Chirps from Center Ice

No Hershey on the menu for the rest of the month for the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins, who start seeing that other PA team a couple times this month with some other non-Hershey divisional opponents.

Music to set the mood…

Meditation music? Really? You’re really reaching…

Wait. There’s a tiger tie in there with the Sound Tig- wait, they are the Islanders now. Aw, shucks. Well, at least no bears!

A Quote…

“The greater the obstacle, the more glory in overcoming it.”
Molière

They have certainly. overcome challenges, haven’t they? Half the team either injured or called up and yet they are a point off Charlotte for third with three games in hand on the Checkers.

The Setup

Home against a game Syracuse team Wednesday then home against Lehigh Valley Friday before taking on Bridgeport in Connecticut on Saturday. The Penguins are better than all of these teams, but can’t take any of them lightly.

Syracuse is perpetually an offensively explosive team and that was on full display this past weekend with a 7-3 pasting of Laval Friday, a 5-2 walloping of Lehigh Valley on Saturday and took down their biggest rival Utica on Monday.

The Crunch are fourth in the North Division where only five teams make it so they want to stay ahead of the cut line as the season starts to head into its backend.

The Phantoms took 3 of 4 points out of Bridgeport a home and home Wednesday / Friday last week and then got thumped by the Crunch on Saturday. They are in Cleveland this week, beating Cleveland 3-1 Tuesday with a rematch on tap Wednesday night.

I gave you what the Islanders did in the first part of their weekend last, then they got stomped by Utica 5-1 on Saturday and against Springfield on Monday they beat a struggling Thunderbirds team 6-2.

Penguins beat Hershey in overtime after blowing a three goal lead in the third period on the road then gave rival Charlotte 3 of 4 points in North Carolina this past weekend and are a point off the Checkers.

Records

Pens are 18-11-2-3, good for 41 points and fourth in the Atlantic.

Syracuse is 16-13-2-3, good for 37 points and fourth in the North.

Lehigh Valley is presently 17-14-3-2, good for 39 points and fifth in the Atlantic. The Pens have two games in hand.

Bridgeport is presently 16-15-6-1, good for 39 points and sixth in the Atlantic. The Pens have four games in hand.

Who’s Up, Who’s Down, Who’s Out?

Drew O’Connor, Jonathan Gruden, Ty Smith, Mark Friedman, Taylor Fedun and Dustin Tokarski are up with Pittsburgh. Kyle Olson, Xavier Ouellet and Filip Hållander are out, Taylor Gauthier and Filip Lindberg are in and out and are playing with something. Tommy Nappier has backed up and is up from Wheeling but hasn’t played in a game yet this season. Sean Josling, Chris Ortiz, Adam Smith, Josh Maniscalco and Colin Swoyer are also up from the Nailers.

Jeez, that seems like a lot. Hope I didn’t miss anyone.

What can we learn about the Penguins this week?

Last week it was about stepping up and getting results. I think they did that in some regard last week with getting by Hershey and taking two points out of Charlotte with how depleted they are in all areas.

This week should be about maximizing points against teams that are below them in the division and getting anything out of a non-divisional opponent on Wednesday.

I think Syracuse’s offensive forwards will challenge the Penguins defense, and the Penguins forwards may struggle to keep up on the scoreboard. But, as this team has shown me in the past, they exceed expectations.

They aren’t overtaking Hershey and Providence for the top of the division this weekend, but a good week starting Wednesday at home against Syracuse can be a step in the right direction.

Who’s in goal?

Good question. Taylor Gauthier left the game after the first period on Saturday then returned to back up the rest of the game but didn’t dress Sunday. Is he OK to go Wednesday? Can he back up? How is Filip Lindberg after his first game back after missing the last couple of weeks? Does Tommy Nappier get a start? Does Dustin Tokarski return from Pittsburgh?

I’m going Lindberg – Gauthier – Lindberg provided Tokarski stays in Pittsburgh.

For Syracuse, Max Lagace. For Leigh Valley, most likely Felix Sandstrom and for Bridgeport toss a coin for Jakub Skarek or Cory Schneider considering how far out that game is.

Who’s running the show?

Jordan Samuels-Thomas and Laura White are here Wednesday with Ryan Knapp and Tyler Loftus on the lines…Brandon Schrader and Amanda Tassoni are here Friday with Jud Ritter and Josh Cleary on the lines and on Saturday up in Bridgeport it’s Mike Dietrich and Jordan Watt with Nick Briganti and Josh Cleary again on the lines.

Looking ahead…

They make up the game against Utica on Tuesday going on the power play and then head to Rochester on Wednesday then they close out the weekend and the month of January in Allentown on Friday and then return home to host Bridgeport on Saturday.

Give us a bold prediction…

5 of 6 points, third place in the Atlantic at the end of the weekend.

The Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins hit the road this week for a pair of 4:00 home games Saturday and Sunday before yet another trip to play the Hershey Bears on Wednesday.

Music to set the mood….

Yeah, I know. It’s a five o’clock world, your headline says 4 o’clock grind. Just work with me.

A Quote….

I write seven days a week, starting at 4 o’clock in the morning, including Christmas.
– Dan Brown

There’s your 4 o’clock tie in. Happy now?

The Setup

Split with Charlotte which was fine, bigger story was Filip Hallander getting stretchered off Friday. He’ll be fine, eventually, then a comeback for the ages against the Hartford Wolf Pack on Saturday. This week, a trip to Hershey Wednesday, then two in Charlotte this weekend. Really, really important games. How important? Pens can solidify themselves as a solid three seed in the Atlantic with 43 points assuming they take all six points available.

There’s a mangrove of mediocrity with Bridgeport, Springfield and Lehigh Valley with Hartford creeping in which you want to avoid at all costs. Play more like Wednesday and less like the first period Saturday and you put yourselves in good position to propel yourselves away from the averages and start pushing at the Providence’s and Hershey’s in the division.

Bears are coming off a 3-1 loss to Charlotte Saturday and then fending off Syracuse 4-3 Sunday. Bears are getting healthier and are getting big bodies back from Washington. Does Joe Snively ring a bell for anyone? He should be making his debut for Hershey Wednesday. Hershey is actively pursuing the top seed in the AHL but is getting pushback from Providence and a bunch of really good Pacific Division teams. I don’t do power rankings on the blog anymore but if I did they would look like this, this week:

1. Coachella Valley Firebirds: Just started playing home games in December, and have just 6 regulation losses.
2. Calgary Wranglers: Deep heavy team that just grinds opponents.
3. Providence Bruins: I think the Bruins are better than Hershey more wholly.
4. Hershey Bears: But it’s the Bears who have led the Atlantic for much of the first half of the season.
5. Texas Stars: Stars use a point run to race up to the top of the Central with a cushion.
6. Toronto Marlies: I think there are a lot dark horses in the North but it’s Toronto who lead this division.
7. Utica Comets: Comets took down Providence Sunday. Eleven game point streak, yet are six off Toronto’s lead for the division.
8. Abbotsford Canucks: 8-2 in their last ten, six off Coachella Valley in the Pacific.
9. Rochester Americans: 7-3 in their last ten, doing what they can to keep up with Utica’s 11 game heater and the pace that Toronto sets.
10. Charlotte Checkers: Took down Hershey in Hershey and split with the Penguins.

That was easier than I thought it would be. Hmmm.

You notice just one Central Division team in Texas. There is a lot of mediocrity in the Central. Rockford is four off Texas in second.

Penguins would probably be 15-20 if you forced me to complete the list for all 32 teams.

I snuck Charlotte in there at 10 so I can move on, but they did lose 5-0 to last place Hartford 5-0 yesterday.

Records

Bears lead the division with 23-8-2-1 and 49 points, Charlotte is third with a 18-13-2-1 and 39 points and the Pens are fourth with 16-10-2-3 and 37 points.

Charlotte will have hosted Hartford again on on Wednesday before hosting the Penguins.

Who’s Up, Who’s Down? Who’s Out?

Forward Drew O’Connor, Defensemen Ty Smith and Goaltender Dustin Tokarski are all up with Pittsburgh. Mark Friedman was reassigned to Wilkes-Barre from Pittsburgh this morning. Kyle Olson, Xavier Ouellet and Filip Hallander are out. Jamie Devane returned from injury. A couple guys were in the non-COVID protocols. Taylor Gauthier and Tommy Nappier are up in goal for the Penguins. Sean Josling, Chris Ortiz, Adam Smith and Colin Swoyer are up also. Filip Lindberg was OK to back up Wednesday but then the Pens called Nappier up and it was Nappier who backed up Friday and Saturday.

It will be interesting to hear who is on the Charlotte trip (Lindberg and Hallander being would be positive signs)

What can we learn about the Penguins this week?

Do they want to push to be among the elites or are we dealing with a buoy in the ocean whos size changes when the tides roll in and out? They had no business being down 3-0 against Hartford and no business letting Charlotte score three straight in a four minute span in the second period Friday.

They give Hershey fits and have Charlotte figured out. They are dealing with callup and injuries to a lot of key guys. Newsflash, they aren’t the only team.

Nathan Legare has shown flashes. Lukas Svejkovsky’s game has grown by leaps and bounds recently. Alex Nylander is probably their best player now and Drake Caggiula and Sam Houde are like TNT and can go off at any time.

So it boils down to limiting mistakes and capitalizing on others. Simple, really.

Who’s in goal?

I guess it depends on how the rehab is going with Filip Lindberg but I’d say it’s a lock that Taylor Gauthier starts his fourth straight Wednesday in Hershey and possibly fifth Saturday in Charlotte. This far out speculating on who starts Sunday is a fools science.

Zach Fucale will probably get the nod Wednesday for Hershey and Mack Guzda will likely face the Pens for both games this weekend because Alex Lyon was recalled to Florida on Tuesday afternoon, although you may see veteran J-F Berube in one of the games.

Who’s running the show?

Mike Dietrich and Mike Sullivan (no, not that one) dish out penalties and Bill Lyons and Michael Magee make sure the boys stay onside Wednesday. Conor O’Donnell and Chris Waterstradt work the Saturday game in Charlotte with Sean D’Loughy and Brady Fagan on the lines and on Sunday it’s Jake Kamrass joining Waterstradt with Brandon Grillo and Dan Kelly working the lines.

Looking ahead…

Next Wednesday at home against Syracuse, then Lehigh Valley stops by next Friday. Pens then head to Bridgeport on Saturday.

Give us a bold prediction….

The Power Rankings will return. Someday.

The Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins look to open 2023 with some wins against the visiting Charlotte Checkers this week as well as the last place Hartford Wolf Pack on Saturday.

Four out of the next six this month will be against the Checkers.

Music to set the mood…

Apropos. Fun fact: the Charlotte Checkers mascots name is Chubby. Chubby as in Checker. Chubby Checker. Genius, if you ask me.

A Quote…

I love food, and the food industry is huge, and I just love dealing in it.
– Chubby Checker

Staying with the theme, if you will.

The Setup

They played the Providence Bruins close and lost last Friday. They went to Lehigh Valley and obliterated a musha musha Phantoms team behind 29 saves with a goaltender making his AHL debut.

There’s a lot to like with the Penguins, but they aren’t an elite team by any stretch. I don’t think that the setup of the team was ever such that they would be classified as an elite team, but they are a solid team that plays elite teams like Hershey and Providence tight but can dominate average teams like the Phantoms, but then lay eggs against bad teams like Belleville.

Charlotte beat a Cleveland team 3-2 in back to back games. They also beat Providence twice back in North Carolina before Christmas.

So they, like the Penguins, are a maybe elite but not all the time team. So these next two games should prove as a good test for Wilkes-Barre.

Hartford started their week with a seven spot against a cold Bridgeport team then were swept in a home and home against the Springfield Thunderbirds. They will be in Utica on Friday.

Records

Charlotte leads the mediocres in the Atlantic Division with 35 points with a 16-11-2-1 record in third place behind heavies Hershey and Hartford. Penguins are in fifth behind the Islanders in fourth, with 14-9-2-3 and 33 points. Hartford brings up the rear in last place in the Atlantic with a 11-13-1-5 record and 28 points, but that record will be different on account of the Utica game on Friday.

Who’s Up? Who’s Down? Who’s Out?

Ty Smith, Mark Friedman and Drew O’Connor are in Pittsburgh. Dustin Tokarski joined them Tuesday. Filip Lindberg, Kyle Olson and Jamie Devane are hurt, but because the Pens didn’t recall Tommy Nappier from Wheeling Wednesday morning, makes me believe that Lindberg is OK to go again. Sean Josling, Josh Maniscalco, Chris Ortiz and of course Taylor Gauthier are up from Wheeling. No one is down in Wheeling.

What can we learn about the Penguins this week?

They have the least amount of games played (28) in the division. They, at some point, have to play these games to play catch up to Hershey (four more games played) Providence (three) and Charlotte (two) – head to heads mean a lot because they are “four point games” – so they should maximize the chances at every opportunity and win these games against Charlotte.

Editor note: Letting the reader in the room when the sausage is made…

Below, in italics, is what I had written on Sunday afternoon before the Monday Winter Classic where Tristan Jarry was injured. Yeah, I do write these in advance and schedule them with edits here and there.

I’d go right back to Taylor Gauthier if I am J.D. Forrest on Wednesday. You didn’t notice the mistakes that they made against Providence as much, perhaps that is a talent thing, but they played with swagger in front of Gauthier. I think it’s a different philosophy when Tokarski is back there because he is a veteran and can make the saves when he needs to. But, sometimes they let him down (like late Friday) and it costs them points.

A bold move would be Gauthier both games against Charlotte and then let Tokarski get a game Saturday against the Wolf Pack. But Tokarski will probably be named as an AHL All-Star this week, so it isn’t likely.

I don’t want to say after one game into the kids AHL tenure that they are magically a better team with a rookie in goal, but they did snap a five game losing streak on New Years Eve.

Tokarski hasn’t been named to All-Stars yet (no announcement yet) but it certainly looks like Taylor Gauthier is “the guy” at this point in the schedule.

Who’s in goal?

Likely they go Gauthier Wednesday, then Lindberg if healthy Friday, then the better of the two Saturday against Hartford.

Charlotte will probably split Alex Lyon and Mack Guzda. Hartford will probably see old friend Louis Domingue provided he isn’t out first Friday in Utica. If so, then likely Dylan Garand.

Who is running the show?

Mike Dietrich and Jason Williams will be here Wednesday with Tom DellaFranco and Tyler Loftus on the lines.

Friday sees Jordan Samuels-Thomas in with Mason Riley and Tommy George and Sean D’Loughy on the lines. On Saturday, Samuels-Thomas sticks around and is joined by fellow orange arm band wearer Patrick Hanrahan. They are joined by linesmen Jud Ritter and J.P. Waleski.

Looking ahead…

Bunch of road games starting next Wednesday in Hershey then a trip to North Carolina Saturday and Sunday. Hey! Another Friday off!

Give us a bold prediction…

I’ll give you two. Lukas Svejkovsky gets his first pro goal and Taylor Gauthier gets his first pro shutout.

Penguins close out 2022 with a home game against the Providence Bruins and then head to Allentown Saturday for New Years Eve.

Music to set the mood…

From me and the cats, Happy New Year to you and yours. Thanks for making the blog a part of your every day. I appreciate it. May 2023 get you everything you are looking for and more.

A Quote…

The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide you’re not going to stay where you are.
J.P. Morgan

Pens want more than their 31 points and their fifth place showing in the Atlantic at present. It’s time to make a move so it’s time to go.

The Setup

A not so good trip to Canada and a postponed game because of weather last week. Pens lost straight up to Toronto and Belleville and the Laval game was postponed. A close game with Hershey this past Tuesday. Now, finally shifting away from the Bears and focusing on Providence and a resurging Lehigh Valley team.

Bruins are the second best team in the AHL (Hershey is the first) and Lehigh Valley is nipping at the Penguins heels, tied with them with 31 points.

Providence was in Hershey Wednesday and lost 1-0 in a shutout. Lehigh Valley played a run and gun with the Bridgeport Islanders on Wednesday and won 6-5 in a shootout. Islanders scored late to tie it.

Records

Providence is 16-6-5-2, good for 31 points and second in the Atlantic. Lehigh Valley is 14-11-2-1 and have the same 31 points as the Penguins with a 13-8-2-3 record. Pens are 5th, Phantoms are 6th.

Who’s Up? Who’s Down? Who’s Out?

Boy, a lot has changed. Drew O’Connor and Mark Friedman remain up and Drake Caggiula and Ty Smith joined them this week. No one is in Wheeling because the Nailers saw Taylor Gauthier and Josh Maniscalco get called up this week. Filip Lindberg left the game before a faceoff in the Belleville game, and Kyle Olson was announced this week as being out week to week, same as Lindberg.

So it’s walking wounded again. Not going to complain because you should be used to it by now. If you are tired of it, don’t renew. It is what it is.

What can we learn about the Penguins this week?

Providence always plays the Penguins tougher. I’d rather watch three straight against Hershey then one against Providence because it is always a battle with the P-Bruins. The Bruins are the bellweather for a lot of teams to see how good they really are.

I think the Bruins are better than the Bears, if that means anything.

Lehigh Valley has appeared to figure things out, but remain horribly inconsistent. Bridgeport is in third somehow in the Atlantic, 1-7-1-1 in their last ten, and the Phantoms are playing run and gun with a team they should have no business playing run and gun with.

Then there are the Penguins who, when healthy, are slightly above average at best. Drew O’Connor is in Pittsburgh and isn’t going to be around to score two goals every night and dish three assists. Drake Caggiula is a good role player who will just fill a press box seat in Pittsburgh for however long he’s up for, so the Penguins have to figure out the scoring.

Who’s in goal?

I’d go Tokarski tonight against Providence and Gauthier Saturday in Allentown. You might see Keith Kinkaid for the Bruins, saving Brandon Bussi for tomorrow night in Hershey again. Lehigh Valley is in Utica Friday. You may see Nolan Maier, who played in that offensively potent display Wednesday at home against the Islanders.

Who is running the show?

I think it’s in Terry Koharski’s contract that he sees every teams home ice at least once every season. He dropped the first puck when Coachella Valley opened it’s place up a few weeks ago, has been in Texas, Massachusetts and elsewhere. He will be in town tonight with Michael Zyla with Jud Ritter and Ryan Knapp on the lines. Saturday sees Rob Hennessey and Adam Tobias (ex-linesman) with Patrick Dapuzzo and Trevor Disbennett on the lines.

Looking ahead…

A pair of home games against Charlotte on Wednesday and Friday then Hartford stops in next Saturday.

Give us a bold prediction…

They get a point out of Providence and beat Lehigh Valley clean.

So the Penguins are going to cram three games in a four game span when they kick off North of the Border tonight in Toronto, Ontario then immediately again tomorrow in Belleville, Ontario. A day off to travel to Laval, Quebec for a game Friday then the Christmas holiday.

It’s a nice change of pace to; a) have a busy week and b) play a team other than the Hershey Bears.

More on them in a bit.

Music to set the mood…

I mean, you have to don’t you? Penguins only trip to Canada. I’ve been there. I traveled up when the Pens played two in Manitoba (back when the Moose logo was green and they called it the MTS Centre) then flew back (with the team at the time, they were on the same flight as I was) to Toronto to watch them play the Marlies. I actually have about $300 in Canadian money somewhere. Hope to go back, someday. Toronto was great.

A Quote…

Canada is not a country for the cold of heart or the cold of feet.
— Pierre Trudeau

Apropos that the first day of Winter is Wednesday. Days get longer from here…

The Setup

Toronto Tuesday, Belleville Wednesday and Laval on Wednesday. This will be the first meeting of the season for the Pens against the Marlies and Senators, and final meeting of the season against the Rocket.

Toronto, who has played a very diverse schedule, are coming off of a Central Division road trip where they faced off against the Rockford IceHogs and the Milwaukee Admirals. Both regulation, one goal wins. Marlies lead the North Division by four points over the Rochester Americans.

Belleville and Laval are at the other end of the North Division spectrum, both trailing Toronto and the the other division heavies, but the margin isn’t as wide as it is in the other divisions.

Belleville got smoked in Manitoba Saturday and in the rematch Sunday lost in overtime.

The Rocket beat the Utica Comets in Utica last Wednesday, traveled to Cleveland Saturday and had seven goals hung on them and in the rematch Sunday beat the Monsters 4-1. They will be in Syracuse Wednesday before heading home to meet the Penguins.

Records

The Penguins are fourth in the Atlantic and are making up ground with a lot of games in hand. They are 3-0-1 in their last three with Bridgeport in third who are 0-2-1 in their last three games, just three points ahead of Wilkes-Barre. The Penguins have four games in hand on the Islanders with a 13-6-2-2 record.

Toronto is in the drivers seat in the North with a 16-8-1-1 record and are on a 3-0-0-1 run.

Belleville is in sixth in the North with a 11-13-2-0 record and are winless in their last three games,

Laval is in last place in the North with a 10-14-3-1 and this record won’t be the same when they meet the Penguins because they play the Syracuse Crunch on Wednesday.

Who’s Up? Who’s Down? Who’s Out?

No changes from the last time we did this. Jamie Devane is still hurt. Filip Hållander, Ty Smith and Lukas Svejkovsky were ill. Not COVID. Drew O’Connor and Mark Friedman are in Pittsburgh. Jordan Frasca and Colin Swoyer are up from Wheeling. Sean Josling was recalled from Wheeling on Monday, presumably because they will need a healthy body.

What can we learn about the Penguins this week?

They should (hypothetically) comfortably beat Belleville and Laval, Toronto should give them more of a fight. I don’t see any reason why they can’t sweep this trip. They are battle tested by carving out three of four points against the Hershey Bears this past weekend, have two really good goaltenders that can steal games and some stingy defenders, the question is who will score?

It may be a by committee thing. You hope Hållander is well enough to play this week. Get Drake Caggiula going. Valtteri Puustinen is best when he’s running downhill. Alex Nylander can score whenever he’s on the ice. That’s when this team is at their best.

Who’s in goal?

I’m glad I don’t have to make these decisions for real. But since I do for this space I think you go Dustin Tokarski Tuesday, Filip Lindberg Wednesday and then the better of the two Friday in Laval.

The Marlies went with Erik Källgren and Joseph Woll this past weekend. Källgren has more games under him but has a 3.37 GAA, Woll is undefeated at 4-0. I think Marlies head coach Greg Moore goes to Woll on Tuesday.

Antoine Bibeau and Mads Sogaard have been splitting the starts for Tory Mann’s Belleville Senators. Neither have anything over the top numbers wise. Sogaard started Sunday in Winnipeg against the Moose, so look for Bibeau to start against the Penguins on Wednesday.

Laval will be in Syracuse on Wednesday and played Sunday, so I have no idea who they will roll out this Friday. It’s a guess that Kevin Poulin goes for Jean-François Houle’s Laval Rocket on Friday.

Who’s running the show?

Cody Beach and Riley Brace get the assignment on Tuesday in Toronto with Justin Johnson and Shawn Oliver on the lines. On Wednesday, Beach follows the team to Belleville and meets up with Morgan MacPhee with Shawn Oliver and Dustin McCrank on the lines. Friday sees MacPhee again with Elizabeth Mantha in the other set of orange arm bands with Anthony Lapointe and Nicolas Boivin on the lines.

Looking ahead…

Wouldn’t you know it, more games with Hershey! A Tuesday home game (yay 🙄) against the Bears and then a Friday date with the Providence Bruins and then Wilkes-Barre closes out 2022 with a New Years Eve game against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms down in Allentown.

Give us a bold prediction…

Penguins sweep up Canada, winning every game.

Somehow, the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins have had six days off and, when the puck drops Friday, December 16 home game for the Penguins, Wilkes-Barre will have only been featured for the fourth time in the month. And yet, the Penguins will be playing one of their biggest and closest rivals on back to back nights, both at home.

Hershey is in on back to back nights. Saturday is the Teddy Bear Toss. So it’s Bears, on Bears, on Bears.

Music to Set the Mood…

After some time off, it’ll be good to get back into it with a back to back against Hershey then a Christmas trip up to Canada next week to see the Marlies, Senators and Rocket.

A Quote…

Rivalry doesn’t help anybody.
– Peter Jackson

Mr. Jackson must not be a sports fan. Penguins / Bears. Phantoms / Bears. Comets / Crunch. Wolves / Admirals. The AHL is full of them.

The Setup

Two with Hershey at home. Hershey is the best team in the League and the Penguins humbled the Bears at home in their last matchup 7-3 back on December 4. They have been close. A 4-3 Bears shootout win on November 29. A 4-0 Pens win on November 18. 4-3 Bears, 2-1 Bears, 2-1 Pens before that.

Two teams that know each other better than they know themselves. Great, great rivalry.

Records

Bears are a league best 17-5-2-1 and sit at the top of the Atlantic with 37 points. The Penguins are in fourth in the Atlantic with 12-6-1-2 and 27 points. Wilkes-Barre has the fewest games played (21) in the division and the entire AHL joining other 21 game players Utica, Chicago and Coachella Valley.

Who’s Up? Who’s Down? Who’s Out?

Drew O’Connor and Mark Friedman went up to Pittsburgh on Tuesday. Coal Street made their recalls Thursday, bringing up Jordan Frasca and Colin Swoyer.

Injury wise, a couple guys have been sick, but nothing else major. Jamie Devane is still out injured.

What can we learn about the Penguins this week?

They have four games in hand against Hershey and can really put some damage on the Bears with two straight up wins at home against them. There is a gap between fourth, where the Penguins are and third, where Bridgeport (33 points) and Providence (35) sit ahead of the Penguins, behind the Bears. Are you happy with the performance so far? I am, but you want more. No better way to get more then beating your biggest rival at home in what’s probably the biggest games of the season thus far.

Also, my bad. I forgot to include this segment in the last two iterations of this exercise.

Who’s in Goal?

I think they go straight back to Filip Lindberg Friday and then give Dustin Tokarski Saturday’s game. Figure that they are going to need both in some form or fashion next week in the Canada trip.

Bears are in a bit of a goaltending bind. They lost Hunter Shepard to recall before these two teams last met and obliterated Zach Fucale who is still with the team. Clay Stevenson is the backup to Fucale. Hershey has a Sunday game against the Phantoms. Figure Fucale gets both games against the Pens and Stevenson goes Sunday against the Phantoms.

Who’s running the show?

Beau Halkidis and Riley Brace are the referees Friday with Jud Ritter and John Rey on the lines. Saturday sees Justin Kea and Liam Maaskant make sure things stay on the up and up with Patrick Dapuzzo and J.P. Waleski on the lines.

Wait. Riley Brace. That name sounds familiar…

Indeed. He’s another player turned ref. Played a bunch with the Wheeling Nailers, the Penguins ECHL affiliate and appeared in a few preseason games for the Penguins about seven years ago. Never played for Wilkes-Barre in a regular season game. Played a bunch for Worcester of the AHL days and Iowa.

Looking ahead…

Tuesday in Toronto, Wednesday in Belleville, Friday in Laval. Pens aren’t back home until Tuesday (Tuesday?) December 27 against Hershey (Hershey, again?!?)

Give us a bold prediction…

Pens handle business against Hershey and get 3 out of a possible 4 points.

The Wilkes-Barre / Scranton can put all their eggs in one basket with just one game this weekend, a Friday home game against the Cleveland Monsters.

This is the only time on the season schedule where the Penguins will be featured just once in what is always a busy weekend in the American Hockey League. I am not complaining.

Music to set the mood…

Apropos if it were. I have never heard this song. I’m really not into country.

A Quote…

Idle hands are the devil’s workshop.
– Proverbs 16:27

The devil never played hockey apparently. You take the rest whenever you can get it.

No one got or cared to take a stab at last weeks quote author. It was CM Punk that said it. I wonder if George Jones can manage a Target.

Anyway.

The Setup

Cleveland Monsters are in for the lone weekend fixture. The Penguins own this team, especially at home, 6-0-1-0 against the Lake Erie / Cleveland Monsters franchise. They beat this team, often. So there’s another opportunity for them to do so again this weekend.

Cleveland scores darn near four goals a game. Their goals for average is tops in the Eastern Conference at 3.95. The Penguins are one of the stingiest teams in the entire AHL. A good defense should stifle a good offense.

The Monsters took three of four points away from visiting Rochester last weekend.

The Penguins got torched last weekend at home against the Bridgeport Islanders 5-1 and then absolutely smoked Hershey in Hershey 7-3.

Records

Penguins are fifth in the Atlantic with a 11-6-1-2 record good for 25 points. Cleveland sit third in the North with a nearly identical 10-6-1-2 record good for 23 points.

Who’s Up? Who’s Down? Who’s Out?

Defenseman Colin Swoyer was sent to the ECHL last weekend. That tells me that Pittsburgh is OK now with Kris Letang being sidelined after his stroke and they don’t plan on a recall or putting Letang on LTIR, yet.

No one is presently recalled from Wheeling or to Pittsburgh.

Jamie Devane and Jordan Frasca remain out with injuries. Alex Nylander left in the third period against Hershey. His status as of now is unknown.

Pittsburgh announced that Sam Poulin asked for an was granted a leave of absence. In this day and age it is wrong to question a decision like this. You have to wonder if Poulin was getting frustrated with being in the AHL. The door is left open for his return. Maybe he does, maybe he doesn’t.

Who’s in goal?

Interesting conundrum we have here. Dustin Tokarski got smoked Saturday. Filip Lindberg looked shaky but his offense kicked in and he was insulated by that. I don’t know who you go to if I am JD Forrest. If you force me to make a decision (kinda the point of the exercise here) you go right back to Tokarski.

Cleveland will probably roll with Jet Greaves.

Who’s running the show?

Peter Schlittenhardt and Tanner Doiron are your referees with Tyler Loftus and J.P. Waleski running the lines. Doiron is a new referee making his AHL debut tonight. Heads up Hershey fans, he is headed your way Saturday. Here’s a story I found on the guy.

Looking ahead…

Two with Hershey, Friday and Saturday, both at home.

Give us a bold prediction…

There will be a hat trick Friday in Wilkes-Barre.