Chirps from Center Ice

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

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GAMEDAY: vs. Hershey 2/23

Comments Off Posted by nafsnep on February 23, 2016

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Home Game: 26

AHL Game: 780

Who: Hershey Bears

Where: Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza

When: 7:05 p.m.

Media Kit

Last Game: Sunday in Rochester, the Penguins lost in overtime 3-2. The line of Tom Kostopoulos, Sahir Gill and Carter Rowney all had two points each. For Hershey, they hosted the Providence Bruins and lost 6-3 on Sunday. Connor Carrick and Jakub Vrana were both -3.

Last Meeting: December 26 in Hershey, the Bears pounded the Penguins 5-0. Brian Foster started the game and stopped 16 of 21 shots. Casey Desmith was brought in on relief and stopped all 7 shots faced. Dan Ellis recorded a 22 save shutout. Carter Camper had three assists.

Record: For WBS: 32-15-4-1 (69 pts., 1st place Atlantic Division) — For HER: 29-15-3-7 ( pts., 2nd place Atlantic Division)

Why you should care: Get ready for a lot of these Gameday setups that preview Hershey and Wilkes-Barre. These rivals meet 12 times this season. Tonight is just the fifth of the dozen times these teams meet. Hershey is coming in 7-2-0-1 in their last ten, the Penguins are 3-3-4-0 in that same span. The Bears have significantly closed what once was a nearly insurmountable lead that the Penguins had on the Atlantic Division. No matter what happens tonight, the Penguins will remain in first place in the division. With a win, the Pens open up some breathing room on Hershey for tops in the division. With a loss, the Bears draw one step closer, with six more meetings to come.

Referee(s): Geno Binda / Cameron Voss

Linesmen: Francois Dussureault / Jud Ritter

Twitter: @wbspenguins / @WBSGameDay / @TheHersheyBears

Facebook: /WilkesBarreScrantonPenguins // /TheHersheyBears

Instagram: wbspenguins / thehersheybears

Beat Writers: @CVSethLakso / @TLTomVenesky // @davesottile

Broadcasters: WBS: Mike O’Brien @MikeOBrienWBS / HER: Scott Stuccio @ScottStuccio

Fan Bloggers: @nafsnep / @ChocHockey

Radio: For WBS: WILK News Radio / For Hershey: 1460 The Ticket

Television: AHL Live

Promotion(s): None

Other Game to Watch: We are one of three games in the AHL today. Grand Rapids and Chicago already played a kids day game so by process of elimination San Antonio plays Bakersfield later on tonight in a battle of two teams mired at the bottom of the Pacific Division.

Next Five Games: @ POR 2/26, @ SPR 2/27, @ PRO 2/28, @ LV 3/4, @ HER 3/5

Gameday

AHL Power Rankings: Week 20

Comments Off Posted by nafsnep on February 22, 2016

We begin the Week 20 Chirps from Center Ice AHL Power Rankings with an apology to the Toronto Marlies.

We dropped the Marlies out of the top spot for the first time in a while last week. What do the Marlies do? Obliterate the Atlantic Division leading Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins rattling off four straight goals in the third period. Then next night, they beat the third place Atlantic Division Portland Pirates.

Their capsule tells the story as why the Marlies should be your legitimate Calder Cup contenders. So go ahead, and jump through to see where your favorite team ended up this week.

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Power Rankings

The Un-Finishers — Pens LOSE 3-2 (OT)

Comments Off Posted by nafsnep on February 21, 2016

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Here’s a great gem of a tweet that Citizens Voice beat writer Seth Lakso mined as we were waiting for the dry scrape of what ended up being a 3-2 overtime loss to the Rochester Americans.

Pens now have points in six of their last 10 games, but have just one regulation win in their last 12.

— Seth Lakso (@SethLakso) February 22, 2016

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Make it one in their last 13.

The turning point of this game was a long 5-on-3 power play that the Penguins were on in the third period for :31. After a time out, the Penguins owned a ton of offensive zone time but were held out of the net by the Americans penalty killers and the play of goaltender Nathan Lieuwen.

About that power play. It was a clean game for both teams with the referees arms staying down until the third period. The Penguins had all of the power plays in the third period and Rochester did not have a single one until overtime.

But instead of putting the cart before the horse, let me tell the whole story. Jump through if you didn’t link in direct to see the rest of the story because I bring the video highlights again in this blog recap.

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Postgamer

GAMEDAY: @ Rochester 2/21

Comments Off Posted by nafsnep on February 21, 2016

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Away Game: 27

AHL Game: 774

Who: Rochester Americans

Where: Blue Cross Arena

When: 5:05 p.m.

Media Kit`

Last Game: Friday night in Toronto, the Penguins were up 2-0 going into the third period but lost 4-2 to the Toronto Marlies 4-2. Kael Mouillierat and Anton Zlobin scored goals for the Penguins in the loss. For Rochester, they were in Syracuse last night and won 6-2. Tim Schaller had a hat trick, plus an assist and was named first star of the game.

Last Meeting: November 14 in Wilkes-Barre, the Pens won 3-1. Wilkes-Barre dominated the Americans in all facets, outshooting them 42-16.

Record: For WBS: 32-15-3-1 (68 pts., 1st place Atlantic Division) — For RCH: 25-24-2-1 (53 pts., 5th place North Division)

Why you should care: The Penguins need to close out opponents again. They have simply failed in the last three games. Back-to-back overtime losses to the Portland Pirates last weekend and getting smoked 4-2 after leading 2-0 after two periods in Toronto this past Friday. Rochester probably isn’t making playoffs t his year, so this could be a good start.

Referee(s): Darcy Burchell / Dave Lewis

Linesmen: Peter Feola / Derek Sylvester

Twitter: @wbspenguins / @WBSGameDay / @AmerksHockey

Facebook: /WilkesBarreScrantonPenguins // /RochesterAmericans

Instagram: wbspenguins / amerkshockey

Beat Writers: @CVSethLakso / @TLTomVenesky // @KevinODandC

Broadcasters: For WBS: Mike O’Brien @MikeOBrienWBS / For RCH: Don Stevens @DonStevensAmerk

Fan Bloggers: @nafsnep / @LetsGoAmerks

Radio: For WBS: WILK NewsRadio / For Rochester 1280 AM WHTK

Television: AHL Live

Other Game to Watch: The Providence Bruins and Hershey Bears rematch today again in Hershey. Last night the Hershey beat the Bruins 3-2 so you know Providence is looking for revenge in the quick turnaround.

Next Five Games: HER 2/23, @ POR 2/26, @ SPR 2/27, @ PRO 2/28, @ LV 3/4

Gameday

Blue Machine — Pens LOSE 4-2

1 Comment Posted by nafsnep on February 19, 2016

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Everybody has a plan, until they get punched in the mouth. — Mike Tyson

For the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins, the plan was working in the first two periods.

But the Toronto Marlies largely kept their hands in their pockets.

A four goal barrage by the Marlies in a span of 15:28 in the third period sees the Toronto Marlies defeat the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins by a score of 4-2.

The Toronto Marlies are a complete team. Yeah, the Penguins have been hit severely by the injury bug, but so have the Marlies of recent. This was a heavyweight battle between the two best teams in the American Hockey League.

Toronto dominated a scoreless first period. Wilkes-Barre dominated the second period and scored two goals in a span of :47. Toronto took over in the third period and hooked in and ran away with things.

It was Matt Murray vs. Antoine Bibeau in goal.

I don’t run ads on my blog. I pay WordPress to keep it that way, so consider this a commercial break as you jump through if you didn’t link in direct because I am going again with the visual eye candy tonight in the post game recap with amateurish video highlights.

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Postgamer

GAMEDAY: @ Toronto 2/19

Comments Off Posted by nafsnep on February 19, 2016

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Away Game: 26

AHL Game: 754

Who: Toronto Marlies

Where: Ricoh Coliseum

When: 7:00 p.m.

Media Kit

Last Game: Sunday at home against Portland, the Pens lost in overtime 3-2 to the Portland Pirates. Tom Kostopoulos had a power play goal. For Toronto, the Marlies were in St. John’s Sunday and won 2-1. Brett Findlay had two goals and was named first star of the game.

Last Meeting: December 18 in Wilkes-Barre the Pens lost to the Marlies 3-2 in a shootout. Scott Wilson had a goal and an assist in the loss. This has been the only game the Penguins have played this season that has gone to a shootout.

Record: For WBS: 32-14-3-1 (68 pts., 1st place Atlantic Division) — For TOR: 38-94-0 (80 pts., 1st place North Division)

Why you should care: Much like December 18 back in Wilkes-Barre, tonight is a battle of the two best teams in the American Hockey League. Should be a ice measuring stick for the Penguins facing off against the consistently best team in the AHL all season and equally as so facing off against with Matt Murray or Tristan Jarry in net.

Referee(s): Dave Lewis / Furman South

Linesmen: Jordan Browne / Justin Knaggs

Twitter: @wbspenguins / @WBSGameDay / @TorontoMarlies

Facebook: /WilkesBarreScrantonPenguins // /TorontoMarlies

Instagram: wbspenguins / torontomarlies

Beat Writers: @CVSethLakso and @TLTomVenesky / @KyleTheReporter

Broadcasters: For WBS: Mike O’Brien @MikeOBrienWBS / For TOR: Todd Crocker @HockeyCrock

Fan Bloggers: @nafsnep

Radio: For WBS: WILK Newsradio / For Toronto: TSN 1050

Television: AHL Live

Other Game to Watch: Utica / Syracuse is a rivalry as deep as Wilkes-Barre / Hershey. These two teams square off tonight in Syracuse.

Next Five Games: @ RCH 2/21, HER 2/23, @ POR 2/26, @ SPR 2/27, @ PRO 2/28

Gameday

AHL Power Rankings: Week 19

Comments Off Posted by nafsnep on February 15, 2016

We have a new number one in the Week 19 version of the Chirps from Center Ice AHL Power Rankings.

It’s the Providence Bruins, up four spots to the top spot this week. The Bruins biggest case for this big bump over four other really good teams was a sixteen game point streak.

There is a new number two this week as top five stalwarts Toronto and Ontario took a bit of a hit this week but I am not going to give it all away in the lede, you have to jump though if you didn’t link in direct.

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Power Rankings

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