Chirps from Center Ice

So they are 6-3-1 in their last ten but lost their last game in Laval in what I called a scheduled loss, but now the doubt starts to creep back in as the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins are now going back into divisional play with a game in Hershey on Wednesday before hosting Charlotte for a weekend set of games Friday and Saturday.

The Bears are a machine. It looks like they will get stronger. Their coach is already headed to All-Stars. Do you smell that? It’s the scent of a repeat.

We will get to that in a minute.

Music to set the Mood…

Happy New Year, one and all.

A Quote…

What are little boys made of?
What are little boys made of?
  Snips, snails
  And puppy-dogs’ tails
That’s what little boys are made of

What are little girls made of?
What are little girls made of?
  Sugar and spice
  And everything nice 
That’s what little girls are made of
— Nursery Rhyme

The Setup

So getting back to Hershey, they have been destroying everything in their path. They are 24-6. No OT losses. No shootout losses. They have 48 points, an .800 winning percentage and a machine. A wagon. An absolute beast of a hockey team. You need to be perfect, as in, you cannot make any mistakes, in order to beat this team.

And it just isn’t the Penguins. They beat everybody. Everybody.

So is it a measuring stick if you are the Penguins and can compete with the Bears? If you beat them are they crowning you the next Calder Cup Champions? Hardly. Go in with low expectations. Hope for the best, expect the worst, especially coming off of a Christmas break and after an ugly loss in Laval.

Charlotte is the other team on the schedule this week for the Pens. They hosted Bridgeport two weeks ago and split, a shutout win and an OT loss then split with Lehigh Valley with an OT loss and a shootout win.

Seems like they spill points all over the place and play fast and loose. I think the bigger tell on what type of team the Penguins are is told against Charlotte then it is against Hershey.

Records

The Penguins are 15-10-3 and have 33 points and sit third in the Atlantic with 33 points, two off Hartford for the two spot, but also two points out of a playoff spot altogether. It’s razor thin.

The Bears are in their own stratosphere. 24-6, 48 points and the number one team in the AHL.

Charlotte is 14-10-3, 31 points and in sixth in the Atlantic.

Who’s Up? Who’s Down? Who’s Out?

Pittsburgh: Jansen Harkins, Vinnie Hinostroza (he cleared waivers last week, was assigned but is still with Pittsburgh?) and Valtteri Puustinen.

Up from Wheeling: Owen Headrick, Raivis Ansons.

Injured: Avery Hayes and Sam Houde.

What can we learn about the Penguins this week?

If they want to get anywhere, they have to go through Hershey. Are they going to play well enough to just be a playoff team only to be obliterated by Hershey en route to back to back Calder Cups? The Penguins are one of the few teams to have beaten Hershey. It was frustrating watching them play Hershey the last time out. But, it’s still December (January soon) and there is still a lot to figure out. Are the Penguins a team playing two points out of second place or two points from out of a playoff spot? Depends on who you ask.

Personally I think they will be fine. I think.

They should beat Charlotte. Charlotte plays like an average to above average North Division team, in my opinion, for comparison sake. They should beat Charlotte, but I have a feeling that the Checkers lull you into playing fast and loose and then all of a sudden you find yourself in overtime or in a shootout.

Who’s in Goal? 

Interesting conundrum in my opinion. I think they were shifting away from Joel Blomqvist as the stone cold lock number one but I don’t know now. I think it’s Blomqvist Wednesday and Saturday with Magnus Hellberg going Friday.

I don’t think it matters for Hershey. Clay Stevenson and Hunter Shepard are the Bears 1A-1B. If the Bears have a weakness, it isn’t in goal. Either one of these two goaltenders will be tough nuts to crack.

Toss a coin for Spencer Knight and Ludovic Waeber Friday or Saturday for the Checkers.

Who is running the show?

Mason Riley and Peter Schlittenhardt are the referees Wednesday with John Rey and Bill Lyons on the lines.

Friday sees referees Beau Halkidis and Laura White and linesmen Jud Ritter and Chandler Yakimowicz.

Saturday sees Casey Terreri and Adam Tobias in orange, black and white with Bill Lyons from Wednesday and Jud Ritter from the night before on icings, offsides and face-offs.

Looking Ahead…

A trip to Springfield next Friday, then a Saturday and Sunday (💆‍♂️) home game against Lehigh Valley for the first time all season on Saturday and then Hartford at 3:05 on Sunday. It’s the first three in three of the season.

Give us a bold prediction…

No complaining about Sunday home games in 2024.

The Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins head to Canada for a Thursday and Friday pair of games against more North division foes in Belleville and Laval before breaking for Christmas.

Music to set the mood…

From me and the cats, Merry Christmas!

A Quote…

Consistency is what transfers average into excellence.
— Unknown

The Penguins are 6-3-1 in their last ten, winning more than losing and finally, just maybe, settling into a consistent winner. You want to see this continue this week with more North Division opponents on the plate.

The Setup

Trip to the Bay of Quinte on Thursday for a visit with the Belleville Senators and then a Friday in Laval to take on the Rocket.

Last week, the Penguins swept all three games, beating the Syracuse Crunch, Utica Comets and Rochester Americans. Rem Pitlick is red hot with nine points in his last eight games. Alex Nylander is scoring goals and they got a goal from a returning Sam Poulin on Saturday.

The Belleville Senators last played on Friday in Cleveland and were swept by the Monsters. They have not won in three games.

The Laval Rocket got pasted in Hershey 7-1 on Saturday. They beat Lehigh Valley the night before on Friday. They played Syracuse yesterday in Syracuse and won 3-2.

Records

The Penguins are 14-9-3-0, good for 31 points and third in the Atlantic Division.

Belleville is 10-10-2-2, good for 22 points and fifth in the North Division.

Laval is 8-13-3-2, good for 21 points and in last place in the North Division.

Who’s Up? Who’s Down? Who’s Out?

Pittsburgh: Jansen Harkins, Vinnie Hinostroza (he cleared waivers over the weekend but was not immediately assigned) and Valtteri Puustinen.

Back from Pittsburgh: Marc Johnstone and Jonathan Gruden. Also assigned was Ryan Shea.

Justin Addamo was returned to Wheeling on Friday. Lukas Svejkovsky and Tanner Laderoute followed suit on Tuesday.

The Pens recalled Owen Headrick from Wheeling. Headrick was acquired in the Peter Abbodonato trade.

Sam Poulin returned from injury and played Saturday.

The Libor Hajek experiment is over, the Penguins released him from his PTO and he returned to his native Czechia.

Still up from Wheeling: Raivis Ansons.

Injured: Avery Hayes and Sam Houde.

What can we learn about the Penguins this week?

They should easily beat a slipping Belleville and a last place Laval team. But if they start to wallow in their past successes, they can and likely will get caught and lose to Belleville in a tight 2-1 game or get caught already into the egg nog and lose by five in Laval. It can happen. It shouldn’t if you are a believer in J.D. Forrest and his coaching staff.

Looks like they may be shifting away from Joel Blomqvist as their rock solid #1 and going more and more to Magnus Hellberg, who started two games last week.

Also they look like they are getting healthier, with just Avery Hayes (who I have to assume is close to a return) and Sam Houde out with injuries.

Finally these points they are accumulating have them ascending the Atlantic Division. Hershey and Hartford look like the class of the field right now. It’s a dogfight between the three through six seeds.

Who’s in Goal? 

I’d go Hellberg Thursday and Blomqvist Friday. I’m hoping to see leviathan Mads Sogaard, all 6’7 of him, for Belleville on Thursday and maybe more towers of power with 6’5 Jakub Dobeš for the Rocket on Friday.

Who’s Running the Show?

Dre Barone and Mathieu Menniti have the referral duties on Thursday with Justin Johnson and Dustin McCrank on the lines. On Friday, Dre Barone will follow the team to Laval and be joined by Alex Normandin with Antoine Bujold-Roux and Anthony Lapointe on the lines.

Looking Ahead…

We will see if there is any lessons learned with this little win streak when the Hershey Bears come back calling and the Pens travel there next Wednesday. The Penguins close out 2023 with a pair of games against the Charlotte Checkers Friday and Saturday.

Give us a bold prediction…

They will finish out the year without a regulation loss.

The Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins will be taking the three teams left in the State of New York head on this weekend, so it’s only fitting…

Music to Set the Mood…

Ol’ Blue Eyes. They don’t make music like they used to. That’s for sure.

Also, yes. I am keenly aware as New York Mets fan that this song is played after Yankee home game wins. Yankee scum.

Regardless, New York City is the greatest City in the world. You can’t change my mind so don’t even try.

A Quote…

I can make it there, I can make it anywhere.
— Frank Sinatra

Sinatra was referring to New York City. I’m referring here to the North Division and the AHL teams Syracuse Crunch, Utica Comets and Rochester Americans. Syracuse is neck and neck with the division leading Cleveland Monsters, just beat the Hershey Bears on Friday ending the Bears nine game winning streak, Rochester is a team full of a bunch of really good prospects and Utica seems like they suffer from the same problems that befell the Penguins in that they are consistently inconsistent.

The Setup

I kind of just gave it to you in the last paragraph, but slightly out of order. Syracuse at home Wednesday, Utica on the road Friday and Rochester at home on Saturday.

The Crunch stopped the Bears nine game winning streak and beat the Bears clean 4-1 on Friday then came back the next night and laid a dud against Utica (sound familiar?) and in the home and home rematch against the Comets in Utica they lost again 4-1, so it was a sweep by the Comets which probably didn’t sit well with the Crunch and their fans. Think Penguins and Bears fans don’t get along? Ratchet that up to ten with Comets and Crunch fans.

Utica beat Bridgeport Friday which isn’t saying much because the Islanders are terrible. They swept their biggest rivals in Syracuse this past weekend, detailed above.

Rochester split in Belleville Friday and Saturday, winning in shootout Friday and losing clean Saturday. The Americans will be in Springfield Wednesday and Hartford on Saturday.

The Penguins had last Wednesday off, beat the Cleveland Monsters decisively and then let one line beat them handily Saturday when the Providence Bruins came to town and spoiled Teddy Bear Toss Night and won 5-1.

Records 

The Penguins are 11-9-3-0, good for 25 points and fifth in the Atlantic.

The Crunch are 13-7-0-2, good for 28 points and second in the North.

Utica is 10-8-3-0, good for 23 points and sixth in the North.

Rochester is 11-7-2-0, good for 24 points and fifth in the North.

Who’s Up? Who’s Down? Who’s Out?

Pittsburgh: Jansen Harkins, Vinnie Hinostroza, Marc Johnstone and Valtteri Puustinen. P.O. Joseph was recalled from his conditioning stint on Sunday.

Dmitri Samorukov was returned back to Wilkes-Barre after clearing waivers.

Up from Wheeling: Justin Addamo, Raivis Ansons, Lukas Svejkovsky, Tanner Laderoute.

Injured: Avery Hayes, Sam Poulin and Sam Houde. Colin White returned from injury Saturday against Providence.

What can we learn about the Penguins this week?

How do they fare against a high flying Syracuse team they shutout then lost 6-3 in a home and home back in November and how do they fare against a brand equal in Utica and Rochester? How do they fare against a Crunch team who was swept by Utica and a Utica team that swept the Crunch? After they navigate through all that, how do they play against Rochester?

I honestly was expecting a reversal of fortune last week, that is a loss against Cleveland and a win against Providence. The opposite happened. They handled Cleveland, who I think is dealing with injuries and callups to key guys and straight let one line score all the goals against them on Saturday. It’s frustrating because there is potential with this team, and I think we all know it. The pattern of being consistently inconsistent is going to be with them for some time and as a result the inability to surprise (winning a game I don’t think they should have won Friday against Cleveland) and a clunker against a division rival they will be at pace with into 2024 and into the Spring.

I keep trying to remind myself that they are who we thought they were, that they aren’t going to get any better and can only marginally get worse and that the bottom can fall out at any time and they are out of playoff spot with how tight things are save for Bridgeport.

They have shown they can run with and beat Syracuse. They have yet to play Utica and Rochester yet but if early returns are to believed, this consistently in consistent team should find some consistency and beat all three teams, provided they do things the right way.

It should be simple to know what works vs. what doesn’t. Don’t let one line beat you. Get a couple power play goals. Stay out of the penalty box. Easy right? We shall see.

Who’s in Goal?

I thought it was Blomqvist’s world that we are are all living in but after these last couple of games I am not so sure.

Blomqvist is 6-4-2 and has lost his last three against Hershey (loss) Springfield (OT loss) and Providence. What was once a sure lock isn’t looking like that so much presently. But this is the AHL and a development league. This is adversity he has to battle through and I think that the skill set is there. The use has to be executed on.

Also being hung out to dry like Tuesday’s laundry like his team let him in parts against Hershey and Springfield and a lot against Providence needs to stop.

I’d go Blomqvist with both home games, Garrett Sparks in Utica.

For the opposition, Hugo Alnefelt for the Crunch, Nico Daws for Utica and don’t be surprised to see old friend Dustin Tokarski out first for the Americans on Saturday.

Who’s Running the Show?

Justin Kea and Jack Young are the scheduled referees on Wednesday against Syracuse with linesmen Patrick Dapuzzo and J.P. Waleski on the lines. On Friday up in Utica, Andrew Bell and Chad Ingalls are the referees and Jeremy Faucher and T.J. Dockery are the scheduled linesmen. Saturday in Wilkes-Barre sees Andrew Bell again with Peter Schlittenhardt and Chandler Yakimowicz and Patrick Dapuzzo on the lines.

Looking Ahead…

Penguins head north of the border for a Thursday game against Belleville and a Friday game in Laval before breaking for Christmas.

Give us a bold prediction…

They shock us all and win all three games by multiple goals.

I don’t know about you, but I thoroughly enjoyed not having a Wednesday game to have to watch or write about this week. Won’t last long, as they have a home game next Wednesday against Syracuse.

This week, it’s Cleveland Friday and Providence Saturday this weekend for the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins, both at home.

Music to Set the Mood…

There’s even a bear! The Providence Bruins! Hooray relevancy!

A Quote…

Don’t let others think for you…
— Unknown

There’s a lot of back and forth I have seen from what’s left of the media in this town about J.D. Forrest and his job performance and job safety. I kind of just laughed it off and kind of ignored it, but if you the fan, think that the head coach sucks and isn’t doing a good enough job in doing what he is paid to do and what you paid money to see, then don’t let someone else who gets paid to cover the game and gets in for free dictate to you how to think. You pay the money to watch the product. Unless or until those who tell you to think otherwise fund or pay for you to attend or watch these games, feel how you want to feel.

I certainly am not going to tell you how to feel.

The Setup

Not your uncle’s Cleveland Monsters and the mercurial Providence Bruins come to town.

The Monsters have led the North Division for a couple of weeks now which made me think of something in the lead up to Friday’s game. Would you rather be a Monsters fan or a Penguins fan? Columbus has a ton of really good prospects in the pipeline in Cleveland and the Penguins have Joel Blomqvist and that’s it. The Monsters have the right mix of veterans (Trey Fix-Wolansky) to blend with exciting prospects (Kent Johnson, currently on recall) that has Cleveland at the top of the North and setup for success all season.

I mean the Penguins have been OK, certainly better than last year, but struggle with great teams (Hershey) and can’t play like the better team when met with equal teams (OT win and loss against Springfield last week)

Providence has been OK, slightly worse than the Penguins, and more inconsistent then the Pens, if you could believe that.

Records 

Wilkes-Barre / Scranton is 10-8-3 and in fifth place with 23 points in the Atlantic.

Cleveland is 14-5-1 and in first place with 29 points in the North.

Providence is 11-8-1-2 and in third place with 25 points in the Atlantic.

The Pens had a 3-1 lead against Hershey at home Wednesday and lost in frustrating fashion 7-5 then split a pair of overtime games with the Springfield Thunderbirds Friday and Saturday in a home and home.

Cleveland split a pair with the Utica Comets at home this past weekend then went to Hartford Wednesday and won in overtime 4-3.

Providence swept Bridgeport in a home and home this past weekend and beat Lehigh Valley at home Sunday. They will be in Allentown on Friday, and have won five straight coming into the weekend.

Who’s Up? Who’s Down? Who’s Out?

Pittsburgh: Dmitri Samorukov, Jansen Harkins, Joona Koppanen, Alex Nylander and Vinnie Hinostroza. I may give Hinostroza the Radim Zohorna treatment going forward and consider him permanently up.

Up from Wheeling: Justin Addamo, Raivis Ansons and Lukas Svejkovsky.

To Wheeling: Owen Headrick.

On Loan from Pittsburgh: P.O. Joseph.

Injured: Avery Hayes, Sam Poulin, Colin White and possibly Sam Houde, who got injured on a hit by Hunter Skinner on Saturday. Skinner was assessed a checking to the head match penalty.

Svejkovsky has been on a tear with Wheeling, as he should be as a guy who spent all season in the AHL. Joseph will be here for the weekend and likely recalled Sunday.

What can we learn about the Penguins this week?

Hypothetically, they should go 2-0. They own Cleveland at home and Providence has more open holes than the Penguins it would seem. Will they? Let’s examine.

If they go up early against either team will J.D. Forrest be able to get his team to maintain the lead and win, which he wasn’t able to do against Hershey at home Wednesday?

If they give either team eight power plays like they did Saturday against Springfield, they may not be so lucky with the offensively powerful Cleveland team.

If they put together a solid twenty minutes consistently, like they did in the third period, down 0-2 in Springfield Friday, then it should be a much easier path for them. Will they? I guess that’s all part of the joyride.

Who’s in Goal? 

Both goalies in Joel Blomqvist and Magnus Hellberg showed well last week. I’d go Blomqvist Friday and Hellberg Saturday.

For Cleveland, you will probably see Jet Greaves in goal Friday and on Saturday likely Michael DiPietro.

Who’s Running the Show?

Riley Brace and Alex Normandin are here enforcing the AHL Rule Book and John Rey and Bill Lyons are manning the lines making sure they stay onside and handling face-offs.

On Saturday, it will be referees Liam Maaskant and Adam Tobias with Bob Goodman and Richard Jondo on the lines.

Looking ahead…

New York, New York! Syracuse at home on Wednesday, a trip to Utica Friday and then Rochester drops by Saturday.

Give us a bold prediction…

One of the Penguins goaltenders gets a shutout this weekend.

The Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins have a home game this Wednesday against the Hershey Bears (these guys again?) and then a home and home against the Springfield Thunderbirds.

Music to Set the Mood….

I love the summer but hate thunderstorms. Go figure.

A Quote…

If there’s thunder in the winter, we’ll have snow 7-10 days later
– Unknown

God, I hope not.

Anyway…

The Setup

Home against Hershey then a home and home starting Friday in Springfield then Saturday back at home against the Thunderbirds.

The Penguins had what I am calling their toughest week of travel last week and came out 1-2. Competitive in Hershey last Wednesday, a scheduled loss after Thanksgiving travel on Friday then a dominant win on Saturday with 44 saves from the best goaltender in the organization in Joel Blomqvist. Not bad, shows to me that they are competitive, but also kinda shows that they don’t have what it takes to lead the division quite yet.

I think that is fine, by the way. They have been like this for the past two months now. Come to think of it, all of the teams pretty much have been what they have been the entire first quarter of the season. Things start to break around the all star break, which we are approaching, so we will see if the Penguins can maybe push to that upper echelon of teams or are content with playing between third and sixth like they have.

Hershey hosted Iowa this past weekend and won both games 2-1. Consistency in Chocolatetown would have been the name of the blog post Sunday after that second 2-1 win over the Wild on Sunday.

Springfield beat Bridgeport on Wednesday, lost to Hartford on Friday and pasted Utica 7-0 on Saturday.

Records

The Bears lead the division with a 15-4 record, good for 30 points and number one overall in the AHL.

Springfield is 10-8-1-0, good for 21 points and fourth in the division and the Penguins are fifth with 20 points and 9-7-2-0 record.

Who’s Up? Who’s Down? Who’s Out?

Up are Justin Addamo, Raivis Ansons from Wheeling.

Up to Pittsburgh are Dmitri Samorukov, Jansen Harkins and Vinnie Hinostroza.

Alex Nylander was returned back to Coal Street from Pittsburgh on Wednesday.

Reassigned to Wheeling on Wednesday was Jordan Frasca. Cedric Desruisseaux was released from his PTO and returned to Wheeling in the same transaction.

Out of the organization: Mark Pysyk was released from his PTO Tuesday.

New to the organization: Peter Abbandonato and Owen Headrick acquired in a trade with the Chicago Wolves for future considerations.

Injured: Avery Hayes, Sam Poulin, Sam Houde, Colin White.

What can we learn about the Penguins this week?

I kinda gave it away in the setup. I think they are a good to great team. I don’t think they are lead the division type team. They aren’t anywhere close to championship contender type.

They can beat Hershey. They are one of only a very few that can lay stake to that claim. What other team gives the Bears fits more than the Penguins? Lehigh Valley? Possibly.

They should beat Springfield, who are a very explosive team that can run you over. Adam Gaudette can score at will and is a sure fire AHL All Star this year. He leads the AHL in goals coming into the week. Are the Thunderbirds one dimensional? Maybe, given the record and seemingly mirror image that they are to the Penguins in points.

Who’s in Goal?

Gotta go Blomqvist Wednesday and probably Saturday. You have two games at home this week. Give your #1 goaltender a break on the road, let Magnus Hellberg get that start and roll with Blomqvist Wednesday and Saturday.

It will likely be Hunter Shepard Wednesday for the Bears and then some combo of Malcolm Subban and Vadim Zherenko for the Thunderbirds Friday and Saturday.

Who’s Running the Show?

Stephen Hiff and Laura White are here on Wednesday with Tyler Loftus and J.P. Waleski running the lines.

Friday up in Springfield sees Justin Kea and Michael Zyla in the orange arm bands and Cameron Carlson and Trevor Disbennett keeping ’em onsides and out of trouble in between whistles.

Saturday in Wilkes-Barre sees Jack Young and Patrick Hanrahan with Patrick Dapuzzo and Chandler Yakimowicz on the lines.

Looking ahead…

No Wednesday game! Look at that! Friday at home against Cleveland then Saturday at home against Providence.

Give us a bold prediction…

The song title for the following weeks games (home against Syracuse, on the road against Utica, home against Rochester) will be Frank Sinatra’s, “New York, New York”

(provided  I remember)

Probably the most hellacious stretch of travel for the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins as they are in Hershey on Wednesday at 7 p.m., then in Charlotte on Friday at 4 p.m. then Saturday at the same time.

Good thing they took 5 of 6 points last week and have a bit of a buffer in case this travel week goes terrible.

Music to Set the Mood…

Just stay safe if you are traveling this week (like me) for Thanksgiving. Give people space. Just get there safe.

A Quote…

It’s not the destination, it’s the journey.
– Ralph Waldo Emerson

They don’t go out to St. John’s, Newfoundland anymore and they only fly when they go to Charlotte, but this week could be good for them, or it could be the latter and another “consistently inconsistent” week we are used to.

The Setup

Trip to Hershey, then I don’t know if they are bussing back to Coal Street, staying in Hershey or bussing to Allentown to fly out the next morning. Travel day likely Thursday when everyone is coming and going with a destination to Charlotte, North Carolina. Then a Friday afternoon game against the Checkers at 4 p.m. then again Saturday at the same time.

The Penguins lost to these Bears at home last Wednesday in overtime then went to Providence and swept the P-Bruins in a pair of games and their goaltender in Alex Nedeljkovic scored them a goal. His second goal scored and the second goaltender goal in team history (Tristan Jarry)

Hershey, after beating the Penguins in OT back in Wilkes-Barre, nearly let slip a big lead against Bridgeport on Friday then went up to Bridgeport and shut the Islanders out.

Charlotte’s last six games coming into this week have been against Pacific Division teams. They were in San Diego this past weekend and beat the Gulls 3-2 and 1-0 respectively. They will host the Cleveland Monsters this week, Monday and Wednesday, before greeting the Penguins. Cleveland beat the Checkers 3-1 on Monday.

Records

Hershey leads the division with 24 points and a 12-4 record. The Penguins are 8-5-2, good for 18 points and the Checkers are 9-5 and also on 18 points coming into the week.

Who’s Up? Who’s Down? Who’s Out?

Up from Wheeling: Justin Addamo and Jordan Frasca.

Down to Wheeling: Justin Lee, Taylor Gauthier

On Recall: Vinnie Hinostroza, Alex Nylander and Jansen Harkins. John Ludvig went back up after his conditioning stint ended.

Back from Pittsburgh: Magnus Hellberg

Injured: Avery Hayes, Sam Poulin, Sam Houde, Colin White

Pittsburgh needed to recall Nylander and Harkins. They are dealing with injuries. Old teams like Pittsburgh will have injuries.

What can we learn about the Penguins this week?

I think a lot. Adversity. Toughness. How do they fare in hostile environments? Will they sleepwalk? Cut corners?

Can they win in Hershey? Yeah. Will they? They need to limit mistakes. Bears are good at home but can be beat.

Can they win in Charlotte? They have already (first game of the season) but the Checkers rarely lose back to back.

If they lay an egg and get two or less points out of a possible six, do you chalk it up to inconsistency? I don’t think I will. I think Joel Blomqvist is a really good goaltender and the defense looked about as good as it has all season in Providence this past weekend. You just don’t play better because you are in a different state or playing on different ice.

If they get four or more out of a possible six, then a reasonable expectation is that they can play in the top three in the division. I think they will.

Who’s in Goal?

I think you go Joel Blomqvist Wednesday and Friday, then Garret Sparks or Magnus Hellberg Saturday.

Hunter Shepard for the Bears, then one of Ludovic Waeber Matt Zenzola for the Checkers this Friday and Saturday.

Who’s Running the Show?

Alex Łepkowski and Patrick Hanrahan have the referee duties Wednesday in Hershey with Tommy George and Bob Goodman on the lines.

Friday sees Samuel Heidemann and Mike Dietrich in the orange arm bands with Dan Kovachik and Felix-Antoine Voyer manning the lines.

On Saturday, Heidemann takes a hike and is replaced with Beau Halkidis with Mike Dietrich again and Brian Pincus replaces Felix-Antoine Voyer on the line. Dan Kovachik will continue to skate off all that pumpkin pie from Thursday.

Looking ahead…

Wednesday at home against Hershey (what is it with Wednesday and the Bears?) before December gets here (wait, what?) and home and home with the Springfield Thunderbirds starting Friday in Springfield and concluding with a Saturday home game in Wilkes-Barre.

Give us a bold prediction…

They beat Hershey clean Wednesday, come back from two goals to beat the Checkers Friday then lose in a shootout Saturday. That’s 5 out of possible 6 points.

Music to Set the Mood

So I was in the food store this past Sunday and this song came on the loudspeakers…

Hello, you fool. I love you.
Come on join the joyride…

Got me to thinking, as I was still stewing over the Penguins blowout loss to the Syracuse Crunch the night prior in the bread aisle, would make a perfect song for this weeks preview.

Seems like every October we get welcomed back to another season of Penguins hockey. (Hello) We all love the team and hockey in general (I love you) so we show up with great expectations.

Who’s the fool, though?

Come on join the joyride, indeed.

Listen, I don’t think they are a championship caliber team. They are a group of prospects and aging vets so you are going to have clunkers like you saw last Saturday. Should we get mad? I am not going to tell you what to do with your hard earned dollar. But if you are there for the joyride and the entertainment value, you are doing yourself more harm than good to go and get upset when a group of players throw a clunker or two at you from time to time.

So just join the joyride.

A Quote…

Buy the ticket, take the ride.
— Hunter S. Thompsoon

Seems apropos.

The Setup

Home game with the Hershey Bears Wednesday then they hit the road for five straight starting with a pair in Providence this weekend.

Records

The Bears split a pair of games with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms this past weekend where the home team lost each game. (sound familiar?) Hershey got walloped at home Sunday 4-1 after beating Lehigh Valley 2-1 the night before (familiarity, anyone?) So the Bears will be extra surly when they come calling Wednesday with their 9-4 record, good for first in the Atlantic at 18 points.

Providence has turned it around it would seem, sweeping the weekend, and sit with a 6-4-1-2 record, in a tight one with the Penguins, Charlotte and Springfield. The Bruins beat the Springfield Thunderbirds 5-4 Friday then swept the Hartford Wolf Pack to a tune of 2-0 and 3-2 Saturday and Sunday, respectively.

Who’s Up? Who’s Down? Who’s Out?

Magnus Hellberg and Vinnie Hinostroza are up in Pittsburgh. Hurt are Sam Poulin and Avery Hayes, I think.

Jonathan Gruden was recalled for four hours then sent back on Wednesday. Coal Street sent Taylor Gauthier and the rarely used Justin Lee down to Wheeling and recalled Justin Addamo and Jordan Frasca were recalled from the ECHL.

What can we learn about the Penguins this week?

Can they ever learn from their perpetual mistakes? The same mistakes over and over defensively? Coaching? I have no idea. I guess we find out fast Wednesday against Hershey, who doesn’t lose two in a row, and against a resurgent Providence team.

They have the vets and the talent inside of those vets to win or stay competitive in every game they play. But when the vets make the same mistakes as a rookie playing in his 10th game, its a recipe for disaster.

Come on join the joyride….

Who’s in Goal?

Joel Blomqvist will likely get the start Wednesday, Garret Sparks will likely get the start Friday then Blomqvist again on Saturday, I’d think. What of Taylor Gauthier? I think he goes back to Wheeling, but who knows.

Likely the freshly reassigned Hunter Shepard for the Bears. If something unforeseen happens then possibly Clay Stevenson, who started both games this past weekend with Hunter Shepard up in Washington at the time. For Providence, Michael DiPietro shut out the Wolf Pack with 34 saves on Saturday and Brandon Bussi stopped 35 of 37 on Sunday. The Penguins will be starting down both barrels guarded by these gentlemen this weekend. I’d venture Bussi goes Friday and DiPietro goes Saturday.

Who is running the show?

Graedy Hamilton and Andrew Bell are here Wednesday with the Bears and Patrick Dapuzzo and Ryan Knapp man the lines.

It’s also one of those weeks where they don’t post the referees for the weekend. Yet at least. They will, but I won’t work the edit in. I know that whomever is assigned is a highly capable individual.

Looking Ahead…

Thanksgiving Eve in Hershey, then they have to hop a plane and fly down for a 4 p.m. Black Friday game against the Charlotte Checkers and then do the same thing again the following day on Saturday. Seems like a brutal trip, so this weeks points are a must have.

Give us a bold prediction….

I won’t get mad at all this week watching them play and neither will you.