Comments Off on Weekend Preview – What Does $5 Million Get You?
Posted by nafsnep on October 30, 2024
The Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins have the services of NHL All-Star goaltender and $5.3M / year man Tristan Jarry, down on a conditioning assignment, for this week and parts of next.
Music to Set the Mood…
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Playing in the minors while collecting ~$203,900 on a bi-weekly basis? Can I sign up for this to write my old high schools newsletter?
Oh wait, the Diocese of Scranton closed my high school. Anyway…
A Quote…
Everybody’s got a price! – The Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase
The Setup
A Wednesday trip up to Bridgeport to take on the Islanders, a Friday off, then a Saturday home game against the Hartford Wolf Pack.
The Penguins split a series with the Syracuse Crunch where the home team won both game. The Pens were shutout in Syracuse 2-0 on Friday and then beat the Crunch at home 3-2 on Saturday.
The Islanders went to Charlotte last weekend and were obliterated by the high octane offense Checkers and lost 13-4 on aggregate (8-2, 5-2) – Bridgeport has allowed the most goals in the Division with 27. It’s looking like a long year again on the Sound Island.
Hartford beat Lehigh Valley 4-3 in overtime, had Saturday off and then got smashed by a Springfield club playing a third game of a three in three weekend 5-2. They will host the Grand Rapids Griffins on Wednesday, then travel to Syracuse on Friday.
Records
The Penguins are 4-2, on 8 points and third in the Atlantic Division. The Islanders are 1-5-1-0, on three points and in last place in the Atlantic. Hartford is 3-2-0-1, on 7 points coming into Wednesday and in fourth in the Atlantic.
Defensemen Dan Renouf and Filip Kral, forwards Jimmy Huntingdon and Jagger Joshua are the week to weekers that we know of.
Isaac Belliveau remains day to day, but he hasn’t played at all, and it’s been weeks, so is he really day to day?
Sam Houde remains in Wheeling. Sergei Musharov went to Wheeling in the Jarry transaction and I can’t tell you what the status is with Taylor Gauthier because the ECHL’s roster rules are more complex than they need to be. Compounding that, Coal Street signed G Luke Richardson, who was with the Pens in training camp, to a PTO on Monday.
Four points playing in front of an NHL All-Star goalie is a must, unless said goaltender malfunctions. I don’t think he will though. Going back to Saturday’s goals against, go ahead and find me a goaltender in the AHL or NHL that stops those scenarios. It’s unfair and nitpicking if you blame Jarry for those goals.
Bridgeport is a mess and unless a miracle happens expect the Penguins to win handily. Hartford should put up a bit more of an opposition but expect the Penguins to compete and have the edge. Provided they keep the power play clicking and stay healthy, they should be in a position to pick up two points with under ten minutes to play in the third period in each game.
Who’s in Goal?
Sometimes it’s fun having the answers before the test. Jarry isn’t here to be anyone’s back up. It’s him Wednesday and Saturday.
For Bridgeport, expect Jakub Skarek, who at this point should be getting hazard pay.
Hartford should probably roll out Dylan Garand, because you figure old buddy Louis Domingue will see the start against the Griffins Wednesday and again in Syracuse.
Who’s Running the Show?
Stephen Hiff and Austin Rook get the duties Wednesday in Bridgeport and Mitchell Hunt and Dylan Lewis are on the lines.
Graedy Hamilton and Mason Riley have the referee assignments on Saturday, with Jud Ritter and J.P. Waleski on the lines.
Looking Ahead…
Home Wednesday against Lehigh Valley, Friday in Allentown, then Saturday back home against the Rochester Americans who stop by for their only visit of the season.
Give us a bold prediction…
Tristan Jarry gets a shutout Wednesday in Bridgeport then beats the Wolf Pack in a seven round shootout on Saturday.
Comments Off on AHL Power Rankings — Week 3
Posted by nafsnep on October 28, 2024
There’s yet another team at the top of the Chirps from Center Ice AHL Power Rankings and I get a sense that they will be staying here for a bit.
Yeah, it’s the Bears.
I’ll let the Rankings below explain myself. Again, if you disagree or whatever, the comments below are open and active. Here we go.
1. Hershey Bears
Last Week: 2nd (up 1)
Record: 6-1-1
Bears were featured on the AHL website this weekend as a target on everyone’s radar and documented their hellish three in three road trip through New England this weekend. Well, there’s a new number one in the Rankings this week as the Bears sweep the weekend and are picking up right where they left off last June. Don’t let this team get on a roll.
2. Toronto Marlies
Last Week: 1st (down 1)
Record: 6-0-0-1
Were finally handed a loss (shootout) against Belleville but are still near the top overall in the AHL. Just one with Cleveland this Saturday.
3. Charlotte Checkers
Last Week: 5th (up 2)
Record: 5-1
Blew out the Islanders this past weekend and are looking very strong, very potent. We wonder if they have the dates scheduled with the Bears this week circled on their calendar.
4. San Jose Barracuda
Last Week: 6th (up 2)
Record: 5-1
The Barracuda are the only team to not make the expanded playoffs since its inception but are off to a good start as one of the two teams in the Pacific (Calgary) to hit double digit points in October. Not a bad start and with Iowa on the docket this weekend it looks to continue.
5. Grand Rapids Griffins
Last Week: 8th (up 3)
Record: 6-1
So far, the Griffins have swept through the Atlantic Division, taking down the Thunderbirds and sweeping the Phantoms. Midweek battle with the Wolf Pack before hosting Rockford and then traveling to Cleveland. Hell of a week of travel for Grand Rapids.
The plan is to have Jarry here for the whole two weeks allowable and to have him start every game. That’s at Bridgeport this Wednesday, Hartford at home next Saturday, then a home vs. Lehigh Valley the following Wednesday. at Lehigh Valley that Friday.
Well if Saturday’s game against the Crunch was any indicator, I think Jarry will be fine, for now.
Syracuse is a BIG team. They look like a bunch of linebackers and wide receivers. They jammed up the Penguins Friday in Syracuse and shut them out. Saturday Kirk MacDonald made the necessary adjustments and the Penguins held on to win 3-2.
— Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) October 26, 2024
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Lineup Notes: Raivis Ansons in for Marc Johnstone up front was the only change from Friday.
First Period: Nothing much to report here, the teams were both 0/1 on the power play.
Second Period: Wilkes-Barre gets bang bang goals from Sam Poulin and Avery Hayes on the power play and take a 2-0 lead over the Crunch who battle back to within one when Steven Santini scores off a face-off win (a theme for the Crunch all night) on a hell of a shot then Tristan Broz scores a power play goal with .4 left in regulation to make it 3-1 Penguins heading into the third.
Saying Tristan Jarry, an all-star $5M a year goaltender should have stopped that is insulting to Steven Santini, who had a hell of a shot there to score the goal. Long distance, trajectory, deflection, whatever, still a hell of a shot.
I initially thought it wasn’t going to count but after video review, the goal stood with time remaining.
Third Period: Syracuse created chaos at the net front of Jarry and Gemel Smith chipped one past the Penguins goaltender to bring the visitors back within one.
I mean nothing you really can do there with guys buzzing all around you.
Penguins would hold on through a Syracuse too many men call late and hang on to win.
Three Stars: 3) Emil Bemström (two assists) 2) Tristan Broz (goal, assist) 1) Tristan Jarry (32 saves)
The Good: They battled all night and found a way to stay in front due to their NHL All-Star goaltender and won. Tristan Jarry was fine Saturday. This was the exact type of game that he needed, one where he was challenged a bit, especially at the end where he made a big save to preserve the win, and his team in front of him did the rest. Build off of that and see where this goes. They also scored two power play goals, which is always a bonus.
The Bad: For the love of god, win a face-off. I think next home game provided I remember, I am going to track the face-offs.
Turning Point: I kind of had a feeling that the Broz goal at the end of the second would get it here and out turns out I was right. We just didn’t know it at the time.
Standings: Herhsey 11 – Charlotte 10 – Penguins 8 – Hartford 7 – Providence and Springfield 4 – Bridgeport and Lehigh Valley 3
Wheeling Update: Nailers won a wild one in Reading 5-4. Matty De St. Phalle, Sam Houde and Logan Pietila among the ones with goals. Sergei Musharov and Mats Lindgren were sent down to Wheeling this afternoon by Coal Street. Musharov stopped 16.
Video Highlights:
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Back at it Wednesday in Bridgeport. Power Rankings sometime Monday and I will be here again Wednesday around lunch for the Weekend Preview.
Brandon Halverson also played a good game in net for the Crunch, turning away all 22 shots sent his way for his second shutout in three games. He’s only allowed one goal this season.
The two teams will rematch Saturday in Wilkes-Barre.
— Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) October 25, 2024
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Lineup Notes: So I said in the Weekend Preview that we didn’t think there were any injuries coming out of the Saturday game against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms…
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Add Jimmy Huntington to the list of the wounded with an upper body injury, week to week. Avery Hayes replaced him up front.
Some good news, defenseman Nate Clurman was back from his injury, replacing Mats Lindgren.
First Period: Penguins fell in an early 1-0 hole when a Boris Katchouk clearing attempt ricocheted off of a skate straight to Dylan Duke who scored at 7:55. Replay below doesn’t shot the ricochet, but this was a freak play.
The Penguins took the periods only two penalties, two cross checks, but were able to get out of them unscathed.
Rutger McGroarty had two really good looks but they were stopped by Brandon Halverson, who really wasn’t challenged much despite facing nine shots in the period.
Nick Hart noted on radio that it was the first time all season the Penguins were trailing after one period.
Second Period: Penguins had three cracks at the power play in the period but they were abject disasters. They were forechecked to death and that caused turnovers and it looked like the Crunch were the ones on the power play. No team scored.
Third Period: Best chance of the period came when Emil Bemstrom put a shot on goal, which was stopped, but then the rebound was pounced on by Justin Lee and Halverson gets over and stops that one too.
No penalties in the period. Time dwindled, Larsson vacated, and Maxim Groshev, who fought the aforementioned Lee at the end of the second period, scored an empty netter from center ice.
Three Stars: 3) Maxim Groshev (goal) 2) Dylan Duke (goal, assist) 1) Brandon Halverson (22 saves)
The Good: Rutger McGroarty looked good. But for getting beat on a fluke sequence, Filip Larsson looked good too.
The Bad: The explosive offensive juggernaut known as at the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins were no where to be located Friday, but that’s a knock on Syracuse, who put the Pens in a jar. When they leaked, Halverson was there to stymie the rest. I also didn’t like the power play, which went 0/3 on the night, all in the second period.
Turning Point: The Duke goal in the first gets it here and it’s one of those times where you don’t realize it until the game is over.
Standings: Hershey 9 – Charlotte 8 – Hartford 7 – Penguins 6 – Providence and Springfield 4 – Bridgeport and Lehigh Valley 3
Wheeling Update: Nailers were off, they are in Reading Saturday.
Video Highlights: I highly doubt regular readers of the blog will want to see these, but the Crunch will likely post these, the question is will I see them and edit them back in.
Comments Off on Weekend Preview – Walking Wounded?
Posted by nafsnep on October 25, 2024
So the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins are down four injured defensemen through four games. They didn’t (that we know of) see anyone go out in the Saturday road game in Allentown.
They sure as hell aren’t playing like it though, shutting out the Phantoms Saturday 3-0 where Lehigh Valley put up 41 shots. Filip Larsson had a hell of a bounce back and was sharp as a tack after letting in six a week before against Charlotte.
Now, the Syracuse Crunch are on the radar for a home and home series starting Friday in Syracuse.
Music to set the mood…
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A Quote…
I had no idea a living being could sustain so much injury and go on living. — Yann Martel, Life of Pi.
Always wondered where the “day to day” injury description came from, apparently hockey coaches read that book.
The Setup
Another home and home for the Penguins. It’s must be a thing. I don’t know if you saw or not but I resurrected the AHL Power Rankings from the ashes and if you go in depth on the team capsules you will note that there are a lot of teams playing other teams on home and home backs to backs. Some are playing the same opponent three times in a row which I think is silly.
But I digress. The Penguins swept their home and home with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms by a 4-3 score on Friday and a 3-0 score Saturday. Friday they scored all four goals in the first. Saturday I thought was a much better played game structurally (but for the icing fest in the second period) and certainly would be a building block for the coaching staff to help mold the identity of this team.
For Syracuse, they played a three in three. They played a pair in Laval and were beat 5-2 Friday and 1-0 Saturday. It’s hard to lose 1-0 in today’s AHL. Like, it happens, but conceivably you don’t score a goal but allow just one and lose.
The Crunch then travelled to Belleville and beat the Senators 5-2 on Sunday.
Records
The Penguins are 3-1, on six points and tied with Charlotte for second in the division.
The Crunch are 3-2, on six points and are in third in the North.
Mirror, mirror, on the wall….
Who’s Up, Down, Out?
Defensemen Dan Renouf, Filip Kral, Marc Clurman and Isaac Belliveau are all out. The long termers are Renouf and Kral, out week to week and Clurman is day to day along with Belliveau.
Who knows if those statuses change. Jagger Joshua is the lone forward out week to week, that we know of.
Sam Houde is with the Wheeling Nailers.
It was actually quiet week transactionally for the team, with nothing doing on the wire for Coal Street all week. I guess that’s good?
One other transaction for the opponent. Conor Sheary was sent down to Syracuse by the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday. Sheary cut his AHL teeth with the Penguins in 2014-15 and 2015-16. You may see him in both games, but for certain I would think he plays Friday in Syracuse.
What can we learn about the Penguins this week?
Can the offense and the power play stay hot? All indicators indicate yes, as long as Boris Katchouk and Emil Bemstrom keep hopping over the bench and on the ice. I think the defense is OK, shielded a bit by the team putting up 3+ goals a night and getting bailed out by reasonable goaltending. When may the luck run out? When they start hitting really good teams on the schedule. Who’s a good team? Too soon to know, really.
Early returns are the team is good. Building up credit while you are young is good. Anyone over thirty gets this reference in real life scenarios.
Who’s in Goal?
You ride the hot hand and put Larsson out there Friday in Syracuse and then let Sergei Musharov take the Saturday start. You continue to do this until one plays his way into the bonafide starter role. I think the faith is Larsson as the starter as long as Joel Blomqvist plays the role of the NHL backup while Pittsburgh somehow still carries three goalies but Musharov isn’t coming from overseas to play second fiddle to anyone. We will see.
For Syracuse you can expect Brandon Halverson Friday and Matt Tompkins Saturday, or Halverson for both starts. Who knows.
Who’s Running the Show?
Riley Brace and Adam Tobias get the duties on Friday with Justin Johnson and Jason Brown on the lines. Saturday sees Jordan Deckard and Jared Cummins in the orange arm bands with Bill Lyons and Chandler Yakimowicz on the lines.
Looking Ahead…
A Wednesday visit to Bridgeport, a Friday off (woo hoo!) then November starts with a Saturday visit from the Hartford Wolf Pack.
Give us a bold prediction…
No reason to veer off course here. They score power play goals in both games and win both of them. Musharov outduels Larsson and the Penguins have a good problem to have and continue the two headed goaltending monster approach.
Comments Off on AHL Power Rankings – Week 2
Posted by nafsnep on October 21, 2024
Back for a second week in a row is the Chirps from Center Ice AHL Power Rankings.
I think with these that as long as you get the top three and bottom three right, the middle is really insignificant. Maybe I am wrong.
Anyway, there are a few big swings after the first week with teams that impressed last week but put up duds this week. I didn’t drop the teams that far, but again, those teams aren’t my top or bottom three teams, so does it really matter?
I think I nailed the top three teams this week with Toronto, Hershey and Bakersfield as the top three. The Marlies are unbeaten, Hershey is at the top of the Atlantic and the Condors haven’t had a regulation loss yet.
Here’s the whole list for you. Let me know what you think about these so I don’t think I am talking to myself.
1. Toronto Marlies
Last Week: 3rd (up 2)
Record: 5-0
Last unbeaten team in the AHL gets you top billing in the Rankings after sweeping Rochester and shutting out Utica at the tail end of a three in three.
2. Hershey Bears
Last Week: 5th (up 3)
Record: 3-1-1
Rebounded nicely with a shutout win against the Wolves. Are the Bears picking up where they left off in June?
3. Bakersfield Condors
Last Week: 6th (up 3)
Record: 2-0-1
Took three points out of the weekend and are near the top of the Pacific in what’s shaping up to be a very competitive division. Condors close out October hosting the Wranglers then heading to Tucson.
4. Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins
Last Week: 9th (up 5)
Record: 3-1
Offense is potent, with 17 goals in four contests, and they are rounding into form on defense and in goal, where Filip Larsson made 41 saves for a shutout on Saturday. Home and home with Syracuse next for the Pens.
5. Charlotte Checkers
Last Week: 1st (down 4)
Record: 3-1
Split with Cleveland at home and are off to a decent start in the family competitive Atlantic. What looks like a bad Bridgeport team drops by to close out the month.
Hit the jump below if you didn’t link in direct please and thanks!
After giving up seven goals last Saturday in the home opener against the Charlotte Checkers and taking the loss, Penguins goaltender Filip Larsson was looking for a bounce back.
He had to wait a day because the NHL parent sent a goaltender down for a conditioning assignment, but on Saturday night Larsson rebounds in a big way, with 41 saves, his team does the rest and Wilkes-Barre / Scranton sweeps the weekend and beats the Lehigh Valley Phantoms 3-0 on Saturday night from Allentown.
I think that even if the Phantoms managed to somehow win, with 40+ saves, you pin the loss on the lack of offense moreso then the goaltender.
Oh, studsa tillbaka is “rebound” or “bounce back” in Swedish. Larsson is a Swede.
— Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) October 19, 2024
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Lineup Notes: Corey Andonovski and Marc Johnstone were back in for Avery Hayes and Raivis Ansons up front and Mats Lindgren made his AHL debut on defense for Filip Král.
Injury Updates:
OK here are the very detailed WBS Penguins injury updates:
– Kral: week to week (upper) – Clurman: day to day (upper) – Renouf: week to week (lower) – Belleveau: day to day (lower) – Joshua: week to week (upper)
So the Renouf injury was upgraded from "not that bad" to week to…
— Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) October 19, 2024
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They looked good in the period, offense looked fluid and Larsson was sharp, assisting on the Bemström goal. There was a power play about halfway through that looked bad, though.
Second Period: I think the Penguins had more icing infractions than shots in the period considering they only mustard three shots in a slog of a period for both sides with no scoring.
Third Period: Penguins were still nursing a one goal lead and the Phantoms were already up to 30 shots in the game, so you wanted something in the form of insurance while there was still a lot of time on the clock.
Just about three and a half minutes in, Joona Koppanen got on the scoresheet with a goal that gave the Penguins some breathing room and doubled their lead.
— Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) October 20, 2024
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Hell of a shot.
Phantoms were generating shots but they weren’t resulting in goals, so they decided to pull Kolosov for an extra attacker with over five minutes to play, and with under a minute to play, Sam Poulin sets up Boris Katchouk, who has had himself a heck of a weekend, for an empty net goal.
— Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) October 20, 2024
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All that was left was whether or not Larsson would do the thing and well, he did the thing. 41 save shutout.
Three Stars: 3) Ollie Lycksell (4 shots) 2) Emil Bemström (goal) 1) Filip Larsson (41 save shutout, assist)
The Good: I think the doubts we carried with us all week on Larsson’s shaky play Saturday night last can get put to bed. The kid looked as good as advertised against a Phantoms team that peppered him all night. This wasn’t a 13 save insulated shutout. He stopped 40+ shots and kept his team in it.
The Bad: I’m not nitpicking a road shutout, let’s just skip this.
Turning Point: The Koppanen goal gave them separation and put more desperation on the Phantoms. I don’t think it would have mattered because nothing was getting past Larsson Saturday.
WBS News
Chirps from Center Ice 