vs.          

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Coming into Tuesday nights game with the last place Hartford Wolf Pack, you’d think that this would be what the doctor ordered for the top team in the AHL who lost two in a row coming in.

After the first period, you knew the quick two game losing streak was coming to an end. Confident, almost.

After the second, well ask me about half way into the third you say.

Where am I going with this you ask? The Pens went up 3-0 and nearly lost this one as a late Hartford push isn’t enough to get them across the line as the Penguins barely hold on and win 3-2.

Another weekday home game and so another chance for me to lazy leg it through the lines:

Casey DeSmith backed up Tristan Jarry, who opposed Brandon Halverson.

Notes: If you are missing Kevin Porter’s name, that’s because earlier in the day Tuesday the AHL suspended Porter one game for his third period hit on Providence’s Rob O’Gara on Friday. Porter played the next night in Binghamton which I find to be an extremely careless and lazy action by the League, whom I rarely criticize. I’m not upset at the suspension, Porter was suspended earlier in the season a game and I was frankly quite surprised the League didn’t suspend him more games. I’m surprised that the AHL waited until Tuesday to bring the hammer down on Porter. What if Porter did something suspension worthy Saturday? It’s lazy by the AHL. I don’t want to hear that because of New Years that this is some type of excuse either. The League had games Saturday and Sunday.

Anyway, I have spent too long ranting on this topic.

In Porter’s place, Jake Guentzel jumped on top line duty with Kostopoulos and Simon. Chad Ruhwedel and Dave Warsofsky were back in fresh from NHL reassignment.

In the first, the Penguins totally dominated the Wolf Pack, taking an 11-0 shot advantage and a 2-0 lead where it counted the most. Teddy Blueger found himself wide open at the top of the slot to open the scoring for the Penguins. Later, Josh Archibald got a piece of a Dave Warsofsky shot from the blue line that connected to double Wilkes-Barre’s lead.

It was ugly for Hartford. They looked like tackling dummies on a football practice field. They were there, you could see them, but the Penguins did whatever they wanted to them and they never hit back.

In the second, the Wolf Pack were better in that they didn’t allow the Penguins to score any goals and Halverson had some luck with a pad stop and his posts as Warsofsky and Gill came narrowly close to extending the lead.

Both teams had back to back power plays, but the Penguins remained in cruise control heading into the third.

There, the Penguins would connect on a power play to make it a 3-0 lead. A Derrick Pouliot shot from the point was redirected by Dominik Simon off the post right to Chad Ruhwedel cutting in off the wall that made it 3-0.

Right after that, a Steven Fogarty shot found its way in past Jarry through bodies that eliminated any hopes of a Penguin shutout at 5:45.

Hartford had been building momentum ever since they didn’t get steamrolled in the second period like they did the first. They were, in spurts, playing like the better team.

A Tanner Glass shot bounced in then out which made it 3-2 with about 5:30 left to play.

Tense times.

Hartford had a late power play after a careless Derrick Pouliot penalty put them there. But with Halverson vacated for the 6-on-4 man advantage, the Wolf Pack never found the equalizer.

I’m even taking the veteran option on three stars!

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Around the Division: They all watched us.

Standings: Penguins (.734 percentage points) — Leigh Valley (.710) — Providence (.682) — Hershey (.672) — Bridgeport (.548) — Springfield (.500) — Hartford (.394)

Wheeling Update: The Nailers were off. Kevin Schulze was named an All-Star for Wheeling. More tomorrow in the Wheeling Wrap, which I’m pushing to Wednesday, so look for that at noon then.

Video highlights…

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But for breaking news, expect the next blog update after Wednesday’s Wheeling Wrap to be the Hershey Gameday setup Friday at 3.

Let’s Go Pens!

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It took till the last day when the sun went down in 2016, but the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins have lost back to back regulation games.

A 3-2 loss and a dazzling display of goaltending by Chris Driedger of the Binghamton Senators. Driedger singlehandedly won the game for his team.

Pens drop two straight games for the first time this season and run to 2017 as the best team in the AHL despite the setback. Last night, Wilkes-Barre ran into a hot team in Providence. Tonight, they ran into a hot goaltender. You can’t win t hem all.

Casey DeSmith vs. Chris Driedger

Lines were…

Sahir Gill – Kevin Porter – Tom Kostopoulos
Garrett Wilson – Oskar Sundqvist – Josh Archibald
Jake Guentzel – J-S Dea – Dominik Simon
Tom Sestito – Teddy Blueger – Ryan Haggerty

Tim Erixon – Stuart Percy
Derrick Pouliot – Lukas Bengtsson
Cameron Gaunce – Ethan Prow

Casey DeSmith – Doug Carr

Lineup Notes: Sahir Gill’s first game action in 10 games, having last played on December 3. Head Coach Clark Donatelli stuck him on the top line with Kevin Porter and Tom Kostopoulos. He dropped Simon down to the third line, scratched Danny Kristo, and swapped Haggerty for Reid Gardiner. Defense unchanged.

First Period: No flies on Sahir Gill. Hasn’t played in 10 games, scores off of a face-off to give the Penguins a 1-0 lead…

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Gill’s first goal for the Penguin since February 12.

Minutes later, Jason Akeson scored on the power play which tied it for the B-Sens. It was the fourth time in a row that the Penguins allow a power play goal on the first power play awarded to the opposing team.

Driedger denied a J-S Dea shot on a two on one opportunity late as the period ended.

Second Period: Jason Akeson scored his second when Stuary Percy turned the puck over. Darren Rumble took it, centered to Akeson mid-slot and Akeson gave the Senators the 2-1 lead.

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Driedger was up to task in the period in denying the Penguins scoring chances. Wilkes-Barre’s fourth line had the better opportunities and outshot the Senators 20-6 in the period.

Buddy Robinson scored to make it 3-1 on a bullet pass that appeared offside. Here is the video I took. Let me know if you agree with Gaunce.

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Another look…

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For what it’s worth, Clark Donatelli had this to say postgame to Seth as told by Nick Hart…

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Pens got a late power play and lost Oskar Sundqvist to potential injury off of this shot by Derrick Pouliot…

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Sundqvist made it to the bench, but needed assistance to the locker room not putting any weight on his right foot / leg. He did return for the…

Third Period: Pens continued to pour on the offense, seeing a Josh Archibald shot hit the crossbar but go out. Then Sundqvist hacked and whacked at a puck in Driedger’s pads but the B-Sens netminder was able to get over to the puck and smother it in his crease before it bled across the line.

The Penguins would outshoot the Senators 18-7 in the period and pounded Driedger with shots. They owned the offensive zone time.

Finally, the Penguins got a power play goal via, who else, Jake Guentzel.

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Penguins would get no closer though as they needed to kill a penalty. Binghamton had no interest in wanting to press for a fourth goal because the Penguins weren’t letting them. Driedger continued to make save after save on the Penguins, and Wilkes-Barre with DeSmith pulled for an extra man, were never able to find the equalizer.

Three Stars: 3) Phil Varone (two assists, even) 2) Jason Akeson (two goals, even) and 1) Chris Driedger (44 saves on 46 shots)

Around the Division: Hartford falls at home against Albany, 3-1… Providence will nbc your new #1 team in the AHL Power Rankings on Monday with a 4-1 win in Hershey, another dominating win by a dominating team. Lehigh Valley, Springfield and Bridgeport were off.

Standings: Penguins (.726 percentage points) –Lehigh Valley (.710) — Providence (.682) — Hershey (.672) — Bridgeport (.567) — Springfield (.500) — Hartford (.406)

Wheeling Update: Kevin Schulze scores twice, Seam Maguire stops 34 of 36 and the Wheeling Nailers beat the Elmira Jackals 5-2 at home.

Binghamton might have video highlights and if they do I will run an edit.

The AHL Power Rankings Double Issue will be out at noon on Monday, a special publication time because I figure most of you will be celebrating the observed New Year plus I believe Penn State plays in the Rose Bowl at 4 Monday, so I figure you’d be more interested in that than the 20th ranked AHL team in the Power Rankings.

Wheeling Wrap returns Tuesday at noon, which also is the next time the Penguins are in action again, at home, against the Hartford Wolf Pack.

Happy New Year and Let’s Go Pens!