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Apologies in advance for any editing / formatting errors, tonight was a work night home game and this game recap was done largely on my phone.

In a game of utmost importance for the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins, against an opponent they will see the most here as the regular season winds down, there was a sense of urgency on the ice.

It belonged to the visitors tonight.

A 3-1 Lehigh Valley win. The Phantoms came in 3-6-1 in their last ten games but you’d never know that by watching because they totally dominated pace of play. The Penguins were flat all night, played on their heels and looked either totally uninterested in competing tonight or wholly unprepared.

My opinion? A combination of both. No excuse to play like that against a Phantoms team who is the model of inconsistency this season.

There’s more to it, but it’s a work night game and I gotta hurry here.

Tristan Jarry opposed Alex Lyon.

Lines were:

Lineup Notes: D pairings shook up. The graphic is wrong, Ben Sexton was out and Linus Ölund was in.

First Period: Penguins were on their heels for a large part of the period. They had a goal called back when Kevin Czuczman was called for charging when he trucked Lyon in his crease:

Connor Bunnaman would score on the ensuing power play.

Quick shot beats Jarry after Bunnaman digs the puck out of his skates.

Penguins had some late pressure to close out the period, but didn’t score.

Second Period: Collateral damage for the Pens who lost a defenseman (Chris Wideman) and a forward (Ryan Scarfo) to injury at some point early in the period. Their goalie however, was sharp. This despite getting scored on when Pascal Laberge scored his first goal of the season to put the Phantoms back ahead after Adam Johnson scored to tie the game at one.

Here is Johnson’s goal. Phantoms got sloppy and the Pens made them pay.

And Laberge:

Despite the score line, Tristan Jarry was dialed in and the sole reason that the Penguins faced just a one goal deficit heading into the….

Third Period: Pens had a great power play to open the frame, had some looks but couldn’t score. Game went on, time came off the clock and Wilkes-Barre got caught standing around in their own end when Byron Froese tapped in a puck that made it 3-1 Phantoms.

Pens pulled Jarry for the extra attacker with two minutes left but it didn’t help – Kevin Czuczman took a tripping penalty.

Three Stars: 3) Alex Lyon (27 saves on 28 shots) 2) Mikhail Vorobyev (two assists) 1) Pascal Laberge (goal)

The Good: Adam Johnson has seven goals against the Phantoms.

The Bad: Power play failed them again and whether or not they were prepared leaves much to be answered.

Turning Point: Laberge’s goal right after Johnson’s game the Phantoms the edge in a game where the Penguins were flat out dull.

Tom found out information on Wideman and Scarfo postgame:

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Around the Division: They all watched us.

Standings: Charlotte 83 — Bridgeport — 77 — Hershey 68 — Providence 67 — Lehigh Valley 64 — Penguins 62 — Springfield 59 — Hartford 57

Wheeling Update: Nailers were in Fort Wayne and made a game of it with Trevor Yates’ hat trick, but lost 6-5.

If Coal Street runs a video highlight package, I will run it here.

Pens are back at it Friday at home against Hartford. Gameday setup runs here Friday at 3.

Let’s Go Pens!

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Things are getting tight around the cut line in the Atlantic and me, being ever the optimist, will feel good with taking three out of four points out of the weekend.

But the Hartford Wolf Pack are a last place team that had a lot of their regulars stripped away and sent to other teams at the trade deadline.

Hockey doesn’t work like that. The Wolf Pack are well coached by Keith McCambridge and had their butts handed to them Friday in Springfield against a slumping Thunderbirds team. Hartford was prepared against a team they play well against.

Penguins lose in overtime 4-3. Jimmy Hayes’ late power play goal, which was his 100th professional goal salvages a point and caps off a two goal third period comeback for the Penguins who were down 3-1 at the start of the third period.

Tristan Jarry opposed Brandon Halverson.

Lines were…

Lineup Notes: There were none. They went with the same lineup they used Friday in Providence, only swapping John Muse who backed up with Anthony Peters.

First Period: Penguins would get out to an early lead, but something about the way that the Wolf Pack match up with Wilkes-Barre, it didn’t last long. Hartford would storm back and tie it, then take the lead.

Here are the goals, starting with Joseph Blandisi opening the scoring for the Pens.

Goal came less than :90 into the contest.

Ryan Gropp finished off a tic tac toe passing play in front of Jarry and the Wolf Pack drew even.

Unmarked in the slot. That’s a no no.

Hartford put a long shot on that Jarry made the save on, but Ty Ronning drove down the far side and scored on the rebound to give the Wolf Pack a 2-1 lead.

Penguins had two power plays that they never came close on in the period.

Second Period: Hartford added a third goal when John Gilmour scored.

I had a tweet that really summarized things so far that I thought played well with the fact that the Penguins were 0/3 on the power play so far.

Yet another microcosm of the season.

Shots were 27-23 Wolf Pack through 40. Halverson was stout.

Third Period: Penguins knew they had to press in the third, and press they did. Sharp at the off, Ben Sexton deflects this Chris Wideman shot and Wilkes-Barre is within one just a minute into the frame.

Wilkes-Barre would only allow Hartford just 4 shots on goal all period and played smart hockey throughout.

Jimmy Hayes scored his 100th professional goal at a time that the team needed most, on a power play late in the third period down one.

This would force overtime.

Wilkes-Barre would get another power play right after the Hayes goal, but couldn’t get that lucky to take all two points in regulation.

Overtime: Didn’t last long. Pens found themselves on a 2-on-1 against and Ryan Gropp scored just :22 in.

The Good: Third period comeback to salvage at least a point. The Hayes power play goal on the power play may have saved or at least extended, the Penguins playoff hopes.

The Bad: Hartford has the Penguins number it seems. Season series right now is 3-3. You could say that the Penguins have no business being in these close games with a team like Hartford and you’d get no argument from me.

Turning Point: Hayes’ power play goal salvaged a much needed point for Wilkes-Barre that could go a long way.

Three Stars: 

Around the Division: Scoreboard lined up nice for the Penguins tonight. Bridgeport beats Hershey 4-1, Springfield beats Providence 4-2. There was Charlotte crushing Binghamton 8-1 but the Checkers are going to win the division in a runaway. Lehigh Valley beat Utica 4-2.

Standings: Charlotte 83 — Bridgeport 75 — Hershey 68 — Providence 65 — Lehigh Valley 62 — Penguins 62 — Springfield 59 — Hartford 57

Wheeling Update: Nailers lose 3-2 in overtime to Cincinnati.

Setting up Sunday: Bridgeport travels to Allentown to take on the Phantoms, Springfield and Providence rematch in Rhode Island. Hershey, the Pens and the rest of the Atlantic are off.

If I see Hartford post video highlights, I will run them here.

Pens bus home Saturday night, will get ready for a big Wednesday home game against the Phantoms. Bits and pieces for the blog if they warrant, if not, talk to you Wednesday.

Let’s Go Pens!

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Playoff like intense hockey game played in Providence, Rhode Island between the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins and the Providence Bruins. After a scoreless forty minutes, two defensemen trade goals about five minutes apart but that solved little, and the Penguins need a shootout to take down the Bruins 2-1 Friday night in Providence.

With the win and the Phantoms loss in Syracuse Friday, Wilkes-Barre jumps to fifth in the Atlantic and is four points out of a playoff spot on the Bruins, who occupy that spot.

Tristan Jarry opposed Zane McIntyre.

Lines were…

Lineup: Sam Lafferty centered the top line after J-S Dea departed this week. The third line remained the same. The defense pairing were all shook up with Tim Erixon returning and Chris Wideman debuting, taking the place of Jeff Taylor and the recalled Zach Trotman.

First Period: No scoring in the period. The Bruins were slightly better at even strength. Tristan Jarry was up to the task with the in close shots that the Bruins were throwing at him.

Second Period: Penguins found themselves on a power play to start the period and all of a sudden had a two man advantage for 1:25. They got the perfect setup with Sam Lafferty but Zane McIntyre was there to make the ridiculous save to keep the game scoreless.

Anton Blidh and Chris Wideman fought in the only action that would have brought the fans out of their seats.

Third Period: The goal less drought would finally end when Ethan Prow would score to give the Penguins a 1-0 lead.

Providence then proceeded to slow the game down and through a mass of bodies to the penalty box, would see Chris Breen score a power play goal to tie the game at one. A laser from the point.

Game flipped back into a defensive battle after that. Time ticked down and it was off to…

Overtime: Periscoped below, with the shootout as well. In it, you will see Ethan Prow break up a Bruins scoring bid and the Penguins on a power play to close out regulation. Tristan Jarry stops both shooters he faced, Ben Sexton scored in the second and Joseph Cramarossa with the hammer to win it in the third.

If you don’t want to sit through the entire ~11:30, here is Cramarossa’s game winner in the shootout.

The Good: Pens played a tight, playoff intense affair against a really good team in Providence.

The Bad: Special teams continues to be a concern. Pens couldn’t score on a long 5-on-3 in the second period on a fresh sheet of ice and couldn’t score in overtime.

Turning Point: Tristan Jarry stopping Lee Stempniak, he of 900+ NHL games in the top of the second followed by Joseph Cramarossa’s goal in the bottom of the second proved to be the most important set off events in an otherwise drab, defensively locked down hockey game.

Three Stars: 3) Chris Wideman (assist) 2) Chris Breen (goal) 1) Ben Sexton (goal in shootout)

Around the Division: Charlotte beats Binghamton 4-2….Hershey loses in overtime in Utica 3-2….Lehigh Valley is shutout in Syracuse 4-0 and Springfield beat Hartford 5-1. J-S Dea had a goal for his new team in his Thunderbirds debut. Bridgeport was off.

Standings: Charlotte 81 — Bridgeport 73 — Hershey 68 — Providence 65 — Penguins 61 — Lehigh Valley 60 — Springfield 57 — Hartford 55

Setting up Saturday: Providence travels to Springfield. Lehigh Valley heads to Utica. Hershey hosts a rested Bridgeport team.

Wheeling Update: The Nailers beat Toledo 5-2. Blake Siebenaler, assigned there this week by Wilkes-Barre (technically Pittsburgh) had an assist. Winston Day Chief had a hat trick.

If I see Coal Street put out a video highlight package, I will run it here.

Pens head to Hartford for a 7:30 start Saturday against the Wolf Pack. Gameday setup is yours Saturday at 3:30.

Let’s Go Pens!