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The other headline would have been, “Close Only Counts in Horseshoes and Hand Grenades.”

Ryan Haggerty’s two goal effort is bested by Hershey’s Riley Barber’s hat trick as the Hershey Bears win 4-2 in Wilkes-Barre to separate themselves from the Penguins by six points in the Atlantic Division race.

The Penguins for whatever reason could not break the press that the Bears had on them all night long. It was like a giant Chocolate and White blanket just covered the entire ice. You would swear that the Bears knew what the exit play before the Penguins even executed.

After a scoreless first period which felt like a chess match, Riley Barber deflected an Aaron Ness one time shot from the near side three seconds after a Hershey two man advantage power play expired in the second period.

Ryan Haggerty would provide all of Wilkes-Barre’s offense in the second period and the game when he made a move around a guy at the high slot and ripped a shot through bodies that found the back of the net to tie the game at one.

Joseph Cramarossa found a streaking Haggerty off of the bench on a cross ice pass that connected for a goal and the Penguins were up 2-1 heading into the third.

Those were my two tweets as the third period started.

No one helped out Zach Trotman and bang, Megna unabated and it’s a tie game.

And yes Joe, you do hate to see it.

Back to the chess match we saw in the first until Barber scored mid slot for his second of the game that gave Hershey a 3-2 lead with 3:41 left to play in regulation.

With Jarry pulled and a time out to set things up in the end, the Pens got close with J-S Dea getting robbed point blank, Barber sweeps clear a puck that travels in a straight line down the ice for an empty net goal from about 170′ away.

I mean that’s it. It wasn’t a game marred by penalties. Wilkes-Barre got in trouble in the second, but that was erased by Haggerty’s goals right after. The Pens could not score on the only power play that they were awarded.

The game lacked a true scorer from the Penguins in the first period. I keep saying it, but Teddy Blueger is missed in these parts. With what’s left, J-S Dea is in a slump, Joseph Blandisi’s new car smell has faded, and Ryan Haggerty remained hot with 9-3-12 in his last eleven games.

Tristan Jarry took the loss. It really can’t be pinned on him. A one time deflection on a power play, a man left unmarked streaking down the slot, same in the mid slot and the empty net goal doesn’t go against him.

Here’s how they lined up.

Lineup Notes: No Adam Johnson tonight. He’s been sick this week. Pat McGrath skated as the extra body. Linus Ölund drew in. Lines were shook up as a result. Flip Haggerty and Blandisi on top line wing. Hayes in Johnson’s spot, third line intact and Ölund on fourth line. On defense, Macoy Erkamps went in for Blake Siebenaler.

Three Stars: 

The Good: Ryan Haggerty should get the “C” pinned to his chest if Garrett Wilson remains up for the duration.

The Bad: Without looking, when was the last time the Penguins won at home? It was February 1 against Cleveland, a 7-2 throttling of the Monsters that night. If the Pens want an easy way into playoffs, it’s going to come at home where the Pens play nine times in the month of March. The Penguins are 10-13-2-0 at home. That is not good and downright unacceptable.

Turning Point: Barber’s second goal that gave the Bears the lead is the easy, obvious choice.

Around the Division: Charlotte beats Lehigh Valley 2-1….Bridgeport and Providence go to overtime and the Sound Tigers get the OT win 5-4….Hartford beat Springfield 3-2.

Standings: Charlotte 77 — Bridgeport 69 — Hershey 63 — Providence 62 — Lehigh Valley 60 — Penguins 57 — Springfield 54 — Hartford 52.

Wheeling Update: Nailers were off.

Setting Up Saturday: Lehigh Valley and Charlotte rematch. Bridgeport hosts Springfield. Rockford visits Hershey. Providence travels to Hartford. You want a Checkers, Sound Tigers, IceHogs and Wolf Pack regulation win.

Video Highlights: 

Wilkes-Barre is off Saturday. They are back in action Sunday at 3 pm against Rockford. Gameday setup hits the blog here Sunday at 11 am.

Let’s Go Pens!

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If the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins would have lost this game today in Hartford, you would get no argument from me if you said to me that their playoff chances are done like dinner.

If the way that the Penguins would have lost this particular game, I would be the one telling you that here in this opening.

After going up 4-1 to start the third, Hartford ties it to force overtime, but Adam Johnson scores in the extra session to give the Penguins a 5-4 overtime win and a much needed two points in Connecticut this afternoon.

The Penguins may still not make playoffs, but this afternoon’s game didn’t close the door entirely. Faint hope remains.

John Muse opposed Dustin Tokarski.

Lines were…

Lineup Notes: Blake Siebenhaler made his Penguins debut on the third defensive pairing with Chris Summers, replacing Macoy Erkamps.

First Period: The Penguins put up a ton of shots at Dustin Tokarski, but couldn’t score. Then, the Wolf Pack put their first shot on goal at Muse and it goes in. Vinni Letteri threw a seemingly harmless backhander at Muse and it found daylight and squeaked in near post.

Later, Ryan Haggerty got credit on a deflected puck which fluttered past Tokarski to even the game at one. Penguins had the only power play of the period and didn’t capitalize.

No GIFs of the goals today. Sorry.

Second Period: Penguins added three goals in the period. Adam Johnson put a shot on Dustin Tokarski and Sam Lafferty was there to collect the rebound and put it in to make it 2-1.

Then the Penguins made it 3-1 when Chris Summers scored his first of the season when a puck squeaked through Tokarski.

Hartford picked up the pace a bit, putting a few pucks on Muse and even were the benefactors of two power plays, but Muse closed the door on all of the chances.

Joseph Blandisi deflected a Zach Trotman shot that made it 4-1.

Brandon Halverson replaced Dustin Tokarski in net.

Man, I miss those GIFs.

Third Period: When Ethan Prow turned a puck over to Steven Fogarty to make it a 4-2, game, I felt that it was a bad omen.

When Peter Holland scored to make it 4-3 when the Penguins flew the defensive zone, I knew it was a matter of when, not if.

Jimmy Hayes took a trip at 9:51 and Sean Day let one rip six seconds later for a power play goal for the Wolf Pack and a tie game.

What an implosion. Hartford is a last place team!

Wilkes-Barre continued to play fast and loose. Some of the exit passes were lazy and blind. Then Blake Siebenhaler turned a puck over to Peter Holland but Johnny Muse was there to make the cool glove save. I don’t think its was a matter of playing not to lose, as much as Hartford just going for the kill at the hop at the start of the third, knowing that they couldn’t win the game with one shot, but methodically eating the elephant one bite at a time, if I can use a metaphor.

Overtime: Blog story is absent of visuals and I apologize, but I Periscoped it for you here.

That is Adam Johnson with the goal. If you don’t want to sit through the whole thing, Coal Street was good on getting the GIF of the game winning shot up on Twitter quickly:

The Good: Getting out to a three goal lead.

The Bad: Blowing said three goal lead.

Turning Point: There were a few which are crumbled up in a ball here in my mom’s basement. The glove save by Muse on Holland to preserve the tie to get it to overtime get an honorable mention, but let’s go with Adam Johnson’s game winning shot.

Three Stars: 

Around the Division: Charlotte loses to Bridgeport 7-3. Checkers are sputtering, but they won Friday and Saturday….Springfield beats Providence 5-1. Hershey beats Lehigh Valley 4-3 to tie a franchise record with a. point in 15 straight games.

Standings: Charlotte 75 — Bridgeport 67 — Hershey 61 — Providence 61 — Lehigh Valley 60 — Penguins 57 — Springfield 54 — Hartford 50

Wheeling Update: Nailers take down the Fort Wayne Komets in Indiana 6-5 in a shootout this afternoon. Alec Butcher had a goal and two assists and scored the shootout winners for the Nailers.

In the evening update, I didn’t see any video highlights from Hartford or Wilkes-Barre’s accounts.

Pens are back in action Friday at home against Hershey. News as it comes this week.

Let’s Go Pens!

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Another microcosm of the season as the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins and Utica Comets play to a first period deadlock, then Utica scores in the final minute of the second and again in the opening stages of the third before the Penguins bounce back and score two to tie, with the the tying goal coming in the final minute of regulation. Cam Darcy’s goal in overtime seals it for Utica, and the Penguins fall 3-2.

I don’t think there was anything special that the Comets did that the Penguins didn’t. Everyone had to work for a goal tonight. They went like this:

— A tired group of Penguins gets caught on the ice when linesman Luke Murray rules that Joseph Blandisi did not beat out an icing call, thus trapping Wilkes-Barre out late. Wacey Hamilton wins a face-off back to Brendan Woods and the Comets go up at 19:24 of the second period.

— Vincent Arseneau puts home a juicy rebound left by Tristan Jarry off a shot initially stopped from the point and it’s 2-0 Utica at 2:15 of the third period.

— J-S Dea wins a face-off back to Sam Miletic and the Pens get on the board at 5:46.

— Ryan Haggerty sweeps the tying goal across the line on a power play in the final minute of the game at 19:17 with Tristan Jarry pulled for the extra attacker.

Nifty passing sees Cam Darcy get free and he scores on Jarry in overtime to give the Comets the extra point.

Is it a game where a player like Teddy Blueger would have had an impact? I think so, but he’s up in Pittsburgh and you have to play the cards you’re dealt.

Utica only had 23 shots tonight. The Penguins had 37. I think it was a mixture of lack of a true finisher and the fact that Utica rolled out future hall of famer Michael Leighton in goal. Leighton stopped 35 of 37 and some of his saves were highlight reel. If the Comets are looking for a hero, they found them in Michael Leighton. He down right stole the game for the Comets tonight.

The Penguins are running out of time in looking to be serious contenders in the playoff race. Yes, it’s February, but if you start March ten points back, it’s a tough hole to dig out of and you are looking at three other games on the scoreboard looking for things to break your way.

Gap is now four points to fifth place Hershey and five to fourth place Lehigh Valley. The Phantoms played Friday while the Pens and Bears were off. They won in overtime to Bridgeport at home. Saturday, they played the Bears in Hershey and lost in a shootout. That’s bad for the Pens for a lot of reasons. First, don’t give points to both teams on Friday when both teams are playoff teams right now. Second, don’t give points to both teams when both teams you are pursuing for what is most likely to be the final playoff spot in the Atlantic.

Lineup was the same they used in Hershey Wednesday. John Muse backed up. I don’t know what is going on in that regard. Anthony Peters I do not think is hurt, but that whole situation with him this year has been a jumbled mess on top of a much bigger jumbled mess called the 2018-19 Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins.

The Good? The good was coming back from two in the third period to manufacture at least a point.

The Bad? The bad was Utica not really interested in putting a ton of shots on net and the Penguins just throwing everything they could at Leighton that the Comets net minder turned away easily. I didn’t see a ton of traffic in front of him and his night was pretty easy from where I sat.

Turning point was the blown icing call. The Pens were looking for something to happen, good or bad, and something bad ended up happening. They got a point, but they never recovered.

That’s basically it. More Sunday after Hartford. Gameday setup hits the blog Sunday at 11.