on.

Third Period: Next goal huge, obviously. Hershey scores it on a power play (again) on a  deflection in front by Mason Morelli.

The Penguins thought they scored a goal but referee Justin Kea washed it out immediately on account of a hand pass into the net. Replay confirmed his initial call on the ice. The fans in attendance weren’t happy, but the camera doesn’t lie.

Time dwindling, goal needed, delivered by Radim Zohorna off a deflection from a Juuso Riikola shot that ties the game at two with Nappier pulled with just over two minutes to play.

Overtime: Big save by Nappier :13 in. Brett Leason with a trip :24 in. Valtteri Puustinen a few minutes later on the power play:

Ballgame.

There Stars: 3) Kasper Bjorkqvist (goal) 2) Radim Zohorna (goal) Valtteri Puustinen (goal)

The Good: Nice way to come back there at the end with your backs at the wall. Playoff like intensity and the Pens prevail.

The Bad: Penalty kill was a weak spot when for so long it was a strong suit.

Turning Point: In a game full of them, the Puustinen game winner that ended it gets it here.

Around the Division: Only games that matter were Hartford losing in Toronto 4-1 and Bridgeport beating Lehigh Valley to vault into sixth in the division with a 2-1 overtime win in Allentown.

Standings: 4) Hershey .535 5) Penguins .522 6) Bridgeport .514 7) Hartford .500

I think you can stick a fork in the Wolf Pack.

Wheeling Update: Nailers clinched so its all about seeding for them. They lose to Fort Wayne 2-1 at home.

In the who plays who tomorrow, Hershey is off. This is one of the two games in hand the Pens play Saturday against the Islanders.

Video Highlights: If I see them and can work the edit in…you know the rest.

Let’s Go Pens!

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Two goals by ex-Lehigh Valley Phantoms in Connor Bunnaman ad German Rubtsov sink the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins tonight, who fell in a 2-0 hole in the first period, an abysmal one at that, and then get a shorthanded goal from Filip Hallander, but then in a tight third period give up a goal and lose 4-1 on Wednesday night.

All isn’t lost however in the division, as the Hershey Bears lose 2-1 to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms and the Hartford Wolf Pack lose 1-0 to the Belleville Senators.

It’s a work night, so let’s blow through this. Louis Domingue opposed Joey Daccord.

Here’s how they lined up:

Lineup Notes: Colin Swoyer made his pro debut.

First Period: A disaster for the Penguins, who played the game in first gear while the Checkers were lapping them on the ice in fifth gear.

Zac Dalpe whiffed on his initial shot, regathers and beats Domingue for a 1-0 Charlotte lead. Later, a turnover and ex-Phantom-now-Checker German Rubtsov scored to make it 2-0 Charlotte. This all the while the Pens were being outshot 10-1. Here were the goals:

Second Period: A much better Penguins period. They stayed step for step with the Checkers and finally get a goal shorthanded by Hallander.

But the Pens had back to back chances before that to score on back to back power plays and missed. Regardless, it was a more inspired period of hockey and a one shot game heading into the…

Third Period: There was this point in the game…

…where the Penguins didn’t or couldn’t score. Then this happened.

Alex True hits an empty net goal to make it 4-1.

Three Stars: 3) Filip Hallander (goal) 2) Joey Daccord (27 saves) 1) German Rubtsov (goal)

The Good: But for the start, they played them pretty decently five on five. But the start is what crippled them and with Charlotte being as good as they are (division leader) a comeback isn’t going to come easy. Also, the Penguins have killed off 30 straight power plays against.

The Bad: Score a frickin’ power play goal when it matters, will ya? 0/5 tonight.

Turning Point: Pick one. Either the two power plays to start the second period or the time where they were 4 on 3 and 5 on 3 and couldn’t get one to go in a one goal game.

Around the Division: I gave you what mattered at the top. Rounding out, Springfield loses to Syracuse 4-2.

Standings: 4) Hershey .536 5) Penguins .515 6) Hartford .507 7) Bridgeport .507

Wheeling Update: Nailers sew up a playoff berth with a 3-2 win in Kalamazoo against the Wings. Cam Hausinger with a pair of goals and Justin Almeida with the other.

Who Plays Who Friday: Hershey is in Wilkes-Barre, Hartford is up in Toronto, Bridgeport is in Allentown.

Video Highlights: 

Back Friday for a big one against the Bears.

Let’s Go Pens!

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Max Legace did it again.

A few weeks ago, the Crunch goaltender and ex-Penguin beat the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins 1-0. Well, Saturday night in Syracuse, he did it again, shattering a record in the process. His 48 saves against the Penguins breaks a record set in 2002 for total number of saves against in a shutout. The opponent then was Syracuse also.

I mean again, like I said when the Pens lost 1-0 to these Crunch a few weeks ago, you can’t fault them for losing 1-0. They gave up one goal and lost. You’ll win a lot of games at this level only allowing you if opponent to score one goal.

The Penguins better hope they don’t run into the Crunch in the Eastern Conference Finals, if these two teams make it that far.

Louis Domingue opposed Lagace.

Here’s how they lined up:

Lineup Notes: Filip Hallander has yo-yo’d up and down from the NHL and was sent back Saturday afternoon but obviously never made it in time. Thankfully, Alex Nylander was well enough to play, so he replaced Hallander.

First Period: No scoring. Crunch had a would be power play goal taken back on account of a high stick. Pens had a power play too where they pressured but didn’t score. Crunch had a little bit of a push to end the period.

Second Period: Pens bombed the Crunch for 21 shots in the period but Max Lagace kept them all out. Crunch score a goal early in the period when Gemel Smith takes a pass and scores on the back door to give the Crunch an early 1-0 lead that was the only scoring of the period.

Third Period: Penguins had essentially back to back back power plays and didn’t score on them. Later, they pull Domingue for the extra attacker and couldn’t set up offensively and Sam Poulin took a slashing penalty. It was elementary after that.

Three Stars: I don’t know why Darren Raddysh (the third star) and Fredrick Claesson (the second star) were named as such, they didn’t have any points. The first star was of course Lagace with his 48 saves.

The Good: Syracuse is a good team and the Penguins have stayed with them step for step.

The Bad: Syracuse is a good team that has the Penguins figured out, beating them in back to back shutouts.

Turning Point: Hafta think that failing to score on back to back power plays in the third period was the fate that sealed it for the Penguins.

Around the Division: Hershey beats Springfield 5-2, Providence beats Bridgeport 6-2.

Standings: 4) Hershey .537 5) Pens .522 6) Hartford .508 7) Bridgeport .508

Who Plays Who Sunday: Hartford plays their third in Charlotte…Lehigh Valley visits Bridgeport…Springfield and Hershey rematch in Hershey.

Wheeling Update: Nailers lose 4-3 at home to Toledo. Sam Houde and Josh Maniscalco scored in the loss.

Video Highlights:

More this week, Charlotte is in midweek.

Let’s Go Pens!

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What the heck is it going to take for the Penguins to get Louis Domingue a shutout?

Domingue made 30 saves and put on a master class in goal yet again for the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins who defeat the Lehigh Valley Phantoms 3-1 Wednesday.

A shorthanded goal by Jonathan Gruden stands up as the game winner and Gruden’s empty net goal, when the Penguins were feeling the pressure nursing a one goal lead late, sealed it.

The Penguins vault to fifth in the Atlantic Division over the idle Hartford Wolf Pack. More on all this in a bit.

Domingue opposed Felix Sandstrom.

Here’s how they lined up:

Lineup Notes: Alex Nylander was out with a non-COVID illness. Nathan Legare went in for him.

First Period: Sam Poulin opens the scoring for the Pens off a rebound of a Felix Robert shot that went like this.

Good pace by the Pens in the period who were rewarded with a lead.

Second Period: Penguins weren’t doing themselves any favors, taking three straight penalties in the period, but on that third penalty, like a charm, Jonathan Gruden takes a Drew O’Connor pass and scores to give the Penguins a cushion and a 2-0 lead.

Third Period: Pens put up a paltry three shots. Louis Domingue earned his bread and bailed the Penguins out time after time. He was beat by a nice Hayden Hodgson wrist shot that finally put the Phantoms on the board.

(no GIF here)

Phantoms were pressuring. But with time dwindling, they call timeout. Jonathan Gruden scored into an empty net.

If you are thinking to yourself he does this a lot (scoring into empty nets) you are right. It was his fourth empty net goal of the season.

That took off a ton of pressure. The win by the Penguins should finally quell the pseudo hope that the Phantoms had at making playoffs.

Three Stars: 3) Sam Poulin (goal) 2) Louis Domingue (30 saves) 1) Jonathan Gruden (two goals)

The Good: Needed this to get up to fifth and they got it. I liked the methodical takedown of the Phantoms. Also, shout out to the penalty kill. It has been stout, which was on full display tonight.

The Bad: Where would they be if they didn’t have Louis Domingue? They need to get this man his overdue shutout.

Turning Point: The Gruden empty netter took off the immense pressure that the Phantoms were laying on. Rare that an empty net goal does it, but I think it was the turning point.

Around the Division: Rare that on a Wednesday, no other divisional action exists.

Standings: 3) Providence .600 4) Hershey .538 5) Penguins .530 6) Hartford .534 7) Bridgeport .500

Who Plays Who: Hartford plays their first of three in Charlotte Thursday. On Friday, Bridgeport hosts Providence. Hartford and Charlotte rematch. Lehigh Valley hosts Hershey.

Wheeling Update: Nailers beat the Iowa Heartlanders out in Iowa 6-4. Justin Almeida and Patrick Watling score goals.

Video Highlights: If I see them and can work the edit in, it will go here.

Enjoy the Friday off. Let’s Go Pens!

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Biggest game of the season, and the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins, having lost the night before to the last place Lehigh Valley Phantoms, come home in front of a sellout crowd ad throttle the Bridgeport Islanders 9-2 Saturday night to reclaim the sixth and final playoff spot in the Atlantic Division.

The nine goals is the most they have score since 2010 against Albany. Seven goal scorers, 15 skaters recorded a point.

The Penguins throttled the Islanders, plain and simple. Ran them out of the building. Perhaps this is a message for the rest of the division. Maybe it’s a one off. But the Islanders had something the Penguins wanted more tonight and it showed.

Louis Domingue opposed Jakub Skarek. Here’s how they lined up: 

Islanders didn’t post lines: 

Lineup Notes: Shuffles to the lines, Jamie Devane for Nathan Legare otherwise. 

First Period: Didn’t go well for the Penguins in the first 14 or so minutes of the game, they fell down 2-0 after getting run around by Bridgeport. Islanders moved their feet, Pens caught looking and standing around, and they were down 2-0. Austin Czarnik off a nice pass from Michael Dal Colle then later Chris Terry on a deflection in front to make it 2-0. 

https://twitter.com/ahlislanders/status/1510384925123436546?s=21&t=HN3KoNndR8SuVps2ALO88Q

That finally got the Pens going somehow because Alex Nylander put home a rebound of a Cam Lee shot to put Wilkes-Barre on the board. 

You could tell there was life in the body cause every stoppage had pushing and shoving. 

Second Period: An absolute barrage of goals for the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins. 

Two goals :20 apart, a third a minute later. It was a deluge. 

Sam Poulin first, Jamie Devane second then the minute later, Felix Robert, prompting Brent Thompson to call his time out. The Islanders we’re shell shocked. It was Super Hero night at the Arena and it was if the Islanders (the bad guys) awoken the beast. 

But they weren’t done! After a penalty kill, the Penguins tacked on two more goals to make it a five goal outburst for the period. 

Kyle Olson with an innocuous backhander that beats Skarek somehow then Michael Chaput off a rebound of a Mitch Reinke shot that made it 6-2. 

To quote Tom Grace, that period was OK air you like perfect. 

Third Period: Thompson went with Ken Appleby to start the period. 

It didn’t matter to Drew O’Connor. 

:38 in…

And then later, on a power play Sam Poulin nets his second on a breakaway. Total breakdown by Bridgeport here. 

O’Connor would score the ninth goal with 1:01 left and some of the fans left were chanting for ten goals.

What a response from the night before, where they hung with and let a worse team in the standings in Lehigh Valley beat them. 

There is there, there with this team. 

Three Stars: 3) Juuso Riikola (three assists) 2) Drew O’Connor (two goals) 1) Sam Poulin (two goals)

The Good: Nice response after going down two there. They picked themselves off the mat, fought back, drew blood, broke bones, stomped a mud hole and walked it dry.

The Bad: Didn’t like the start, a better team than Bridgeport probably doesn’t allow nine straight scored on them.

Turning Point: The barrage to start the second gets it here. The Islander were hit by a truck, then another truck, then a freight train.

Around the Division: Roses for the Pens on the out of town scoreboard. Hershey loses 3-1 in Charlotte. Hartford loses 8-5 in Syracuse. Those are the only scores that really matter for the Pens. Springfield clips Belleville 4-3 in overtime. Lehigh Valley beats Utica 3-2.

Standings: 4) Hershey .531 – 5) Hartford .524 6) Penguins .523 – 7) Bridgeport .508

Wheeling Update: Nailers were off.

Who Plays Who Tomorrow: Bridgeport is in Allentown.

Video Highlights: Pens will have them. It will probably take them all night to upload the goals.

More as it comes, as I see it. If not, talk to you Wednesday morning setting up the week, starting with Lehigh Valley on Wednesday.

Let’s Go Pens!