Chirps from Center Ice

A fan blog about the AHL's Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins

GAMEDAY: @ Lehigh Valley 4/6

Comments Off on GAMEDAY: @ Lehigh Valley 4/6 Posted by on April 6, 2019

 

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Who: Lehigh Valley Phantoms

 Where: PPL Center

When: 7:05 p.m.

Last Game: Last night at home against Binghamton, the Pens won 4-0. John Muse had a 33 save shutout. For Lehigh Valley, the Phantosm were last in action in Charlotte on Wednesday and lost 6-2. Connor Bunnaman and David Kase scored gals in a losing effort for the Phantoms.

Last Meeting: March 23 in Allentown, the Penguins snatched victory from the jaws of defeat with a last minute goal by Sam Lafferty and then an overtime goal by Ryan Haggerty to stun the Phantoms and win 5-4 in overtime.

Record: For WBS: 35-26-7-3 (80 pts., 5th place Atlantic Division) // For LV: 34-30-4-3 (75 pts., 6th place Atlantic Division)

Referees: Mike Dietrich / Michael Duco

Linesmen: Tom DellaFranco / Tom George

Why You Should Care: Pens need to keep winning just to keep pace and hope they close ground on Providence for fourth in the division. Lehigh Valley won’t make it easy on the Penguins tonight at home for them.

Listen: Nick Hart on the call on WILK.

Watch: AHLTV is new and improved and a lot cheaper.

Other Game to Watch: Bridgeport and Providence rematch at Webster Bank Arena. The Sound Tigers clinch with a win and will be looking to payback the loss the Bruins laid on them last night. We Penguins fans want a Sound Tigers win.

Remaining Games: @ LV 4/7, @ UTI 4/12, vs. BRI 4/13, vs. BNG 4/14

Gameday

Devil in the Details — Pens WIN 4-0

Comments Off on Devil in the Details — Pens WIN 4-0 Posted by on April 5, 2019

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This game, a 4-0 Wilkes-Barre / Scranton win over the Binghamton Devils, was a lot closer than the scoreline would indicate. Yes, the Penguins pretty much had their way with the last place Devils tonight and yes, John Muse had a 33 save shutout, his second of the season  but for about 55 minutes of regulation, it was only a two goal lead. You and I have seen our fair share of games that go bad for the Penguins.

Wilkes-Barre keeps pace with fourth place Providence, who wins 8-6 at home against the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. Bruins remain three points ahead (83) of the Penguins (80) for now. The Sound Tigers are in a tail spin. They have not yet clinched a playoff spot and scored six goals and still lost. How often do you see the losing team score six goals and loose? It doesn’t happen often. Those two teams rematch Saturday in Bridgeport. That was the only divisional game that mattered to the Penguins tonight.

John Muse opposed Evan Cormier.

Lines were…

Lineup Notes: The Penguins have 37 players on their roster and half of them are guys on amateur tryout contracts or ATO’s. Just this week alone I think the Penguins added like seven players and the more household names like Calen Addison and Jan Drozg didn’t even dress for the Pens tonight yet were added to ATO’s.

Anyway, for tonight the line was not touched. Adam Johnson was returned by Pittsburgh earlier Friday and Ben Sexton returned back from injury. Brandon Hawkins (ATO) debuted on third line. Michael Kim (ATO) debuted on defense. Cam and Chris Brown, Patrick McGrath and Tim Erixon were the odd men out from Tuesday. Cam Brown took the warmup.

A note about Kim and Hawkins. Neither looked out of place. I really liked what I saw from Hawkins, who forechecked and hit and from Kim who created turnovers, just standing guys up at his own blue line.

First Period: Men against boys period with the Penguins dominating pace and play yet at the end of the first period the Penguins only led by one goal on account of this Chris Summers goal. Summers swooped in and cleaned up a shot by Sam Lafferty.

Kim’s first professional point. Rookie defensemen out of Boston College wearing number eight. I know someone from there that came through here wearing that number. His name is Brian Dumoulin.

Pens couldn’t do a think on long stretches of power play time, and even more two man advantage time, squeezing their sticks a bit too tightly. Otherwise, they score two or three and the game turns into a laugher, quickly.

Second Period: Lafferty got his goal to go this time, finishing off a cross ice pass by Ethan Prow to make it 2-0.

Penguins carried the play through much of the period again. John Muse stood up to the few chances that the Devils offered easily.

Third Period: Zipped by, you were waiting for something to happen really good or bad, and finally Joseph Blandisi scores with a second left on a Colton White kneeing penalty to make it 3-0.

Capping off a great debut as a professional, Brandon Hawkins scores an empty netter with a nice assist from Jarrett Burton.

Ballgame.

Three Stars: 

The Good: Clark Donatelli’s decision to give Tristan Jarry the literal night off and go with Muse. Alex D’Orio (yet another ATO) backed up Muse, leaving Tristan Jarry as the man in the nets in Allentown for two games this weekend there against the Phantoms.

The Bad: The lack of success on the power play in the first period was a sight to see. Binghamton is a last place team and the Pens had long stretches of two man advantage that they didn’t get many shots on Cormier on.

Turning Point: Blandisi’s goal late in the third took the game from, “I hope we win,” to “We are going to win.”

Setting up Saturday: Five games left for Providence and Wilkes-Barre. Bruins rematch with the Sound Tigers on Saturday while the Pens travel down the Pennsylvania Turnpike to set up shop in Allentown to take on the Phantoms, who were off tonight. You’ll probably see more ATO guys rotate in, although I would be fine leaving who played tonight in Saturday but like I have said countless times before, I don’t coach the team, I just write a blog about them.

Video Highlights: 

Gameday setup vs. Lehigh Valley will hit the blog Saturday at 3.

Let’s Go Pens!

Postgamer

RAPID RECAP – Pens WIN 4-0

Comments Off on RAPID RECAP – Pens WIN 4-0 Posted by on April 5, 2019

Game was a lot closer than the scoreline would indicate, but the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins handle their business defeating the last place Binghamton Devils 4-0. John Muse with a 33 save shutout in a stroke of genius by Head Coach Clark Donatelli.

More in a bit.

Rapid Recap

GAMEDAY: vs. Binghamton 4/5

Comments Off on GAMEDAY: vs. Binghamton 4/5 Posted by on April 5, 2019

 

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Who: Binghamton Devils

 Where: Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza

When: 7:05 p.m.

Last Game: Tuesday morning in Bridgeport, the Penguins won 3-1. Ryan Haggerty scored twice and Tristan Jarry stopped 32 shots. For Binghamton, the Devils were in action last Saturday where they lost to the Rochester Americans at home 6-4. Blake Pietila had a goal and an assist and John Quenneville had three assists.

Last Meeting: January 26 in Binghamton the Penguins won 5-4 in overtime. Teddy Blueger scored :41 into overtime for the win.

Record: For WBS: 34-26-7-3 (78 pts., 5th place Atlantic Division) // For BNG: 26-38-6-0 (58 pts., 8th place North Division)

Referees: Michael Duco / Andrew Howard

Linesmen: Tom DellaFranco / Jud Ritter

Why You Should Care: Big two points available for the Penguins tonight against a last place Binghamton team who ate 2-7-1 in their last ten games. Wilkes-Barre is three points out of a playoff spot and need to win to keep pace. Playing the right way, like they did Tuesday in Bridgeport, should get them past the Devils this evening.

Listen: Nick Hart on the call on WILK.

Watch: AHLTV is new and improved and a lot cheaper.

Promotion(s): EYEWITNESS NEWS FAN FRIDAY – Enjoy great hockey at a great price with $14 lower bowl tickets, courtesy of our friends at Eyewitness News.  Fans ages 21 and over can enjoy select draft beers for just $2 from 6-7:30pm.  And everyone is invited to stick around after the game for our Citizens Voice / Scranton Times Tribune postgame autograph session, featuring a pair of Penguins players.*

Other Game to Watch: Bridgeport and Providence start a home and home series tonight in Rhode Island. Cheer for a Pens win tonight and a Sound Tigers regulation win.

Next Five Games: @ LV 4/6, @ LV 4/7, @ UTI 4/12, vs. BRI 4/13, vs. BNG 4/14

* – promo information credit to wbspenguins.com/promo-schedule

Gameday

AHL Power Rankings: Week 26

Comments Off on AHL Power Rankings: Week 26 Posted by on April 4, 2019

Five teams have qualified for the Calder Cup Playoffs and fitting this week that those five teams are in the top five in the Week 26 Chirps from Center Ice AHL Power Rankings.

It may not matter though, because the Charlotte Checkers look unstoppable. They will lock up home ice through the playoffs this weekend and good luck trying to beat this team in a five or seven game series.

Syracuse and Rochester have a huge home and home series this weekend for the North Division Championship.

Chicago has punched their ticket to the postseason and are above the noise of six other teams that are battling for the final three spots in the division.

Bakersfield rounds out the top five as a recent qualifier for the postseason.

Jump past the Condors if you didn’t link in direct to see where your favorite team ended up this week.

1

 Last Week: CHA 4 @ HFD 1, CHA 1 @ BRI 2, LV 1 @ CHA 5, LV 2 @ CHA 6
Lots of talk on this blog about fourth place in the Atlantic. Well, whoever gets that distinction faces off against Charlotte who will only be extending that teams season by two weeks. Checkers look unstoppable, and that isn’t good for the other 15 teams which qualify for the postseason.

n/a

 This Week: vs. SPR 4/6, vs. SPR 4/7
Record: 48-16-7-1

2

 Last Week: PRO 3 @ SYR 2, UTI 2 @ SYR 6, SYR 1 @ BEL 0
Three clear on Rochester for the division title and colud put the division championship away this weekend with a home and home with the Americans.

n/a

 This Week: @ RCH 4/5, vs. RCH 4/6
Record: 44-20-4-3

3

 Last Week: RCH 2 @ LAV 4, RCH 6 @ BNG 4
Amerks locked up a spot for the Calder Cup Playoffs. Next is home ice through the first round, maybe the division. Big series with Syracuse this weekend.

+2

 This Week: vs. SYR 4/5, @ SYR 4/6, @ CLE 4/8
Record: 43-21-4-2

4

 Last Week: CHI 4 @ GR 3, MIL 4 @ CHI 2, CHI 5 @ RFD 2
Wolves are above the noise which is buzzing at Grand Rapids, Iowa and below for the final three spots in the Central and have already locked up a playoff spot.

n/a

 This Week: @ MIL 4/5, vs. COL 4/6, vs. COL 4/7
Record: 42-20-5-3

5

 Last Week: BAK 3 @ SD 2, SJ 4 @ BAK 2, BAK 1 @ MTB 3, BAK 2 @ MTB 3
Condors are a playoff team, but hitting the final stretch a bit cold, having lost three straight.

-2

 This Week: @ SA 4/6, vs. TUC 4/10
Record: 39-20-3-2

Read more of this post

Power Rankings

Setting Up The Weekend

Comments Off on Setting Up The Weekend Posted by on April 3, 2019

I wanted to drop in here with some thoughts on an important weekend for the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins and Providence Bruins, the two teams for the final spot in the Atlantic Division Playoff race.

First, I saw this tidbit a few days ago, but in order to guarantee another 40 win season, Wilkes-Barre needs to win its remaining games. That would give them a max point total of 90 which bleeds into my other topics.

Here’s how your weekend sets up for the Penguins…

Friday: Home game against the Binghamton Devils. Believe it or not, its the first visit the Devils will make to Wilkes-Barre all season. The Devils are the Eastern Conference’s worst team and it’s not close.

Saturday and Sunday: Overnight trip to Allentown to take on the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. The Phantoms are sixth in the division and three points off of the Penguins and six points off of the Providence Bruins. They have six games left, five after today when they rematch later against the Charlotte Checkers who obliterated the Phantoms Tuesday 5-1. The Checkers had a 19-3 shot advantage after the first period. This was a game that the Phantoms needed to win just to keep pace and lost. Stick a fork in them, they are done. Yet, they will host the Pens for two this weekend.

How They Match Up: The Pens are 6-4, including two overtime wins against Lehigh Valley. They have not lost to the Phantoms at PPL Center this season.

Here’s how the weekend sets up for Providence…

Friday and Saturday: A home and home against the Bridgeport Sound Tigers beginning Friday in Rhode Island. Bridgeport’s magic number is 2. They have a five point cushion on Hershey for second with two more games played, so they aren’t out of the woods yet as far as home ice advantage and have a lot to play for yet. So do the fourth place Bruins. They lead the Penguins by three points with equal games played.

How They Match Up: Sound Tigers lead the season series 6-3-1-0 including four overtime wins and a shootout win. Bridgeport has had the Bruins number of recent; two overtime wins, a shootout and regulation win to go with just one regulation loss in the last five recent meetings.

Providence also hosts Utica Sunday. The Comets have been in a nosedive, 1-8-1 in their last ten and aren’t going to make the postseason.

Conceivably, the Penguins could be a playoff team when the dust settles Saturday night, provided they win both games Friday and Saturday and Providence is swept by Bridgeport.

Should be an interesting weekend. Week 26 AHL Power Rankings are here Thursday, then the Gameday setup against Binghamton Friday at 3.

The AHL, WBS

Morning Goodness — Pens WIN 3-1

Comments Off on Morning Goodness — Pens WIN 3-1 Posted by on April 2, 2019

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The Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins went into a Tuesday morning game with their playoff hopes on the door of life support. The Sound Tigers needed two points to sew up a spot in the Calder Cup Playoffs.

It was a game on paper that you would think the Penguins would struggle with, after watching them lay an egg against a Springfield Thunderbirds team in their only action of the weekend last Saturday. The Sound Tigers had success last weekend to inch closer to a playoff spot and were 24-6-2 at home coming into Tuesday’s contest.

Using a three goal first period and withstanding an 18-4 shot differential in the third period, the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins win 3-1 in Bridgeport. The win draws the Penguins back to three points behind the idle Providence Bruins with equal games played, denies the Sound Tigers a playoff spot for the time being and hands the Atlantic Division Championship to the Charlotte Checkers.

Lines were…

Lineup Notes: Anthony Angello and Juuso Riikola were out of the lineup with injuries. Patrick McGrath went in on the fourth line. Tim Erixon jumped in on defense. Top two lines for Wilkes-Barre were untouched, Cam Brown jumped in Angello’s spot on the third line. Defense pairing were all shuffled.

First Period: With these morning starts, the first team to get out of the blocks the right way normally carries the momentum. Fortunately in the first, it was the Penguins.

Ryan Haggerty carried the puck out of the Bridgeport zone, through neutral, then split to Bridgeport defenders and was tripped. Penguins went to an early power play just :33 in.

Haggerty didn’t waste time in giving the Penguins an early 1-0 lead before the game was a minute old.

The hits continued. Chase Berger scored his first professional goal in just his second professional game through a screen on the left side that gave the Penguins a 2-0 lead.

But Wilkes-Barre was not done. Ryan Haggerty scored his second of the game when he collected a Sam Lafferty faceoff win, floated mid slot and fired to give the Penguins a 3-0 lead.

Shots were 14-8 Penguins after one. Smith was under bombardment all period and it could have easily been 4-0 or 5-0.

Second Period: Another thing that you have to worry about with the morning starts is that the team that starts in the hole gets their legs moving and the team on top relaxes a bit because it’s a morning game and then all of a sudden it becomes a contest again. That didn’t happen in the middle frame. The Penguins maintained their 3-0 lead.

Smith had some good stops, starting off with a Chris Brown breakaway chance set up by Ryan Haggerty. Then he stopped Joseph Cramarossa with a glove save in the splits.

Third Period: Sound Tigers started to move their feet in the period and got the Penguins in penalty trouble. Finally Jeff Kubiak deflected a Carter Hutton shot from the point that deflected past Jarry and in to bust up Jarry’s would be shutout bid.

Penguins put on a penalty killing clinic the rest of the way and held off Bridgeport’s oncoming charges. Ryan Haggerty had a couple cracks at his hat trick but was denied.

Three Stars: 3) Jeff Kubiak (goal) 2) Chase Berger (goal) 1) Ryan Haggerty (two goals)

The Good: Getting out to a hot start before the clock struck 11 a.m. in the morning. A mild second and then withstanding a furious bid by the Sound Tigers in the third period.

The Bad: Kind of hard to come up with something like this, considering the opponent just scored one goal, but putting away a team is something that lacks I think right now. If the Penguins do get into the playoffs, they will need that killer instinct.

Turning Point: The three goal explosion in the first period ended up turning out to be too big of a hole to climb out of.

No other scores in the division that you need to worry about.

Video Highlights: 

But for anything breaking, check out the Power Rankings on Thursday.

Let’s Go Pens!

Postgamer

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