Comments Off on Got That Daws In Him — Pens LOSE 5-3
Posted by nafsnep on January 24, 2025
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The Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins pumped 35 shots at Utica Comets goaltender Nico Daws Friday night and Daws and the Comets shut down the visitors, playing in their first game in nine games and Utica wins their fourth straight beating the Penguins 5-3.
The two teams rematch Saturday in Wilkes-Barre.
Daws made some jaw dropping saves from all angles. In close, in traffic, from the point, on breakaways, et cetera. It was partially the play of Daws in net and the fact that Tristan Jarry’s tick of allowing the first shot of the game he sees in continuing at the AHL level, and the Penguins played from behind all night and never could get it in gear.
— Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) January 24, 2025
Lineup Notes: Marc Johnstone for Corey Andonovski up front. Andonovski took warmups. Jack St. Ivany returned from injury and replaced Mac Hollowell.
Injury Updates: Filip Larsson is week to week with a lower body injury and Tristan Broz has mono. Fantastic.
First Period: I thought it was purely a Pittsburgh thing, but on the first shot of the game by Utica, Brian Halonen scored to give the Comets an easy 1-0 lead.
Wilkes-Barre had a furious final push in the last minute but it remained 2-1 Utica heading into the…
Second Period: They had two issues which were developing.
First, was the opposing goaltender. Nico Daws was stopping everything, including some breakaway-ish chances. He stopped Jesse Puljujarvi late after Xavier Parent scored to make it 3-1 after a Scooter Brickey turnover.
The second issue was the defending and the shakiness that they were getting from their NHL All-Star goaltender whom I am sure was not pleased with some of the work of his rearguards.
But Jarry would stay dialed in and found Valtteri Puustinen for a long pass while Utica was making a change on a penalty kill. Puustinen found Puljujarvi who scored this time to cut the deficit to one.
— Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) January 25, 2025
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They were showing life, but needed to figure out Daws and correct things in house heading into the…
Third Period: Utica gets another when Xavier Parent nets his second of the night, cue balling one past Jarry during a fire wagon change and it’s 4-2 Comets.
— Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) January 25, 2025
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Ensuing face-off, Penguins threaten again with an extra attacker but then an errant pass finds the stick of Ryan Schmelzer who backhands the puck down the ice from about 180′ away and it finds the back of the net to make it 5-3 Comets.
Sigh.
Three Stars: 3) Jesse Puljujarvi (goal, assist) 2) Ryan Schmelzer (goal, assist) 1) Xavier Parent (two goals)
The Good: Man, I don’t know. They let the first shot of the game in and they chased from there. The power play scored a goal for them, let’s go with that.
The Bad: They went behind on the first shot that their goaltender saw and they chased the game from there, seemingly one step behind all night.
Turning Point: Don’t want to say the first shot of the game, but it seems to keep recurring, so let’s keep with it.
Standings: Can’t update these because Charlotte has all the fun and plays Western Conference teams. Pens will stay on 44 points and in fourth place but have a ton of games in hand still.
Wheeling Update: Nailers win 4-3 over the Kansas City Mavericks. Taylor Gauthier stopped 35. Kyle Jackson had a pair of goals.
Video Highlights: AHL Video Center is your best bet.
Comments Off on Weekend Preview — They Come in Threes
Posted by nafsnep on January 24, 2025
After more than a week off due to ice issues at the Mohegan Arena, the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins return to the ice in Utica, NY for a Friday night matchup then bus home with the Comets to take them on at home Saturday before closing out their first three in three weekend of the season with a Sunday home game against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
Music to Set the Mood…
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I don’t know. I just put my thoughts into YouTube and this is what turned up.
A Quote…
Quote’s about long layoffs didn’t turn up anything of substance and talked about the actual layoff of employees and the like. Let’s just skip this for today.
The Setup
I kind of gave it to you above. The first three in three weekend of the season and a home and home with the Utica Comets with a (sigh) Sunday home game with the Phantoms.
After coughing up a 3-0 third period lead and losing in overtime last Wednesday in Laval a week ago, ice issues forced the postponement of the scheduled game with the Belleville Senators and all of a sudden the Penguins were off for the weekend while the rest of the League played. That Belleville game will now be played on March 4.
Utica had a pretty decent weekend. They beat the Laval Rocket in Quebec on Saturday then beat the Syracuse Crunch in Syracuse on Martin Luther King Day on Monday and crushed Bridgeport 7-1 on Wednesday. It was 5-0 after the first period and Jack Malone had a natural hat trick.
Lehigh Valley also had a pretty decent week also, beating Belleville last Wednesday then beating the North Division leading Rochester Americans in a shootout before losing a close one to them on Saturday. The Phantoms will host Springfield Friday and Bridgeport on Saturday before bussing up to Wilkes-Barre on Sunday.
One thing I noticed this week was that there were a lot of teams playing three in threes this weekend.
Records
The Penguins are 20-9-4, good for 44 points and fourth place in the Atlantic Division.
Utica is 13-19-2-2 with 30 points and seventh in the North Division.
Lehigh Valley is 19-15-5-1 with 44 points and fifthin the Atlantic Division, but will have played two games before seeing the Penguins on Sunday.
Who’s Up? Who’s Down? Who’s Out?
They recalled Sergei Murashov on Monday, so that would seemingly mean that Filip Larsson is banged up enough to warrant a recall that early in the week. Tristan Jarry was waived here so he’s likely the number one. Jesse Puljujarvi was also waived here and played in Laval last week. Jaxon Castor was cut loose of his PTO and will report back to Wheeling.
Won’t know statuses on the injured guys until around 6:20 Friday night, but I did see Jack St. Ivany practicing in what appeared to be a regular practice jersey on their social channels this past week, so that could be a good sign.
What can we learn about the Penguins this week?
The elephant in the room is protecting a lead. They seem bad at it all of a sudden. They blow one late in Belleville two Sundays ago and lose with 2.2 seconds left then go to Laval last Wednesday, get a goal to go up 3-0 in the third period, but their wet behind the ears débutante in goal Jaxon Castor can’t ride that credit to a win and they lose in overtime to the Rocket 4-3.
They are casting points away when they could be using those points to make up ground on Hershey. Now granted they have a lot of head to heads to go with the Bears and a ton of games in hand, but they don’t mean anything if you can’t win them and they certainly feel like you are just wasting them away losing the way the Penguins have been losing of late.
Conceivably they have had an entire weeks worth of practice and the new car smell is still on Kirk MacDonald, so lets see what they do in a three in three weekend against a pair of resurgent teams in Utica and Lehigh Valley.
They should, hypothetically, have no problems winning all three games, but that said you still never know. How many goal lead is safe with how much time remaining? Up four with five minutes? Up two with less than a minute?
Who’s in Goal?
Tristan Jarry should get the start Friday and Sunday and let Sergei Murashov go Saturday at home.
For the opposition, Isaac Poulter and Nico Daws should get action in net for the Comets and take a guess on who goes for the Phantoms. Cal Petersen? Parker Gahagen? Keith Petruzzelli? Pick one. If you are doing it right, it shouldn’t matter.
Who’s Running the Show?
Mike Dietrich and Rob Hennessey are the referees assigned Friday in Utica with Antoine Bujold-Roux and Tory Carissimo on the lines.
Saturday sees Hennessey again (sigh) with Jake Kamrass as the referees with Kirsten Welch and Chandler Yakimowicz on the lines.
Kamrass sticks around and is joined by Mason Riley in doling out discipline. Welch sticks around on the lines and is joined by J.P. Waleski.
Hotels must be posh in Wilkes-Barre.
Looking Ahead…
It’s February. Already? The shortest month, which means March soon. Then April, then warmer temperatures, then the pool. Cigars. Sun. Beach. Ahhh…
Oh. Sorry. Started daydreaming there. Hershey comes to town Wednesday then they hit the road for Charlotte next Friday and Saturday.
Give us a bold prediction…
The Penguins come from behind in two of the games and win both, sweep the weekend.
Comments Off on AHL Power Rankings — Week 15
Posted by nafsnep on January 20, 2025
So I had to do a bit of corrections this week with Calgary.
I had the Wranglers down in twelfth last week, and for pretty good reasons. But after a huge week for the Pacific Division leaders, they get a big bump back up in the top five in the Power Rankings this week, but not enough to knock off Hershey from the top spot.
Let’s get into it…
1. Hershey Bears
Last Week: 1st (no change)
Record: 25-11-3
Bears sweep another weekend and now head to Canada with a mid-week stop in Laval and a weekend in Belleville.
2. Calgary Wranglers
Last Week: 12th (up 10)
Record: 27-12-1
Wranglers lead on the division was in trouble? Says who? Calgary wins all four games this week.
3. Texas Stars
Last Week: 3rd (no change)
Record: 22-13-1
Stars split with Milwaukee to stay ahead of the Admirals and keep pursuing the Griffins.
4. Laval Rocket
Last Week: 2nd (down 2)
Record: 23-11-2-1
4 of 6 points this week and keeping pace with Rochester while trying to hold off a pesky Cleveland team.
5. Rochester Americans
Last Week: 4th (down 1)
Record: 23-11-3-1
3 of 6 points this week closes up the lead the Amerks had on Laval, now just a point.
Comments Off on Point Lost — Pens LOSE 4-3 (OT)
Posted by nafsnep on January 15, 2025
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So when the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins miss a chance at the division championship or a first round bye or, let’s say a playoff spot by three points or less, we can point to this week.
They lost clean in Belleville with 2.2 seconds left on Sunday.
Now, granted, it was a backup goaltender making his AHL debut which hasn’t seen live fire in a game in over a month, but the points count all the same.
Let’s get into it since it’s 10 p.m. on a Wednesday and I have work in the morning.
— Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) January 15, 2025
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Lineup Notes: Jesse Puljujuarvi was officially re-assigned this week and joined the team. They are over the vet limit so Valtteri Puustinen drew the short straw for Puljujuarvi and Corey Andonovski was in for Marc Johnstone. On Defense Isaac Belliveau was in for Nikolai Knyzhov.
Waiver Wire: Tristan Jarry is back on waivers and will be assigned to Wilkes-Barre if no one claims him. I don’t think any other NHL team will because of the size of his contract. As a result, Jaxon Castor backed up Filip Larsson as Joel Blomqvist will go up tomorrow after 2 p.m.
First Period: Pens get a pair of goals in the period, one from Avery Hayes on a nice two on one rush with Rutger McGroarty and then a shorthanded goal by Jonathan Gruden, the second shorthanded goal of the trip. Goals are highlighted below:
— Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) January 16, 2025
Gruds scores our 6th shorty of the season!
For every shorthanded goal we score, Borland and Borland will donate $250 to our Penguins GOALS Foundation! pic.twitter.com/2dumJXY2va
— Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) January 16, 2025
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One item that came out of the period is that Filip Larsson was taking a bit of a beating. Death by a thousand paper cuts, if you will. A tap here, a shove there. He seemed okay.
Second Period: But then Jaxon Castor was out for the second period in relief of Larsson. Well, he acclimated himself nicely into the affair with this save after the Rocket came out full barrel to start the second period…
— Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) January 16, 2025
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The Penguins had a bunch of opportunities late in the period and had 1:25 of a two man advantage but failed to score. I didn’t particularly like this series of events.
Oh, it was Castor’s AHL debut.
Third Period: I didn’t particularly care for the penalties the Penguins were taking. This wasn’t a cause to question the calls that Mathieu Menniti or Will Kelly were making on the ice as the officials, they were fine.
Wilkes-Barre’s penalty kill was tested but was okay. The Penguins get what appeared to be an insurance goal off the stick of Emil Bemstrom that made it 3-0.
— Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) January 16, 2025
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Seemingly, you would think that this game was in hand.
Wrong.
Laval would start their comeback with a goal from William Trudeau at 12:04, then another at 14:40 from Florian Xhejaj and then the tying goal at 16:42 from Gustav Lindstrom. Three goals in the span of about four and a half minutes.
Laval didn’t GIF any goals I figure worthy for your perusal, so just trust me here.
Implosion? You bet. It was a snowball that rolled down hill and took out a village. All three goals I think beat Castor five hole. I am not blaming him for the loss because he’s thrust into his AHL debut in a hostile environment in Laval.
I mean if anything, it’s a bit of adversity that Kirk MacDonald, whom we have all sung the praises of this season, can help guide them out of.
Oh yeah, the game. They made it to…
Overtime: But had to kill a 4:00 Mac Hollowell double minor which carried over. They managed to to that but at the expiation of the penalty, Jared Davidson comes flying in from the point to slam home a loose puck and give the Rocket a 4-3 overtime win.
Three Stars: 3) Luke Tuch (two assists) 2) William Trudeau (goal, assist) 1) Jared Davidson (goal, assist)
The Good: The assumption is that they will hypothetically work on why they all of a sudden can’t close out a damn hockey game. Getting a point seems like an afterthought.
The Bad: I don’t know if having Filip Larsson in the net really would have made a difference. It felt like an artificial lead the whole game and you were just waiting for Laval to erupt. It happened way too late with little time to adjust.
Turning Point: I think that the William Trudeau goal that started the comeback should get it here because there was no looking back for the Rocket from there who come all the way back and win the game.
Standings: Hershey 49 – Penguins 44 – Charlotte 44 – Providence and Lehigh Valley 42 – Springfield and Hartford 35 – Bridgeport 20
Wheeling Update: The Nailers were idle. There was news yesterday that they have a new team in the ECHL. Say hello to the Greenville Gargoyles. I don’t know if the Nailers will play the Gargoyles next year, but I am getting Beast of New Haven vibes from the newest ECHL team, which will begin play this Fall. If they go with glow in the dark jerseys I may just move there.
Video Highlights: With work in the morning, the AHL VideoCenter is your best bet.
No games this weekend with the postponement, so I will be back Monday with the AHL Power Rankings. Enjoy the time off.
Comments Off on Weekend Preview – Great White North!
Posted by nafsnep on January 15, 2025
EDIT: With the news yesterday that Saturday’s game was postponed to a Tuesday and the fact that I write these days in advance and just publishing them day of, please just mind the cross outs below.
The Penguins continue their plate of Canadian teams when they head to Laval, Quebec Wednesday then bus home to rematch again with the Belleville Senators on Saturday.
Music to Set the Mood…
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Songs like these are why I have cats.
A Quote
High expectations are really intimidating… – Mya
You can’t say they aren’t making things interesting this season.
The Setup
A trip they are all looking forward to and probably enjoyed a few days in after the Sunday Belleville game, it’s the only trip to Laval to take on the Rocket on Wednesday then a bus trip home, a Friday off and then the third game in eight days against the Belleville Senators.
The Penguins started their Canada trip on the right foot with a big win in Toronto last Wednesday and a 6-3 win. Then they went to Belleville and won 6-1 on Friday but lost on a last second Wyatt Bongiovanni power play goal with 2.2 seconds left to play and lost clean. Belleville wanted that game more and it showed throughout. It sucked because it was a game in hand lost to the Hershey Bears.
Laval was in Cleveland this past weekend ad took three out of four points. The Rocket shut out the Monsters 5-0 then lost a close one 2-1 in overtime.
I gave you what Belleville did above with the Penguins setup, but the Senators will be in Allentown Wednesday to take on the Phantoms, then are in Hershey on Friday before bussing up to Wilkes-Barre. That’s some hellish travel.
Records
The Penguins are 20-9-3, good for second in the Atlantic Division and 43 points.
But they are the number one team overall with a .672 points percentage. That’s tied with the Ontario Reign in points percentage and .010 points better than Hershey.
I know, I know. they don’t rank them by points percentage anymore, but it’s worth mentioning that they are still, despite their shortcomings, are a good team at their base.
The Rocket are 21-10-2-1 and third in the North with 45 points.
Belleville is 15-11-1-4 and sixth in the North with 35 points. No need to cross that out, it’s a fact.
Who’s Up? Who’s Down? Who’s Out?
The Canada trip ripped through the defenders, costing them to Sebastian Aho to a lower body injury week to week and Nate Clurman to a lower body injury also.
Good news is that they can afford a few losses on defense, but not many more.
The Roster Tracker has all the latest here, who’s up in Pittsburgh and down in Wheeling.
What can we learn about the Penguins this week?
I guess the real question is how long does it take for the Penguins to take the lead from the Hershey Bears for tops in the division if they continue their current run of play?
The answer would be, not long, since Wilkes-Barre has five games in hand against the Bears plus a handful of head to head matchups against the 13 time champions.
Provided their run of play continues to trend upwards and they can win games in hand.
Their power play is down right lethal, a term that Nick Hart used to describe it on Friday. I haven’t checked at all this season, but through Sunday, they are second overall, converting at a 23.7% success rate on the man advantage and that’s just unheard of in these parts.
Use a power play to get a goal and, if you are trailing, use that as a push to get you either tied or closer to tied. Or, get a goal to take a tight one goal lead into some breathing room with a two goal lead. It’s a big momentum push.
Barring an absolute collapse, which again we have seen in these parts, it should set up for a great second half.
Oh, and they can absolutely beat Laval and Belleville. Laval may throw up more of a stiffer test, so they have to be careful.
Who’s in Goal?
I don’t want to say Filip Larsson Wednesday, but let’s roll with it. I think he may be surpassing Joel Blomqvist as the number one or at the least the 1B.
That would mean that Joel Blomqvist would get the Saturday start.
Cayden Primeau shut the Cleveland Monsters out with an easy 16 save shutout Friday, he may get the nod Wednesday for the Rocket.
No idea on who Belleville could roll with. The Pens chased Søgaard on Friday and Michael Simpson put up more of a challenge for the Penguins but with all that travel, your guess is as good as mine.
Who’s Running the Show?
Mathieu Menniti and Will Kelly have the assignment Wednesday in Laval with Justin Johnson and Maxime Bédard on the lines.
Looking Ahead…
The Penguins remain an honorary member of the North Division in the foreseeable future, with the Utica Comets coming in and knocking out their part of the schedule with the Pens in a home and home next Friday in Utica, Saturday in Wilkes-Barre, provided they get the repairs done in time, which they should.
It’s also the first three in three as there is a (sigh) Sunday home game against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
Give us a bold prediction…
One day I will have kids and will play that rocket ship song above for them before I take them to a Sunday afternoon Penguins home game.
Comments Off on Saturday Postponement
Posted by nafsnep on January 14, 2025
I had seen a new story with Disney on Ice coming in last weekend that there were issues with the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza ice but the Disney show would go on as planned because Mickey Mouse has his own ice plants.
I had some concern over whether this Saturday’s game with the Belleville Senators would go on as planned once Mickey packed up and left town.
Well, Coal Street and the League made it official today.
Due to a repair required underneath the concrete ice floor at Mohegan Arena, Saturday's game against Belleville has been postponed.
— Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) January 14, 2025
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Per the League, the game will be made up on March 4. That’s a Tuesday. When I am done here I am getting ready to pen an angry letter to Springfield, Massachusetts (League headquarters) arguing against such a decision and a travesty of justice.
Not really, I just don’t like weekday home games. I can tolerate Wednesday games, but a Tuesday? Really?!
So just one game this week, Wednesday at Laval and the Weekend Preview will be up Wednesday at one with some, let’s just call them, light edits. You’ll see why tomorrow.
Comments Off on AHL Power Rankings — Week 14
Posted by nafsnep on January 13, 2025
The Hershey Bears are inevitable.
After a few rough weeks, the Bears are getting healthy again and are at the top of the Chirps from Center Ice AHL Power Rankings yet again. I don’t see a real argument for another team here, maybe Texas, who are 9-1 in their last ten and probably the hottest team in the League, but not this week.
Let’s get straight into it!
1. Hershey Bears
Last Week: 6th (up 5)
Record: 23-11-3
The Bears are vulnerable? Says who? Sweep another contender in Charlotte proves this team isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Erasing a three goal deficit in the third period Friday is quite impressive as well.
2. Laval Rocket
Last Week: 8th (up 6)
Record: 21-10-2-1
Took three of four points in Cleveland to tighten things way up in the North as we hit mid-January.
3. Texas Stars
Last Week: 15th (up 12)
Record: 21-12-1
Stars are 9-1 in their last ten and have tied struggling Grand Rapids for tops in the Central.
4. Rochester Americans
Last Week: 2nd (down 2)
Record: 22-10-3
Split the week and that doesn’t do them any favors as the lead over Cleveland is just a point.
5. Ontario Reign
Last Week: 1st (down 4)
Record: 21-10-0-1
Split with the Iowa Wild at home this weekend. Heading up to Abbotsford this week before returning home to host Henderson and Calgary.
WBS News
Chirps from Center Ice 