Chirps from Center Ice

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6                                              3

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I don’t think, and I have been watching this team for a lot more years than I have been blogging about them, I have ever seen a more unprepared team top to bottom than the first ten minutes of this game.

A 6-3 throttling by the Crunch on the Penguins which played out like this in the first period.

Two goals :19 apart when Gemel Smith and Boris Katchouk score to make it 2-0.

Smith, 1:10 later on a power play and it’s 3-0.

A little later, mind you this is still in the first period and within the games first 10 minutes, Gemel Smith completes his hat trick. I don’t know what the record is for hat tricks is for the Syracuse Crunch, but if Smith didn’t get the record for doing so, he was robbed.

Oh yeah, Emil Larmi, the Penguins starter, was pulled for the recalled today Alex D’Orio. Larmi made one (1) save.

D’Orio didn’t fare any better as Devante Stephens and Jimmy Huntington scored on him quickly. It was 6-0 Crunch.

There was still six minutes left to play in the first period.

The first period.

Tim Schaller scored in the first, Josh Currie in the second and Nick Schilkey in the third.

I don’t know if I could stick this all on Larmi. A few  examples:

Too easy. Just embarrassing. They look like a shell of a team who are as disinterested in being there as I am as doing this, not being there.

Somehow Tim Schaller and Josh Currie factored in on every goal; each had a goal and two assists.

Gemel Smith had a hat trick and two assists. He figured into the first five goals for the Crunch.

Here is how they lined up:

Lineup Notes: Jan Drozg returned after missing last game with injury.

The Good: I turned my computer back on after watching them go down 5-0 to put together this post mortem.

The Bad: Embarrassing effort tonight. Fans risked catching a novel virus for that performance in the first period? Puh-leeze.

Turning Point: Pick one of the first five goals. I’m putting wrestling back on.

Hope they are more prepared Friday at home against Hershey. Maybe it’s coaching, who knows.

Stay safe and Let’s Go Pens!

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4                                        5

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The Lehigh Valley Phantoms have played in seven overtime games this season. They are a hard nosed, and gritty team that can score in bunches and maximize every opportunity when they are on the ice.

Phantoms win 5-4 in overtime in a thrilling game. After a dead first, teams explode for six goals in the first ten minutes and after more back and forth, Tanner Laczynski scores his first AHL goal to ensure that the Phantoms get to over time and Laczynski ends it in overtime with a seemingly harmless shot which handcuffs starting goalie Shane Starrett.

Starrett was, not good today. I thought (me of all 0 hockey games played, I don’t even know how to skate, so take this all with a grain of salt) several goals could have been stopped or at best played differently. However with little help from his defenders on some of the goals (hell of a time to not have GIFs on any of these for this piece) Starrett was not good today, in my opinion.

Alex D’Orio has two shutouts with the last place in the ECHL Wheeling Nailers. This season is meaningless because they are just flying by the seat of their pants and when the season is over there are no playoffs, but D’Orio would at least, at least in my book, deserves a shot at a look.

Starrett opposed Felix Sandstrom.

Here is how they lined up:

Brett Brochu backed up Starrett. Drozg is injured, day to day lower body, Reilly was a healthy scratch and Sam Miletic is on the Pittsburgh taxi squad.

First Period: Seems like the majority of time was spent in front of Sandtrom and the Phantoms end, but the Penguins were not able to score (or really do much) with the Phantoms top rated penalty kill. Shots favored the Penguins 6-4.

Second Period: Man, that first period was dull for action. The second period was completely different.

:14 in, Wade Allison scored to put the Phantoms on the board.

A few minutes later. Nick Schilkey was the first Penguin player to reach double digits in points with a rebound goal to tie the game at one.

Phantoms would respond with two quick goals to go up 3-1 when Allison led a rush and Tyson Foerster flipped one in to go up 2-1, then Chris Mueller scored to make it 3-1.

Drew O’Connor would score on a deflection from a shot from the point to bring Wilkes-Barre to within one and then Jon Gruden scored on a rebound of his own shot that tied the game at 3.

Six goals in just over ten minutes. A frenetic pace between the two rivals.

Later. Jordy Bellerive scored on a 3 on 1 to give the Penguins a 4-3 lead.

If you are looking for the GIFs, Taylor was on Pittsburgh duty covering the NHL team and didn’t have any for us. She’s extremely good at what she does, but isn’t a machine. Use you imagination for one with my descriptions.

Shots were just a paltry 17-11 favoring the Penguins.

Third Period: There was too much standing around in front of Starrett’s goal and not enough moving around when Tanner Laczynski scored his first AHL goal to tie it.

Pens had a golden chance about halfway through to score on a power play but the Phantoms penalty kill is stout.

They managed to grit out a result which got them a meaningless point to get them to…

Overtime: Pens kill a leftover kill from the dying embers of the third period and back at even strength Tanner Laczynski throws a changeup at Starrett that handcuffs the Penguins goalie and goes in. Phantoms win 5-4.

Three Stars: 3) Jordy Bellerive (goal, assist) 2) Wade Allison (goal, assist) and 1) Tanner Laczynski (two goals)

The Good: I liked the response after going down 3-1 because honestly, I was ready to check out of the game and light up another cigar outside. They got it back to even then went ahead heading into the third.

The Bad: Goaltending and special teams. Not all of it, but if one was better than the other, perhaps, maybe, a different result.

Turning Point: Tanner Laczynski’s first two AHL goals doom the Penguins.

They are back at it Wednesday at home against Syracuse. It will be interesting to see who is out of the tunnel first at around 6:20 Wednesday evening.

Let’s Go Pens!

Stay safe.

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5                                              2

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There is a lot to say about the headline tonight. I think that the way that the Crunch approach the gameplay against the Penguins gives Wilkes-Barre fits and they can’t seem to overcome.

After a two goal first, the Crunch use a two goal second to race away from the Pens Friday night in front of the first home crowd of the 2021 season and spoil the festivities by winning 5-2.

Emil Larmi opposed Chris Gibson. One goalie was fantastic, the other not so.

Here’s how they lined up:

Lineup Notes: Zach Trotman returned, replacing Billy Sweezy. Up front, Drew O’Connor replaced the recently recalled Radim Zohorna.

First Period: Pens had the only two power play opportunities of the period, but didn’t score. The story here was that seconds after each penalty was killed, the Crunch would score.

Gabe Fortier with this goal, which should not have happened this way.

😬😳

Later, the Crunch would score on a more conventional play, a drop pass to Sean Day and a hell of a shot.

On the power play, the setups were there but the finishes weren’t.

Second Period: Two goals within the games first five minutes and within approximately 70 seconds of one another were the Pens undoing.

Boris Katchouk with a snap shot which beats Larmi for a 3-0 Syracuse lead.

Then Sean Day again.

The defense was, um, not good? Can’t really put it all on Larmi really, but J.D. Forrest decided to make the change in net. In comes Shane Starrett.

Starrett settled things down from there, the bucket of cold water woke up the Penguins defense and they started to tighten up, but faces a steep hill to climb.

Tim Schaller got one back a couple minutes later to get Wilkes-Barre on the board.

Third Period: Penguins pepper Gibson for 17 shots in the third, allow Syracuse only 4, get two early power plays to try to set momentum, and come up with bupkis.

Drew O’Connor does get one to go on a four on three after tensions boiled over to get the Penguins to within two…

But Gibson and the Crunch made sure they didn’t get any closer.

Brady Keeper hits a long empty netter to seal it.

Three Stars: 3) Tim Schaller (goal) 2) Otto Somppi (two assists) 1) Sean Day (two goals)

I would have gave Christopher Gibson the second star. He made 39 saves.

The Good: Progress is a return to normalcy. I am not planning on returning until at least the Fall, but damn was it good to see live humans in the stands at the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza.

The Bad: You can’t get boat raced 4-0 and expect to win. Not against any team and certainly not against the Syracuse Crunch.

Turning Point: Boris Katchouk’s goal early in the third set the tone and broke the back of the Penguins.

They are scheduled to play Sunday in Allentown, depending on what the Lehigh Valley situation is with COVID and how well they have it under control. Syracuse has their game with Utica postponed, so who knows, maybe the Pens return the favor and head to Syracuse Sunday. Stay tuned.

Let’s Go Pens!

Stay safe.

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0                                        3

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Six game point streak ends Saturday in Syracuse. A game where they waited for something to develop but instead got developed. Syracuse wins 3-0, getting all of their offense in the second period. Samuel Montembeault with a 37 save shutout. Emil Larmi Started and took the loss.

Lineup:

https://twitter.com/nafsnep/status/1370885056965849088

Lineup Notes: Felix Robert was back after missing the game on Monday, replacing Kyle Olson who replaced him Monday. The Pens sent goalie Shane Starrett to Wheeling earlier in the day.

First Period: Penguins held the Crunch to just one shot in the first 10 minutes of the period but the Crunch caught up on the shot board and it was 8-7 Penguins advantage through the end of the period.

Both teams had a power play and didn’t connect. In the paper tomorrow, you may see, “After a scoreless first period…” because there wasn’t much if anything to write about in the period.

Moving on…

Second Period: Syracuse came alive and scored three goals.

Daniel Walcott off a deflection of a long shot from the point.

Otto Somppi catches the defense flatfooted, is denied on his initial, but follows up for a rebound goal and it’s 2-0.

The Penguins are running around in the defensive zone and Ben Thomas scores.

Yikes.

Third Period: Things settled down from there, Crunch go into a defensive shell to preserve the lead and the Penguins, despite outshooting the Crunch 16-6 in the period, fail to score.

Three Stars: 3) Otto Somppi (goal) 2) Ben Thomas (goal, assist) 1) Sam Montembeault (37 saves)

The Good: They, again, held the opponent to under 25 shots. The Crunch had 22.

The Bad: Syracuse didn’t have the quantity of shots but quality is where it counts. This is a game that the Pens should have won after that first. Syracuse dressed 10 forwards and 8 defensemen. Syracuse was the team scrambling coming in, and it was the Penguins on the ice who were scrambling all game, notably in the second period.

Turning Point: You are either giving it to Daniel Walcott who got the Crunch on the board or Otto Somppi who broke the dam open. There are times in games hone you watch and you know you are at the point of no return. I think Somppi’s goal accomplished that, but your mileage may vary and it could have been Walcott’s.

So they get another week of practice to regroup fro Friday against Lehigh Valley.

Don’t forget to turn your clocks ahead.

Let’s Go Pens!

Stay safe.

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4                                                 3

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Seems like they are on the right track as a team. They would be OK I think for playoffs, but I don’t think there will be any this season, pandemic and all.

Phantoms win this one 4-3 in overtime on Ryan Fitzgerald’s overtime game winning goal. These two teams are nearly identical and every game is close. This game was no different.

Prior to the game, the Pittsburgh Penguins announced that forward Josh Currie, defenseman Josh Maniscalco, and goaltender Emil Larmi were being re-assigned to Wilkes-Barre and forwards Anthony Angello (NHL) and Frederick Gaudreau (WBS) and goaltender Maxime Lagace (AHL) have been re-assigned to the taxi squad.

So here is how they lined up:

Lineup Notes: Josh Currie for Freddy Gaudreau and the graphic is wrong, Kyle Olson was in for Felix Robert. Martin Brochu backed up Starrett.

First Period: Kind of a benign first, I’ll let Taylor show you what exactly happened in the period which put the Phantoms ahead 1-0.

Pens killed a Josh Currie kneeing penalty.

Second Period: Phantoms, blatantly offside, score to go ahead 2-0. Sam Morin walks through a pair of defenders and dishes to Garrett Wilson for a goal.

Rare that something that egregious goes uncalled. Eh, mistakes happen.

Penguins get the two goals right back when Tim Scahller pounds home a loose puck in the crease to bring them within one.

Penguins tie the game on a great workmanlike effort from Drew O’Connor to keep the Phantoms from gaining possession of the puck when there was a delayed call against Lehigh Valley. Josh Currie scores to tie the game at two.

Third Period: A lot like the first with some mundane, back and forth hockey, until Pascal Laberge scores after Shane Starrett made a pair of saves but the puck squirts into the slot and put in by Laberge to give the Phantoms a 3-2 lead.

Penguins would get a power play late and would cash on it against the Phantoms #1 penalty kill.

Josh Currie’s wicked shot stings McIntyre who makes the initial save but Tim Schaller is tracking the puck the entire time and whacks in the rebound.

Only the second power play goal against for the Phantoms this season.

Overtime: After a bit of back and forth, Ryan Fitzgerald scores his second overtime game winning goal.

Three Stars: 3) Drew O’Connor (two assists) 2) Tim Scaller (two goals, assist) 1) Ryan Fitzgerald (overtime game winning goal)

The Good: Point streak is still alive. It’s six games now.

The Bad: Should have won this one. They did seemingly everything right. Good on PK, scored against the top rated Phantoms PK and got a good game out of their third string goalie.

Turning Point: What else but Fitzgerald’s overtime game winner.

Pens will get a week of practice and travel Saturday to Syracuse.

Let’s Go Pens!

Stay safe.

Late with this one because the family came in and we all went out for dinner Saturday night to celebrate my mother’s birthday. So I missed all of Saturday nights 6-3 win in Newark against the Binghamton Devils.

Here’s what I scraped together after going through the timeline of events:

• P. O. Joseph was back down from Pittsburgh and made his 2021 WBS debut paired with Jon Lizotte.
• Binghamton struck for three goals in the first ten minutes of the first. Two of them on the power play.
• Penguins roar back for two late in the first, both on a double minor power play.
• Wilkes-Barre clamps down from there and allowed Binghamton just three shots in the second and four in the third.
• Jon Gruden connects for his first Penguins goal on a power play about halfway through the second. Jon Lizotte adds an even strength goal with under four to play and Wilkes-Barre was in front.
• Jan Drozg connects 67 seconds into the third to quell any chances at a Binghamton comeback and Drew O’Connor gets his first pro goal with under five to play.
• Billy Sweezy and Ben Thomson fought in the third. It was the first fight of the season for the Penguins.
• Wilkes-Barre badly outshot Binghamton 43-21. Every Penguin player had at least one shot on goal.

Housekeeping: The Penguins parted ways with Jordan Nolan. Recall that he took a leave to be with family. In this pandemic world we are living in, who can fault him. I think the Penguins are doing just fine without him.

Video highlights here:

Back at it on TV a Monday at five against Lehigh Valley. Game day setup Monday at 1.

Let’s go Pens! Stay safe.

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2                                              1

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Let’s get one little bit of housekeeping out of the way here first. With the announcement that fans will be allowed back into the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza in limited capacity beginning March 19, Coal Street announced on Tuesday that they are changing their start times for the following games:

Friday, Mar. 19 vs. Lehigh Valley
Wednesday, Mar. 24 vs. Syracuse
Friday, Mar. 26 vs. Hershey
Friday, Apr. 16 vs. Lehigh Valley

These games were scheduled to start at 5 and were the only remaining weekday games. The home contests on Saturday and Sunday all will begin at 5 as previously scheduled.

Anyway, they let the Crunch get away with a win tonight.

They largely dominated the game in all three zones and in all facets yet see the Crunch score a goal in the third to force overtime and lose 2-1 in a shootout.

It’s a point lost. In a regular season,  especially now in March in the thick of a playoff hunt, it would have been a bad, bad point lost.

But it’s a forced season being played amidst a pandemic, so it probably doesn’t matter in the long run.

But still, a bad point lost.

Here is how they lined up:

https://twitter.com/nafsnep/status/1367251388611239942

Taylor had the injury update:

First Period: Syracuse has six guys injured and a bunch on recall. Call them Wilkes-Barre North cause we are used to that around these parts. The Pens ran them around the rink. Shots were 7-2 Pens. No one scored. I was commuting home but they were saying on the broadcast that it was a sloppy period.

Second Period: Jon Lizotte broke the deadlock with this shot which deflected.

It stayed that way for much of the period. Syracuse, despite all of the injuries and call ups, were hanging around.

Third Period: Syracuse got the goal they were looking for from Cole Schwindt.

So not a snipe or a five on three against, an odd man rush and a tap in. You’ve got to be kidding me.

So of course, in a game where not much happened, Syracuse ground down the game to get it to overtime.

Overtime: They traded power plays and didn’t get a goal.

Shootout: Radim Zohorna scored for the Pens, Cam Lee and Freddy Gaudreau didn’t. Taylor Raddysh and Otto Somppi scored on theirs. Ball game.

Three Stars: 3) Jon Lizotte (goal) 2) Cole Schwindt (goal) 1) Spencer Martin (30 saves)

The Good: Yikes, I don’t know. I was worried about a let down game after that stellar week that they had last week, getting a full six points. We got it here. Good that they got a point?

The Bad: They should have ran the damn Crunch out of the rink tonight. They outshot them 31-19. They let the Crunch rob them of a point.

Turning Point: Cole Schwindt’s goal that brought it level was all the Crunch needed here. The Pens weren’t creating enough chances that Spencer Martin couldn’t handle easily. Everything else was a bonus.

They are back at it Saturday in Newark against the Binghamton Devils.

Let’s Go Pens!

Stay safe.