Chirps from Center Ice

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So I have been doing this blog for about 12 years. I may or may not have recycled this blog headline a time or two before.

A methodical takedown of the high scoring Cleveland Monsters tonight by the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins who crush the visitors 5-1. Drew O’Connor with a pair of goals. Dustin Tokarski a wall in the net for the Pens and the penalty kill was 5-for-6. The Cleveland power play is really good, but looked pedestrian Wednesday.

Work night, so let’s get through this one.

Here’s how they lined up:

Lineup Notes: Same lineup as Sunday in Providence but for different guys on different lines.

First Period: Pens race to a 2-0 lead on a ridiculous through traffic deke by Ty Smith who, by all accounts, doesn’t belong at this level and Drew O’Connor’s breakaway goal. Penguins took three straight penalties but Tokarski and notably Jon Lizotte were blocking everything. Here are the goals:

Nice pass from Corey Andonovski to set up “OC” there for the goal.

Second Period: Alex Nylander scores a goal through a screen to give the Penguins a 3-0 lead.

Cleveland snaps the patented, “Would be Dustin Tokarski Shutout Bid™” with a power play goal scored by Cole Fonstad.

The Penguins were taking way too many penalties yet seemed like they were in cruise control. Game felt like it was never out of the favor for the home team but we’ve all seen two goal leads evaporate quicker than summer dew on the uncut grass you have to cut on a Saturday.

Third Period: Whatever hopes that Cleveland had for a comeback were quickly squelched when Valtteri Puustinen scored a power play goal then Drew O’Connor followed up for his second of the game for a 5-1 lead.

Kyle Olson challenged Cole Clayton and left the game after the fight. Looked like his eye was swelled shut based off of what my 43 year old eyes were telling me.

Three Stars: 3) Filip Hallander (two assists) 2) Dustin Tokarski (32 saves) 1) Drew O’Connor (two goals, assist)

The Good: Game was questionable coming in as to how the Penguins would bottle up Cleveland’s explosive offense. It was a no doubter type of game for the Pens tonight from about five minutes in and out felt good to watch.

The Bad: Too many penalties.

Turning Point: If it wasn’t the Nylander goal that made it 3-0, the response by the Pens to open the third period was.

Around the Division: They all watched us.

Standings: Penguins 9 – Charlotte and Bridgeport 8 – Providence 7 – Hershey and Lehigh Valley 5 – Springfield 4 – Hartford 2

Have I mentioned how much I don’t miss percentage points?

Wheeling Update: Nailers were off.

Video Highlights: 

Back at a it again Friday in Allentown.

Let’s Go Pens!

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The Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins sweep the weekend, with a 2-1 win over the Providence Bruins in Rhode Island. The Penguins play just two three in threes this season and this weekend was one of them.

This game was a defensive battle through the first two periods as there was no scoring. Each team was 0/3 on the power play through the first two periods and the Penguins just had a paltry 11 shots.

But in the third period, the Penguins came alive and emptied the tank with a barrage of shots that led to two goals. They were outshooting Providence 14-1 at one point in the third period and got goals from Ty Glover (his first pro goal) and Valtteri Puustinen (his first of the season) which had the Pens up 2-0.

But then a pushback by the Bruins saw Joona Koppanen score a power play goal as the Pens, after they scored the two goals, let off and gave the P-Bruins nearly consecutive power plays. This was the only blemish on an overall good game by the Penguins who I think played about as full of a 60 minute hockey game as you can playing your third game in the stand of about two and and a half days. It also spoiled the would be shutout bid for Dustin Tokarski.

(No GIF on the Providence goal)

The Pens were extra careful with starting goaltender Keith Kinkaid pulled and saw it out to a. perfect 6-for-6 weekend. This dealt the Bruins their first regulation loss.

Nothing more to this one, so let’s get to the lineups and get out of here.

Lines were…

Lineup Notes: Drake Caggiula and Sam Poulin were recalled to Pittsburgh. They will need the bodies as Pittsburgh is heading to Western Canada this week. Lukas Svejkovsky and Sam Houde went in for them and Jack St. Ivany made his AHL debut in for Mitch Reinke who needs his lower body injury evaluated. He was injured Saturday in Hartford.

Three Stars: 3) Joona Koppanen (goal) 2) Dustin Tokarski (30 saves) 1) Valtteri Puustinen (goal)

The Good: Tokarski is their number one. The team is pretty good, should be interesting to see where this goes.

The Bad: Teams good. Still no shutout for their goaltender. Yes, I am being impatient.

Turning Point: That 14-1 blitzkrieg displayed nay Wilkes-Barre / Scranton to start the third gave the Penguins the momentum to push them to victory, although you can argue that they coasted the final 5-7 minutes and not be wrong.

Around the Division: Lehigh Valley beats Cleveland 5-4 and Bridgeport sweeps their weekend with a 5-2 win against Hartford.

Standings: Charlotte and Bridgeport 8 – Penguins and Providence 7 – Hershey and Lehigh Valley 5 – Springfield 4 – Hartford 2

Wheeling Update: Nailers stared a little later than the Penguins and are in a rematch with the Toledo Walleye as this blog post goes up. Box here.

Video Highlights: I’ll search for them. AHL VideoCenter is here and they seem like they have all the games highlights, across the league.

More Wednesday with the weekend setup teeing up Cleveland, Lehigh Valley and Hershey.

Let’s Go Pens!

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So I think they are both.

Good, racing out to a 3-0 lead in Hartford, lucky in getting the game to overtime after blowing said 3-0 lead and having Hartford tie the game at three and good again winning in a shootout 4-3 to rack up their fifth point out of six possible.

Special teams needs work. They let Hartford score two power play goals. Calder Cup Champion SJ Smith struck for two goals for the Wolf Pack, but Filip Lindberg outdid ex-Penguin Louis Domingue in the shootout round to give the Penguins the win.

Lucky and good. Yeah, I think they are both.

Here’s how they lined up:

Hartford didn’t post lines.

Lineup: Ty Glover making his AHL debut, was in for Sam Houde. Corey Andonovski dropped down a line to the fourth line.

First Period: Both teams traded tripping penalties. No one scored on the power play. Filip Linberg was busier than his counterpart and ex-teammate Louis Domingue.

Ty Smith rips a shot and with bodies in front Corey Andonovski gets a stick on it and it goes past Domingue for a 1-0 Penguins lead.

Second Period: Penguins pressure for a good minute and a half, two full line changes and finally breakthrough for a goal when Alex Nylander scores to double the Penguins lead.

Later, the Penguins tripled their lead when Alex Nylander gets a gust of wind behind him and breaks through for a goal that makes it 3-0 Wilkes-Barre.

Julien Gauthier takes a nice cross ice pass on a Hartford power play to bust up the Lindberg shutout bid and get the home team on the board.

Penguins doubled up the Wolf Pack 10-5 in shots in the period and, but for the one infraction against, largely controlled play.

Third Period: CJ Smith struck for fist first of the game and first as a member of the Hartford Wolf Pack with this goal that brought the home team to within one on the power play.

An absolute dart. A guy you wish you had on your team.

Penguins don’t score on back to back power plays. They lost Mitch Reinke at some point during the period and were down to five defensemen.

Momma, there goes that man again. CJ Smith scores again to tie the game for the Wolf Pack.

(no GIF here)

Wilkes-Barre doesn’t score on a late power play and it was off to….

Overtime: Lindberg goes post to post to deny Julien Gauthier on what was a nice save. Nobody scored, though.

Shootout: Drake Caggiula, who never attempted a shootout shot in the AHL went first for the Pens and missed, Alex Nylander went second and scored. Lindberg denied Jonny Brodzinski, CJ Smith and Tim Gettinger in that order and the Pens get the extra point.

Here’s the Nylander shootout goal.

Three Stars: Ty Smith (assist) 2) Alex Nylander (goal, goal in shootout) 1) CJ Smith (two goals)

The Good: They can navigate in and out of trouble and it doesn’t faze them. Yet. I don’t want to jump to conclusions three and a half (looking at you Utica) games in.

The Bad: Eventually they navigating into trouble is going to get them into waters they can’t swim out of. I still don’t think we have seem them play a full 60, but with this being a developmental league, name one team who does consistently.

Turning Point: I almost tipped my TV over when I heard Pens play by play man Nick Hart say that Drake Caggiula has no shootout experience in the AHL, why send a guy out there without any? But let’s give it to Filip Lindberg and his saves in overtime and in the shootout round. Hopefully, the highlight package has some of those saves.

Around the Division: Cleveland beats Lehigh Valley 4-3 in overtime….Charlotte does the same to Hershey 3-2. The Checkers are 4-0….Bridgeport pounds Laval 5-2….Springfield beats Belleville 3-2 and Providence slips by Utica 2-1.

Standings: Charlotte 8 – Providence 7 – Bridgeport 6 – Penguins and Bears 5 – Springfield 4 – Lehigh Valley 3 – Hartford 2

Wheeling Update: Nailers lose their home opener against the Toledo Walleye 5-3. Tommy Nappier makes 25 saves in the loss. Walleye score five unanswered.

Video Highlights: Probably a morning update. With church and the grocery store I don’t know if I will be able to work an edit in. AHL’s website will be able to help you if you are hard up for moving pictures.

More Sunday afternoon after Providence.

Let’s Go Pens!

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I met this guy by the name of Joe. It was his first hockey game. His friends told me if the Penguins won the game tonight, they would call him 1-0 Joe.

Penguins win 2-1 over Laval Friday night and Joe, buddy, you have a new name. Wanna change it? See you Wednesday when the Penguins host the Cleveland Monsters.

I don’t know if this was a masterclass in defense and goaltending or a young team learning to come together and put a full 60 minutes together because in the first period, it looked like the Pens were set to run away with the game, up 2-0 heading into the second period off of a power play goal by Alex Nylander and a breakaway goal by Nathan Legare. Dustin Tokarski started in net and wasn’t challenged much if at all in the opening frame.

That all changed in the second period however as Tokarski would face a barrage of shots from the Rocket, 21 in total from the second period on and the Penguins held on for the narrow win.

Tokarski opposed Cayden Primeau.

Lines were…

Lineup Notes: Jonathan Gruden made his season debut. Sam Houde was back from the cut suffered on his face last Saturday. Raivis Ansons and Lukas Svejkovsky yielded. Defense was intact.

First Period: Coupla quick goals from the more rested Penguins who were idle on Wednesday and not in a foreign country, unlike the Rocket, who hosted Springfield. It was a sense of bus legs I think because the Rocket were flat and took three penalties in the period.

Nylander opened the scoring with this power play goal.

Followed by Nathan Legare on a breakaway set up by Sam Houde.

Second Period: With virtually nothing to do in the first period, Dustin Tokarski was a very, very busy man for the Penguins in goal in the second period. Laval came alive with plenty of good looks and good opportunities, but Tokarski was dialed in and denied them all.

Third Period: More of the same from the second for the Penguins. Time was whittling down and the Penguins were in firm control of the game I thought. Whatever happened to get through. Tokarski would get a piece of.

Then, the Penguins found themselves on a late penalty kill. With Primeau pulled, Laval would get within one with a lot of time on the clock.

I know what you were thinking, here we go again with the empty net goals late in a game that the Penguins are in control of.

Not this time.

Tokarski with some more key saves late, including a block by Jon Lizotte and Wilkes-Barre holds on.

Three Stars: 3) Dustin Tokarski (26 saves) 2) Alex Nylander (goal) 1) Nathan Legare (game winning goal)

The Good: At times they kept it simple. Defense was dialed in and the goaltender was laser focused.

The Bad: They do everything right and lose a shutout for their goaltender late with an extra skater on a puck over glass infraction.

Turning Point: You didn’t know it at the time, but the Legare goal that made it 2-0 in the first is enough to get the Penguins to the pay winda first, daddeh.

Around the Division: Hershey had a 3-0 lead in Charlotte but that evaporated quick and the Bears lose 5-4….Springfield beats Belleville 5-2 to earn the Thunderbirds their first win of the year….Bridgeport beats Providence 5-4 in overtime.

Standings: Charlotte 6 – Providence 5 – Hershey and Bridgeport 4 – Penguins 3 – Lehigh Valley and Springfield 2 – Hartford 1

Wheeling Update: The ECHL got going tonight, but the Nailers play Saturday at home against Toledo.

Video Highlights: 

More Saturday in Hartford.

Let’s Go Pens!

So far….

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2:43 left to play, 2nd period.

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They were plugging along, on the 35th anniversary to the day of the first ever Utica Devils home game when it suddenly got dark.

Power outage. We have all been there. I’m prepared, I have a home generator.

With the Utica Comets up 2-1 with 2:43 left to play in the second period the lights went out and about twenty minutes later the League made it official.

So this is going to make for a hell of a game story. It’s the Penguins only trip to Utica this season. You’d have to think that they run the final 22:43 on some random Thursday in January (weather permitting) or something like that. Since I already have the game story written I may as well what happened when the lights were shining on Monday, October 17 in Utica now and bring this same post back whenever the Penguins and Comets can complete the remaining 22:43 at some point down the line, likely with different lineups, different referees, different linesmen, etc.

Like I said, one hell of a game story.

Lines were…

Lineup Notes: Kyle Olson slides over to third line center. Nathan Legare to third line left wing. Tyler Sikura down to fourth line center. Lukas Svejkovsky, who skated the extra Saturday is in. Sam Houde was out. No changes to defensive pairings from last Saturday.

First Period: Comets score twice in the period. The first goal was a face-off win in the Penguins zone which Wilkes-Barre wins but Taylor Fedun can’t keep the puck in. The rush up the ice sees ex-Penguin Nick Hutchison score over the glove of Lindberg for a 1-0 Comets lead.

Later, Robbie Russo unleashes a cannon from the point that goes in to give Utica a 2-0 lead.

Filip Lindberg was asking for a possible goalie interference call but his petitions fell on the deaf ears of referee Adam Tobias and Jim Curtain.

Second Period: Ty Smith scores a power play goal to bring the Penguins to within one.

Prior to this, Kyle Olson fed Nathan Legare a one timer but Nico Daws got over in time to stop it.

With about 2:43 left to play in the period, a power outage halted play.

And this blog post.

More Friday when the Penguins host the Laval Rocket back in Wilkes-Barre.

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They stole that point Saturday. Troy Grosenick was that dude in goal for the visiting Lehigh Valley Phantoms who beat the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins on opening night 3-2 in overtime with 1.4 seconds remaining.

Sometimes you run into a hot goaltender. If Grosenick was any hotter he would have lit the place on fire. I don’t think I have seen a goaltender that dialed in in some time. The Penguins threw everything at him, even strength and on special teams, and he just kept denying the Penguins time after time.

Wilkes-Barre scored dirty goals. An Alexander Nylander power play goal with Grosenick screened to tie the game at one and then a Sam Poulin deflection goal with a minute to play in regulation with Penguins starter Dustin Tokarski pulled to tie it to get it to overtime.

I liked the effort tonight. I liked the pace. I liked them on special teams. I liked what I saw tonight. You bring that same effort for 71 more games and they will be in good shape.

Lines were…

Lineup Notes: I like the new graphic which gives you the extra skater who took warmups but didn’t dress for the game (Svejkovsky)

A little surprised they went with Tokarski over Lindberg too.

First Period: Penguins outshoot the Phantoms 8-1 halfway through the first period. Then the Phantoms respond and get a goal when Eliot Desnoyers is set up in front with the puck behind the net of Tokarski. Desnoyers was a beneficiary of right place / right time.

Second Period: Pens get on even terms on a power play goal from Alexander Nylander.

Phantoms regain the lead with a goal from Zack MacEwen who deflects a shot from the point and in past Tokarski for a 2-1 Lehigh Valley lead.

Pens had a power play late where they spent 1:45 or more in the zone but time after time get denied by Grosenick, so was quickly becoming the story.

Third Period: Pens take a late penalty they get out of fine then with Tokarski pulled find the equalizer via Sam Poulin with exactly one minute to play in the period.

(No GIF here sorry, he bunted the puck past Grosenick as the puck deflected three times behind the Phantoms goaltender)

Overtime: Drew O’Connor turnover results in a Louie Belpedio breakaway. Tokarski the initial save, but not the second. Too much time really was left on the clock, Belpedio with a second chance and scores to end the game with 1.4 seconds left.

Three Stars: 3) Alex Nylander (goal, assist) 2) Troy Grosenick (38 saves) 1) Louie Belpedio (overtime game winning goal)

Woulda been fine if they awarded Grosenick the first star, honestly.

The Good: Troy Grosenick played as an elite goaltender tonight. The Penguins got flat beat, but managed to steal a point. Tighten up a few things defensively and they will be fine.

The Bad: They looked scrambly at times, the first Phantoms goal and the overtime game winner especially. Gotta tighten that up.

Turning Point: Have to go with the Belpedio overtime game winner for obvious reasons.

Around the Division: Hershey beats Utica 3-1…Charlotte beats Hartford 3-1…Bridgeport beats Springfield 3-2. Providence was off.

Standings: Boy am I glad I don’t have to mess with percentages anymore. Early days, but it’s Charlotte with 4, Providence, Hershey, Lehigh Valley and Bridgeport with 2, Wilkes-Barre and Hartford with 1 and Springfield with 0.

Wheeling Update: Nailers get going next week.

Video Highlights: No idea if they will post them. If they do I’ll try to work an edit in.

Back at it Monday (Monday?) in Utica. More then.

Let’s Go Pens!

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I’m not going to GIF all 13 of these goals tonight.

It was 4-1 in favor of the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins in the first period. Springfield thunders back to tie the game in the second period then pulls ahead in the third. They win Game 3 7-6 and sweep the Penguins out of the Atlantic Division Semifinals.

The Penguins got in a fire fight with a team full of gasoline and it almost worked, but they faced a barrage in the second they were not able to overcome.

I don’t have anything bad to say about the team. They were in last in December. They battled back to a respectable fourth. They beat Hershey in the First Round of the playoffs and lost to a Springfield team which was better than them in nearly every aspect and were swept out.

Sure, the turning point of the season is probably when Casey DeSmith goes down in Game 1 and makes Louis Domingue the de facto number one starter. The idea is that Jarry makes it back, Domingue goes back down and steals the series against Springfield.

I still didn’t like the Penguins chances against who I think wins the Bridgeport – Charlotte series and that’s the Checkers.

So if you don’t make it out of the Division and win the Calder Cup, does it really matter?

Anyway, let’s get into it.

Here’s how they lined up. Cam Lee came out for Colin Swoyer.

First Period: Guns blazing for the Penguins, just 2:45 in and Jonathan Gruden scores to make it 1-0 Penguins. They get a power play and don’t score or even get a shot on starting goaltender Charlie Lindgren for Springfield.

Springfield then gets a power play and Sam Anas scores to tie the game at one.

Penguins push ahead with a goal by Filip Hallander and again with a power play goal by Sam Poulin. Nathan Legare makes up for the penalty that led to the Anas power play goal with a goal of his own that makes it 4-1 Penguins.

Second Period: Complete role reversal. Penguins get in penalty trouble. The officiating was awful Sunday. Justin Kea is probably going to be a full time NHL referee one day, but if he throws clunkers like today, it won’t be for long. Rob Hennessy is an overmatched hack who just fills a referee suit. He’s awful and needs to be carried by the other guy.

Anyway, Will Bitten scores (kicks) a goal to make it 4-2 on a 5-on-3 for the Thunderbirds. A long review by Kea / Hennessy and the goals stands. Then Steven Santini scores through a screen and it’s 4-3. Then Dakota Joshua ties the game at four.

It was a blitzkrieg of goals for the Thunderbirds under an avalanche of shots. Wilkes-Barre was outshot by a 4:1 margin at one point.

Third Period: I wondered if the comeback for Springfield would have taken all the starch out of them and the Penguins, as long as they played it close, would be fine and make it to a Game 4.

I was wrong.

Matthew Peca scores a rebound goal to make it 5-4 Springfield. Then 6-4 when Tommy Nappier stabs the puck with his blocker and up into the ai where Mackenzie MacEachern is waiting to whack it in for a 6-4 lead.

Sam Poulin brings the Pens back to within one with his second of the game.

But then Jonathan Gruden throws a puck out of play and the Pens are down a man and their best penalty killer and Hugh McGing scores a power play to reestablish the Springfield two goal lead in the third period.

Alex Nylander scores the final goal of the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins season. WIth  Tommy Nappier pulled, the Penguins never found the equalizer.

Three Stars: 3) Matthew Peca (goal, two assists) 2) Sam Anas (goal, three assists) 1) Hugh McGing (goal)

The Good: Several of you won’t agree, but it was a successful season for the Penguins. Fourth place finish with this group? Get me a finisher and a little more steadier defense and goaltending and we will see where this goes.

The Bad: Another season, another playoff exit.

Turning Point: Alex Nylander turned the season around for the Pens. Losing Zohorna and Domingue and O’Connor hurt the Penguins chances against beating Springfield, but rest assured, I don’t think they make it past Charlotte or beyond.

Video Highlights: All 13 of the goals described above should be here:

Thanks for following along this season. I’ll be around. Have a great summer!

Let’s Go Pens!