Comments Off on Weekend Preview – Long December
Posted by nafsnep on December 4, 2024
The Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins played just nine games in the month of November. Lots of time in between games but buddy, that’s about to change. There are 11 games on the schedule in the month of December and three of those will be played this week alone starting at home Wednesday against the Hershey Bears.
Music to Set the Mood…
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I kind of had to. Not really a fan of the song. Not really a fan of December in general, despite it being my birthday month and my favorite holiday (Christmas)
A Quote…
December, being the last month of the year, cannot help but make us think of what is to come. — Fennel Hudson
Come to think of it, there is a lot of weight in that quote with this team and I will continue to explain.
The Setup
A rematch Wednesday with the Hershey Bears and a Friday off (you will never hear me complain) then a Saturday in Hartford and a Sunday afternoon in Providence.
The Penguins faced a big test against the North leading (at the time) Laval Rocket, fell down big and struggled with the Rocket’s speed, adjusted, scored a few power play goals and won.
Then the next night they went on the road to Hershey, a place they struggle at and won a heavyweight contest against the back to back champs and beat them clean 5-4. They scored a couple power play goals in that one too.
I had someone mention to me the other day that coaching may have a hand in it and I agree. Do we think that a J.D. Forrest coached team adjusts Friday at home against Laval and on the fly Saturday in Hershey? It may be kicking the guy when he is already out the door, but I don’t really know.
Back to the quote, yeah, it is December but you can’t help of what is to come with this team.
For the opponents, it was a rough week for the 13 time champs. They beat Laval 5-3 Wednesday, lost in overtime Friday in Allentown against the Phantoms and then Saturday’s result.
Hartford lost in overtime against the Phantoms 5-4, and got smoked in Springfield Saturday 4-1. The Wolf Pack will be in Bridgeport Wednesday and host the Rockford IceHogs. (Western teams, must be nice) on Friday.
Providence were swept in a home and home with an all of a sudden really good Utica Comets team 5-3 and 3-0 respectively and then hosted Springfield Sunday and lost 3-2. Yeah, the Bruins lost all three games. They are uncharacteristically bad right now.
The Bruins will have a road trip in Utica again Friday and will host Bridgeport Saturday before welcoming in the Penguins.
Records
The Bears are 14-5-3-0 and lead the Atlantic Division with 31 points. The Penguins are in second with a 11-4-1-0 record and 23 points. Hartford is 8-8-2-1 in sixth place good for 19 points and Providence is 8-10-2-0 with 18 points and sit seventh in the Division.
Who’s Up? Who’s Down? Who’s Out?
They are surprisingly getting heathy, with a few guys out but most of their important core healthy and contributing.
They got Jack St. Ivany back from Pittsburgh on a straight reassignment which was a bit of a out of left field add because I wasn’t expecting it on Tuesday. It looks like he and Owen Pickering have swapped spots, which is fine. Pickering is a rookie. If he stumbles, he can come back here and St. Ivany can go back up. It’s a win-win either way for the AHL club.
I mean if they play the way they played this past weekend, then you should expect all six points again, right?
I don’t think it’s an unreasonable ask, but things always change in the AHL. Here’s an example: Can you explain how the Utica Comets started 0-10 and all of a sudden have ripped off five straight and are one of the hottest teams in the AHL? Things change. They had a coaching change. Players bought in. They get breaks go their way finally.
You need to beware if you are a Penguins fan. Now, am I saying that they will lose 10 in a row? No, I don’t think the talent and leadership will allow that to happen. But you can’t think that just because they were successful in Hershey Saturday that automatically means they are going to go 12-0 against the Bears.
But it’s nice, going back to the Quote at the top, thinking of what is to come. One game at a time, keep building up that winning credit for when you find yourself in a February slog.
Who’s in Goal?
I think it’s reasonable to think that Joel Blomqvist starts Wednesday against Hershey and again Saturday in Hartford and then let Sergei Murashov go Sunday in Hartford. Unless they don’t want Murashov to go more than a week in between starts, then Murashov goes Saturday.
Clay Stevenson for the Bears, Dylan Garand for the Wolf Pack and Michael DiPierto for the Bruins if I bet pennies on this, which I don’t.
Who’s Running the Show?
Mason Riley and Casey Terreri doling out discipline Wednesday with Patrick Dapuzzo and J.P. Waleski on the lines.
Jake Kamrass and Austin O’Rourke will be mediating in Hartford with Dylan Blujus and Dylan Lewis on the lines.
Mike Sullivan and Hayden Verbeek and the Sunday assignment with Stephen Drain and Kenneth Gates on the lines.
Looking Ahead…
Five straight home games for the Penguins, starting next Wednesday at home against the Checkers, Friday with Charlotte and Saturday against the Springfield Thunderbirds.
Give us a bold prediction…
They score two shorthanded goals in one of these next three, winning all three.
Comments Off on AHL Power Rankings — Week 8
Posted by nafsnep on December 2, 2024
You guys.
We did it.
We managed to have a number one ranked team last week stay there this week.
The Grand Rapids Griffins stay at the top spot in the Chirps from Center Ice AHL Power Rankings the week after bringing to an end the Cleveland Monsters ten game win streak.
Some shake up to the top five. Don’t forget to jump through to teams 6 through 32 if you didn’t link in direct. Here we go…
1. Grand Rapids Griffins
Last Week: 1st (no change)
Record: 14-5-1
Griffins bring an end to the Monsters ten game win streak. Three straight with Chicago this weekend.
2. Cleveland Monsters
Last Week: 3rd (up 1)
Record: 14-5-0-1
I teased the Monsters being the number one team in this weeks Rankings after Saturday’s recap after winning ten straight and they go to Grand Rapids and lose. Still, take over the North Division lead from Laval.
3. Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins
Last Week: 5th (up 2)
Record: 11-4-1
Beat the division leading Rocket and Bears impressively. I’m hesitant to put the Penguins at number one because it seems like a cursed spot and I’m not a madman. But if the Penguins keep rolling with the wins against the Bears, Wolf Pack and Bruins this week, they will leave me no choice.
4. Calgary Wranglers
Last Week: 8th (up 4)
Record: 15-5-1
Seven game road trip ends with a sweep in Winnipeg. Home now for a bit with Tucson on the menu.
5. Belleville Senators
Last Week: 7th (up 2)
Record: 9-4-0-4
B-Sens grinding points, sweeping Bridgeport this weekend. Now off to Winnipeg to take on a last place in the Central Moose team.
Comments Off on New Kids on the Block? — Pens WIN 5-4
Posted by nafsnep on November 30, 2024
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5 4
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So that’s two wins on back to back nights against the North Division and Atlantic Division leading teams.
Clean. No overtime. No fluke goals. No flukes.
Adversity? Overcome. Tenacity? There. Never say die attitude? You bet.
Wilkes-Barre wins 5-4 after a late goal from Rutger McGroarty set up by Tristan Broz in another instant classic game by the Penguins in a weekend full of them.
The Penguins never trailed in the game and Filip Král had a four point (2-2) night. The aforementioned Broz had three assists.
There may be something there there with this team, but it’s November, about to be December here in a few hours and I have been down this road. Let’s enjoy the wins but not get ahead of ourselves.
Lineup Notes: These embeds aren’t working anymore and I don’t know what I am going to do about it. Anyway, Boko Imama and Jagger Joshua were in for Avery Hayes and Marc Johnstone from last night. up front and Isaac Belliveau for Sebastian Aho on defense.
First Period: Penguins didn’t waste any time and scored just. :55 in when a floater of a shot by Filip Král eluded Hunter Shepard.
— Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) December 1, 2024
Bogdan Trineyev scored through a mangrove of Penguins defenders midway through. Dan Renouf wasn’t able to corral the puck and the Bears capitalized. That’s what champions do.
Second Period: One of the non scoring things I picked up in this period was the ease with which the Penguins killed the Hershey power plays that the back to back defending champs were awarded off the whistles of Cody Beach and Liam Maaskant.
Spencer Smallman was denied by Sergei Murashov and Murashov looked sharp.
Back to the power play talk, the Penguins didn’t waste any time on a power play opportunity when Vasily Ponomarev scored off a rebound from a shot from the point caromed off of Shepard and to Ponomarev who scored to give the Penguins a lead.
This made Hershey mad. They respond in kind with relentless pressure. Usually you see this with teams and it passes with no goals. Those aren’t championship teams. This is a championship team.
In case you are having problems with the embed, it’s Vinnie Iorio picking a spot on the low near corner that tied the game again.
But then the Penguins would edge ahead again when Emil Bemström would sneak behind the Hershey defense and snipe home a goal that made it 3-2 Penguins heading into the….
Third Period: Hershey would connect on leftover power play time from the second period when Chase Priskie, who has all of his goals for the Bears on the power play this season, connects to tie the game yet again.
Then the Penguins would all of a sudden get :55 of a two man advantage and it looked bad. I thought that the Bears would kill it all off, get the requisite momentum, score again and hold on to win and here’s your turning point.
Wrong.
Enter Kral again who scores his second of the night that makes it 4-3 on the power play.
— Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) December 1, 2024
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I liked how Broz waits out the diving Bears defender there and calmly shuffles a pass over to his teammate for the go ahead goal there. That’s veteran type stuff from an AHL rookie.
Hershey would pull Shepard in favor of an extra attacker but would not find the equalizer.
Three Stars: 3) Rutger McGroarty (goal, assist) 2) Vincent Iorio (goal, assist) 1) Filip Král (two goals, two assists)
The Good: Hell of a way to establish yourself as a team that needs to be taken seriously taking down the North and Atlantic Division leading teams here in November. Power play looks lethal, penalty kill is really good as well.
The Bad: You are really nitpicking blaming defense or goaltending when you are in a shootout like this against a back to back champion in Hershey.
Turning Point: Broz to McGroarty at 18:45 of the third period that gives the Penguins the lead for good gets it here.
Video Highlights: Will likely be up as soon as I get tired of waiting around for them and shut my laptop like last night. LOL.
Power Rankings Monday. It’s a recurring theme that I can’t get a team stick as a number one team. Laval was number one last week and lost two straight. They are out. Cleveland has won 10 in a row, the heck with it, give it to Cleveland. Check out the rest on Monday.
Comments Off on Saved by the…Power Play? — Pens WIN 5-3
Posted by nafsnep on November 29, 2024
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They looked done and dusted Friday. The Rocket were up 3-1 and the shots were a crazy 27-6 in favor of the Laval Rocket.
But then the Penguins, who already scored a power play goal, scored another.
And then another to tie it.
Then a goal by a guy here on a professional tryout gives them the lead.
Then a goal after a penalty kill gives them the cushion.
Part one of the weekend test is in the clear and the Penguins pass this one with flying colors, winning 5-3.
Hershey tomorrow.
Before we start, I don’t know what’s up with the Twitter / X embeds anymore. Sometimes they work, other times they don’t. Sometimes they do and I don’t think they do and sometimes they don’t and I think they do. If they don’t, you will see the raw link. Click on it then click back. I don’t know, blame Elon!
Lineup Notes: Dan Renouf returned from injury. He replaced Justin Lee. Nikolai Knyzhov, on a PTO, sticks in the the lineup. When they make the announcement that Renouf is going to be named captain, they should also announce an AHL. contract for Knyzhov.
Forward wise, Puustinen, Ponomarev and Poulin were in for Boko Imama, Raivis Ansons and Jagger Joshua in some form or fashion.
First Period: Laval is fast. This was evidenced by the 16-5 shot advantage after twenty minutes and the 2-1 score that the Rocket had after the period.
Rocket opened the scoring on a transition by Josh Jacobs.
But the Penguins had a power play and looked really bad with it for the first half but then Ville Koivunen had a hard shot that spilled to Sam Poulin who backhanded it past Hughes to tie the game.
Thinking that the Penguins would get out of the period relatively clean, but no. Blomqvist and the aforementioned Knyzhov get their lines crossed and Penguins killer Alex Barre-Boulet scores to give the Rocket a 2-1 lead heading into intermission.
Second Period: The Rocket would score a power play goal of their own when Jared Davidson would score a power play goal that would double the Laval lead.
The shots were a boffo 27-6 in favor of the Rocket with about six minutes left in the second period but then William Trudeau takes his second penalty of the game and then Boris Katchouk scored to bring the Penguins within one.
Sign this man to an AHL standard players contract immediately.
Then the Penguins found themselves in penalty trouble when the Rocket had :27 of two man advantage. Not only did the Penguins kill it all easily, but Joona Koppanen was in the box was freed and connected to make it 5-3 Wilkes-Barre.
I mean, just when you thunk the team couldn’t impress you more, they do this.
Quite the turn of events for the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins, who, after I mentioned were being outshot 27-6, scored four unanswered goals and outshot the visitors 14-5. How the tables have turned!
Laval didn’t even bother to pull Connor Hughes for the extra attacker, and I don’t think I have ever seen that before at this level.
Three Stars: 3) Jonathan Gruden (fight) 2) Sam Poulin (goal, assist) 1) Ville Koivunen (goal, assist)
The Good: I like the tenacity of this team. Laval is really good team and quick. But when you see these teams they tend to be one dimensional. They will hit you until you hit back. The Penguins finally hit back and then Laval packed it in and it was only a matter of time.
The Bad: Were the Penguins playing rope a dope? There are better teams in the AHL than the Rocket. I think one of them they play Saturday. We will see.
Turning Point: The Knyzhov goal that put them ahead gets it here.
Standings: Hershey 32 – Penguins 21 – Charlotte 21 – Lehigh Valley 20 – Hartford 19 – Providence 18 – Springfield 17 – Bridgeport 13
Wheeling Update: The Nailers were in action earlier in the day and beat the Cincinnati Cyclones 5-1. Luke Richardson had the net for the Nailers, stopped 19. Jordan Martel had three assists. Gabe Klassen had a pair of goals.
Video Highlights:
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Hershey Saturday and that should be huge. More then.
Comments Off on Weekend Preview – What Are You Made Of?
Posted by nafsnep on November 29, 2024
The Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins have not had a lot of action in the past two weeks, but the action picks up with the top teams in the Conference in the Laval Rocket and Hershey Bears on the schedule this weekend, it’s time to see what this team is made of.
Sure, the Penguins are 9-4-1 and better than most teams in the AHL, but they haven’t really had a test yet. That comes this weekend.
Music to set the Mood…
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Snips and snails and puppy dogs tails? Sounds disgusting to me, but I didn’t write the nursery rhyme!
A Quote…
Sugar and spice and everything nice. –What Little Girls are Made Of
Much nicer. Anyway, let’s move off this.
The Setup
The North Division leading Laval Rocket head to town on Friday and then the Penguins hit the road for their first meeting of the season with the 13 time Calder Cup Hershey Bears.
Last week the Penguins shutout the Bridgeport Islanders 5-0 with a resounding triumph after the Islanders gave them fits and beat them the week before and they needed a shootout a few weeks prior to beat Bridgeport.
It was an important game because you wanted to see how they responded. I’d say they passed with flying colors but the teams standing in their way are going to be teams like the Rocket and Bears.
The Rocket dropped 2 out of 3 this past week against Rochester and split a home and home against a scrappy Belleville Senators team.
Hershey lost in overtime last Wednesday against Toronto, needed a late Mike Vecchione goal to force OT and then a Vecchione goal to win in OT in Rochester Friday then beat Syracuse in a shootout on Saturday.
The Rocket and Bears met Wednesday and it was the Bears coming out on top 5-3.
Hershey will be in Allentown Friday.
Records
I gave you the Penguins record above. Hershey leads the division with a 14-4-2 record and Laval is 13-4-1
Who’s Up? Who’s Down? Who’s Out?
Owen Pickering is up in Pittsburgh. Vasily Ponomarev was reassigned Saturday. Defenders are getting healthy. I think I saw Dan Renouf in a regular practice sweater on the teams socials this week.
Sam Poulin was reassigned Monday and Taylor Gauthier was sent to Wheeling then too.
The Pens got a bit of a lucky break when no one claimed Valtteri Puustinen on Wednesday. Puustinen was formally assigned on Wednesday.
Like the headline says, what this team is made of.
You can lose and beat Lehigh Valley, but what does that say when the Phantoms are so mercurial?
You can beat the Islanders and lose to them, but what does that say when the Islanders are so bad as their record indicates?
You have two teams who are at the top of their divisions on the schedule this week. If the Penguins beat both, it’s not a matter of if, but when they catch the Bears and likely see the Rocket again down the road. If the Penguins lose both games, then they are what they are, an above average team that isn’t division leading worthy.
I think there’s a swagger about this team. They are good, I think they know they are good but not cocky about it and have coaching they are receptive to that puts them in position to win every game.
Getting an injection of three really good forwards in Poulin, Ponomarev and Puustinen helps also.
Who’s in Goal?
Joel Blomqvist for both games if you are asking me which I think if you are here you kind of are. Do you want to run Filip Larsson out there against Laval and save Blomqvist for Hershey because you see the Bears more then the Rocket and have six games in hand on them, then go ahead.
Jakub Dobeš for the Rocket Friday and likely Clay Stevenson for the back to back champs on Saturday.
Who’s Running the Show?
Liam Maaskant and Mitch Hardy get the Black Friday assignment at home against Laval with J.P. Waleski and Chandler Yakimowicz on the lines. Saturday sees Maaskant again with Riley Brace with Colin Gates and Tommy George on the lines.
Looking Ahead…
Calendar flips to December (wow!) and the Bears drop in Wednesday for a home game (boo, work night home games, boo!) and then they take to the road to Hartford Saturday (Friday off, alright!) and Providence Sunday and then the next five at home.
Comments Off on AHL Power Rankings — Week 7
Posted by nafsnep on November 25, 2024
A word on the Rankings, I am traveling over Thanksgiving and don’t know if Week 8 will be next Monday or the Monday after that. I guess stay tuned?
So, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD WILL THE NUMBER ONE TEAM STAY THERE FOR A WEEK?
I tried it with Laval, who really should have been there for a few weeks but after a bad week the Rocket fall out of the top spot.
This week belongs to the Grand Rapids. Griffs, can ya stay there for longer than a week? Can ya?!?!?!?!//111/1/1
1. Grand Rapids Griffins
Record: 12-4-1
Last Week: 3rd (up 2)
Griffins could have opened up a 7 point lead on a suddenly stagnant Milwaukee team but lost to a surging Iowa team. I hope that’s not a precursor for next week.
2. Hershey Bears
Record: 13-4-2
Last Week: 4th (up 2)
Bears keep piling points after a good trip through the North Division. Laval visits Wednesday makes for a great pre-Thanksgiving matchup with two really good teams.
3. Cleveland Monsters
Record: 12-4-0-1
Last Week: 6th (up 3)
Pair of wins over Central leading Milwaukee have the Monsters knocking on the door of the North Division lead.
4. Laval Rocket
Record: 13-3-1
Last Week: 1st (down 3)
Rocket salvage their week with a win over the Senators after dropping one to Belleville the night before and Rochester midweek.
5. Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins
Record: 9-4-1
Last Week: 9th (up 4)
Light week for the Penguins who shutout the Islanders Friday. Division leading Laval and Hershey this weekend to see what this team is made of.
Comments Off on ReBemstrom — Pens WIN 5-0
Posted by nafsnep on November 22, 2024
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They had a whole week to stew on it, and man it must have pissed them off.
The line of Emil Bemstrom, Boris Katchouk and Ville Koivunen, snake bit the last time these teams sqared off last weekend, erupt for three goals and four assists as the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins roll the Bridgeport Islanders 5-0 on Friday night in Wilkes-Barre.
Oh yeah. Joel Blomqvist had a tidy 23 save shutout, his first of the season and the Pens third overall. Some of his saves were excellent and timely, notably with about there eminutes left in the game, where referees Jack Young and Rob Hennessey decided it put the Islanders on a full two minute man advantage. We’ll get to that in a minute.
Lineup Notes: No lines for the Islanders. I miss Mike Fornabaio covering this franchise. For the Pens, unchanged up front but Sebastian Aho was back from injury, Phip Waugh was sent back to Wheeling and Justin Lee was in for Isaac Belliveau.
I guess it spells well for a fellow like Nikolai Knyzhov, who is in town on PTO. He has been fine and honestly, they should just sign him to an AHL contract, but getting healthier on D may make the guy expendable. Problem is, one of the 31 other AHL teams is going to see this and sign the guy.
First Period: Wilkes-Barre out to a 2-0 start with goals from Avery Hayes and Emil Bemström, scoring in similar fashion.
In between goals, Joel Blomqvist had the save of the night on a rebound attempt by future AHL Hall of Fame and Islanders captain Chris Terry.
Second Period: No scoring, but the Penguins had the play in the period, highlighted by a 4:00 double minor power play opportunity for the Islanders where the Penguins put on a masterclass of penalty killing and had, in my opinion, the better of the chances during the special teams time.
Oh, and another timely, big time save by Jarry with a blocker in traffic kept Bridgeport off the board.
Third Period: You didn’t want to see them let off and they didn’t, in my opinion, probably their finest period of the season to date.
First a second goal from Emil Bemström and the inspiration for tonight’s headline.
Raivis Ansons and Tyce Thompson fought and it was the loudest the building was all night.
Then Bridgeport goalie Jakub Skarek comes 15 feet out of his net and Avery Hayes runs over him. Out of the melee, Jonathan Gruden is involved. Refs Hennessey and Young put Bridgeport on a full two minute two man advantage.
It didn’t matter.
The Penguins would knock sticks into passing lanes, block shots (as Justin Lee did with a big one) and Joel Blomqvist continued to dazzle and would not be denied his shutout bid.
In a moment of karma, after the Penguins successfully killed the penalty, Hayes and Gruden get spring out of the box. This happened next…
All that was left was to see if they could hold on for a shutout for their goaltender and they did.
Three Stars: 3) Boris Katchouk (goal, assist) 2) Emil Bemström (two goals, assist) 1) Joel Blomqvist (23 saves)
The Good: They responded to their coach who likely challenged them this week in a big way and handled a team that gave them fits the last two times they met.
The Bad: Nothing to see here.
Turning Point: The save Blomqvist made on Terry back in the first gets it here. If Terry scores it’s tied at one. Who knows what happens from there.
WBS News
Chirps from Center Ice 