Chirps from Center Ice

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

Hello Anybody?!

Comments Off on Hello Anybody?! Posted by on May 15, 2015

Full disclosure: I got this idea that you are about to see from Stephen Meserve, who runs the blog 100 Degree Hockey and does a tremendous job covering the Texas Stars. Sometimes you see Meserve’s name on theAHL.com’s site doing features on the Stars. I consider him one of the greats in the blogosphere.

Anyway, he created a questionnaire for his readers. It is input that he will no doubt use to improve 100 Degree Hockey as a blog and beyond. What’s good for Cedar Park, Texas is good for Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania I figure. So what I would like is your input about this blog. What you like, what you don’t like, how you follow, how often you visit and where you get your information from.

Please click here where you will be taken to the survey.

I appreciate your time.

About Me, The AHL, WBS

So Long, New York!

Comments Off on So Long, New York! Posted by on May 14, 2015

Hours before Game 5 between Wilkes-Barre and Manchester on Tuesday, the AHL announced divisional realignment for the 2015-16 season. Here’s a visual look at the new divisions courtesy of the AHL…

[tweet https://twitter.com/TheAHL/status/598488065519161344]

There is a link in that embedded tweet to link off of but if you are on your phone or the image doesn’t show, here’s the deal.

The East Division is no more. The Penguins, Hershey Bears and Lehigh Valley Phantoms will join forces with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, Hartford Wolf Pack, Portland Pirates, Providence Bruins and Springfield Falcons in the new and improved Atlantic Division.

Wait, what!? The Portland Pirates and Penguins are in the same division together? Huh?!

It’s true. If you look at the other divisions, you will see all five New York teams in the same division with St. John’s and Toronto. Yes, the Marlies are in the Eastern Conference next season along with Rochester and Utica.

The AHL went from three divisions to two, with an 8-7 Conference split. Opening Night is October 9. They will finalize how teams qualify for playoffs this June, but you have to figure it’s top four in each of the divisions with eight teams, top three in the two division with seven teams and then a crossover wild card between the fifth best team in the division with eight teams and the fourth best team in the division with seven teams.

Anyway, here’s a quick refresher on the new teams in the new Atlantic Division:

Team Old Division NHL Affiliation Twitter Handle
Bridgeport Northeast New York Islanders @TheSoundTigers
Hartford Northeast* New York Rangers @WolfPackAHL
Hershey East* Washington Capitals^ @TheHersheyBears
Lehigh Valley East Philadelphia Flyers @LVPhantoms
Portland Atlantic Florida Panthers# @Portland Pirates
Providence Atlantic Boston Bruins @AHLBruins
Springfield Northeast Arizona Coyotes## @TheFalconsAHL
Wilkes-Barre East Pittsburgh Penguins @WBSPenguins

* – won division in 2014-15
^ – affiliation with Washington hasn’t been formally announced yet by either side but is listed on the AHL’s 2015-16 NHL Affiliations Page.
# – Portland was affiliated with Arizona last season.
## – Springfield was affiliated with Columbus last season.

I’ll have lots more stuff in the coming days. I need your help with the next blog post. No, literally. You’ll see what I mean when it goes up Friday.

The AHL, WBS

Man-handled — Pens LOSE 2-1 (Season Over)

1 Comment Posted by on May 12, 2015

button_lv200       vs.       WBS

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If you would have told me a week ago that the Manchester Monarchs would dismiss the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins in five games, I wouldn’t have believed you. I don’t think if you told anyone that they would have believed you.

Remember, no matter what you do, there is always someone better. The Penguins were a good team this season. With the additions from Pittsburgh about ten days ago, they were the odds on lock to walk through the Eastern Conference and make it to the Calder Cup Finals.

But there is always someone better. This time it was the Manchester Monarchs who are as good as they come advertised. When I broke the series down last Tuesday, I said that the Penguins defense was a deeper team. Just take a look at these charts (through Game 4) and you’ll see familiar names like Taylor Chorney, Scott Harrington and Brian Dumoulin at the bottom. These names were at the top during the regular season, but they looked pedestrian during this series.

I said that the Penguins had the advantage in goal because of what Matt Murray accomplished. I forgot to tell Manchester because they tore Murray to shreds. I am admittedly bad at math but his numbers were bad in the series and he was pulled after the Monarchs scored their second goal in the first period.

I conceded that the forward corps of Manchester was better than the Penguins. They were. With Wilkes-Barre’s defense neutralized and Murray brought down to earth the Monarchs struck early, often and quickly. The Penguins could never recover. It cost them their season in five games.

So here we stand. At the end of the line again and a whole offseason and regular season to hope to get to do it all again in mid April 2016. It sucks. I’ll be the first to tell you. It’s fun to write about this team as a hobby, which is all that this is, but it makes it easy when you are a winner and are successful year after year after year after year.

This is a transition time for the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins. There are reports that the New Jersey Devils have interest in head coach John Hynes. Our defensive corps of Derrick Pouliot, Taylor Chorney, Scott Harrington and Brian Dumoulin are probably all graduated to Pittsburgh or the NHL. Up front is a big question mark. Will Tom Kostopoulos make another run or hang them up for good? What will become of Conor Sheary, will Pittsburgh or another NHL team sign him to a big league pact? Answers to come this summer.

As for the game, Matt Murray opposed J-F Berube. Adrian Kempe scored at 2:01 of the first period after a turnover / giveaway from Derrick Pouliot for a 1-0 Manchester lead. The Monarchs doubled the lead on a Nick Shore dart entering the zone with the Penguins in a four man box and no one picking up the man with the puck streaking in in Shore for a 2-0 lead at 14:57. Matt Murray’s night was done and Jeff Zatkoff didn’t allow a goal and was perfect with 22 saves.

The Penguins made it a game late in the second with a goal from Conor Sheary at 18:43 on a set faceoff play. The faceoff was won back to Sheary who stepped into it and wired one past Berube to put Wilkes-Barre on the board.

In the third, Manchester proved why they were the second best team in the AHL on defense, blocking shots and only allowing six to get to Berube. Wilkes-Barre never found the equalizer.

Berube was your third star with 28 saves on 29 shots. Conor Sheary was your second star with a goal and Nick Sore was the first star with the game winning goal.

Lots of post mortem stuff to come in the coming days. The Penguins will be playing in a new, eight team division next season. I’ll have stuff on that in a few days.

I’ll update for the final time my postseason charts and probably put a blog out on the final numbers.

I’ll have a Year in Review either this weekend or next week.

My offseason moves chart will be up once the dust settles on contract statuses for next season.

And I will be around in the summertime.

Thanks to everyone who reads, shares and interacts with me here on the blog and on all platforms. I do this all for you guys. I aim to entertain and inform. I hope that you continue to check in with me here on the blog all summer. Lots of things to look forward to.

Let’s Go Pens!!!

Postgamer

RAPID RECAP – Pens LOSE 2-1

Comments Off on RAPID RECAP – Pens LOSE 2-1 Posted by on May 12, 2015

The Manchester Monarchs closed out the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins in five games with two first period goals and held on the rest of the way and won 2-1. Conor Sheary scored in the second period but that was it.

Lots more to get to in the coming days. Full recap to come in a bit and the full postmortem in a few days. 

Rapid Recap

Eastern Conference Semifinal Game 5: Manchester Monarchs (MCH leads 3-1)

Comments Off on Eastern Conference Semifinal Game 5: Manchester Monarchs (MCH leads 3-1) Posted by on May 12, 2015

vs. manch white

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Eastern Conference Semifinal Game 5 — Manchester Monarchs

AHL Game: I5

Who: Manchester Monarchs

Where: Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza

When: 7:05 p.m.

Series: MCH leads 3-1 (best of seven)

Media Kit

Last Game: Last night, Jordan Weal had a hat trick and the Monarchs took Game 4 by a 5-2 score. Tom Kostopoulos and Bryan Rust scored for the Pens late in the third to no avail.

What to Watch For: Desperation. Another loss and it’s sixteen years and no Cups for Wilkes-Barre. This is the best postseason team ever assembled in Wilkes-Barre. Manchester was the best team in the AHL and has made the Penguins look like clowns so far. But Wilkes-Barre hasn’t played its best game yet and a thousand mile journey begins with a single step.

Referee(s): Mark Lemelin / Darcy Burchell

Linesmen: Shandor Alphonso / Francis Trempe

Twitter: @wbspenguins / @WBSGameDay / @MonarchsHockey

Facebook: /WilkesBarreScrantonPenguins // /MonarchsHockey

Instagram: wbspenguins / monarchshockey

Beat Writers: @CVBombulie and @TLTomVenesky

Broadcasters: WBS: Mike O’Brien @MikeOBrienWBS / MCH: Ken Cail @kenmonarchs

Fan Bloggers: @nafsnep 

Radio: For WBS: WILK Newsradio / For MCH: WGIR 610 AM

Television: AHL Live

When is Game 6?: If the Penguins win, it’s Friday in Manchester at 7.

Gameday

Weal Problems — Pens LOSE 5-2

Comments Off on Weal Problems — Pens LOSE 5-2 Posted by on May 11, 2015

button_lv200       vs.       WBS

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The Penguins were in trouble in this game before it was :43 old.

That was when Monarchs forwards Jordan Weal tracked down a puck that Penguins goaltender Matt Murray batted up in the air and swept past the Wilkes-Barre net minder for a 1-0 Monarchs lead at :42 and a lead they would not relinquish as they roll to a 5-2 win over the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins and a commanding 3-1 series lead.

The Monarchs are undefeated when they score first this postseason. It was the first road win for Manchester since 2013.

Oh. That Weal kid. He wasn’t done. He had a hat trick. After being held off of the score sheet in Game Three, he was everywhere tonight and made the Penguins pay.

No lineup changes for the Penguins in Game Four.

The Penguins had two opportunities to get back into the game in the first period on two power plays but did not score. You could look at this game and see many turning points. The Weal goal at :42 is certainly one and the Penguin inability to score on two power plays in the first was certainly another.

Wilkes-Barre went on another power play to open the second period but Manchester scored shorthanded on a Michael Mersch dart of a shot on a two-on-one with Brian Dumoulin back.

Wheels came off after that. Manchester scores on a blatant offsides call when Weal gets a piece of a Colin Miller blast from the blue line that made it 3-0. Terrible non-call from the officials and you would expect better out of an officiating crew that gets games on merit at this point in the season, but the Penguins did not lose the game because of the officiating.

Manchester made it 4-0 about four minutes later when Nick Shore was marked by a stickless Barry Goers and passed to David Van der Gulick on the opposite high dot for a one timer.

Murray was touched for three goals on twelve shots in the second period. Remember his body of work in the regular season? Murray wouldn’t let three goals in during an entire weekend. He was replaced by Jeff Zatkoff to start the third period.

Weal finished off his hat trick in the third period on a power play with Andrew Ebbett in the penalty box for a 5-0 Manchester lead.

Penguins made it interesting by scoring two goals in a span of :37. Nick Drazenovic from his stomach passed to Tom Kostopoulos who slipped it under J-F Berube’s pads to break up the Berube shutout. Then Bryan Rust powered around a Manchester defenseman for another goal.

Monarchs head coach Mike Stothers used his time out to stop the bleeding. Hynes pulled Zatkoff with about six minutes to play looking for the Hail Mary but instead came up empty.

Three stars were Van der Gulick with a goal and an assist and a +1, Michael Mersch with a goal, an assist and a +3 and Jordan Weal with three goals and a +2.

I’ll run the in-depth numbers tomorrow, but Taylor Chorney was a -2, Conor Sheary picked up another point, he has had one in every game for the Penguins this Spring but was a -2. Derrick Pouliot pinched too deep during a sequence which led to a Manchester goal, Kasperi Kapanen was invisible tonight, Andrew Ebbett hasn’t scored a goal in the series yet. I could go on and on. But it’s piling on. I said to many at the game tonight that if the Penguins don’t somehow manage the impossible and beat Manchester that the Monarchs will probably win the Calder Cup.

Think about it. The Penguins lineup is the best and deepest its been in years, if not ever. Murray is the Goaltender and Rookie of the Year. Wilkes-Barre is well coached, and the top defensive team in the AHL for the fourth out of five years under John Hynes. Kapanen, Sheary, Rust, Pouliot, Dumoulin, Chorney, Harrington, etc. all have pedigree and will go on to long NHL careers but right now it’s men against boys. If you put all those accolades in a jar and told someone who is knowledgeable about the game of hockey to watch this series and then at the end of the series tell them that the team that is being dismantled right now is the Penguins, they probably wouldn’t believe you. That’s how much better the Monarchs are right now.

Never give up the ship. Keep the faith. Game 5 tomorrow. We’ll set it up at 3 with the Gameday setup, attend the game at 7 p.m. tomorrow and let it ride.

Let’s Go Pens!

Postgamer

RAPID RECAP – Pens LOSE 5-2

Comments Off on RAPID RECAP – Pens LOSE 5-2 Posted by on May 11, 2015

Jordan Weal scored at :42 in the first period and that was all he needed to get going in the right direction towards a hat trick and all the Monarchs needed en route to a 5-2 win and a commanding 3-1 series lead with Game 5 tomorrow in Wilkes-Barre. 

Penguins got two goals in :37 in the third period with less than ten minutes to play from Tom Kostopoulos and Bryan Rust but the comeback ended there.

Full recap to come in a bit.

Rapid Recap

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