Comments Off on GAMEDAY: vs. Hershey 10/26
Posted by nafsnep on October 26, 2018
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Who: Hershey Bears
Where: Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza
When: 7:05 p.m.
Last Game: Last Saturday at home against Lehigh Valley, the Penguins lost 6-3. Sam Miletic had two first period goals before it all fell apart on the Penguins. For Hershey, the Bears faced the Charlotte Checkers in Charlotte last Saturday and shut them out 2-0. Vitek Vanecek had a 25 save shutout.
Last Meeting: October 17 at home, the Penguins lost 3-2 despite putting up 42 shots at Vitek Vanecek. He stopped 40 of them. Tobias Lindberg and Garrett Wilson scored for the Pens but Jayson Megna for the Bears scored 2:11 after Wilson in what held up as the game winner. Tristan Jarry took the loss in his season debut, he stopped 25 shots.
Record: For WBS: 4-2-0-0 (8 pts., 5th place Atlantic Division) // For HER: 2-5-0-1 (5 pts., 8th place Atlantic Division)
Referee(s): Brandon Blandina / Jason Williams
Linesmen: Bob Goodman / Jud Ritter
Why You Should Care: Penguins play a home and home set this weekend against a hot Hershey Bears team that has 5 out of 6 points in their last three games. Wilkes-Barre will need to find a way to solve expected starting goaltender and reigning AHL Player of the Week Vitek Vanecek if they wish to have any success this weekend. Big test lies ahead.
Promotion(s): Halloween / Postgame Autographs / $2 Beers till 7:30
Other Game to Watch: Colorado travels to Iowa. The Eagles have won four straight while Tim Army’s Iowa Wild dropped two against the Texas Stars last week and are looking to kick off their weekend on a winning note.
Next Five Games: @ HER 10/27, vs. HFD 11/2, vs. HFD 11/3, @ BRI 11/4, @ PRO 11/9
Comments Off on AHL Power Rankings: Week 3
Posted by nafsnep on October 25, 2018
You would like to think that your team three weeks into the season either remains hot or starts to turn a corner for the good. There are teams that have started bad and remain bad or teams that are turning the corner for the bad. Sense a theme? You want to make moves? Turn the corner. Some teams are this week, for the good and the bad.
Charlotte remains the top team for the third week in a row after some shuffling in the top five. No real reason, yet, to move the Checkers from the pinnacle.
Springfield bumps to second. There are no undefeated teams left in the AHL, but Springfield is one team who has yet to suffer a regulation loss.
Rochester started 0-2 but have not lost in regulation since. The Americans are third in this weeks Rankings.
San Jose drops to fourth after splitting a series with Stockton.
Your Central Division leading Milwaukee Admirals round out the top five.
Pop past Milwaukee if you didn’t link in direct to see where your favorite team ended up this week….
1
Last Week: HER 3 @ CHA 4 (SO), HER 2 @ CHA 0, CHA 3 @ UTI 1
Even the best teams have bad days, like the Checkers had against the Bears Saturday, but that is not enough to knock Charlotte out of the top spot, yet.
n/a
This Week: @ BNG 10/26, @ SYR 10/27
Record: 6-1-0-0
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Last Week: SPR 5 @ LAV 3, SPR 4 @ LAV 2
Thunderbirds go into Laval and sweep the Rocket. Points in all six contests so far for the Thunderbirds, who host Providence and Hartford this week.
+2
This Week: vs. PRO 10/27, vs. HFD 10/28
Record: 4-0-0-2
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Last Week: TOR 4 @ RCH 5 (SO), RCH 4 @ BEL 5 (OT)
Underestimate this Rochester team at your peril. This Amerks team is built to compete and compete they have. After an 0-2 start to start the year, points in their last six.
+9
This Week: vs. UTI 10/26, vs. LAV 10/27
Record: 5-2-1-0
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Last Week: SJ 5 @ STK 2, STK 3 @ SJ 2
Split a series with the Heat. Off to Texas this week. Still lead the Pacific.
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This Week: @ SA 10/26, @ TEX 10/27
Record: 5-1-0-1
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Last Week: MIL 2 @ SD 4, MIL 5 @ CHI 4 (SO), SA 0 @ MIL 3
Milwaukee jumps into the top five after a positive week. Admirals lead the Central. Good trio of games coming up this week.
+2
This Week: vs. CLE 10/26, vs. MTB 10/27, vs. MTB 10/30
Comments Off on Will O’Neill Suspended One Game
Posted by nafsnep on October 23, 2018
Tuesday afternoon, the American Hockey League suspended Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins defenseman Will O’Neill for his actions Saturday night against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
O’Neill was assessed an instigator penalty within the final five minutes of the third period, resulting in an automatic one-game suspension under the provisions of AHL Rule 46.22. He will miss Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s game Friday (Oct. 26) vs. Hershey.
From the Rulebook…
Fines and Suspensions – Instigator in Final Five Minutes of Regulation Time (or Anytime in Overtime) – A player who is deemed to be the instigator of an altercation in the final five (5) minutes of regulation time or at any time in overtime (see 46.12), shall automatically be suspended for one game. The length of suspension will double for each subsequent offense. This suspension shall be served in addition to any other automatic suspensions a player may incur for an accumulation of three or more instigator penalties.
When the one-game suspension is imposed, the player’s Coach and Club shall each be fined five hundred dollars ($500) – a fine that will double for each subsequent incident.
This is 46.12…
Instigator in Final Five Minutes of Regulation Time (or Anytime in Overtime) – A player who is deemed to be the instigator of an altercation in the final five (5) minutes of regulation time or at any time in overtime shall be assessed an instigator minor penalty, a major penalty for fighting, and a game misconduct penalty, subject to the conditions outlined in 46.22.
Here is the video of what got O’Neill the instigator penalty and thus suspended…
VIDEO: Here is what led to the Will O’Neill suspension, where O’Neill picked up an instigator penalty which comes with an automatic one game suspension. pic.twitter.com/dGOwhr0t7P
As mentioned above, O’Neill will miss this Friday’s home game against the Hershey Bears.
O’Neill tried to make his case to Tom after the game last Saturday…
O'Neill wasn't happy w/ the penalties at end of the game: "If you want to give 4 mins for roughing both ways and let us leave the rink that's fine. It's a play where it's a contested breakaway. He turns around and gives me one, so I don't know what the ref really wants me to do"
More from O'Neill: "I have to protect myself in that situation – when he turns to me and he's ready to give me a crosscheck or whatever. I think it's a hockey play – two guys at the end. Either a minor or double minor roughing both ways."
John Muse has been assigned to Wheeling. I thought they would at least try to make a competition out of the trio that was here (Tristan Jarry, Muse and Anthony Peters) but Jarry is the NHL pedigree that will see the lion share of starts, Peters is the AHL only guy who can’t go to Wheeling because Cincinnati owns his ECHL rights. Wheeling and Cincinnati are in the same division so it’s like Zach Aston-Reese playing for the Hershey Bears…Muse was the odd guy out. It’s a business.
Updates from practice…
Couple good signs at practice – Czuczman is no longer in a red sweater. Matt Abt and Anthony Angello also both skating and so is Jarrett Burton.
Comments Off on The Germans Are Coming! — Pens LOSE 6-3
Posted by nafsnep on October 20, 2018
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It’s good to see that there are teams out there that don’t lay down easy and pack up and call it an evening when they are faced with adversity.
The Lehigh Valley Phantoms will be bussing to Bridgeport, Connecticut Saturday night into Sunday morning for an afternoon affair with the Sound Tigers. After going down 2-0 in the first period Saturday night in Wilkes-Barre, some players for the Phantoms could have packed it in, started conserving energy and coasting a bit for tomorrow’s game in Bridgeport.
But not Scott Gordon’s crew. Undeterred, the Phantoms would go on to outscore Wilkes-Barre 6-1 and turn what looked like a Phantoms rout into a Penguins rout. Lehigh Valley wins 6-3.
If Clark Donatelli is the coach I know him to be, this will be a teachable moment.
Anthony Peters opposed Alex Lyon. Tristan Jarry backed up, it may be time to get a look at what Johnny Muse can do for the Penguins in the pipes. That’s not a knock on either Jarry or Peters, Muse hasn’t played a regular season game yet for the Penguins and may be due.
— Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) October 20, 2018
Notes: Troy Josephs was in for Ryan Horvat up front and Matt Abt was in for Jeff Taylor.
First Period: In a period where the Penguins put up an eye popping 20 shots on goal, they would race out ahead of the Phantoms and took a 2-0 lead off the stick of Sam Miletic.
A redirect of a Will O’Neill point shot here…
🚨 GOAL! 🚨 Sam Miletic tips in Will O'Neill's shot from the point, and the Penguins take a 1-0 lead. Miletic's second goal in as many games.
A quick start by Wilkes-Barre who were at time running around on the Phantoms but Friedman’s goal had them sticking around heading into the…
Second Period: German Rubtsov wrist shot beat Peters clean to tie the game for Lehigh Valley for exactly the answer the Phantoms were looking for coming out of the intermission…
The Phantoms tie it, 2-2, 6:40 into the second period. Goal from German Rubtsov.
In a game where few penalties were called (and none against the Phantoms) the last thing the you wanted to see was Lehigh Valley going on a power play.
:06 into a Teddy Blueger slashing penalty, Phil Varone scores to give the Phantoms a 3-2 lead…
Aaaaaaand the Phantoms get another one past Peters to take a 3-2 lead. Goal from Phil Varone.
But then the Penguins would get caught in a bad line change and German Rubtsov would score his second of the period and gave the Phantoms a lead they would never relinquish.
The Phantoms take a 4-3 lead in the final minute of the second period. Goal from German Rubtsov.
Two power plays that took :16 total. Price Chopper Market 32 in Kingston sponsors the Penguins penalty kill and Bobby Day never was able to get the sponsor read out. I’d be calling this week to get the money back on this one, but I just named them here. I shop there sometimes. It’s a nice grocery store. They have a seafood department, a butcher shop and a nice deli. You can always tell the quality of a grocery store by its deli.
Anyway.
After some rough stuff in the games final minute that saw Will O’Neill get assessed a game misconduct, a regular misconduct, a fighting major and an instigating minor, the game concluded without further incident.
Update: Lost among the madness is the fact that O’Neill did indeed receive an instigator penalty in the games final five minutes. That carries an automatic one game suspension with it unless it is rescinded. I don’t really see any reason for it to be taken off the board, so expect an announcement from the League Monday or Tuesday announcing that O’Neill is suspended for the next game which will be Friday at home against the Bears.
— Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) October 21, 2018
Around the Division: Don’t look now but Hershey collected 5 of 6 points this week and in turn hand Charlotte their first regulation loss of the season, beating the Checkers in shutout fashion 2-0. A 25 save shutout for Vitek Vanecek, who most assuredly you can expect first out of the tunnel at around 6:20 on Friday night in Wilkes-Barre….Springfield sweeps Laval 4-2…Toronto beats Hartford 3-2 and Providence beats up on Bridgeport 5-2.
Standings: Springfield 10 – Charlotte 10 – Hartford 9 – Penguins 8 – Lehigh Valley 6 – Bridgeport, Providence and Hershey with 5 all in that order.
Wheeling Update: I’ll let Taylor sum it up.
Nailers fall to the Cyclones, 4-1. Lynch with the lone Nailers goal. 0-2 to start the season.
They went a full week between their first two games, and they'll go a full week again before their third game, Oct. 27 in Reading. They won't open at home until Nov. 3#Nailers#DKPS
📹 POSTGAME HIGHLIGHTS 📹 – Not the result we were looking for, but a couple of nice tallies from Sam Miletic and Ethan Prow feature in our video recap. #WBS20pic.twitter.com/vR5hoJo95K
— Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) October 21, 2018
Pens are off Sunday and have an optional skate Monday. I’m back here Thursday with the Week 3 Power Rankings for sure, may fill in with news as I can scratch them together between now and then.
Comments Off on RAPID RECAP – Pens LOSE 6-3
Posted by nafsnep on October 20, 2018
In a game that did not feature a single Penguin power play, the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins jumped out to a 2-0 lead and looked to start running all over the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Sam Miletic scores two quick goals and the Penguins put up 20 shots on goal.
But a relentless effort from the visiting team, where they score two power play goals in :16 (two separate power plays, obviously) and what set up as a rout for the home team quickly turned on them and the Phantoms go on to win 6-3.
Comments Off on GAMEDAY: vs. Lehigh Valley 10/20
Posted by nafsnep on October 20, 2018
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Who: Lehigh Valley Phantoms
Where: Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza
When: 7:05 p.m.
Last Game / Last Meeting: Last night in Allentown these two teams played an instant classic where the Penguins came out on top 5-4. The Penguins gave up two power play goals in the third period before Teddy Blueger scored on a power play goal and then Garrett Wilson scored with 63 seconds left to lift the Pens pas the Phantoms. TJ Brennan for the Phantoms had a goal and an assist.
Record: For WBS: 4-1-0-0 (8 pts., 3rd place Atlantic Division) // For LV: 2-2-0-0 (4 pts., 6th place Atlantic Division)
Referee(s): Mitch Dunning / Dan Kelly
Linesmen: Tom DellaFranco / Luke Murray
Why You Should Care: If last night was any indication on how this series is going to go between these two sides, then buckle up. The Phantoms will be looking to exact some revenge on the Penguins while Wilkes-Barre will be looking to button up in the discipline department on Lehigh Valley so as to not allow for so many power plays. Expect more of the same and another thriller between these two rivals.
Comments Off on Instant Classic — Pens WIN 5-4
Posted by nafsnep on October 19, 2018
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Tristan Jarry took a lot of flak from some of the chicken littles Wednesday night when he came back from Pittsburgh and was named the starter early in the week by Head Coach Clark Donatelli.
“Ride the hot hand in Anthony Peters!” they yelled.
Peters has the best GAA / SV% coming into the week, but he’s not on an NHL contract. Jarry is. The Pittsburgh Penguins assigned Jarry to Wilkes-Barre because he is waiver exempt and he came to Coal Street with orders that he is the starting goalie.
It’s like that line in Captain Phillips.
(Jarry, busts into the coaches office….)
Jarry to Clark Donatelli: Look at me. LOOK AT ME!
(Donatelli looks up from his desk)
Jarry: I am the starting goaltender now.
Jarry lost Wednesday to the 0-5 Bears at the time. I didn’t make him the focal point because the AHL team will always do what the NHL team wants. The AHL is a developmental league. Jarry wasn’t the reason that the Penguins lost the game Wednesday; Vitek Vanecek was, stopping 40 off 42 shots.
But enough about the past, let’s talk about the present.
A comeback in the third led by a power play goal by Teddy Blueger that made it 4-4 then a late go ahead goal by Garrett Wilson which made it 5-4. Late saves by Jarry at the end preserved the win for Wilkes-Barre who improve to 4-1 on this young season.
Notes: No Anthony Angello tonight so everyone moved up one on the right side, Patrick McGrath made his season debut on the fourth line. No other changes to defense. Angello’s status is the ever detailed “day to day.” 🙄
Tonight’s game was Will O’Neill’s 400th AHL game.
First Period: Was a goalie duel to start the game, with Jarry and Hart making some good saves.
But the Phantoms answered right back with less than a minute to play when Mike Vecchione scored on a bouncing, uncontrolled puck that put the Phantoms on even footing heading into the first intermission.
Stefan Elliott can't settle the bouncing puck and the Phantoms get one past Tristan Jarry to tie it, 1-1. Goal from Mike Vecchione.
Second Period: Penguins withstood four Phantoms power plays along with having a Phantoms would be goal taken off the board on account of goalie interference on Jarry and take a 3-2 lead into the third period.
Sam Miletic scored after the Penguins killed a Phantoms carry over power play to open the period on this play…
🚨 GOAL! 🚨 Sam Miletic shoots it into the empty net for his first pro goal after a turnover behind the Phantoms' cage. Miletic's goal made it 2-1 Penguins.
About a minute later, Philippe Myers scored a goal with Jarry screened to tie it.
Then, the game slowed with the Penguins taking penalty after penalty.
Pens get a call go their way when Zach Trotman hit a guy that bowled over Jarry, who never recovered, and a goal was scored.
This is what Phantoms fans are all worked up over. Jarry was knocked down and then had his stick held, both refs signaled no-goal. The right call.#WBSPens#WBSvsLV#DKPSpic.twitter.com/XAGY7uDryA
Immediately waved off by both referees Dan Kelly and Chris Pontes. Look, there are 12 pages in the AHL Rulebook on this type of play. These types of plays are like car crashes. They happen all the time, you just hope you are never involved in one. There never seems to be a right or wrong call and depending on what side you are on, you like or dislike the call.
Zach Aston-Reese scored on a bank pass off of the back boards to give Wilkes-Barre a 3-2 lead.
Those were the last power plays that the Phantoms had for the rest of the game.
Penguins cashed on a power play goal of their own when they kept it in the zone the entire time, and Teddy Blueger scored off of a pass on the pads to tie the game.
🚨 GOAL! 🚨 Teddy Blueger's rebound chance ties it for the Penguins! Blueger's second goal of the season.
Penguins got another power play but were not able to score on it. As time ticked away and it looked like overtime was inevitable, Jimmy Hayes led a two on one, put a shot on Hart that the Phantoms net minder made a stop on but never was able to smother, and Garrett Wilson did this.
🚨 GOAL! 🚨 The captain gives the Penguins the 5-4 lead with 1:04 remaining! Garrett Wilson's third goal of the season.
Tristan Jarry made some saves at the end of the game that preserved the win for his team. Jarry stopped 28 of 32 shots, none bigger then at the end of the game.
Three Stars: 3) Teddy Blueger (goal) 2) TJ Brennan (goal, assist) 1) Garrett Wilson (game winning gaol)
Standings: Charlotte 10 – Hartford 9 – Penguins 8 – Springfield 8 – Bridgeport 5 – Lehigh Valley 4 – Providence 3 – Hershey 3
Wheeling Update: The Nailers were off.
Highlights:
These two teams rematch Saturday night in Wilkes-Barre. If this game tonight was a preview of what we can expect for 11 more meetings, buckle the hell up. Gameday setup hits the blog Saturday at 3.
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WBS News
Chirps from Center Ice 