Chirps from Center Ice

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

RAPID RECAP – Pens WIN 4-3 (OT)

Comments Off on RAPID RECAP – Pens WIN 4-3 (OT) Posted by on December 22, 2017

Wild one here in Wilkes-Barre in a hotly contested affair between the Penguins and Binghamton Devils.

Pens go up 2-0 in the first to see Binghamton rattle off three goals and lead 3-2 after the first. All of them were bad goals.

No scoring in the second, Jarrett Burton scores on a fluke goal in the third to force overtime

Teddy Blueger redirects a pass by J-S Dea to win the game for the Penguins 4-3.

Michael Leighton started and picked up the win.

More in a bit.

Rapid Recap

GAMEDAY: vs. Binghamton 12/22

Comments Off on GAMEDAY: vs. Binghamton 12/22 Posted by on December 22, 2017

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Who: Binghamton Devils

Where: Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza

When: 7:05 p.m.

Last Game: Saturday in Bridgeport, the Pens lost 3-2 to the Sound Tigers. Greg McKegg and Zach Aston-Reese scored for the Pens in the OT loss. For Binghamton, the Devils beat Belleville 5-2 last Saturday. Ken Appleby had a light night in goal, stopping 20 of 22 shots. Five different Devils scored.

Last Meeting: November 17 in Binghamton, the Pens won 4-3. Teddy Blueger set up two goals, earning himself first star honors.

Record: For WBS: 15-8-2-1 (33 pts., 4th place Atlantic Division) // For BNG: 9-14-3-1 (22 pts., 7th place North Division)

Referee(s): Peter MacDougall

Linesmen: Jud Ritter / Tom DellaFranco

Why You Should Care: Pittsburgh did some retooling with things and that netted Wilkes-Barre the services of future AHL Hall of Famer Michael Leighton and the return of Kevin Czuczman. With a full week of practice, how will the Penguins do against a last place Binghamton team? Who starts in goal?

Promotion(s): WBRE Fan Friday ($14 Tickets), Postgame Autographs, $2 Draft Beers (6-7:30 p.m.)

Other Game to Watch: Hartford, on a tear of late, hosts division leader Providence tonight in the Connecticut capital.

Next Five Games: LV 12/23, LV 12/27, HFD 12/29, @ HER 12/30, BRI 1/3

Gameday

Sorting Through the Paperwork*

2 Comments Posted by on December 20, 2017

Late Tuesday, there were other moves made effecting the roster here in Wilkes-Barre besides the blockbuster trade involving Michael Leighton covered here Tuesday afternoon.

Made official by Coal Street Wednesday morning, the Penguins recalled Freddie Tiffels and Cody Wydo from Wheeling.

Initially thinking that there was something up impacting Pittsburgh’s roster, it was revealed after practice on Coal Street the following.

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Later, Christian Thomas was named to the Team Canada roster for the Spengler Cup. The tournament runs from December 26 through the 31st. You couple this with DiPauli being absent through Christmas and there is the need for the Wydo and Tiffels recalls this morning. Take Bengtsson’s injury and the status of Ethan Prow (no outlet I follow mentioned anything about him today and I didn’t ask) and there is the need for Jeff Taylor’s recall from Monday.

Wilkes-Barre would have two extras at forward and defense if you consider that Bengtsson, Prow, , Thomas, DiPauli, Tom Kostopoulos and Tom Sestito are all unavailable.

There is a possibility that one or two get bounced back to Wheeling for the Nailers games at home this weekend against the Brampton Beast.

I will leave you with Michael Leighton’s media availability after practice. Santa should send Tux a boom mike for Christmas. Sound up for this one if you can.

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If nothing happens Thursday, and I don’t expect it to, check back Friday at 3 for the Gameday setup against Lehigh Valley Binghamton. (thanks Kram for the heads up)

* – it’s what I do everyday at my big boy job of pushing paper. Or painting houses.

WBS, Wheeling

Goats Love Coal — Pens Acquire Michael Leighton

Comments Off on Goats Love Coal — Pens Acquire Michael Leighton Posted by on December 19, 2017

There was a trade made Tuesday afternoon with major implications on the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins.

The Pittsburgh Penguins acquired goaltender Michael Leighton from the Arizona Coyotes in exchange for Josh Archibald, Sean Maguire and 2019 draft pick.

Michael Leighton is one of the greatest AHL goaltenders to put on a pair of pads.

Here is his resume, from the League release on the trade….

Leighton, a five-time AHL All-Star, had been acquired by the Coyotes on Nov. 14 in a trade from Tampa Bay. In 14 AHL games between Syracuse and Chicago this season, Leighton has a record of 4-4-4 with a 3.16 goals-against average, an .869 save percentage and one shutout.

The AHL’s career leader in shutouts (50), Leighton has appeared in 479 career AHL games with a record of 236-176-48, ranking fifth all-time in victories and eighth among goaltenders in games played. He was named to the AHL All-Rookie Team in 2001-02 and won the Aldege “Baz” Bastien Memorial Award as the AHL’s outstanding goaltender in 2007-08.

In postseason play, Leighton owns the AHL records for saves in a single game (98, in a five-overtime loss on Apr. 24, 2008) and for lowest GAA in a single playoff year (1.18, in 2008). He shows a 1.67 GAA, a .946 save percentage and five shutouts in 28 career Calder Cup Playoff contests (13-12).

He’s been around the AHL this season, initially starting with Syracuse, with a stop in AHL Chicago, he did not appear in a game with the Coyotes AHL affiliate, Tucson. He was loaned to Chicago from Arizona.

So the crease in Wilkes-Barre looks like Casey DeSmith and Michael Leighton. Unless there is another move coming down the pike which would see Tristan Jarry coming back down and Leighton going to to backup Matt Murray, which is entirely plausible.

Sean Maguire needed the change in scenery. He will a great asset for the Tucson Roadrunners. He was kind of lost in the shuffle here in Wilkes-Barre.

Josh Archibald wasn’t going to make it through waivers the thought process was by the brain trust up in Pittsburgh.

Jonathan had an interesting take…

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I disagree with that thought process entirely. Casey DeSmith played his way up from ECHL obscurity a few seasons ago to an NHL contract this past summer. He is as about as solid a #1 AHL goaltender you can find, anywhere, just like Tristan Jarry and Matt Murray before him.

But like I tell people all the time, I don’t manage or coach the organization, I just blog about it.

Oh dear, as I was about to hit publish on this, a second trade was made with another implication affecting Wilkes-Barre.

Penguins acquire Jamie Oleksiak from the Dallas Stars in exchange for a 2019 conditional fourth round draft pick. As a part of the move, Kevin Czuczman was re-assigned to the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins.

The conditional end of it is explained here…

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Out the door, Wilkes-Barre recalled Jarrett Burton and Jeff Taylor from Wheeling Monday. With Ethan Prow’s status up in the air and Wilkes-Barre playing with just one extra forward last weekend, the need for those recalls were justified. Elsewhere, ex-Penguin Stuart Percy signed an AHL deal with the Rochester Americans.

Is there a third move up the sleeve of Penguins GM Jim Rutherford? We have to wait and see.

Pittsburgh, The AHL, WBS, Wheeling

AHL Power Rankings: Week 11

Comments Off on AHL Power Rankings: Week 11 Posted by on December 18, 2017

We are at Week 11 in the AHL Power Rankings and a week away from the New Year.

Teams are jockeying for positioning as we head there. Others are establishing themselves as forces to be reckoned with while others are simply fading into obscurity.

This past weekend, the heavyweight matchup was the Manitoba Moose meeting up with the Toronto Marlies. It was billed as a test for the Moose heading into Toronto to take on an established Marlies team.

The Moose pass with flying colors and are again your number one team this week.

They are followed by a Rochester Americans team which you need to start taking seriously. The Texas Stars, slowly creeping into the top spot of the Pacific round out the top three. In fourth is the Atlantic Division leader Providence Bruins followed by the Marlies, who don’t fall too far because there aren’t that many teams that have won at least 20 games in the AHL just yet.

Hop past the Marlies if you didn’t link in direct to see where your favorite team ended up this week.

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 Last Week: MTB 7 @ BEL 3, MTB 2 @ TOR 1, MTB 5 @ TOR 1
Moose just running away with things. 14 straight games, a franchise record, without a regulation loss. Head Coach Pascal Vincent punches his ticket to Utica in January to head up the Central bench. Rampage stopping by this weekend could be a test.

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 This Week: vs. SA 12/21, vs. SA 12/22
Record: 21-5-1-2

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 Last Week: UTI 1 @ RCH 3, TOR 3 @ RCH 2, RCH 3 @ UTI 2 (OT)
Amerks appear to be for real, not letting a tight setback to the Toronto Marlies bother them at all, shaking it off and taking down the Utica Comets the next night.

+3

 This Week: vs. BEL 12/20, @ LAV 12/22, @ LAV 12/23
Record: 16-6-3-3

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 Last Week: ONT 4 @ TEX 2, CLE 4 @ TEX 5 (OT)
Sweep the week, are 8-2 in their last ten. This run will have the Stars at the top of the Pacific in no time.

+3

 This Week: @ ONT 12/20, @ SJ 12/22, @ BAK 12/23
Record: 17-10-0-1

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 Last Week: PRO 3 @ HER 0, PRO 3 @ SYR 5, PRO 6 @ HER 2
Eight game winning streak ended in Syracuse on Friday, but The P-Bruins still lead the Atlantic Division as we head into the Christmas break.

+3

 This Week: @ HFD 12/22, @ SPR 12/23
Record: 18-7-2-0

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 Last Week: TOR 3 @ RCH 2, MTB 2 @ TOR 1, MTB 5 @ TOR 1
Can’t really fault the Eastern Conference’s best team for losing to the AHL’s overall best team this weekend, so the Marlies stay in the top five for now. Two this week with the Comets in New York.

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 This Week: @ UTI 12/20, @ UTI 12/22
Record: 21-7-0-0

Click through here to see teams 6 through 30

Power Rankings

Surrounded by Aho’s — Pens LOSE 3-2 (OT)

Comments Off on Surrounded by Aho’s — Pens LOSE 3-2 (OT) Posted by on December 16, 2017

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The Bridgeport Sound Tigers came into the game tonight on a 0-4-0-1 streak.

They lost starting goaltender Kristers Gudlevskis to a non-contact lower body injury in the second period and Christopher Gibson, who let five goals in last night in a losing effort in Springfield, was called into duty.

Gibson and the Sound Tigers rally from a 1-0 deficit to beat the Penguins 3-2 in overtime off of a power play goal by Sebastian Aho.

Fun game otherwise, with two teams looking evenly matched in the game, but a stinger for Pens fans knowing the history of recent where Wilkes-Barre came in 3-6-1-0 in their last ten games.

Casey DeSmith opposed the aforementioned Kristers Gudlevskis

Lines were…

Zach Aston-Reese — Greg McKegg — Ryan Haggerty
Garrett Wilson – Colin Smith – Daniel Sprong
Christian Thomas – J-S Dea – Patrick McGrath
Adam Johnson – Teddy Blueger – Thomas DiPauli

Jarred Tinordi – Zach Trotman
Andrey Pedan – Chris Summers
Kevin Spinnozi – Frank Corrado

Casey DeSmith – Sean Maguire

Lineup Notes: Earlier in the day, Kevin Spinozzi was signed by the Penguins to an AHL contract for the remainder of the season with his PTO expiring this weekend. The Pens could have re-signed Spinozzi to another 25 game tryout agreement, but rather opted for the standard player contract. Jarred Tinordi returned from injury and replaced Ethan Prow and Patrick McGrath swapped up front with Gage Quinney.

https://twitter.com/nafsnep/status/942174755817512960

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Personally, I think Prow would have been taken out of the  lineup regardless, since Tinordi was ready to return, so we will have to watch this week of practice report to get an update on Ethan.

First Period: Pens came out of the period with a 1-0 lead on a Greg McKegg wraparound goal and traded power plays with the Sound Tigers. Last night in Hartford, solo referee Corey Syvret didn’t call a single penalty on the Wolf Pack thus not allowing the Penguins a power play opportunity. Tonight, referee Stephen Reneau was the only man in orange stripes tonight and missed a slash on Garrett Wilson and then an interference call on Zach Trotman.  So when you don’t have the officials out there policing play, you leave it to the players.

That’s my only gripe in the period. But it’s a double edged sword. I complain when  there are 57 penalties in a period and complain when there aren’t enough.

Oh, here’s the McKegg goal…

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Second Period: Story of this period was the goaltenders.  Kristers Gudlevskis left the game with a lower body injury for the Sound Tigers. Enter Christoper Gibson, who let in five goals Friday in Springfield and was pulled. Gibson nailed things down for the Sound Tigers and denied Christian Thomas and Colin Smith on Grade A chances.

Casey DeSmith was dialed in, making some good saves of his own, including one on John Stevens in the slot and then another on Stephen Gionta.

Bridgeport finally beat DeSmith on a shot by Devon Toews, through a heavy screen that tied the game at one.

Third Period: Wilkes-Barre has been bitten by slow starts which have doomed them. Charlotte comes to mind. Springfield too. Well, in the third period, the Penguin didn’t put a lot of shots on Gudlevskis and kept the Sound Tigers in the game.

Scott Eansor beats Casey DeSmith on a power play when an initial shot was stopped by the Penguins netminder where Eansor swooped in and backhanded it in to give the Sound Tigers the lead with 7:14 to play in the period.

But then Zach Aston-Reese tied the game when Christian Thomas led a rush, dropped a pass to Aston-Reese, then was tripped up by two Sound Tigers. In the commotion, Aston-Reese snapped off a quick shot that beat Gibson and tied the game.

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But then Frank Corrado would be called for boarding with a minute left to play in regulation, putting the Sound Tigers on the power play for the rest of regulation and then…

Overtime: Shane Prince puts a shot on goal that is partially blocked, then hits Sebastian Aho’s leg and then into the net to win it for the Sound Tigers just :26 into overtime…

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Around the Division: At the time this post went live on the blog, the boxscores on the AHL site were all frozen in time. I can tell you, based off of what I read on Twitter that Providence beat Hershey 6-2, Lehigh Valley ends the Syracuse Crunch 10 game win streak with a 4-2 win, the Charlotte Checkers beat the Laval Rocket 3-1 and Springfield beats Hartford 2-1 in a shootout.

Standings: Providence will remain first, Charlotte with remain second, Lehigh Valley will bump to third, Pens will drop to fourth, Bridgeport will stay fifth, Hartford and Hershey will flip fifth and sixth respectively and Springfield will stay in last. I’m not messing with math at this late hour. Check back in for a later edit if you care to.

Wheeling Update: Wheeling beats Reading 4-2 to split the weekend series with the Royals. Troy Josephs, Reid Gardiner, Kevin Schulze and Cody Wydo scored for the Nailers. Will King picked up the win for Wheeling.

If Bridgeport puts out a highlight package that I see and can edit in, I will do so here.

Pend are off Sunday. AHL Power Rankings hit the blog Monday at 4. Check us out then. Wilkes-Barre is back in action this Friday at home agains the Binghamton Devils.

Let’s Go Pens!

Postgamer

GAMEDAY: @ Bridgeport 12/16

Comments Off on GAMEDAY: @ Bridgeport 12/16 Posted by on December 16, 2017

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Who: Bridgeport Sound Tigers

Where: Webster Bank Arena

When: 7:00 p.m.

Last Game: Last night in Hartford, the Pens were smoked 7-3. Daniel SProng, Teddy Blueger and Thomas DiPauli were the goal scorers. For Bridgeport, the Sound Tigers were in Springfield last night and lost 5-4. Parker Wotherspoon had two goals. Recently reassigned Josh Ho-Sang had an assist.

Last Meeting: October 28 in Wilkes-Barre, the Pens won 5-2. Ryan Haggerty had two goals, Zach Aston-Reese had two assists.

Record: For WBS: 15-8-1-1 (32 pts., 3rd place Atlantic Division) // For BRI: 12-11-1-1 (26 pts., 5th place Atlantic Division)

Referee(s): Stephen Reneau

Linesmen: Travis Gawryletz / John Kirakos

Why You Should Care: Penguins need to shake off that 7-3 throttling the Wolf Pack threw at them last night with a better effort here in Bridgeport tonight. Bridgeport as well will be looking at getting the stink off of them by letting Springfield sneak past them so it should be a good start between these two teams tonight.

Other Game to Watch: Providence revisits Hershey after seeing their eight game losing streak come to an end last night in Syracuse. The Bears were idle Friday.

Next Five Games: BNG 12/22, LV 12/23, LV 12/27, HFD 12/29, @ HER 12/30

Gameday

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