Comments Off on Weekend Preview – Into The Fire…
Posted by nafsnep on October 10, 2025
Back at it in year fifteen of this blog are we for another year of blogging up the local hockey team. Thanks for coming along for the ride.
Off the hop, I think they will be a competitive team this season. With Pittsburgh likely in full on tank mode that leaves the farm club to ripen on the vine a bit and improve on last years fourth place standing to get even better. Will they? I think so. They should contend early for the top spot in the new look Atlantic Division. More on that in a bit.
Music to Set the Mood…
–
This past summer at my pool I got tired of the same 75 or so songs on Yacht Rock Radio. Don’t get me wrong, I love me some Doobie Brothers, Michael McDonald and some Rupert Holmes, but it got to be a drag being hearing the same songs in the pool every afternoon all summer.
So on a whim, I skimmed through SiriusXM’s lineup of channels while going for a hair cut of all things. Beyond my other favorites of Classic Rewind and Vinyl, SiriusXMU and First Wave, I landed on Hair Nation. There were a few songs on there that caught my ear and I couldn’t get enough. Christopher Cross, Linda Ronstadt and Robbie Dupree were replaced by Poison, Ratt and the band above, Dokken. I was rockin’ with Dokken all August long with Keith Roth on Hair Nation.
I miss summer.
Anyway.
The Setup
Friday off, then they get going for a home opener against Hartford and then a Sunday road game in Allentown. Everyone should be in tip top shape and raring to go.
Top to bottom from last seasons finish, here’s a quick preview of where I think they should be this season.
Hershey: Average to below average team. Todd Nelson is an assistant with Pittsburgh now and Derek King is at the helm for the 13 time champs. He’s a coach who is good with youth and the Bears will be just that. Inexperienced, but still the Bears.
Charlotte: Above average. The Eastern Conference Champs will be looking to get back to the Calder Cup Finals again.
Providence: Above average. The Bruins always give teams fits and are a juggernaut. No reason to believe any of that stops this season.
Penguins: Above average. If the Penguins don’t go further then they did in the past two seasons, then it will just be more of the same until it isn’t anymore. I expect them to contend all season.
Lehigh Valley: Above average to average. The Phantoms are much like the Penguins with a group of hungry kids looking to graduate. The Pens and Phantoms play 12 times this season and you better get ready for wars.
Springfield: Average to below average. I don’t think they signed anyone of significance.
Hartford: Below average. Same story here. They will start hot and fizzle. New York thinks they can contend so who knows.
Bridgeport: Above average. This isn’t saying much because the only way to go is up for the league’s worst team last year, but they overhauled everything and got better on paper. They are a prove it team to me for now.
Don’t ask me to pick the two teams which don’t make playoffs. It’s a fools errand.
–
Records
Everyone is starting 0-0. Lehigh Valley hosts Belleville Saturday.
Who’s Up? Who’s Down? Who’s Out?
Sergei Murashov and Owen Pickering are names to watch to start the season in the AHL. Rutger McGroarty is working his way off an injury and is up. This is normally the most busiest place during the Winter months in this space, so keep a lookout. Avery Hayes and Trisan Broz had good NHL camps but are starting the season here. Don’t get used to them for long.
What can we learn about the Penguins this week?
They will contend, that is for sure. Murashov should be your number one in goal. Pittsburgh has a decision to make when Joel Blomqvist heals up because they aren’t carrying Blomqvist, Arturs Silovs and Tristan Jarry. A Penguins goaltender or goaltenders is being traded. No way you risk losing Silovs on waivers. Jarry’s contract is an albatross, so what happens? Your guess is as good as mine.
But it’s Murashov’s net for now.
Owen Pickering should be too good to play at this level and guys like Broz and Hayes should be chomping at the bit to get back to an NHL lifestyle. Raphael Harvey-Pinard and Alex Alexeyev will be looking for good first impressions also.
They should beat Hartford and then it’s a measuring stick with Lehigh Valley over Pennsylvania dominance and who could conceivably be at the head of the Atlantic Division table after the first weekend of the season.
All of the Penguins nine games this month are against Atlantic Division competition, so it’s prime time to start hot and get the rest of the division behind you before the real grind starts and the recalls and injuries inevitably occur.
Who’s in Goal?
I think you have to start Sergei Murashov Saturday and then let Taylor Gauthier or Maxim Pavlenko take the start in Lehigh Valley or, just start Murashov in both contests. That would make more sense but you don’t know when the evaluation process ends.
For Hartford and Lehigh Valley, Dylan Garand and possibly Carson Bjarnason for the competition.
Who’s Running the Show?
Damian Figueira and Patrick Hanrahan have the opening night assignment with Shawn Oliver and Richard Jondo on the lines Saturday night.
Sunday in Allentown, Mathieu Menniti and Austin O’Rourke are in charge with Oliver. making the PA Turnpike trip to meet up with Patrick Dapuzzo to work the lines.
Looking Ahead…
Friday night in Hartford and then Saturday night in Bridgeport for the first road trip of the season.
Give us a bold prediction…
They win both games with the power play yet to score a goal.
Comments Off on Weekend Preview – Let’s Go Back…
Posted by nafsnep on April 16, 2025
It’s the final Weekend Preview of the season and we are going back to the playoffs. The Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins have a lot to play for still as they still gun for the first round bye.
Music to Set the Mood…
–
This has been an earwig for me for the past week. So catchy and apropos. Shut the Top 40 garbage off and listen to real music.
Also, let’s go back to playoffs and stay a while.
The Setup
It’s the proverbial stone in the shoe Providence Bruins this Wednesday at home, then the final regular season road trip to Hershey on Friday before closing out they regular season with a home match against the Cleveland Monsters.
The Penguins had a 2-0 lead coming into the third period Friday which was erased by the visiting Hershey Bears in the first five minutes where the Bears would. go on to win 4-2.
The Penguins dominated the Springfield Thunderbirds the next night at home, winning 4-1 and dominating the shots on goal, 44-23.
Then Wilkes-Barre handled business in Bridgeport to close out the last three in three of the season winning 5-2.
For the Bruins, they beat Hartford 6-2 Friday and won against Belleville 3-2 in overtime Saturday.
Hershey lost to Lehigh Valley 5-1 after their Friday meet with the Pens. The Bears will host a Syracuse team which has not clinched a playoff berth yet on Wednesday.
Cleveland split with the Toronto Marlies in a home and home weekend series. The Monsters will be in Rochester Wednesday and Lehigh Valley on Friday.
Records
The Penguins are 39-22-7-1 and on 86 points in third in the Atlantic Division.
Providence has the same number of points and in fourth in the Atlantic with a 39-23-5-3 record.
Hershey leads the Atlantic with a 43-19-6-1 record, on 93 points.
Cleveland sits fourth in the North with a 35-23-5-6 record on 81 points.
Check Your Surroundings
Wilkes-Barre cannot win the division, but can finish as high as second. Charlotte holds that seeding presently.
The Checkers are in Hartford Wednesday before closing out their regular season in Springfield Friday and Saturday. They are 41-22-3-3 with 88 points.
Joona Koppanen, Rutger McGroarty and Ville Koivunen are in Pittsburgh. McGroarty could be back this season, provided the Penguins are still around. My guess is 4-6 weeks. Vasily Ponomarev and Valtteri Puustinen are also up.
Emil Bemstrom was sent back last weekend.
Gabe Klassen, Matty De St. Phalle and Logan Pietila are up from Wheeling.
Goaltender Taylor Gauthier was recalled Monday and they sent Sergei Murashov and Jack Beck to Wheeling.
Joona Koppanen cleared waivers Tuesday but was not immediately re-assigned.
Pittsburgh’s season ends this Thursday, so expect a ton of roster shuffling on the wires this Friday with guys coming back from Pittsburgh and going down to Wheeling.
The Nailers start their seven game series with the Norfolk Admirals this Wednesday, with Games 1 and 2 Wednesday and Thursday in Norfolk, then Game 3 not till the following Wednesday. That series is weird because it’s a 2-5 setup, with games 5, 6 and 7 (if needed) being played all in Wheeling.
What can we learn about the Penguins this week?
They are going to get help, but will that help arrive in time for a First Round series against the Springfield Thunderbirds or a second round matchup against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms possibly? None of the bodies in Pittsburgh will be around Wednesday against a Providence team they can’t beat at home to save their arse.
Suffice to say, the Wednesday game against the Bruins is the biggest game of the season for them.
Now, they can lose, hope that Charlotte loses, but then the Bruins would need to lose against the Bridgeport Islanders in their final game Saturday and that won’t happen because the Bruins have only lost once against the Islanders all year.
Again, in my opinion, Wednesday night’s game against the Bruins is probably the most important game for Wilkes-Barre in the last five years, maybe more.
Who’s in Goal?
Up until Monday afternoon it was an interesting conundrum. Whoever gets the start is probably your Game 1 starter when playoffs do begin. Is it Joel Blomqvist or Sergei Murashov? Well, for the time being, it’s Joel Blomqvist.
They dominated Springfield Saturday when Blomqvist was in net and won big. But Murashov also won, albeit against a terrible Bridgeport team who tested him, Sunday. But Wheeling gets going in their Kelly Cup Playoffs this week and they can use him to help them get deep.
Figure Blomqvist – Larsson and then possibly Taylor Gauthier if there isn’t anything left to play for Saturday. If there still is, figure Blomqvist.
Brandon Bussi – Garin Bjorklund – Jet Greaves is my shot in the dark for the opposition.
Wait. What? They really reassigned Murashov to Wheeling?
They want him in high leverage situations. They want a healthy Joel Blomqvist in high leverage situations also. Since the AHL rulebook does not allow you to play two goaltenders at the same time, Murashov was moved to Wheeling to assist the Nailers in their Kelly Cup pursuit. Make no bones, has nothing to prove at the ECHL level any longer, but this is the die which has been cast. It isn’t a knock on Murashov. He doesn’t develop in a ball cap operating a door at the bench during the Calder Cup Playoffs. He will do well and develop helping the Nailers go deep in the Kelly Cup Playoffs.
Who’s Running the Show?
Patrick Hanrahan and Rob Hennessey are the refs assigned to Wednesday’s matchup with J.P. Waleski and Chandler Yakimowicz on the lines.
Friday sees Graedy Hamilton and Chad Ingalls as the referees in Hershey with Jeremy Faucher and Tommy George on the lines.
Hamilton will make the trek up I-81 to meet up with Ben Betker Saturday in Wilkes-Barre with Ryan Jackson and J.P. Waleski on the lines for the regular season finale against Cleveland.
Looking Ahead…
We don’t know yet. Seeding and likely a playoff opponent and schedule will be out Saturday night at the conclusion of the Monsters / Penguins game. Or will it? Will the Penguins have locked up a bye?
Give us a bold prediction…
Get ready for another three game first round series with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, buddy.
Comments Off on Weekend Preview – A Town Called Malice…
Posted by nafsnep on April 11, 2025
Let’s just jump in this pool already.
Music to Set the Mood…
–
A Quote…
Better stop dreaming of the quiet life ‘Cause it’s the one we’ll never know And quit running for the runaway bus ‘Cause those rosy days are few And stop apologising For the things you’ve never done ‘Cause time is short And life is cruel But it’s up to us to change This town called Malice
— The Jam
–
Six games left, three game losing streak, window for first place in the division closing rapidly, the second seed and the bye getting away from you and your top prospect injured Tuesday in the NHL and done for the rest of the year.
April in Wilkes-Barre? A Town Called Malice you say?
Groundhog Day. Real ones know.
The Setup
Oh boy. A home game with Hershey Friday and another one with Springfield Saturday then a road trip to Bridgeport Sunday to complete the final three in three of the season.
The Penguins were swept in Cleveland an aggregate 10-1. The offense dried up despite getting Emil Bemstrom back from Pittsburgh, but the penalty kill was 3/11 while the power play was 1/6. Special teams can kill you most nights, and in Cleveland it did.
Hershey got right, because of course they did, after being swept by Utica a fortnight ago and beat Lehigh Valley and swept Hartford, essentially killing the Wolf Pack’s playoff chances.
Springfield qualified for the Calder Cup Playoffs despite losing 4-2 to Rochester, 5-2 to Utica and shutting out Lehigh Valley 1-0 in overtime.
Bridgeport has only won four times at home and will have an all time bad season. They have been out of it for months.
Records
The Penguins are 37-21-7-1 and on 82 points in fourth in the Atlantic.
Hershey is 42-18-6-1, on 91 points and lead the Atlantic.
Springfield is 34-28-2-4 and on 74 points in fifth.
Bridgeport is 15-46-4-3, on 37 points and last in the league.
Check Your Surroundings
Charlotte, in second with 86 points, have played one more game then the Penguins, host Utica Saturday and Sunday.
Providence, in third with 82 points have two more games then the Penguins, is in Hartford Friday and host Belleville Saturday. They will be in Wilkes-Barre this coming Wednesday.
ATO Season
Coal Street added a trio of players on Monday, defenseman David Breazeale and forwards Aaron Huglen and Zach Urdahl. Only Breazeale out of the press release from Coal Street joins the team immediately on the Amateur Tryout Agreement.
Who’s Up? Who’s Down? Who’s Out?
Matt Nieto went up Tuesday, Kyle Jackson went to Wheeling Sunday, Joona Koppanen, Rutger McGroarty and Ville Koivunen are in Pittsburgh.
In the wake of that news, Pittsburgh recalled Emil Bemstrom, Vasily Ponomarev and Valtteri Puustinen. I ma assuming these recalls are for the remainder of Pittsburgh’s season, which incudes Friday at New Jersey, Sunday at home vs. Boston and Thursday at home in the finale against Washington.
Coal Street responded by recalling Gabe Klassen Wednesday, Mathieu De St. Phalle and Logan Pietila on Thursday.
What can we learn about the Penguins this week?
I said last week that the time to make a move was last weekend. They scored one goal and were embarrassed by a team dressed up like pierogis.
Now they host their biggest rival at home with the teams going it looks like in the wrong direction. On top of that, they lack direction. Who is the leader of this team? Who can you rely on for a goal when you need one? Who can shut down the other teams best line?
You have those answers if you are a Bears fan. You know two out of three if you live in Charlotte. I blog about this god damn team and I can’t give you a straight answer.
They have to find a way. They clinched and rested on their laurels. Job isn’t done, though. They need to transition into playoff mode now if they want to creep back into a bye in the first round. They aren’t out of that by any stretch, but their current run of form isn’t promising.
It doesn’t help that they were insulated in part by injuries to the NHL club for a large stretch but now it seems half the team is in Pittsburgh for the final three meaningless games in Pittsburgh’s season while the AHL club is attempting to jockey for a first round bye for playoffs.
Who’s in Goal?
Murashov – Larsson – Murashov should be the rotation. The Bears can’t beat Sergei Murashov and they bring out the best in him. It’s a crime if anyone else other then Murashov isn’t out of the gates first at around 6:20.
Where will you be at 6:20 on Friday?
I will be in Lancaster for the weekend at the first camping trip taking in Noah at Sight and Sound Theater for a 7 p.m. showing. These things are planned months in advance. The weather isn’t going to the best, and this is the last time I am camping in April.
Who else is in goal?
Clay Stevenson for the Bears, Colten Ellis for the Thunderbirds and it doesn’t matter for the Islanders. If the Penguins can’t beat the Islanders you probably don’t have to worry about me going camping in May (Knoebel’s around Memorial Day) and missing another Penguins game because they won’t be around at that time.
Who’s Running the Show?
Chris Rumble and Mathieu Menniti are the referees Friday with Jud Ritter and J.P. Waleski on the lines.
Rumble stays in Wilkes-Barre, Mason Riley tags in for Menniti and Tyler Loftus and Chander Yakimowicz are the linesmen Saturday.
Koletrane Wilson and Rob Hennessey have the assignment Sunday in Bridgeport, Shawn Oliver and Cameron Carlson have the lines.
Looking Ahead….
They close the books on the 2024-25 AHL season with a home game Wednesday against Providence, a Friday road trip in Hershey and a Saturday home game against Cleveland.
Give us a bold prediction…
I am expecting an elephant in the Noah show, since it’s an Old Testament tale about animals on an ark. I am not going to see an elephant.
Comments Off on Weekend Preview – Check Your Surroundings…
Posted by nafsnep on April 4, 2025
The Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins clinched a playoff spot last week, and now it’s all about positioning for either the division lead or the second seed. Either way, they are gunning for the first round bye.
Music to Set the Mood…
–
All about the bye, baby.
A Quote…
The charm of fishing is that it is the pursuit of what is elusive but attainable, a perpetual series of occasions for hope. – John Buchan
Are the Hershey Bears a rainbow trout and the Charlotte Checkers a 20 inch pickerel? I don’t know…
The Setup
They hit the road for Cleveland, to take on a reeling Monsters side for a pair of games in Ohio Friday and Saturday.
They clinched a berth in the Calder Cup Playoffs Wednesday with an OT win over Hartford. All they needed was a point, but Avery Hayes’ overtime goal made it more jubilistic. Is jubilistic a word?
They split with Charlotte in North Carolina over the weekend, which is about as good as you can get when you travel there as the Checkers are hard to beat on back to back nights for some reason.
Cleveland is mired in a bit of a slump, dropping a midweek contest to the Belleville Senators Wednesday last, then losing at home to Texas in a shootout and then in regulation to the Stars Friday and Saturday respectively.
Records
Penguins sit third in the Atlantic Division with a 37-19-7-1 record, good for 82 points.
Cleveland is fourth in the North with a 31-22-5-6 record, on 73 points.
Check your surroundings…
We are back and better than ever with this section checking out other teams in the division the Penguins are jockeying for a seed with.
Hershey was swept by last place Utica this past weekend to remain on 85 points. If you listened to the post game press conference with Bears head coach Todd Nelson Sunday, they were tired coming of a long road trip and were taking Monday / Tuesday off to recharge and get away from the rink. The Bears are vulnerable now because they still don’t control their first place fate. They have two more games with the Penguins. This weekend they have Lehigh Valley in Allentown Friday, then host a desperate Hartford team Saturday and Sunday.
Charlotte, whom the Penguins are tied with on points with 82, are in Providence Friday and Sunday with a trip to Bridgeport, who have only won four home games all season, set for Saturday.
Providence is on 79 points and are in Utica Saturday. That’s a four hour trip one way and almost not fair this late in the season.
ATO Season
Immediate impact from defenseman Harrison Brunicke, whom the Penguins have under contract for the foreseeable future. Brunicke looked okay in his first two games, so expect him going forward unless he burns out which, at 18 years old, isn’t expected.
Nolan Renwick joined the club on an ATO Tuesday out of the University of Maine. He signed an AHL contract for next season. With a lot to play for yet we aren’t at, “play your kids” quite yet, so I don’t know when he will see the former Black Bear.
Who’s Up? Who’s Down? Who’s Out?
Status quo-ish on the hurt guys. They have Ville Koivunen and Rutger McGroarty up in Pittsburgh till the end of the season, Emil Bemstrom cleared waivers but wasn’t immediately re-assigned Tuesday and Wednesday Joona Koppanen went up.
Kyle Jackson and Jack Beck are up from Wheeling. Beck is interesting because he’s a point machine for the Nailers and had injuries or else we would have seen him sooner.
What can we learn about the Penguins this week?
The time to make a move is now. Charlotte / Providence series should be a war which you want decided in regulation. Are the Bears running on fumes with all the games they have played in the past two seasons? Meanwhile the Penguins would have already left for Cleveland Thursday and roll into town against a team that is 3-6-0-1 in their last ten.
No consolations here. Beat the Monsters clean and let your rivals tear each other apart or continue to implode from within due to past circumstances.
Who’s in Goal?
If I told you that the Penguins were guaranteed a split last weekend in Charlotte you would have figured that Sergei Murashov gets the win and Filip Larsson takes the loss. The opposite happened, though. My thought is that Murashov goes Friday and Larsson goes Saturday.
Jet Greaves is a really good puck stopper for the Monsters. He will likely start Friday with Zach Sawchenko on Saturday.
Who’s Running the Show?
Jordan Deckard and Jared Cummins have the Friday assignment with Luke Pye and Felix-Antoine Voyer on the lines.
Saturday sees Mike Sullivan tag in for Cummins and Brandon Grillo tag in for Voyer.
Looking Ahead
Hershey at home next Friday, Springfield on Saturday then a road trip to Bridgeport Sunday at 3.
Give us a bold prediction…
The Penguins overtake the top spot in the division by a point over Hershey.
Comments Off on Weekend Preview – Win and You’re In
Posted by nafsnep on March 26, 2025
Simply put, the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins punch their ticket to the 2025 Calder Cup Playoffs with a win Wednesday over the Hartford Wolf Pack.
Music to Set the Mood…
–
Seems inevitable, doesn’t it?
A Quote…
Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing. – Vince Lombardi
The Penguins are no strangers to the playoffs, but have not won the ultimate prize. Is this the year? Will they ever win it all?
The Setup
Hartford at home Wednesday then a road trip to Charlotte Saturday and Sunday.
The Penguins got smoked 10-2 on Friday against the Providence Bruins then beat Hershey in overtime Saturday then walloped a terrible Bridgeport team on the road Sunday.
Hartford kept its playoff hopes alive with a big comeback win over Hershey in regulation on Friday then an OT win over Milwaukee on Saturday. For the Wolf Pack, every game is a playoff game because there is no margin for error.
Charlotte won in Rochester Friday and again in overtime in Utica Saturday. They played Providence yesterday and won and will see the Bruins again Wednesday.
Records
The Penguins are 35-18-7-1 and on 78 points and third in the Atlantic.
Hartford is 27-29-5-2 and on 61 points and seventh in the Atlantic.
After last nights win against Providence, the Checkers are 36-19-3-3 and on 78 and second in the Atlantic.
Check your surroundings…
This feature will return when the Penguins make the playoffs, for seeding purposes.
Who’s Up? Who’s Down? Who’s Out?
Status quo on the hurt guys. They got Nate Clurman back last week but I don’t think they were happy with his game at all as he wasn’t in Saturday or Sunday.
Joona Koppanen and Emil Bemstrom are up. They got Sebastian Aho and Matt Nieto back.
ATO season will be upon us soon…
What can we learn about the Penguins this week?
Nothing was figured out last week. They still haven’t clinched yet and are still no closer (or farther) from Hershey, but for a point. The heat is on them for second place, as they dropped from second to fourth on Friday, but regained second place stature by Sunday, but dropped back to third Tuesday night.
They will make the playoffs. Does it happen Wednesday, though?
Division leading Bears have cupcakes this week, Bridgeport and a home and home with Utica. Best the Pens can hope for is a miracle or to keep pace.
They should simply win where they can (punch a spot Wednesday) and continue to hold onto or keep pace with second (win in Charlotte) and hope for the best with Hershey’s fate against two last place teams.
Who’s in Goal?
I think this is Sergei Murashov’s team and you can tell Tristan Jarry and Joel Blomqvist to go the hell home. Remember John Curry? Remember Matt Murray? They rode those cats to deep playoff runs. Murashov is as green as grass yet he plays like he’s a 15 year vet. You start him Wednesday against Hartford. He’s 10-0 in the AHL.
After that, you split him with Larsson and start him again Saturday.
Dylan Garand, Ken Appleby and Kaapo Kähkönen for the opponents and damn, that’s a lot of umlauts.
Who’s Running the Show?
Austin Rook and Mason Riley are here Wednesday with Patrick Dapuzzo and J.P. Waleski on the lines.
Jordan Watt and Phillip Kasko are the refs Saturday in Charlotte with Shane Gustafson and Jake Rennert on the lines.
Sunday sees the same refs with Tyler Willie and Jake Paugh tagging in to run the lines.
Looking Ahead…
April! Road trip to Cleveland next weekend! Woo! Pens aren’t home again until April 11.
Give us a bold prediction…
They hold onto second place and draw within four points of the Hershey Bears.
Comments Off on Weekend Preview – Six Away
Posted by nafsnep on March 21, 2025
The Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins magic number is six points entering this weekend of play. Sweep this three in three with the Bruins, Bears and Islanders and the rest takes care of itself. Win against Providence, have Hartford lose against Hershey Friday then win against Hershey or have Hartford lose against Milwaukee and the Penguins are in before you go to church on Sunday.
Double edged sword. You want to get in this weekend, but you don’t want Hershey to get too far away from you. There’s three games left with the Bears on the schedule and Hershey is up eight points on the Pens. I know it has been said to death here recent, but this weekend is vital.
Music to Set the Mood…
–
Again, this comes from a YouTube search where I put, “six pack song” in and it returns the above result.
A Quote…
Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening in the axe. – Abraham Lincoln
Pens have some work to do if they want to catch Hershey.
The Setup
Home against Providence for the first time all season, home against Hershey Saturday and then a Sunday road trip to Bridgeport.
Wilkes-Barre had an okayish week last, beating Hershey in a shootout March 12, then splitting a pair in Allentown against the Phantoms.
Providence lost tin Toronto March 12 4-2, then in a shootout in Rochester last Friday then won in Springfield last Sunday.
Hershey is 8-1-0-1 in their last ten and in the midst of a hellish road trip. Whatever you throw at this team they devour. This past weekend they were in Chicago and put up swept the Wolves 5-0, 5-2. They went to Springfield this past Wednesday and, after seeing the Thunderbirds tie the game at two, rattle off two more and win 4-2. Bears are in Hartford Friday.
Bridgeport, already eliminated from playoffs, skunked Laval last Wednesday and won 5-2 but then got throttled in Belleville 6-1 on back to back nights. The Islanders will be in Springfield Saturday.
Records
Pens have 74 points on 58 games played with a 33-17-7-1 record, second in the Atlantic.
Providence has 73 points on 59 games played with a 33-19-4-3 record, third in the Atlantic.
Hershey has 82 points on 59 games played with a 38-15-5-1 record, first in the Atlantic.
Bridgeport has 33 points on 60 games played with a 13-40-4-3 record, last in the Atlantic.
Who’s Up? Who’s Down? Who’s Out?
Joona Koppanen went up, scored a goal Tuesday for Pittsburgh. Emil Bemstrom is still in the NHL and there are shenanigans with Matt Nieto and Sebastian Aho on the transactions page.
Status quo with the rest of the injured guys.
Zach Gallant was signed to a SPC, sent to Wheeling.
What can we learn about the Penguins this week?
I think this weekend gives us a clear picture on what the odds are for the division lead. Eight to Hershey coming into Friday means you need help and have to be perfect with your remaining games against them. One of those is Saturday. Pens matchup really good against Hershey but so do the Bruins against the Pens.
Then there’s the first round bye. We didn’t mention fourth place Charlotte (72 points on 58 games played) or fifth place Lehigh Valley (69 points on 61 games played) – Pens are protecting second place. You want to make the playoffs, but you don’t want to play in the First Round. It is vital that the Pens handle business against Providence Friday, replicate the same against the back to back champs Saturday and not get trapped against a terrible Bridgeport team on Sunday.
Can they? Sure. Will they? We hope. Buy the ticket, take the ride.
Who’s in Goal?
I think they are foolish if they don’t do 8-0 in the AHL Sergei Murashov Saturday against Hershey. Is Joel Blomqvist back yet? If not you have Filip Larsson, fully capable, against Providence Friday.
Michael DiPietro, Clay Stevenson, Jakub Skarek for the opposition.
Who’s Running the Show?
Mike Dietrich and Andrew Bell are the refs Friday with J.P. Waleski and Chandler Yakimowicz on the lines.
Dietrich sticks around and meets Casey Terreri in the hotel lobby and they both run the show Saturday with John Rey and Richard Jondo on the lines.
Jake Kamrass and Jackson Kozari have the assignment in Bridgeport Sunday with Mitchell Hunt and Devon Gale on the lines.
Looking ahead…
They close out March with a home game against Hartford Wednesday (sigh) and then a road trip to Charlotte Saturday and Sunday.
Give us a bold prediction…
Ticket will be punched to the postseason with the rest of it in flux as the ride continues.
Comments Off on Weekend Preview – Bearing the Brunt?
Posted by nafsnep on March 12, 2025
The Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins again have a chance to draw ever closer to the first place Hershey Bears when the two teams meet in a few short hours Wednesday in Wilkes-Barre.
The Penguins have been casting away points and games in hand, and the lack of success in these departments have them bearing the brunt of a possible First Round series instead of a first round bye.
Music to Set the Mood…
–
Seems like they have been primed to catch and pass the Bears all season and it hasn’t happened yet, there is still hope they do and the ultimate expectation is that it happens. The waiting is the hardest part.
A Quote…
Oh baby, don’t it feel like heaven right now? Don’t it feel like somethin’ from a dream? Yeah, I’ve never known nothing quite like this Don’t it feel like tonight might never be again? Baby, we know better than to try and pretend Honey, no one could have ever told me ’bout this I said, yeah, yeah (yeah, yeah) Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
— Tom Petty from “The Waiting is the Hardest Part”
Really leaning into it here.
The Setup
Hershey at home Wednesday, then a Friday and Sunday game in Allentown against the Phantoms.
Penguins three in three saw 15 goals scored across a game in Hartford and home against Belleville then just one measly goal in a blowout loss to Syracuse on Sunday. They went 2-1. The loss Sunday was a game in hand on Hershey wasted.
Hershey swept Cleveland last weekend 3-0 and 4-3. When they don’t play, they still win, as evidence Sunday when the Pens lost.
Phantoms were in Charlotte last weekend and split with the Checkers. Things are tightening up in the Atlantic Division.
Records
Hershey leads the class with a 35-15-5 record for 75 points.
Penguins are second, but tied with Providence on points, with a 31-16-7-1 record and 70 points.
Lehigh Valley isn’t that far behind, 29-22-5-2 record with 65 points.
Who’s Up? Who’s Down? Who’s Out?
They got Sam Poulin and Joona Koppanen back from injury, lost Jonathan Gruden to trade with New Jersey, got Chase Stillman in return, sent Gabe Klassen and Matty De St. Phalle back to Wheeling, saw Sebastian Aho and Matt Nieto go up to Pittsburgh and traded Nikolai KNyzhov to Grand Rapids for future considerations.
I get all of the moves but for the last one but understand the thought process. They signed Knyzhov to a preseason PTO, signed him to an SPC, he got hurt, returned, didn’t play in 10 games and then traded him away for nothing.
With an influx of ATOs on the way, Pittsburgh wants to get a look at their future vs. a hired gun they have no plans for. Such is life.
What can we learn about the Penguins this week?
They either are pushing for a spot at the top or they aren’t and could be a road team in the First Round.
Hershey is in the middle of a hellish road trip which will take them out to Chicago this weekend then a smattering of other places in the Eastern Conference until the end of the month.
Lehigh Valley is far too inconsistent but playing better, to be considered a threat for the top two seeds. They always play the Penguins tough and tight.
I wouldn’t be surprised if they swept all three games and I wouldn’t be surprised if they only won one game. So expect something in between, I guess.
Who’s in Goal?
I think it’s treason if they don’t start Sergei Murashov against Hershey. He’s 7-0 in the AHL, I think he gives the Bears fits and you are at the point of the season where styles make fights.
Filip Larsson can start Friday in Allentown and let Murashov go against the Phantoms on Sunday.
Clay Stevenson, Parker Gahagen and Alexei Kolosov for the opposition is my shot in the dark.
Oh, and Joel Blomqvist is injured, if he comes back this week that throws a monkey wrench in my treatise above.
Who’s Running the Show?
Andrew Bell and Rob Hennessey here Wednesday with Patrick Dapuzzo and Ryan Knapp on the lines.
Friday sees Harrison O’Pray and Chris Conway with Jud Ritter and J.P. Waleski on the lines. First time we are seeing Conway I think.
Sunday sees O’Pray again and Mason Riley with Josh Cleary and Bill Lyons on the lines.
Looking ahead…
Another three in three and another Sunday (road) game. Providence swings by for the first time this season next Friday, Hershey stops by the next day and then they board the bus to Bridgeport Sunday.
Give us a bold prediction…
Nail biter week. OT win over the Bears Wednesday, shootout win over the Phantoms Friday and they get to overtime Sunday and you write your own fate on how you think they do.
WBS News
Chirps from Center Ice 