Chirps from Center Ice

The Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins enter Thanksgiving week leading the Atlantic Division and take on the last team they have yet to face twice this week. Who? It’s the Hershey Bears.

Music to Set the Mood…

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Not that kind of Turkeys!

A Quote…

Thanksgiving Day. Let us all give humble, hearty, and sincere thanks now, but the turkeys.
— Mark Twain

Twain? Again!?!?

The Setup…

Two with Hershey in Hershey, Wednesday and Saturday, and a Black Friday home date with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

Penguins laid a turkey egg in Hartford, couldn’t get out of their own way and lost 5-2 then went into Providence, a place that hasn’t been kind to them against a team that gives them fits and a first period unassisted shorthanded Rutger McGroarty goal was all they needed. Joel Blomqvist made 27 saves.

The Bears split a pair in Cleveland and will host Laval Sunday.

Lehigh Valley beat Rochester at home on Wednesday, lost in Providence and then beat Hartford. After the Pens Friday, the Phantoms will host Laval.

Records

The Penguins lead the division with a 13-4-1 record and 27 points.

Lehigh Valley is third, with a 11-5-1-1 record and 24 points.

Hershey is fourth with a 10-5-1 record and 21 points.

The Rest of Those Rascals Turkeys…

Providence beat the Phantoms Friday then lost to the Penguins. They sit second with a 13-3 record good for 26 points and are in Toronto Wednesday then Belleville for a pair this weekend.

Charlotte has been out of conference for the past four games. They spent the weekend in Grand Rapids and took three out of four points from the Griffins, including handing Grand Rapids their first regulation loss Friday. They return home to host Toronto for a pair. They are fifth in the division with a 9-4-2- record and 20 points.

Then the drop off…

Bridgeport visited the North Division with a loss in Rochester Friday and then a loss in Syracuse. They will play a home and home with the Thunderbirds this weekend and have a 6-9-1-1 record good for 14 points and sixth in the Atlantic.

Hartford, in the midst of a six game home stand, beat the Pens and lost to the Phantoms. They wrap the homestand with a Thanksgiving Eve game with the Thunderbirds before heading to Cleveland the weekend for a pair. They sit seventh in the division with a 5-8-4 record and 14 points.

Springfield had one game this weekend, a 2-0 shutout of the Utica Comets and close out November with a stop in Hartford Wednesday and then the home and home with the Islanders. They are last in the Atlantic with a 3-10-2-1 record and 9 points.

Who’s Up? Who’s Down? Who’s Out?

Avery Hayes returned from injury and played in both games last weekend.

Lots of news this week though.

Tristan Broz was recalled Monday and will make his NHL debut this week. Philip Tomasino was re-assigned to the AHL after clearing waivers.

Harrison Brunicke and Jack St. Ivany were sent down for conditioning stints. They last 14 days.

Because the Pens have a glut of defensemen, two really good ones in Wilkes-Barre were elbowed down to the ECHL. Finn Harding and Scooter Brickey were sent down this week. Wheeling is a very good ECHL team that just got better.

Sam Poulin was re-assigned Tuesday afternoon to the AHL, arguably their pound for pound best player.

What can we learn about the Penguins this week?

They can hang with Providence, beat Lehigh Valley, Charlotte, play tight with Bridgeport, can beat Hartford and Springfield.

What we don’t know yet is how they fare against Hershey, their biggest rival.

The Bears are young. The Bears lost a lot in the offseason. The Bears don’t rebuild, they reload. It’s going to be an interesting week to see how the Penguins are against the Hershey Bears.

One would expect either a close game like with Providence or perhaps running them off the ice like we saw in flashed last season and in parts this season. If they fall down multiple goals like they did against Bridgeport a few weeks ago, do they muster five goals in the third against Hershey on the road? I can see it, but I wouldn’t expect it.

So what? You don’t want to get too amped for a November game, but it’s two points all the same. Expect a tight game and for the Penguins to be placed in a position to win the games this week when the third period rolls around.

Who’s in Goal?

Filip Larson figuratively has to get a game, which one? I’ll select Lehigh Valley Friday and say Joel Blomqvist gets both games against the Bears.

I’d expect Clay Stevenson for the Bears in both contests and Aleksei Kolosov for the Phantoms.

Who’s Running the Show?

Mike Campbell and Andrew Bell have the Wednesday assignment in Hershey with J.P. Waleski and John Rey on the lines.

Mike Campbell will be sticking around and will work the Friday game with Will Kelly. Jud Ritter and Dylan Lewis will work the lines.

Kelly will follow them down to Hershey and will be joined by Jordan Deckard. Tommy George and Kevin Briganti will work the lines.

Looking Ahead…

December. Oof.

The start of a really busy month for the Penguins who have the same two opponents, Phantoms at home next Friday, Bears on the road Saturday. Twelve games for the Penguins this month.

Give us a bold prediction…

Penguins and Bruins will continue to play leapfrog but the Pens need to be careful, Belleville is a good but not great team and the Bruins are there for a pair this weekend. One slip and the Pens are probably looking up at the Bruins (or Phantoms or Bears) in no time.

5 of 6 points this week for the Penguins.

The Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins swept the week last week and lead the Atlantic Division over the Providence Bruins by a point. But, are they truly elite?

Music to set the Mood…

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In keeping with the Hair Nation vibes and the greatest of them all, Dokken poses a good statement. Are the Penguins good? Don’t lie to me!

A Quote…

If you tell the truth you don’t have to remember anything.
— Mark Twain

I have to dust off the Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn books from the bookshelf and start being a bookworm again.

The Setup

They beat a middling maybe not as good as we thought they were Bridgeport team last Wednesday in a school day game via shootout then exploded for five third period goals in a romp of the Islanders on Friday. They toyed with a really dysfunctional Springfield Thunderbirds team on Saturday.

Are they good? Beating mid teams like Bridgeport and the Thunderbirds would say yes, but they have Providence this Saturday who only have two losses all season. The Pens lost to Providence clean a few weeks ago.

They play Hartford Friday, who hasn’t been good either.

Recently Hartford lost last Wednesday in overtime in Providence, then clean at home to Rochester and Laval and needed overtime to beat Springfield Tuesday morning.

Providence may be asking the same question on whether they are good this week, needing overtime to beat a last place Utica team Saturday and then getting shutout at home against Laval Sunday. The Bruins host the Phantoms Friday.

Records

Wilkes-Barre is 12-3-1 with 25 points good for first in the Atlantic, Eastern Conference and tied with the Colorado Eagles for best overall team in the entire League.

Providence is 12-2, good for 24 points and sit second in the Atlantic.

Hartford is 4-7-4 and have 12 points in seventh in the Atlantic.

The Rest of those Rascals…

Gave you Providence’s and Hartford’s docket and record above. Hartford will host Lehigh Valley Saturday.

Lehigh Valley have a 10-4-1-1 record and have 22 points in third and played a three in three last weekend with a big win over Springfield Friday, then were swept by Hershey but earned an OT loser point Sunday. They played Rochester Wednesday and beat the Amerks (something the Pens couldn’t do a few weeks ago) and then are in Providence Friday and Hartford Saturday.

Hershey started their three in three weekend last Friday in Syracuse and took down the North Division leading Crunch 2-1 then swept the Phantoms. They are in Cleveland this weekend and played the Monsters yesterday and won. They have another date with the Monsters Saturday and have a 10-4-1- records good for 21 points and fourth place in the Atlantic.

Hershey has won five straight and don’t look now, the Big Bear Machine is heating up.

Charlotte swept the Iowa Wild in Des Moines last weekend and one of those were a shutout. There are a lot of teams in this division that think they are good, Charlotte is one of them but I haven’t been impressed with their body of work beating a sixth place in the Central Division Iowa Wild team. Their mettle will be tested when they play a Grand Rapids Griffins team which has yet to sustain a regulation loss so far Friday and Saturday in Michigan. The Checkers have a 8-4-1 record with 17 points good for fifth in the Atlantic.

Here’s the drop-off of teams that, in my opinion, aren’t good and you don’t need an 80’s hairband to ask you not to lie them.

Bridgeport, after getting smoked by Wilkes-Barre in two games returned home and lost to Rochester on Saturday. They are in Rochester Friday then Syracuse on Saturday. They have a 5-8-1-1 record, good for 12 points and sixth in the Atlantic.

Hartford, whom I gave you above are next. The Wolf Pack host Lehigh Valley Saturday.

Springfield has a 2-10-2-1 record for seven points and in dead last in the Atlantic. They lost to Laval last Wednesday, Lehigh Valley Friday, the Pens on Saturday and then in overtime to the Wolf Pack on Tuesday. They host Utica Friday in a battle of dead last in their division teams.

Who’s Up? Who’s Down? Who’s Out?

Joel Blomqvist and Rutger McGroarty returned Saturday and made an instant impact. Blomqvist picked up the win and McGroarty scored a goal.

Max Pavlenko and Jaxon Castor returned to Wheeling.

Sam Poulin was recalled in the wake of Ville Koivunen going week to week with a lower body injury after getting injured in practice over in Sweden.

Philip Tomasino was waived, cleared waivers and is eligible for assignment to the AHL.

Sebastian Aho came off injured reserve, Taylor Gauthier did too and was assigned to the Wheeling Nailers.

No word on Avery Hayes, who is still considered day to day.

Harrison Brunicke may exploit a loophole and come to the AHL on a conditioning stint because he’s missed so many games in the NHL and the rules allow for same. It would make sense and would likely benefit all parties.

Hey, Cap!

So I like to listen to the WBS Penguins Podcast on my walks during the week on my lunch break. Mathieu De St. Phalle was the guest this week and casually dropped that this guy was named captain of the team at practice on Wednesday.

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Makes total sense. Kemp, “gets it” at this level and will make a fine captain and has my full and unabashed support. Mazel Mazel!

What can we learn about the Penguins this week?

Things are so in flux in the AHL, as they are, so the real question of, “are they good” changes from week to week.

I think they handle Hartford and play Providence tight and it comes down to bounces. It’s just that simple. Are they good? Yeah, I think so because you aren’t expecting them to have their heads kicked in like you would if you are a Springfield Thunderbirds fan. They will play teams like Providence tight and beat teams like Hartford like they are supposed to.

I like the fact that Kirk MacDonald isn’t tinkering with the lineup. Play the guys you are supposed to play and work in B-level players like Gabe Klassen and Raivis Ansons in here and there.

Who’s in Goal?

MacDonald is foolish if he sends Blomquvist out of the tunnel first Friday. You have to have him start Saturday in Providence. That means Filip Larsson gets the start Friday in Hartford.

Talyn Boyko for the Wolf Pack and Michael DiPietro for the Bruins are my educated guesses for the goaltending opposition.

Who’s Running the Show?

It’s about time that AHL Head of Officiating Riley Yerkovich assigned Jim Curtin to a Penguins game. He’s one of the best the League has and he will be paired with Samuel Heidemann Friday in Hartford with Dylan Blujus and Kevin Briganti on the lines.

Mike Sullivan and Nick Isaacson get the Providence job Saturday with Dmitrii Antipin and Michael Tarquinio on the lines. All this referee repetition and we can’t get Curtin in back to back games? Come on!

Well, I guess I can’t have it both ways.

Looking Ahead…

Get ready for a pair with Hershey, buddy. The Pens are in Hershey on Thanksgiving Eve, host Lehigh Valley Friday then right back down I-81 for another meeting with the 13ears.

Give us a bold prediction…

They will get some daylight and win both games and open a small lead on the rest of the division heading into Thanksgiving week.

The Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins play a 10:30 Wednesday morning school day game in Bridgeport on Wednesday. Yes, that’s right, you are settling into your workday or at your second or third class at school and your favorite hockey team will be ready to take the ice in Connecticut to face off against a sneaky good Islanders team on a Wednesday morning.

Music to Set the Mood…

In lieu of this, I give you Kirk MacDonald from last Saturday’s 4-0 shutout against the Utica Comets.

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Yeah, when the coach doesn’t have to talk at all and you just run line after line line after line out there and the leadership group does the coaching on the ice, who needs a coach?

Just hope it continues.

A Quote…

If it’s your job to eat a frog, it’s best to do it first thing in the morning. And If it’s your job to eat two frogs, it’s best to eat the biggest one first.
–Mark Twain

Ah, yes. More wisdom from Samuel Clemens.

The Setup

Was it a good week for the Penguins? They lost the division lead and trail by a point to the Providence Bruins. I would say it was. That loss to Toronto in OT is going to come back and bite them I think in a way that it’s going to be an extra point you wish you had. Then they had a disaster period in Rochester Friday but battled back to tie but lost it in the end. Then they bus home overnight for an earlier start against Utica, and shut the Comets out behind a star in the making (maybe) Maxim Pavlenko.

Bridgeport lost to Lehigh Valley last Wednesday but swept the hapless Springfield Thunderbirds this weekend. They will host the Penguins Wednesday, then head to Wilkes-Barre Friday before bussing back to host the Rochester Americans.

The Penguins will host Springfield on Saturday.

The Thunderbirds have not had a good go of it. They will host Laval Wednesday, travel to Allentown on Friday then bus up to Wilkes-Barre Saturday.

Records

Pens have a 9-3-1 record good for second place and 19 points.

Bridgeport has a 5-6-1 record good for sixth place and 11 points.

Springfield is 1-8-1-1 with 4 points in last place.

The Rest of those Rascals…

Providence had a good trip to Cleveland, sweeping the Monsters. They will host Hartford Wednesday, Utica Saturday and Laval on Sunday. They lead the division with a 10-1 record, good for 20 points.

Lehigh Valley beat Bridgeport last Wednesday and then Toronto on Saturday in a light week for the Phantoms who are third in the division with an 8-3-0-1 record good for 17 points. Lehigh Valley will play a three in three and host Springfield Friday, Hershey Saturday and then travel to Hershey Sunday.

Charlotte hosted and swept the Syracuse Crunch for a very good weekend for the Checkers who head to Iowa this weekend to take on the Wild. The Checkers have a 6-4-1 record good for 13 points and fourth place in the Atlantic.

Gave you Bridgeport’s body of work above.

Hershey lost to Toronto Friday, had Saturday off then hosted the Rochester Americans and won. They have a 6-4-1 record good for 13 points and fifth in the division. The Bears have a busy three in three weekend that starts in Syracuse Friday, continues to Allentown Saturday and then host the Phantoms Sunday at 3.

Hartford was in Canada last weekend and lost in Laval and Belleville. They have a 3-6-2 record and 8 points in seventh points. They are in Providence Wednesday then have the next six at home, when Rochester and Laval drop in.

I also gave you Springfield’s body of work above as well.

Who’s Up? Who’s Down? Who’s Out?

Joona Koppanen, Sergei Murashov, Ryan Graves, Danton Heinen and Ville Koivunen are in Pittsburgh. Rutger McGroarty technically is too, but I have heard from folks on the concourse at the game that he is in town.

Avery Hayes is day to day with an upper body injury, Sebastian Aho and Taylor Gauthier are week to week with lower body injuries. They got Valtteri Puustinen back from injury on Saturday.

Coal Street signed G Jaxon Castor and F William Dufour to PTOs Monday. Castor was in Wheeling and Dufour started in the KHL but came back to the States.

Why all these signings? Pittsburgh is headed to Sweden and need extra bodies. It’s hard to recall a guy from thousands of miles away.

What can we learn about the Penguins this week?

I liked the fact they made minimal adjustments to the forward lines this week. They kind of were forced to not rotate a bunch of guys in and out due to injury or call up. I think they let this ride this week against teams they can and should beat.

Who’s in Goal?

Interesting conundrum Kirk MacDonald has himself in. Maxim Pavlenko gave them a chance in Rochester and then shut out Utica the next night. But let’s not overthink things. My guess is Filip Larsson goes in Wednesday morning against the Islanders, then again Friday and then you let Pavlenko run wild against Milan Lucic and the Springfield Thunderbirds on Saturday.

I think Parker Gahagen goes Wednesday then Marcus Högberg Friday for Bridgeport and for Springfield Saturday and then Will Cranley for the Thunderbirds. In addition to the Thunderbirds terrible record, they have injuries in goal.

Who’s Running the Show?

Mike Sullivan and Hayden Verbeek get the honor of having 4,000 school kids screaming in their ears for two hours bright and early on Wednesday morning. Dylan Lewis and Nick Briganti will work the lines.

Friday sees Chad Ingalls and Damian Figueira manage penalties with John Rey and Davids Rozitis on the lines.

Saturday sees Harrison O’Pray and Rob Hennessey with Kirsten Welch and Rozitis on the lines.

Three games, six different refs. What a concept!

Looking Ahead…

A trip to Hartford Friday and Providence Saturday.

Give us a bold prediction…

They win all three games and there’s a shutout mixed in there, as well as a power play goal in each game.

After a week where the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins saw their first defeat of the season come at the hands of the Providence Bruins and then another loss to the then winless Utica Comets, the Penguins are facing their first bout of adversity on this overall successful start to the season.

Music to Set the Mood…

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A Quote…

“Fall seven times, stand up eight.”
– Japanese Proverb

I may be getting ahead of myself here. The Penguins are 8-2 and there are a ton of teams in the AHL that would trade places with the Penguins in a heartbeat.

The Setup…

The Penguins played the Providence Bruins tight but had a bad second period and lost to the Bruins on Wednesday. They played Bridgeport the same way but outclassed the Islanders Friday and won and lost in Utica to a winless at the time Comets team Saturday in Utica.

I think it sucks that Marc Johnstone, who was a fan favorite last year, will be in town with his Toronto Marlies team on Wednesday and the place will be half empty or more. They then head to Rochester for a Friday night game and then bus back overnight for a 6 p.m. start at home against Utica.

Bussing overnight 5+ hours from Rochester for an earlier start seems downright unfair, by the way. I would have no issues with the team putting out an announcement that the Saturday start time moves up an hour to 7:05, but such is life in this league.

So Toronto was out in Chicago this weekend and split there and are in the midst of an eight game road trip that takes them to Pennsylvania this week, then Grand Rapids for a pair then Belleville before Iowa comes in November 22. They have a very diverse schedule, playing Iowa, Grand Rapids and Chicago. They also see Manitoba, but not this month.

Rochester split in Laval last weekend and host Syracuse Wednesday.

Utica picked up their first win of the season against the Penguins last Saturday after the night before get shutout 3-0 to Syracuse. Utica hosts Belleville Friday.

Records

The Penguins are tied with the Providence Bruins at the top of the Atlantic Division with 16 points. The Pens have an 8-2 record.

The Marlies are 4-4-0-1 and have 9 points and are in a dead heat with the Cleveland Monsters and Belleville Senators who also have 9 points in the North Division.

Rochester is tied with Syracuse atop the North Division with 14 points and a 7-3 record.

Utica is 1-6-1-0 and have 3 points in last in the North.

The Rest of Those Rascals…

Providence has an 8-1 record and lead the Atlantic with 14 points. That one loss? A 2-0 setback to none other than the Hershey Bears on Saturday. The Bruins also beat Charlotte 5-2 Sunday. The Bruins are in Cleveland this weekend.

Lehigh Valley is third in the Atlantic with a 6-3-0-1 and 13 points. The Phantoms were blanked in Laval 3-0 on Wednesday then won a pair of overtime games against the Hartford Wolf Pack Friday and Saturday. They are in Bridgeport Wednesday then host Toronto Saturday.

Hershey is fourth in the division with a 5-3-1 record and 11 points. It was perfect weekend for the Bears, who won in Bridgeport Wednesday, in overtime Friday in Springfield and then shutout Providence Saturday. Are the Bears back? Hershey hosts Toronto Friday the Rochester on Sunday.

Charlotte is 4-4-1 with 9 points, in fifth place and lost in Hartford Wednesday, won in Springfield and lost to Providence Sunday. The Checkers host Syracuse this weekend.

Hartford is 3-4-2 and on 8 points in sixth place. If you paid attention, I mentioned them above, heads up! The Wolf Pack have a trip to Laval Friday, Belleville Saturday.

Bridgeport is 3-5-1 and have 7 points in seventh. Hershey beat them Wednesday, the Pens beat them Friday and then the Islanders won in a shootout over the Springfield Thunderbirds. They host Lehigh Valley Wednesday then a home and home with the Thunderbirds this weekend.

Springfield is last in the division with a 1-6-1-1 record and have 4 points. OT loss to Hershey Friday, 5-3 loss to Charlotte Saturday and a 2-1 SOL to the Islanders Sunday made for a tough three in in three weekend. Home and home with the Islanders this weekend.

What can we learn about the Penguins this week?

I think they are all winnable games this week but you have to be careful. Toronto always plays them tough, Rochester may be elite and Utica can and should be beaten.

They need to tighten things up I think, they played too loose in Utica. They played almost a perfect first period against Providence Wednesday and somehow managed to beat Bridgeport and then laid an egg against Utica. They have to get the power play straight if they want to continue to contend in and win hockey games. Don’t do that and you are struggling against winless teams like the Comets.

Who’s in Goal? 

This seems meaningless if you don’t sync up the offense because you need to score goals to win hockey games. This isn’t Sergei Murashov’s fault, either.

Dennis Hildeby, Devon Levi and Nico Daws for the opposition of you made me guess, which if you are reading this are asking me to?

By the way, another week and another honor for Murashov, securing Goaltender of the Month honors for October, announced Tuesday.

Who’s Up? Who’s Down? Who’s Out?

Hey! Isn’t this segment out of place?

Yes and there is a good reason. Here’s why:

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First of all, if you think that is a lot of transactions for a team in one day, you obviously are not a New York Mets fan like I am. This was an every day occurrence for the Metropolitans every day in August.

In response, Coal Street recalled Goaltender Maxim Pavlenko and Forward Zach Gallant.

Valtteri Puustinen joins Sebastian Aho and Taylor Gauthier on the injured list.

Wait, you never answered who was staring in goal for the Penguins!

You’re right, but I hope you understand why now!

I say Filip Larsson starts Wednesday and Friday and then you let Maxim Pavlenko start at home against Utica. Mix in Taylor Gauthier if he’s healthy.

That’s one thing with following baseball, they actually disclose injuries, unlike hockey. So you had an idea of who was close / still far off.

Who’s Running the Show?

Alright, so back to my gripes about the 80+ referees contracted to officiate games in the League. They get Adam Tobias and Riley Brace Wednesday with Jud Ritter and Bill Lyons on the lines. They have seen Brace already this year. Tobias? They will see him again Friday in Rochester with Mitchell Hardy. Shawn Oliver and T.J. Dockery will work the lines. Hardy? You guessed it…Saturday in Wilkes-Barre paired up with Mathieu Menniti with J.P. Waleski and Davids Rozitis on the lines.

Mix it up a bit, can we?

Looking Ahead…

Wednesday bus trip to Bridgeport, the Islanders return the favor for a Friday night game in Wilkes-Barre and then Springfield comes in Saturday night.

Give us a bold prediction…

They will score five power play goals this week.

7-0 Wilkes-Barre / Scranton take on the 6-0 Providence Bruins at 7:05 on Wednesday night in a matchup of early season heavyweights.

The Penguins have beaten every team put in their path, but so has Providence. Only one team will walk out of Wilkes-Barre Wednesday night still undefeated and still considered a very early favorite.

Music to Set the Mood…

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In keeping with the Hair Nation staples, as my tan fades, it seems apropos. It’s also the Penguins goal song. Let’s hope we hear a lot of this later tonight.

A Quote…

The Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins are 4-0 for the first time in a while and off to a great start to their 2025-26 campaign. They take on the Lehigh Valley Phantoms Wednesday at home before hitting the road for a pair in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Music to set the mood…

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Apt. They are first place in the AHL and looking to stay there.

A Quote…

To be the man, you have to beat the man!
– Ric Flair

So far they have run through Hartford twice, Bridgeport and Lehigh Valley. There are other teams, like the Checkers who they will see twice this weekend in North Carolina, that want a crack. This is apt too, as The Man Ric Flair is from the Queen City.

The Setup…

Home with the Phantoms then a pair in Charlotte this weekend. It’s hard to beat the Checkers twice in two nights. Are the Penguins up for it?

The Penguins went to Hartford and spoiled the Wolf Pack’s home opener. Then they went down 3-0 to Bridgeport on Saturday only to storm back for six unanswered and won 6-3. Message to the rest of the division? Maybe.

Lehigh Valley swept the Cleveland Monsters out in The Land this past weekend. Saturday’s game was won in the shootout. Friday, Aleksei Kolosov had a 35 save shutout.

The Checkers hosted and swept the hapless Iowa Wild, who are still winless this past weekend. Charlotte doesn’t have to go anywhere this week and will be waiting for the Penguins arrival this weekend.

Records

Penguins are 4-0 and have 8 points on top of the Atlantic. The Phantoms are 3-1 with 6 points. That one loss came at the hands of the Penguins two Sunday’s ago.

The Checkers are 3-1 with their loss coming to the hands of the Providence Bruins and have 6 points. Charlotte is third, Lehigh Valley is fourth.

The Rest of those Rascals…

Providence looks as good as the Penguins, off to a 4-0 start with weekend wins over Bridgeport and Hartford. The Bruins are 4-0 and host Springfield and Bridgeport this weekend.

Hershey picked up a win over the Springfield Thunderbirds on Saturday and rematched against the T-Birds Sunday and lost 5-1. The Bears are 1-2-1 with three points. The Bears have a home and home with the Phantoms this weekend.

Bridgeport lost both games this weekend to Providence and the Penguins. They are 1-2-1 and on 3 points in sixth place. The Islanders have a trip to Hartford Friday then a trip to Providence Sunday.

I gave you Springfield’s results above in the Bears paragraph. The Thunderbirds are 1-2 and have two points after winning their first game of the season Sunday in Hershey. They are in Hartford Wednesday, Providence Friday and then host the Wolf Pack Sunday.

Hartford is in dead last at 0-3 with no points and host the Thunderbirds Wednesday, Bridgeport Friday and travel to Springfield Saturday.

Who’s Up? Who’s Down? Who’s Out?

Light on the wire. Emil Pieniniemi was suspended by the team for failing to report to Wheeling. Status quo everywhere else with Scooter Brickey and Taylor Gauthier injured.

What can we learn about the Penguins this week?

I think if they get through the week and are still undefeated then we can say we may have a wagon on our hands. Lehigh Valley is going to give the Penguins fits just on sheer volume, as they meet 12 times this season. Charlotte may be a good team, but they haven’t beaten anyone of substance yet, beating a winless Wild team and a middling Springfield side. But they are the defending Eastern Conference Champions and need to be taken seriously. How confident are you if the Pens go down 3-0 against the Checkers as you were say against Bridgeport? I know I am not.

Who’s in goal?

It surprised many when Sergei Murashov got the start Saturday, after starting Friday. There’s a case if you want to do that again to go Filip Larsson Wednesday, since he was in net when the Pens and Phantoms last met, and then go Murashov on back to back nights in Charlotte. If not, then I think they go Larsson – Murashov – Larsson.

Kolosov for the Phantoms Wednesday is my guess with Cooper Black and Kirill Gerasimyuk for the Checkers, but Black got both starts against Iowa, so your guess on this is as good as mine. I’d like to think that a little stiffer competition is coming to town for Geordie Kinnear’s group, so play your hands carefully.

Who’s Running the Show?

Liam Maaskant and Rob Hennessey have the midweek assignment in Wilkes-Barre with Jud Ritter and Tommy George working the lines.

This weekend in Charlotte has Beau Halkidis and Sydney Harris on the referee job with Anthony Lapointe and Quinn Schafer working the lines. Same crew Saturday as per usual in Charlotte with Jake Rennert tagging in for Quinn Schafer on the line.

Looking Ahead…

How are we talking November already? Penguins host the Providence Bruins next Wednesday, the Bridgeport Islanders on Friday and then travel to Utica on All Saint’s Day which kicks off four straight against North Division competition, but let’s save that for next week.

Give us a bold prediction…

The Penguins sweep the Checkers in North Carolina by an aggregate of 12-4.

A perfect 2-0 start last week for the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins has the Penguins sitting at the top of the Atlantic Division after the first weekend of play.

Miles to go, 70 more games to play. Two more road games this weekend in Hartford and Bridgeport. Let’s get into it!

Music to Set the Mood…

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You may as well just pencil me in with the Hair Nation staples at this point.

Also, rest in peace Ace Frehley.

A Quote…

The secret of getting ahead is getting started.
— Mark Twain

I forgot the quote last week. I will try and do better the next time.

Not only do the Penguins lead the Atlantic Division, they lead the entire league. Sustainable? Maybe, but it’s a good start at getting ahead. Just don’t ask me to calculate their magic number.

The Setup…

A road game with the Hartford Wolf Pack, with the Penguins reciprocating the home opener festivities for the Wolf Pack then a trip to an a new look Bridgeport Islanders.

Last weekend the Penguins beat the Wolf Pack Saturday at the home opener 2-1. After going down early, the Penguins come back and ride Sergei Murashov to 23 saves, get goals from Valtteri Puustinen and Owen Pickering and win. Then Sunday in Allentown it was the Tristan Broz Show, where Broz gets a pair of goals and an assist while Filip Larsson stops 26. Two power play goals scored by the Penguins.

Hartford played just one game and lost to the Penguins. Bridgeport loses a nail biter in overtime Saturday at home against Providence and then stomp the Belleville Senators 6-2 on Sunday. They will host Providence in a rematch Friday.

Records

Penguins lead the Atlantic Division with a 2-0 start and 4 points. Hartford has an 0-1 record with 0 points and Bridgeport has 3 points with a 1-0-1 record.

The Rest of those Rascals…

I am adding this in this year because I shelved the Power Rankings this season. Too much work for me to put together and too few people read them. They just never turned numbers for me and weeks would go where I would force myself to write a bunch of stuff on teams the Pens never played that people would never read. It ain’t worth it, so in this spot I’ll give a quick rundown of the Atlantic Division teams not mentioned previously this week in order of division placement.

Providence: Bruins are also off to a 2-0 start and look as good as advertised. There may be a lot of black and yellow at the top of the Atlantic between the P-Bruins and Penguins. After visiting Bridgeport, the Bruins host Hartford Saturday.

Lehigh Valley: Phantoms are 1-1 after a win against the Belleville Senators Saturday and a loss to the Penguins on Sunday. Lehigh Valley is off to Cleveland for a Friday / Saturday tilt against the Monsters.

Charlotte: After looking good beating Springfield last Saturday, the defending Eastern Conference Champions are 1-1 after losing 6-3 to Providence on Sunday. They host the Iowa Wild who are looking for their first win of the season, this weekend.

Hershey: The Bears are also looking for their first win of the season and are 0-1-1 after getting swept at home by the Syracuse Crunch. Herhsey hosts Springfield for a pair this Saturday and Sunday.

Springfield: The Thunderbirds played one game this past weekend and lost to the Checkers and will be looking for their first win this weekend in Hershey in a pair of games.

Who’s Up? Who’s Down? Who’s Out?

David Breazeale and Maxim Pavlenko were sent to Wheeling Friday.

Ville Koivunen was sent back from Pittsburgh Saturday and played Sunday in Lehigh Valley. Rutger McGroarty is still working his way back from injury with Pittsburgh and isn’t a guarantee he’ll be in the AHL, depending on what they do with Ben Kindel.

Nolan Renwick was sent to Wheeling on Wednesday.

Scooter Brickey and Taylor Gauthier have week to week lower body injuries.

What can we learn about the Penguins this week?

Early returns are we have a good team on our hands, but I don’t think the full potential has been reached yet. To expect it this early into the season is silly, I know, but it should be interesting to see how they do this weekend.

Hartford is a good team based on their speed. They will be amped up after a weeks worth of film and practice and itching to exact revenge on the Penguins in their home opener. There’s no reason to believe that the Pens don’t go down big on Friday. But there is reason to believe that they won’t because they are too well coached and way too talented.

The thought has to be in the back of your mind, though.

Bridgeport is a new look team as well and may give the Penguins fits as well. It shouldn’t be seen as a weekend where the Penguins can half ass through a game and pull a rabbit out of their arse and win.

So they need to be careful. These points here in October also count the same in March.

Who’s in Goal? 

No reason to believe they change anything. It should be Murashov Friday and Larsson Saturday.

Dylan Garand and Parker Gahagen for the opposition is my guess.

Who’s Running the Show?

Riley Brace and Matt Mannella have the assignment Friday with Luke Pye and Brent Colby on the lines.

Mike Sullivan and Cole MacDonald have the enforcement duties Saturday with Dylan Lewis and Patrick Dapuzzo on the lines Saturday.

Mannella and MacDonald are new referees. Brace is okay, I think Sullivan sucks and gets overmatched at times.

Looking Ahead…

Wednesday at home against the Phantoms, then a trip south for a Friday / Saturday matchup against the Charlotte Checkers.

Give us a bold prediction…

One of the Penguins will win AHL Player of the Week Award for next week.