There is no greater drug in this world known to man than playoff hockey. None. The roller coaster of emotions this week with two teams which are dead even. The immovable force which is the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins defense versus the unstoppable object which is the Charlotte Checkers.

But the story of this series has been the goaltending. Brad Thiessen boasts a 1.19 GAA and a .954 save percentage and Mike Murphy boasts a 1.19 GAA and a .963 save percentage. These are just INSANE numbers. Totally just, video game like when you are playing the opponent on Easy (like I do, but I still lose sometimes)

That all aside, the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins force the series back to Wilkes-Barre for a Game 6 in a 1-0 nailbiting, thrill a minute in the third period win.

Brad Thiessen vs. Mike Murphy. No lineup changes for WBS. Expect Ben Street in game six or possibly game seven as he took the morning skate today.

First Period: Pens would dominate the period for the most part. Shots this period were 15-6 for the Pens. Not without some anxious moments for the Pens as Matsumoto would fan on an open net. Then, the Pens would have a defensive zone gaffe that Thiessen would bail them out on. Veilleux would fan on an open net and radio called it the shift of the series. Keven Veilleux missed a ton of opportunities with pucks bouncing on him.

Second Period: Pens would keep the pressure on. Mike Murphy is just an absolutely unreal, unreal goaltender this series. In fact – if this was a recap of the series it would be this:

http://twitter.com/#!/nafsnep/status/66659305084030976

Pens would have a couple of tries on the power play. The end of the second would see a lot of penalties. Pens would get chances. No dice. Shots to this point were 21-9 for the Pens.

Third Period: Tim Wallace has a chance in the slot on Murphy and what does he do? Swallows up the puck in the crease and force a whistle. Then, Jon Matsumoto would hook Nick Petersen and the Checkers would kill the 2:00 of it but one second later a Bryan Lerg point shot would get deflected in by Chris Collins and past Murphy. To this point, Murphy had about a 130:00 of a shutout going. It takes a dirty goal like this to beat him. Whatever it takes. Then, Brian Strait would get whistled for boarding almost instantaneously and the Pens would have to fight off the biggest flurry against I have seen all year. They would kill it but the Strait minor. Then a Checkers shot deflected THREE TIMES OFF OF THE POST and did not go in. Later, in the same shift the Checkers would do everything but score a goal past Thiessen. Here is the setup twitter side:

http://twitter.com/#!/nafsnep/status/66672495087988736

Then while what I described above…

http://twitter.com/#!/nafsnep/status/66673077135745024

Then,

http://twitter.com/#!/nafsnep/status/66673250423422977

and..

http://twitter.com/#!/nafsnep/status/66673366349791232

You really should follow me on Twitter, if you haven’t already.

Pens defense would hold off the Checkers. Charlotte would pull Murphy and not find the equalizer.

First time in league history that there were two games which ended 1-0 consecutively.

Three Stars: Chris Collins (game winning goal, +1) Mike Murphy (32 saves on 33 shots) and Brad Thiessen (23 save shutout)

Game 6 is tomorrow at 7:05 from Mohegan Sun Arena, get your tickets by calling 570-208-PENS (5367)

Pens will get a police escort to an airport where they will charter back to Wilkes-Barre where they should be home by midnight.

Are the Pens delaying the inevitable? Was this win all they had left? History will be made….

Elsewhere, the winner of this series will face the Binghamton Senators who defeated the Portland Pirates in 6 games by a 3-0 score tonight in Portland.

See you tomorrow night in Wilkes-Barre. Cardiac Penguins Forever!

Silly Veilleux trip :10 into the third period puts the Checkers on a power play and Chris Terry scored when Chris Collins fails a clear and falls down trying to buy a call.

That was basically the game tonight, a 1-0 Pens loss to put them in a 3-1 hole with Game 5 looming large Friday and on this place called the brink of elimination.

Brad Thiessen vs. Mike Murphy – nothing changing here. Bryan Lerg actually played this game and Carl Sneep was scratched for WBS and Paul Thompson was the Pens 12th forward.

First Period: Pens caught with too many men off the hop. They would kill it. Pens would have good chances on a cycle down low. No dice. Pens would go on a power play. Nothing. Any time they would attempt to establish anything, the Checkers would clear it. Later, the Checkers would get called on a delay of game call. In the power play, Ryan Craig would put the puck in the net but referee Jean Hebert would rule no goal as Mike Murphy was interfered with. Soft call. David Marshall would take a silly holding call that the Pens would kill.* Period would end scoreless but the Checkers speed was prevalent.

Second Period: Pens would work down low to start the second but not score. Then, a ridiculous sequence would ensue. Murphy touches the puck outside of the trapezoid, no call. Then defenseman Justin Faulk would trip Tim Wallace and the would call a dive on Wallace and a trip on Faulk. Okay. Later, David Marshall would hand pass to himself and they would call a hand pass. Alrighty then. Then, turning point. Brett Sutter slash then a Chris Terry penalty. Pens would have :58 of a 5 on 3. Before the Terry penalty Steve Wagner whiffed on an open net. The Checkers PK is perfect at home. It stayed that way. Pens didn’t score. Brett Sterling had a chance in close and Murphy made the save.

Third Period: At 20:00 of the second, Corey Potter and Zach Boychuk both received double minors for roughing. Keven Veilleux would spill a man early and the Checkers would score a power play goal via Chris Terry after Chris Collins failed to clear the puck and tried to buy a penalty after being spilled. Pens would get close via a puck which drew the inside of the post behind Murphy and when Veilleux misses just wide. Checkers would play defense and late, tee off of Thiessen with scoring opportunities. Ryan Craig would take a penalty the Pens would have to kill late. Pens would pull Thiessen and that would be it. 1-0 Final. 3-1 Checkers series lead with Game Five looming Friday.

Three Stars: Chris Terry (game winning goal, even) Brad Thiessen (31 saves on 32 shots) and Mike Murphy (a 44 save shutout)

Pens put 44 shots on Murphy? Didn’t score? I completely wrote off the Charlotte Checkers at the beginning of these playoffs due to concerns in goal. No more. Mike Murphy is playing in a different universe right now.

Lots of chatter going on on the Pens Facebook page and fans chirping in on Twitter. Within a minute of the final buzzer sounding from the Queen City Bob Howard from the Power Play Post Show chimed in with this antacid soother (he’s a Binghamton native):

http://twitter.com/#!/PPPSHOW/status/65953729718919168

Right on. Why this guy only has 49 followers on Twitter (0ne of them the coveted @theAHL) is beyond this writer. He has a weekly AHL show which is money. You have to follow him.

The 3-1 hole WBS was in vs. Bridgeport was before my time. There are a lot of bald men in Binghamton still scratching their craniums raw from the 2005 debacle after the Ottawa Binghamton Senators lost to the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins in the Calder Cup playoffs. This was the NHL lockout year and a team of idiots led by Andy Chiodo knocked out the Calder Cup bound Binghamton Senators.

I will see you Saturday from Mohegan Sun Arena. If you are unable to make it Saturday please say hi to me Monday from the same venue. If you doubt this team, please cheer for another team or get into Jai Alai. Your bad karma is probably why you have an “East Division Champions” shirt at the bottom of your dresser and not a “Calder Cup Champions” t-shirt you are wearing to work tomorrow.

“I ain’t going down no more” – Rocky Balboa in Rocky II vs. Apollo Creed.

Go Penguins.

*- Wilkes-Barre misses you, Dustin Jeffrey.

Brett Sutter scores in OT to put the Charlotte Checkers up 2-1 on the scoreboard and 2-1 in the series.

Nick Petersen was back for the Pens after missing Game 2 due to a death in the family. Paul Thompson was the scratch. Bryan Lerg dressed but did not play for some reason.

Brad Thiessen vs. Mike Murphy.

First Period: Defensive turnovers plagued the Pens off the hop. Checkers clearly had the jump in the step the first 10 minutes and were ready for whatever WBS was throwing at them by forcing turnovers all over the place. Then, a defensive zone faceoff win for the Penguins finds Tim Wallace who comes streaking down the far boards on an odd man rush who centers to Chris Collins for the tap in goal to give the Pens a 1-0 lead.

Prior to this for the Pens in the playoff series, the team that scored first won the hockey game. This trend would change.

Second Period: Pens would play the most sloppiest period of hockey in recent memory and in doing so Brad Thiessen would attempt a clear. It would fail, the puck on Nick Dodge’s stick and in the net for a tie game. Checkers would get a few chances on the power play late but not convert. The second period SOG would be 11-5 for the Checkers.

Third Period: Pens would dominate. They allowed the Checkers only 2 SOG all period while firing 7 at Mike Murphy. Penguins would get the periods only chance on the PP but the Checkers are perfect on the PK at home and would kill it. Really back and forth a bit this period but we would head to OT.

Overtime: No clue. Brett Sutter scored on a ridiculous angle at 5:40. Game 3 is Wednesday. Of note, this is the first overtime loss ALL YEAR for the Penguins.

Pens coughed up puck after puck in the defensive zone. Thiessen earned his Baz Bastien Award again tonight bailing out the boys. Karma has his own turnover doing the Pens in. Not panicking. WBS has two days to fix what ailed them this series. Coach of the Year probably breaking down video as we speak (if you are reading this on Wednesday afternoon, probably still…) We aren’t into predicting anything either way on the blog, but look for a blowout win Wednesday. Winner takes the series in my estimation.

Three Stars: Nicolas Blanchard (assist, +1) Mike Murphy (26 saves on 27 shots) and Brett Sutter (game winning overtime goal, even)

Game Four is Wednesday. Like I said earlier. Get. Your. Popcorn. Ready.

Elsewhere in the Eastern Conference, by the time Game 4 jumps off Wednesday, the Binghamton Senators could be waiting with open arms for the winner of this series. The Portland Pirates are on the brink, losers 6-1 tonight to the Binghamton Senators. Game 5 in that series is Tuesday night in Binghamton.

I said Pens in 6 and am sticking by that. No way we are pushed to the brink Wednesday. None. Zero. Rest assured.

Let’s Go Penguins!