Chirps from Center Ice

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

Sweeping Thunder — Pens WIN 3-2

2 Comments Posted by on April 13, 2018

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I have been blogging about this team for what will be eight years in July. I have been a season ticket holder for the Penguins for a few more years than that, call it ten years.

This has been probably the most uninspired late season win by my beloved Penguins that I can remember. Why?

Because I know what’s coming.

The Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins have qualified for the Calder Cup Playoffs for sixteen straight seasons. There are people at the Arena that have brought their kids to the games that all those children have known is the Penguins playing in the playoffs.

No championships to show for those trips. In fact, I have never blogged a Calder Cup Finals game on this blog for this team yet. 2008 was the last time the Penguins were in the Finals. Remember that? We are all old.

I don’t like their chances this season to even get out of the first round.

Not to be Debbie Downer on a night where the Penguins manage to sweep the Springfield Thunderbirds with a 3-2 win and, coupled with outside results solidify their chances at home ice in the first round of the Calder Cup Playoffs over either Charlotte or Providence.

But I know what is coming.

The Penguins stormed out to a 2-0 lead on a Springfield team that its playing their final games this weekend before the summertime and had a large shot advantage. Wilkes-Barre ended up putting 49 shots in total at Harri Sateri and the Thunderbirds defense. It looked like another hard fought, but easy win for the Penguins.

Then the magic disappeared.

The Penguins let the Thunderbirds back in the game, Springfield tied it, Wilkes-Barre had two opportunities to nudge back ahead on a power play and failed, but it was Zach Trotman scoring that gave the Penguins the lead for good in the third, a lead that the Penguins didn’t relinquish.

When the playoffs start next week, the Penguins are either facing the Charlotte Checkers or the Providence Bruins. If you are a Penguins fan, you want Providence because the Penguins and Bruins are so evenly matched. Both teams have their NHL counterpart playing in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Checkers will have a full compliment of players at their disposal and are as hot as you can be coming into the playoffs.

Moral of the story is, Penguins gritted this one out over a Springfield team that is better at coming up short and losing and were overall the better team, barely. They aren’t going to enjoy that same luxury in a week or so.

Charlotte has one game left, Sunday in Bridgeport. Providence has two, but we will get to that in a minute.

Tristan Jarry opposed Harri Sateri.

Lines were…

Garrett Wilson – J-S Dea – Daniel Sprong
Adam Johnson – Gage Quinney – Ryan Haggerty
Tom Sestito – Jarrett Burton – Christian Thomas
Joseph Cramarossa – Teddy Blueger – Tom Kostopoulos

Andrey Pedan – Lukas Bengtsson
Chris Summers – Kevin Czuczman
Jarred Tinordi – Zach Trotman

Tristan Jarry – Michael Leighton

Lineup Notes: Tom Sestito was in for Patrick McGrath. That was the only lineup change from Sunday in Bridgeport…Alex D’Orio was sent back to his junior team. That is not uncommon. Give the kids a taste of the pro life then send them on their way.

First Period: Started out as an evenly matched game between two teams on the opposite end of the success meter here in the AHL’s final weekend of regular season play. Shots were 7-7 somewhere around halfway when the Pens exploded and finished on a 12-0 shot run and got this jaw dropping goal from Daniel Sprong who scored on Harri Sateri, who is the AHL’s reigning Player of the Week and who was stymieing everything sent his way from the Penguins….

Another angle…

Garrett Wilson put it on a tee for Sprong who, in tight quarters, put it top corner and scored his 31st goal of the season, which broke the franchise record for goals scored by a rookie (Michel Ouellet)

Second Period: Penguins extend their lead to two with this nice goal from Teddy Blueger. As I was watching the game on AHL Live yelling for Blueger to pass off, he unleashed this shot that go past Sateri that made it 2-0…

Penguins continued to increase their shot total over the Thunderbirds and it was looking like they were setting up for cruise control, but then the Penguins found themselves in penalty trouble.

Dryden Hunt scored on a pretty tic tac toe play barreling down the slot that cut the Penguins lead to one.

Off the face-off, thrill a minute hockey for both teams. Sateri comes way out to stop Tom Sestito but doesn’t cover the puck. Penguins continue the shooting gallery on the Thunderbirds goal keeper but he turns them all away. Then, Springfield clears the puck away and then Andrey Pedan trips Thunderbirds defenseman Ed Wittchow.

Turning point.

Matters made worse, Tom Kostopoulos was sent to the box. Long 5-on-3 for the Thunderbirds.

But they tossed the puck around the top of the zone and never really manufactured a shot at Jarry. But it was a complete implosion of structures by the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins who were lucky to get out of all the penalty madness with a 2-1 lead heading into the…

Third Period: Curtis Valk got a piece of a shot from the point from Brad Hunt and tied the game.

Turnover. Total breakdown. Pens up big on shots, two goal lead, then get stupid with penalties and cute with exits and the Thunderbirds tie the game.

Better yet, Wilkes-Barre had two chances after the Walk goal to score on a power play and failed. There is going to come a time in the next couple of weeks when the Penguins will need a power play goal either in a situation like this or down one or two. Mark my words. Whether or not they get one remains to be seen, but the trends are not positive.

Zach Trotman put a shot on that found its way Sateri, who was really dialed in tonight and the Penguins squeaked out in front again.

May have deflected in front. Doesn’t matter.

With Sateri vacated, the Thunderbirds never found the equalizer.

Three Stars: 3) Harri Sateri (46 saves on 49 shots) 2) Teddy Blueger (goal, +1) 1) Zach Trotman (goal, +1)

Around the Division: Games that don’t matter are Lehigh Valley beating Bridgeport 5-2 and Hartford edging Binghamton in a shootout 2-1. The game that did matter was Charlotte beating Providence 5-3 in Providence to improve to 8-0-1-0 in their last nine games and are third place in the Atlantic.

Standings: Lehigh Valley won the division last weekend and have 102 points with one more game to play tomorrow against the Penguins. The Penguins are second with 96 points and two games left, Saturday in Lehigh Valley and Sunday in Hershey. Charlotte is off until Sunday when they face off against Bridgeport. They have 94 points. Charlotte has the first tie breaker on the Pens. I believe that the magic number to sew up home ice would be just one point. Providence has two games left with 91 points. They visit Springfield Saturday and then host the Thunderbirds Sunday afternoon. The rest of the division is Bridgeport, Hartford, Springfield and Hershey in that order.

If Springfield puts up a video highlight package, I will edit it in here.

Pens bus down to Allentown for a 7:15 start against the lame duck Phantoms. It will be interesting to see what Lehigh Valley puts out for a lineup in their last regular season home game with nothing left to play for. Check out the gameday setup Saturday at 3 here on the blog.

Let’s Go Pens!

Postgamer

GAMEDAY: @ Springfield 4/13

Comments Off on GAMEDAY: @ Springfield 4/13 Posted by on April 13, 2018

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Who: Springfield Thunderbirds

Where: Mass Mutual Center

When: 7: 05 p.m.

Last Game: Sunday in Bridgeport, the Penguins won 5-2. Adam Johnson led the way with two goals. Anthony Peters stopped 41 of 43 shots. For Springfield, the Thunderbirds beat the Hartford Wolf Pack 2-0 on Sunday in Hartford. Harri Sateri had a 26 save shutout.

Last Meeting: February 7 in Springfield, the Penguins won 3-1. Three different Penguins scored and Casey DeSmith stopped 23 of 24 shots to pick up the win.

Record: For WBS: 43-22-6-2 (94 pts., 2nd place Atlantic Division) // For SPR: 32-34-5-2 (71 pts., 7th place Atlantic Division)

Referee(s): Chris Brown / Cameron Voss

Linesmen: Nick Briganti / Paul Simeon

Why You Should Care: Penguins clinched a spot in the playoffs last weekend, now they look to lock up home ice in round one. A win would be a positive step in that direction. Wilkes-Barre looks to sweep the season series with the Thunderbirds as well.

Other Game to Watch: The two other teams that clinched last weekend, Providence and Charlotte, square off in Providence this weekend. Ideally if you are a Penguins fan you want a Charlotte win to go along with a Wilkes-Barre win. That would eliminate the Bruins starting the first round with home ice.

Remaining Games: @ LV 4/14, @ HER 4/15

Gameday

The Caravan is Here

Comments Off on The Caravan is Here Posted by on April 11, 2018

With the Wheeling Nailers season ending last weekend, the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins recalled seven players from their ECHL affiliate.

They are forwards Reid Gardiner, Troy Josephs and Cody Wydo, and defensemen Kevin Spinozzi and Dylan Zink. Cam Brown, a forward and defenseman Kevin Schulze were signed to professional tryout agreements.

Also, Anthony Angello, who Pittsburgh signed last week out of Cornell University, was signed to an amateur tryout contract.

I believe that the Penguins can lock up home ice over the Providence Bruins with a win in Springfield with a Bruins loss to the Charlotte Checkers. That would put Wilkes-Barre five points up on Providence with two games left to play for each team. Charlotte after Friday has one game left. All the Penguins would need to do would win one more game to get home ice in the first round because that would put them at 98 points. Charlotte can only max out at 96.

It’s still all up in the air and nothing is decided yet in the Atlantic but for the fact that Lehigh Valley is number one. Stay tuned, I guess and pick your poison for your first round opponent.

Stanley Cup Playoffs begin Wednesday. I do not believe that Pittsburgh will be sending any reinforcements. Dominik Simon would be the one name that I would watch for, but not yet.

I have the Penguins winning in five over the Flyers, by the way.

But for anything breaking, check me out again here on the blog Friday at 3 for the Springfield setup.

Pittsburgh, The AHL, WBS, Wheeling

AHL Power Rankings: Week 27

Comments Off on AHL Power Rankings: Week 27 Posted by on April 9, 2018

It’s the penultimate week of the Chirps from Center Ice AHL Power Rankings and things are coming into focus for the Calder Cup Playoffs.

No change to the top three, Toronto, Lehigh Valley and Tucson are the top three teams. Rockford stays in fifth, needing just one point to clinch a playoff spot.

The Charlotte Checkers are fourth in the order, and are on a tear and a team you don’t want in the first round of the playoffs.

To check out the other 25 teams, click past the Rockford capsule and enjoy.

1

 Last Week: UTI 2 @ TOR 3 (OT), TOR 2 @ UTI 3 (SO), TOR 5 @ RCH 6 (OT)
Regular season champs should be odds on favorite to claim the Calder Cup, but were all know how that went last season with last years regular season champion Penguins.

n/a

 This Week: @ LAV 4/13, vs. LAV 4/14, vs. BEL 4/15
Record: 51-18-2-2

2

 Last Week: LV 1 @ CHA 3, LV 1 @ CHA 6, LV 2 @ HFD 3 (OT), LV 6 @ PRO 3
Wrapped up home ice in the first and second rounds this weekend. We will give them the advantage over a date with Providence. Charlotte? Not so much.

n/a

 This Week: vs. BRI 4/13, vs. WBS 4/14
Record: 45-19-5-5

3

 Last Week: GR 0 @ TUC 3, GR 4 @ TUC 1
Have proven it all season long, now look to prove it where it matters the most.

n/a

 This Week: @ SD 4/11, vs. SD 4/13, vs. SD 4/14
Record: 39-20-5-1

4

 Last Week: LV 1 @ CHA 3, LV 1 @ CHA 6, HER 3 @ CHA 7, HER 1 @ CHA 3
Five wins in a row and an eight game point streak. Checkers getting hot at the right time.

+4

 This Week: @ PRO 4/13, @ BRI 4/15
Record: 44-26-1-3

5

 Last Week: RFD 4 @ SA 2, RFD 3 @ TEX 2 (OT), RFD 3 @ TEX 4
IceHogs are a point away from clinching a spot. Barring a meltdown, should happen before Friday.

n/a

 This Week: @ IA 4/10, vs. CHI 4/13, @ CHI 4/14
Record: 39-26-4-4

Click through here to see teams 6 through 30

Power Rankings

Taming a Tiger — Pens WIN 5-2

Comments Off on Taming a Tiger — Pens WIN 5-2 Posted by on April 8, 2018

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Anthony Peters hasn’t played in a meaningful hockey game in about three weeks, so you couldn’t fault him if he was rusty coming into the tail end of a three in three weekend on the road against a team that beat the Penguins on Friday night at home.

But Peters closed the door on the already eliminated Bridgeport Sound Tigers, and the Penguins, bolstered by a 4-0 start at the end of the first, win 5-2 to hold onto second place in the Atlantic Division with three games to play in the regular season. Peters stopped 41 of 43 shots.

Peters opposed Eamon McAdam.

Lines were…

Garrett Wilson – J-S Dea – Daniel Sprong
Adam Johnson – Gage Quinney – Ryan Haggerty
Patrick McGrath – Jarrett Burton – Christian Thomas
Joseph Cramarossa – Teddy Blueger – Tom Kostopoulos

Andrey Pedan – Lukas Bengtsson
Chris Summers – Kevin Czuczman
Jarred Tinordi – Zach Trotman

Anthony Peters – Tristan Jarry

Lineup Notes: Anthony Peters first start in goal for the Pens since March 18, McGrath’s first action since February 17. Tom Sestito was out for McGrath. Tristan Jarry backed up Peters.

First Period: Much like Saturday night against Binghamton, the Penguins jumped out to a 4-0 lead.

Adam Johnson on a power play scored his first of the period.

Stepped into the high slot and let it rip into the top corner.

Johnson, 1:17 later, chases down a puck, gets it to the point for a shot then collects the rebound and scores to double the Penguins lead.

Tom Kostopoulos caused a turnover and fed Christian Thomas for a goal that made it 3-0.

Bridgeport called a time out. It didn’t seem to help.

Zach Trotman put a shot on net and Pat McGrath tipped dit home to make it 4-0.

An all out blitzkrieg to finish out the weekend three in three. But, there were two more full periods to play.

Second Period: Kristers Gudlevskis led the Sound Tigers out for the second period and took over for Eamon McAdam, and it was the kick in the pants that the Sound Tigers needed to get something going.

Slight problem though, they didn’t execute.

Bridgeport had a long spell of 5-on-3 power play to work with, yet only registered about two shots on net and spent the other time passing and chasing the cleared pucks sent in their end.

John Stevens scored to break up the Anthony Peters would be shutout bid after a turnover at just past half way, and Bridgeport led the Penguins in shots 17-5 in the period, so the Penguins had a three goal lead to defend heading into the…

Third Period: Anthony Peters remained strong in net for the Penguins, making saves swimming in the crease. Gage Quinney scored a goal when. shot from the point rebounded right to Quinney for the put in which made it 5-1.

Penguins fell asleep defensively and Steve Bernier hacked and whacked at a puck and scored to bring the Sound Tigers to within three.

But three would be as far as Bridgeport got. A quick moving period the rest of the way and the penguins would hold on to win.

Three Stars: 3) Gage Quinney (goal, assist, +2) 2) Anthony Peters (41 saves on 43 shots) 1) Adam Johnson (two goals, +1)

Around the Division: Charlotte continues to tear it up, they beat Hershey 3-1 today…Lehigh Valley wins the Atlantic Division Championship with a 6-3 win over a slumping Providence Bruins team…Springfield shutout Hartford 2-0.

Standings: Lehigh Valley (100 points, division winners) — Penguins (94 points, 3 games remaining) — Providence (91 points (3 games left) — Charlotte (92 points, two games left) — Bridgeport, Hartford, Springfield, Hershey.

Wheeling Update: The Nailers season ended yesterday, I expect a caravan of players headed to Coal Street this week.

Video Highlights:

Check back here Monday for the AHL Power Rankings at 4.

Let’s Go Pens!

Postgamer

GAMEDAY: @ Bridgeport 4/8

Comments Off on GAMEDAY: @ Bridgeport 4/8 Posted by on April 8, 2018

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Who: Bridgeport Sound Tigers

Where: Webster Bank Arena

When: 3:00 p.m.

Last Game: Last night at home against the Binghamton Devils, the Penguins locked up their sixteenth straight trip to the Calder Cup Playoffs with a 7-4 win. Christian Thomas had a pair of goals and assisted on another. For Bridgeport, the Sound Tigers were defeated by the Providence Bruins 4-2 and that loss ended the Sound Tigers chances at a postseason berth.

Last Meeting: This past Friday in Wilkes-Barre, Mitch Vande Sompel scored twice and the Sound Tigers defeated the Penguins 4-3. Daniel Sprong and Tom Kostopoulos scored for the Pens in the loss.

Record: For WBS: 42-22-6-2 (92 pts., 2nd place Atlantic Division) // For BRI: 36-28-5-3 (80 pts., 5th place Atlantic Division)

Referee(s): Chris Ciamaga / Olivier Gouin

Linesmen: Luke Galvin / Petr Hejna

Why You Should Care: Pens punched a ticket last night but playoff seeding remains in the balance with nothing guaranteed and nothing confirmed. That said, do the Penguins make lineup changes tonight? All other teams in the division that qualified for the postseason are in action today. Penguins can’t afford a slip up here.

Other Game to Watch: Lehigh Valley visits Providence. Pens still have an outside shot at tops in the division, albeit slim.

Remaining Games: @ SPR 4/13, @ LV 4/14, @ HER 4/15

Gameday

It’s the Postseason, Tom — Pens WIN 7-4

Comments Off on It’s the Postseason, Tom — Pens WIN 7-4 Posted by on April 7, 2018

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The Penguins are headed to the playoffs for a sixteenth consecutive season. 

Tonight was Penguins captain Tom Kostopoulos’ final regular season home game.

There are two nice older people that sit ahead of me at the games that call me Tom for some reason. I was raised to respect my elders, so Tom it is.

It’s the postseason, and the players are going to rally around their grizzled captain and do it for Tom. The real one, not the the one mistaken for one.

It’s been a solid season for the Penguins overall. They probably won’t win the Atlantic Division, have not played at the level to win the Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy (that went to the Toronto Marlies) so Wilkes-Barre will fly under the radar as a strong, maybe even a dark horse team. 

A 7-4 win against a scrappy Binghamton Devils team tonight. After a 4-0 bombardment in the first period on goaltender Cam Johnson making his first professional start after a college season at the University of North Dakota in the first period, the Penguins may have let off heading into the second. 

That’s where Binghamton scored twice to totally change the dynamic of the game. But just :35 in to the third period, J-S Dea found Daniel Sprong for his thirtieth goal of the season that made it 5-2 Penguins. 

Michael Leighton started the game, and got the Penguins through the game. He was far from perfect, but guided the Penguins to a scrappy win in a game which featured a ton of offense. I still believe that Tristan Jarry is the Game 1 starter in the opening round against Providence whoever the Penguins first round opponent will be, but Head Coach Clark Donatelli has options if he needs them to switch to Leighton if he needs to.

No lineup changes for the Penguins tonight.

First Period: Penguins scored on a power play goal that should not have counted on account of offsides. J-S Dea scored and the Pens were off to the races.

The play was offsides though, and left to stand as a good goal. You can’t review offsides in the AHL.

Terrible call by the officials. Binghamton was robbed and you could say it completely changed the dynamic of the game. I’m not happy about it because of how terrible the call was. The Devils were robbed.

Tom Sestito scored seconds later and the rout was on.

Jarrett Burton got into the act with a highlight reel goal. Burton flipped the puck over a stick laying on the ice, hit two posts and then followed his own shot and scored to make it 3-0 Penguins.

Pens made it 4-0 as a power play expired when Zach Trotman scored to make it 4-0. I thought Burton got a stick on it, but it was Trotman’s goal.

Rout was on.

Until it wasn’t.

Second Period: Binghamton got two back in this period, and met the Penguins chance for chance in the period.

Jake Wallman scored unassisted when Leighton was screened to break up the shutout and make it 4-1.

Binghamton started to drive and get chance after chance. Leighton remained strong in net, but Wallman set up Blake Pietila to with a lot shot that Pietila deflected in to make it a two goal lead for the Penguins.

Wilkes-Barre fell asleep, or were too amped due to it being the final regular season home game, their captains final regular season game, and forgot that the game of hockey is played in three, twenty minute increments.

So comeback city for the Devils right?

To quote Lee Corseo, “not so fast, my friend.”

Three Stars: Dea and Sprong worked a two on one deep in the Binghamton zone and Sprong scored his 30th of the season to make it 5-2 Penguins.

Christian Thomas wired a wrist shot from high in the slot on a rush and it was 6-2 Penguins.

But Binghamton is scrappy. The North is so top heavy with their top four teams but watch out for this Devils team next year, they can scrap. They will probably finish fifth in the North this season.

The Devils get a power play goal from Jake MacDonald, a player that has killed the Pens all season, with Leighton again screened that made it 6-3.

A Jan Mandat snap shot handcuffed Leighton and it was all of a sudden 6-4.

Devils pulled Johnson and Christian Thomas scored to make it 7-4 to ice it away.

Three Stars: 3) Tom Sestito (goal, assist, +4) 2) Christian Thomas (two goals, assist, +4) 1) Tom Kostopoulos (you don’t need a reason)

Players switched to 29 practice jerseys during warmups:

And all the Devils players came over to give Kostopoulos a handshake after the game.

Around the Division: Providence beat Bridgeport 4-2. That eliminated the Sound Tigers. Providence clinched a spot also. The Charlotte Checkers, who you don’t want round one, crushed the Hershey Bears 7-3. Charlotte is in as well. Hartford beats Lehigh Valley in overtime 3-2. Springfield was off.

Standings: Lehigh Valley (98 points, 3 games left) — Penguins (92 points, 4 games left) — Providence (91 points, 4 games left) – Charlotte (90 points, 3 games left) — Bridgeport, Hartford, Springfield and Hershey. The AHL ranks by percentage.

With playoffs set, things are still very much in flux for the Atlantic Division.

Pens (at Bridgeport), Charlotte (vs. Hershey), Lehigh Valley at Providence are the games in the Atlantic to pay attention to tomorrow.

Wheeling Update: Nailers win their final game of the season with a 7-3 thrashing of the Fort Wayne Komets. Reid Gardiner had a goal and an assist.

Video Highlights: 

Pens are in Bridgeport Sunday at 3. Depending on prerogative, Donatelli may rest some guys, or he may push for home ice. I honestly don’t know. Gameday setup hist the blog here Sunday at 11 a.m.

Let’s Go Pens!

Gameday

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