Penguins go perfect for the weekend winning tonight 5-2 in what could be described as a scrambly game at times, but walk away winners regardless buoyed by a two goal game by Alex Grant. 

Brad Thiessen vs. Keith Kinkaid

Lineup Notes: Jason Williams was given what was described by Tom Grace a “maintenance” day. Grace stated that Williams should be good to go vs. Norfolk Tuesday. Brandon DeFazio was in for him. Simon Despres was reassigned from Pittsburgh, so he was in for Philip Samuelsson.

First Period: Alex Grant would score on the power play late. This was predicated by a good fifteen minutes of just messy play by the Penguins, certainly not as crisp as they were 24 hours ago in Hartford vs. the Whale. 

Second Period: Alex Grant would receive a pass from Ben Street off the wall and roofed it past Kinkaid to put the Pens up 2-0. Geoff Walker drew the secondary assist on the Grant goal, and this would be his fifth assist in the season series vs. Albany. Later, Mike Hoeffel received a drop pass and wristed one in past Thiessen to put the Devils on the board at 2-1. Then, with Brian Gibbons in the box for slashing, the Pens would try to clear the puck out of their defensive zone to no avail and Matt Taormina would score to even things at two. More scrambling, Devils come in 4-on-2 and Cody Wild ended up playing goaltender as Thiessen was down and out in denying a Dan Kelly wraparound. Late, Paul Thompson gets a drop pass from Robert Bortuzzo and scores late to put the Pens up 3-2,

Second Period Thoughts: Pens had, before the Thompson goal, eight shots on goal. They made the best of the opportunities afforded them by manufacturing goals. Albany could have put the Pens away this period for good.

Third Period: Pens had a carryover power play from the second period they worked on to open the final period and Ryan Craig made good on it by tapping in a shot from Simon Despres to put the Pens up 4-2. The rest of the period the Penguins would keep the Devils at arm length. Late, with Kinkaid pulled, Nick Petersen would get an empty net goal to seal it.

I have openly questioned the purpose of Steve MacIntyre in the past. Not anymore. Coach John Hynes put him out there late in both games this weekend to diffuse any shenanigans the opposing team may want to pull this late in the season.

Three Stars: 3) Mike Hoeffel (goal, +1) 2) Paul Thompson (goal, even) and 1) Alex Grant (two goals, +1)

Around the Division: Norfolk was off tonight. The Hershey Bears lost 3-2 to the St. John’s IceCaps by a score of 3-2. The IceCaps clinch the Atlantic Division title and a berth in the Calder Cup Playoffs and snap the Bears seven game win streak. This means that the Norfolk Admirals win the East Division as well. The Syracuse Crunch get a much needed two points by winning in Binghamton tonight in OT 2-1.

Standings: Norfolk 101 / Penguins 89 / Hershey 86 / Syracuse 76 / Binghamton 60

Conference: 1-NOR (101) 2-StJ (88) 3-BRI (81) 4-WBS (89) 5-HER (86) 6-CT (79) 7- SYR (76) 7-MCH (75)

Penguins travel home tonight and then practice Monday morning then bus to Norfolk Monday afternoon for the showdown in Norfolk Tuesday night looking to end the 22-game win streak. I think they will need to play better than they showed tonight if they want to shock the Admirals. We will see.

Let’s Go Pens!

The Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins have made the Calder Cup Playoffs for the tenth straight year in row, defeating the Connecticut Whale in Hartford by a score of 3-0 behind a 32 save shutout by goaltender Scott Munroe and a three goal flurry in the first period spanning 2:11.

Scott Munroe vs. Chad Johnson – Cody Wild and Philip Samuelsson were in for the recalled Brian Strait and Simon Despres. Brandon DeFazio and Matt Rust were the scratches.

First Period: Penguins, on the power play, get a goal from Jason Williams on a backdoor feed from Colin McDonald. Then, Ben Street spun off a man, side stepped another and wired a slick wrist shot past Johnson to make it 2-0. Then, Cody Wilkd would collect his first goal of the season crashing the net and putting one past Johnson to make it 3-0. That goal would chase the Connecticut goalie in favor of Cameron Talbot. Pens would have to kill a 4:00 double minor for a Steve MacIntyre high stick. Connecticut would not get a shot on goal.

First Period Thoughts: Wow. Night and day from last weekend. Tom Grace said on radio that Coach John Hynes worked the team hard in practice and spent all week breaking down video. It worked. Pens looked like a totally different team.

Second Period: Whale come out with two quick chances but Munroe made some big time saves to keep them out of his net. Really the story of the night as the Pens did well in insulating him and he made the stops he needed to when called upon.

Third Period: More of the same from the Penguins just keeping the Whale in check, almost at arms length. When they got close, Munroe was there to deny them. Brian Gibbons was turned away by Talbot who really settled things down for the Whale. Munroe was seeing the puck through traffic late making a few big saves to preserve the shutout.

Three Stars: 3) Ben Street (goal, +1) 2) Scott Munroe (32 save shutout) 1) Jason Williams (game winning goal, even)

Tom Grace stated that Brad Thiessen would get the net tomorrow night in Albany. If I am Hynes I go right back to Munroe. We will see.

Around the Division: Norfolk win 22 in a row in comeback fashion, 2-1, over the St. John’s IceCaps. Syracuse coughs up a 3-1 lead and lose 4-3 to the Adirondack Phantoms in overtime.

Standings: Norfolk 101 / Penguins 87 / Hershey 86 / Syracuse 74 / Binghamton 59.

Conference: 1-NOR (101) 2-STJ (86) 3-BRI (79) 4-WBS (87) 5-HER (86) 6-CT (77) 7-SYR (74) 8-MCH (73)

Penguins bus to Albany to take on the Devils tomorrow at 7. Gameday will be here tomorrow at 4.

Let’s Go Pens!