Chirps from Center Ice

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Some nights, you need your goaltender to make a save or two.

Most nights, you need your goaltender to win a game.

Every night, your goaltender can’t do it all.

A dazzling 35 save performance for the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins net minder Louis Domingue tonight as the Penguins battle back to force overtime but lose in a shootout 3-2 on Friday night. A point earned draws the Penguins even with idle Springfield, who is the opponent Saturday night.

Domingue was the best player on the ice in road black tonight for the Penguins. If Wilkes-Barre gets him run support, then maybe he isn’t the best player on the ice (the guy putting up all the points would be) but tonight, with goals becoming scarce, Domingue was the best player on the ice.

That wasn’t a good thing, because the Penguins were lucky to earn a point Friday and by rights should have lost the game. It was only Sam Poulin’s goal with Domingue pulled that earned the Penguins a point.

We talked this week about how the Penguins really haven’t answered any questions about what type of team they can be because Lehigh Valley is a mess right now and they aren’t a fair measuring stick. The real test was going to come this weekend against a rested Hartford and Springfield side.

Saturday night in Springfield can’t get here fast enough.

Domingue opposed Keith Kinkaid.

Here’s how they lined up:

Despite what the graphic says, the game was played at the XL Center in Hartford,. Connecticut.

Lineup Notes: Kasper Bjorkqvist was returned from Pittsburgh Friday afternoon. He didn’t play while up there. He replaced Felix Robert.

First Period: The thing about Wolf Pack goaltender Keith Kinkaid is that he spills rebounds everywhere. The Penguins, as well as every other team that Hartford plays, are aware of this. Example:

Initially it was announced by Nick Hart as Nathan Legare’s goal, but the scoresheet says otherwise.

Hartford draws even in the last five minutes of the period. Here’s where I thought that the Penguins let off here. Wolf Pack race through the neutral zone and into their attacking side, draw Domingue out who lost his stick. The Wolf Pack would score this goal after video review by referees Mathieu Menniti and Dominic Cadieux:

Hartford outshot the Penguins 8-1 over the last five-ish minutes of the first period and it cost them a goal.

Second Period: Louis Domingue was the best player on the ice for Wilkes-Barre / Scranton this period. Hartford peppered the Penguins net minder with 13 shots and bailed his club out on multiple occasions when Hartford had the Pens hemmed in their zone for long stretches. No one scored.

Third Period: Penguins were hanging on, Domingue continued to make saves. Finally a penalty on Valtteri Puustinen for a hook, saw Morgan Barron score on a deflection of a Zac Jones shot that gave the Wolf Pack a lead:

The Pens would pull Domingue in favor of an extra attacker and Sam Poulin would score to tie the game at two late:

Big goal. Hartford let off for the first time since the first period and it bit them.

No one else scored in regulation and it was off to overtime.

Overtime: More saves by Domingue, a few by Kinkaid too.

Shootout: Tim Gettinger scored in the top of the fourth. Puustinen, Zohorna, Poulin and Bellerive all missed in their chances, in that order.

Here’s Gettinger’s attempt:

Three Stars: 3) Anthony Greco (goal, assist) 2) Keith Kinkaid (26 saves) 1) Tim Gettinger (assist, shootout winning goal)

The Good: They battled back for a point which will probably come in handy later in the season.

The Bad: I didn’t like how they couldn’t seem to get anything going offensively. Again, it seems. The lack of offense is being shielded now by winning games with defense and goaltending, but you are going to need goalscoring if you want to win games.

Turning Point: Poulin’s goal that got the Pens the point gets it here.

Around the Division: The woes for the Phantoms continue, losing 5-2 up in Utica….Providence beats Charlotte 4-3.

Standings: Three way tie for first with Springfield, the Penguins and Hartford on 9 points. Hershey 7, Charlotte 5, Bridgeport and Providence 6 (remember they rank by points percentage) and then Lehigh Valley on 1. Eventually I will switch to the points percentages when I start taking this section more seriously.

Wheeling Update: The Nailers started an hour after the Penguins because they are out in Independence, Missouri playing the KC Mavericks. Here’s your box. Nailers were down 2-0 when this post went up on the blog.

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Two power play goals and more than two goals scored in a track meet of a game of sorts compared to the games thus far and the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins are 4-1 after a 4-2 takedown of the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on Wednesday night.

Radim Zohorna led the way with a pair of goals on the scoresheet but it was an all around showing from the offense and defense that got the Penguins the win. A team effort win, if there was one.

Filip Lindberg opposed Felix Sandstrom. Here’s how they lined up:

Lineup Notes:

First Period: Wild, to say the least. There haven’t been many goals scored between these two teams this season. That all changed in the first period. Five total goals were scored in this period alone.

The Penguins got on the board first when Jamie Devane tipped in a Nicolas Almari shot from the point. Those two will get the headline, but Jonathan Gruden did all the work.

Gerry Mayhew for the Phantoms tied it on a power play on a tip in off a rush and the two teams were off to the races.

No GIF of it or any Lehigh Valley goal, just use your imagination.

Then later, Adam Clendening pinched from his normal defensive spot and got himself a goal off of a bit of a busted play to put the Phantoms up 2-1.

Felt like a little bit of a turning point here. Phantoms were being outshot and yet still led 2-1. Pens maybe were in trouble here and questions about Lehigh Valley’s potent offense were starting to come to life, how do the Pens respond here?

Michael Chaput scores on a power play with a Hallander screen in front to toe the game at 2, that’s how.

But they weren’t done. With 2.4 seconds left, Valtteri Puustinen has his ice taken away from him and Radim Zohorna bags his first of the season to give the Pens a 3-2 lead.

First time the Penguins have scored more than three goals in a game this year and they come all in one tidy period.

Second Period: Penguins add to their lead and get some good goal keeping to preserve their lead. It’s a Wednesday night and I have work in the morning, gotta move this along.

Radim Zohorna on a power play for his second of the night. Nice centering pass by Puustinen here.

Two power plays in one game? I love Wednesday night home games!

Phantoms start buzzing then Chris Bigras hooks Gerry Mayhew in front to take away what probably would have been a goal. Good penalty to take there which squelched the Phantoms momentum because they were unsuccessful on the power play chance.

Filip Lindberg robs Tyson Foerster going post to post to keep it a two goal Penguins lead:

Third Period: Special teams practice. Penguins had :51 of five on three advantage but weren’t able to ice the game away, the Phantoms had a few chances to get back into the game on their man advantage chances but were unable.

Three Stars: 3) Filip Lindberg (20 saves) 2) Valtteri Puustinen (two assists) and 1) Radim Zohorna (two goals)

The Good: Adversity stared them in the face, they stared right back and hit them in theirs. Nice way to come back from a deficit and hold the opponent off the score sheet the rest of the way tonight.

The Bad: Phantoms Head Coach Ian Laperriere probably isn’t long for this coaching world. His team is 0-4, at the bottom and fading in what looks to be a very competitive division and the firepower that the Phantoms possess look rigid and out of sync. Take the 4-1 start with a grain of salt, three wins so far have come against a Phantoms team that doesn’t look like they know what they are doing half the time, and that starts with the head coach.

Turning Point: Gave it to you in the first period. Penguins were down, picked themselves back up and ran away with the game from there.

Around the Division: Only other action in the division was in Hershey and the Bears lost their game in overtime to the Syracuse Crunch 3-2.

Standings: Pens are second, a point off Springfield for first. They could, conceivably, take the overall division lead Friday with a win at Hartford with Springfield idle that night. But a long way to go.

Wheeling Update: Justin Almieda playing hero for the Nailers out in Iowa tonight:

Am I reading that graphic right? The Nailers finished the game with 43 shots on goal to the Heartlanders 17? Tommy Nappier from THEE Ohio State with the win for the Nailers only two Wheeling skaters didn’t register a shot on goal. Nailers win 4-3.

Video Highlights: 

Catch you back here Friday to recap the meeting with the Wolf Pack.

Let’s Go Pens!

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Masterful performance by Louis Domingue in net today a bit overshadowed by the fact that he lost a shutout in the dying embers of regulation. How long as it been since the Penguins shutout their opponent?

Anyway, Valtteri Puustinen’s two goals, one in the first and one in overtime, guarantee that the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins take four points out of the weekend with a 2-1 overtime win in Allentown against Lehigh Valley Sunday.

Louis Domingue opposed Samuel Ersson. Here is how they lined up:

This visual is not correct, Jordy Bellerive was out and Michael Chaput was in. That’s the swap up front. With Kris Letting run COVID protocol up top, Pittsburgh recalled Juuso Riikola. In his place Sunday was Niclas Amari.

For the Phantoms…

First Period: You had the Puustinen goal here that highlighted the period:

Second Period: Then you had the Louis Domingue show, highlighted with this save at the death of them second period.

Penguins outshot the Phantoms 13-8 in the period, despite Lehigh Valley’s four power play opportunities.

Third Period: They kept gift wrapping power plays to Lehigh Valley and Domingue kept bailing them out. With :46 left in regulation and Ersson pulled for the extra attacker, Max Willman cleaned up a rebound of a shot from the point.

Tie game. Domingue had to make one more save at the end of the game to preserve a point for his side.

Overtime: Possess the puck. On the off chance you don’t have it, hope your goalie bails you out. With two less guys out there, there is space to make plays.

Valtteri Puustinen to the microphone.

Ballgame.

Three Stars: 3) Sam Ersson (28 of 30 saves) 2) Max Willman (goal) 1) Valtteri Puustinen (two goals, overtime game winner)

Laughable that PPL Center has two guys in the third star selection, including the goalie that gave up the goal to end the game. Homerism at its finest, but such is life at this level.

The Good: Undeterred, they went though a methodical takedown of a floundering, faltering Phantoms offense. How good has Puustinen been?

The Bad: Nitpicking, but you would like to see them complete the job and get their goalie their shutout.

Turning Point: Puustinen’s goal in overtime gets it. You could maybe mix in a Domingue save or two, but no one remembers those, sadly.

Around the Division: Bridgeport blanks Laval 3-0….Springfield is going to be your new #1 team when the Power Rankings come out Tuesday with a 4-1 win in Providence, the Thunderbirds have yet to lose in regulation.

Wheeling and Standings: Nailers kicked off the campaign yesterday and lost. Pens, with the OT win today, bump to third in the division.

Pens and Phantoms rematch Wednesday in Wilkes-Barre.

Video Highlights: Coal Street quick on them this evening…

Power Rankings Tuesday, Weekend Preview Wednesday. I still don’t like weekday hockey games.

Let’s Go Pens!

Instead of a bad Bjork or break. Hey, it’s something.

The Penguins and Wolf Pack nearly skated to a stalemate in Wilkes-Barre Friday. There were chances aplenty for each side but no finish for either as the Penguins and Wolf Pack needed overtime to decide this one. A goal by Kasper Bjorkqvist is the deciding goal and the Penguins win 2-1 in overtime and improve their record to 2-1 on this very young season.

Filip Lindberg opposed Keith Kinkaid.

Here’s how they lined up:

Hartford didn’t post theirs. Hell, they didn’t even send a radio broadcaster. Keith Kincaid got the start, as I predicted. Even a blind squirrel finds a nut every now and again.

Lineup Notes:

No need to recall anyone for Tristan Jarry as it was a false positive. Jarry practiced today in Pittsburgh.

First Period: Both teams navigated through a penalty kill. Penguins break through off a rush where Filip Hallander scored on a rebound of a Nathan Legare shot. First pro point for Legare. First non-Finn goal scored for WBS.

With :23 left, a puck from the point hits PC Labrie who corrals it and passes to Anthony Greco who snaps it past Lindberg for a goal that tied the game at one heading into the…

Second Period: Forgettable. They had just three shots in the period despite three power plays. The power play looked disjointed, and that’s saying something after watching 10 years of this team trying to properly execute a power play.

Third Period: Better fortunes for the Penguins shot wise. Not a lot of penalties but for an offsetting roughing call. You got the sense as the game wore on that it was going to be next shot wins.

Nothing developed in the period but for this near miss by Nathan Legare that went off the post.

Nathan Legare hits the post on a breakaway. pic.twitter.com/xeyjnozFjF

— Taylor Haase (@TaylorHaasePGH) October 23, 2021

Seemed like there were a lot of breakaways in the game, but no one wanted to score.

Overtime: Hartford with a good 90 seconds of possession and shot after shot after shot. Then the Penguins regained possession and then were able to slowly gain entry to the offensive zone. Jordy Bellerive flips a shot that goes off of Keith Kinkaid’s pads and, well I will just let the pictures tell the rest of the story:

Kasper Bjorkqvist wins it for Wilkes-Barre in OT. Cam Lee and Jordy Bellerive with the assists. pic.twitter.com/gr8sBVtxvB

— Taylor Haase (@TaylorHaasePGH) October 23, 2021

Three Stars: 3) Filip Hallander (goal) 2) Filip Lindberg (30 saves on 31 shots 1) Kasper Bjorkqvist (overtime game winning goal)

The Good: They managed a way to win. It was not pretty by any means, but sometimes that is what it takes.

The Bad: You can take the last sentence from above and apply it here. Seemed like the Penguins had more talent on paper but Hartford was just better in a few areas. Get a team in with more talent than Hartford and you can run into a problem.

Turning Point: The obvious goal by Bjorkqvist.

Around the Division: Charlotte beats Hershey in the Checkers home opener 5-3….Utica clips Providence in overtime 2-1….Springfield is off to a 3-0 start with a 3-1 win over the Islanders.

Standings: Still too early for these. Pens bump from 6th to 4th in the division.

They are off Saturday and back at it Sunday at 3 in Allentown. More after then.

Let’s Go Pens!

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Well, you can’t win them all.

After looking like world beaters Saturday night against Lehigh Valley, it seemed like the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins couldn’t get out of their own way Sunday, losing 4-1 to the Charlotte Checkers.

What may have helped is that the Checkers had a hell of a hand playing goal for them also.

Joey Daccord, a Seattle Kraken prospect playing in Charlotte this season with the Checkers dual affiliation, was lights out Sunday, stymieing the Penguins offense and stopping 26 shots. He was beat once, when the Penguins had a late power play and pulled starter Tommy Nappier for an extra attacker. Felix Robert was a beneficiary of a puck careening off of the back wall right to him for a goal, spoiling an otherwise stellar appearance by Daccord.

Juuso Riikola was a -3 today. The rest of the defensemen weren’t great either but Riikola was on the ice for two of the even strength goals against and was caught watching when Max McCormick skated in behind the defense midway into the third period which made it 3-0.

Tommy Nappier was the hard luck loser in goal. Kid can’t buy any run support when he is in the nets. His record in the AHL drops to 1-3 (going back to last years exhibition season)

Here’s how they lined up:

Lineup Notes: Felix Robert for Jan Drozg up front, the third line stayed intact. P.O. Joseph was sent down Sunday morning and replaced Chris Bigras. Alex D’Orio backed up.

“Minor” lower body injuries to Anthony Angello and Louis Domingue.

First Period: No scoring. Penguins had two power plays and didn’t score. Charlotte gave up two power play goals to Hershey the night prior, but their PK looked excellent.

Second Period: Lucas Carlsson’s shot through traffic goes in to open the scoring for the visitors:

Later, Chase Priskie with a shot that Alex True deflects in for a 2-0 lead on a power play.

Jonathan Gruden had no puck luck, multiple occasions for would be tap in goals didn’t go for him.

Third Period: Max McCormick with a stick lift on Michael Chaput and he’s in all alone for a goal.

Penguins respond with a goal late with Nappier pulled when Felix Robert breaks up the Daccord shutout bid.

I want to thank Taylor for allowing me to again run her video recaps of plays here on the blog this year.

Zac Dalpe hit an empty netter that made it the final, 4-1.

The Good: If you find something good that came out of this game, let me know.

The Bad: Man that defense stunk today. Look for changes Friday against Hartford, I would assume.

Turning Point: When they could’t score early on those two first period power plays nor muster anything indicative of a high danger scoring threat, you knew it was going to be an uphill battle.

Three Stars: 

I just noticed that the graphic doesn’t say who did what. True had a goal and an assist, Carlsson the same and Daccord stopped 26 of 27.

Around the Division: Could be worse, could be Lehigh Valley. Phantoms lose 2-1 to Hershey. Phantoms had eight power plays in that game to Hershey’s two. Hartford, here Friday, beats Providence 4-3 in a shootout. It’s the Wolf Pack’s third game in three days. Springfield beat Bridgeport 4-3 in a shootout also.

Standings: Too soon, but the Penguins are where I have them being at the end of the regular season, and that’s presently in sixth place. .500 right now. Again, it’s too soon. I’ll pick this up in due time.

Week of practice one would assume then a game Friday assist Hartford before a Saturday off then a road trip to Lehigh Valley. If not anything during the week, talk to you either Thursday or Friday for the Weekend Setup.

Let’s Go Pens!

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I had this to say when I found out that Filip Lindberg was getting the start in net Saturday night in Wilkes-Barre, where I was expecting Alex D’Orio.

Maybe. Alex D’Orio didn’t dress, Tommy Nappier from The Ohio State University backed up and apparently Louis Domingue is injured. So Lindberg needed to step up and step up he did.

Penguins win 2-1, led by their Finnish players in Lindberg with goals by Niclas Almari and Vallteri Puustinen. A strong start to the season keeping Lehigh Valley’s high powered offense in check.

Here’s how they lined up:

Notes: Sam Houde was in for Anthony Angello, who was a mystery scratch. I think they are looking to protect him in case of the inevitable Pittsburgh injury.

First Period: Puustinen opens his account as the Penguins scored on the first power play of the season with this dart that gave Wilkes-Barre a 1-0 lead:

Jamie Devane massacred Brennan Saulnier in a fight. I don’t see many one sided fights at this level often, this was a mauling.

Shots were 13-6 Phantoms. Lindberg faced a firing squad in the period and looked unfazed and undaunted.

Second Period: Lehigh Valley draws even when Tyson Foerster beats Lindberg on a quick shot off a transition rush. Penguins were taking too many silly penalties for my liking and Lehigh Valley finally broke through on the power play.

(no GIF of the Foerster goal, sorry)

Third Period: Niclas Almari had a seeing eye shot go in. Defender gave him too much time and space and Almari set up and chose his shot placement carefully.

Lindberg continued to dazzle, making a huge stop on Connor Bunnaman that preserved the 2-1 lead Wilkes-Barre had at the time.

I didn’t think at any point they were nursing a lead, maybe when they were up 1-0, but after getting scored on to tie the game back at one it seemed that was the cold slap in the face that they needed to get them going in the right direction.

With Sandstrom pulled for the extra attacher, the visitors never found the equalizer.

Three Stars: 

The Good: My expectations are low, but man they looked good. Phantoms have some big time scorers on their team and the Penguins held them all in check. You have something special with Lindberg in goal and Puustinen I thought was at times the best player on the ice.

The Bad: The silly too many men penalties they took in the second spoiled what could have been a shutout for Lindberg in his pro debut.

Turning Point: I thought I had it when they killed off one of the penalties about midway in the second. Lindberg was dialed in and nothing was going to get past him. The next power play they score, so out the window goes that idea. Give to to Almari after his goal which set the pace for the Penguins who seemed to settle down coming out of the chute for the third and played better with the lead then they did the first time they had it.

Around the Division: Hershey beats Charlotte 5-2. Five different scorers for the Bears and they also struck twice on the power play….Providence beats Bridgeport 2-1 in a shootout….Springfield clips Hartford 2-1 at home. Lots of 2-1 scores tonight.

Standings: It’s too early for this. Plus, they are doing them by percentage points this year.

Back here on the blog after the 3 p.m. Sunday game with Charlotte. No pregame setup, I kind of gave it to you in the Weekend Preview. I think you should see D’Orio with probably Nappier backing up. I’ll be wrong again though probably.

Out the door, it was cool to be there Saturday for some history.

Didn’t notice the referees much tonight. That’s a good thing.

Let’s Go Pens!

Penguins played in their final preseason game before the real thing starts next Saturday. They were in Allentown playing against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. The Phantoms are next Saturday’s opponent. Let’s hope that tonight’s result, a 4-3 overtime loss, isn’t a preview of coming attractions for next weekend and beyond.

First, more housekeeping. The Penguins received Juuso Riikola and Michael Chaput from the Pittsburgh Penguins Saturday afternoon after the duo cleared waivers. Anthony Angello is on waivers presently.

Coal Street made some cuts today as well:

They also made cuts the other day too, and I never added those here over on the blog. So, here those are, but these are dated:

Preseason for me too.

Anyway, here is how they lined up tonight:

That’s a hell of a lineup. Let’s see how long it sticks together. If history is any indicator, not long.

For the Phantoms:

It was a fun first period, if you were a Penguins fan. The Phantoms found themselves on the wrong end of a 5-on-3 for 90 seconds, but were able to get out of it. They scored a few seconds later when Max Willman picked a ridiculous angle to beat Domingue for a 1-0 Phantoms lead.

But, on yet another 5-on-3, P.O. Joseph went bar down and in for a goal that tied the game at one a piece.

Kasper Bjorkqvist scored in the slot to make it 2-1. Sam Houde had a primary assist here, his fifth such assist in the preseason. Sometimes you just play your way onto a team, that’s what Houde is doing.

Nathan Legare scored his first goal in Wilkes-Barre via the short handed variety, giving the Penguins a 3-1 lead.

But then Samu Tuomaala scored with under 4 minutes left to play in the second period to cut the lead to one.

The one thing I will say is that there were way too many penalties in this game, with nine against the Penguins and eight against the Phantoms. You can’t establish anything close to a flow when there are referees arms going up every three minutes.

Morgan Frost tied the game at three after the Penguins killed a long five on three against.

In overtime, the aforementioned Frost crashed the net and beat Domingue to win it for the Phantoms.

These two teams do it for real in a week from Saturday in Wilkes-Barre. But for a few modifications here and there, this is as close as a dress rehearsal for the Penguins as you are going to find. They could get more help, but don’t count on it.

I’ll have a preview of the opponents for you Tuesday here on the blog. Sooner if there is anything newsworthy. I’m shaking things up this year with the Gameday Previews too. I think you’ll like it.