Chirps from Center Ice

Just going with a quick one tonight, recapping a game which was delayed 99 days after a power outage halted play between the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins and the Utica Comets.

Penguins lose 5-1. They resumed on a power play, failed to score, Utica scores with .9 left to play to go up two, and when you take a herky jerky game in a herky jerky circumstance, once it runs downhill, it is tough to stop.

Here’s how they lined up:

No one else played in the division, so the Pens are still on the same points, 43, and are fifth in the division behind Lehigh Valley.

They are back in action Wednesday for a more conventional game against the Rochester Americans. More then.

Let’s Go Pens!

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Looked shaky there for a bit, but they hold on for a 3-2 lead in Bridgeport Saturday night and only allow the Islander, who were chasing the game down a goal in the third period, to just two shots.

They get 22 saves from Dustin Tokarski, fresh off NHL duty and are pointed in the right direction again.

Perhaps, just maybe, they turned the corner with the display they put on in the second half of the game Saturday.

Here’s how they lined up:

Bridgeport didn’t post lines.

Lineup Notes: Lukas Svejkovsky is day to day with a lower body injury after leaving the second period Friday…Taylor Fedun, fresh off re-assignment from Pittsburgh was inserted back and replaced Chris Ortiz…Brooklyn Kalmikov made his AHL debut, replaced Jamie Devane (essentially) … Josh Maniscalco played at forward, commonly a defenseman.

First Period: Pens killed a Bridgeport early power play then on their second attempt finally got one to go courtesy of Sam Houde.

Then Alex Nylander took a neat pass from Drake Caggiula for a goal at even strength that put the Pens up 2-0 exactly one minute later.

Off ice guys took away the assist. It reads Nylander from Caggiula and Nathan Légaré at 16:51.

Pens were rolling down hill but hit a stop sign in the form of a Samuel Bolduc shot that cut the home teams deficit to one.

Second Period: Samuel Bolduc scores his second of the contest to tie the game when his shot goes off Tokarski, then the post, then off Colin Swoyer and in.

Bridgeport takes three penalties in the period but it’s Drake Caggiula scoring with under two minutes to play to give the Penguins the lead for good.

Third Period: Jakub Skarek took over for Cory Schneider in the third period. Penguins get a big save from Dustin Tokarski in the rare work that he daw in the period.

Pens navigate through a Raivis Ansons interference penalty cleanly and then with Skarek pulled for the extra man, Bridgeport is not able to locate the equalizer.

Three Stars: 3) Alex Nylander (goal, assist) 2) Samuel Bolduc (two goals) 1) Drake Caggiula (goal, assist)

The Good: Maybe they turned a corner with that effort and display in second half of the game.

The Bad: How much of it was Bridgeport’s woes though as a team? The Islanders may not be the measuring stick you are after to call this a turnaround.

Turning Point: Caggiula’s goal that gets them the lead for good gets it here.

Around the Division: Charlotte blows out Cleveland 9-0…Hartford beats Rochester 4-1…Springfield slips past Grand Rapids 3-2 in overtime…Hershey beats Belleville 4-2. Providence was off.

Standings: Hershey 57 – Providence 53 – Charlotte 44 – Penguins 43 – Lehigh Valley 43 – Springfield and Bridgeport 41 – Hartford 39

Wheeling Update: Nailers lose in Kalamazoo 3-2 in overtime.

Video Highlights: Probably best to seek them at the AHL VideoCenter.

Back at it Tuesday for the makeup game with Utica then Wednesday for a full game in Rochester.

Let’s Go Pens!

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I bought a new pair of shoes this past week, Monday, and wore the new sneakers / walking / running shoes to Wednesday’s game and tonight’s 5-2 throttling at the hands of the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Walking up to my doorstep at home I said to myself, “I’m 0-for-2 in these shoes” and just went with it for lack of a better headline.

Woof. Wilkes-Barre was manhandled by the Phantoms Friday and played their worst period of hockey of the season there in the second when the Phantoms explode for four straight goals to take a commanding 4-1 lead into the third period.

Pens get goals from Lukas Svejkovsky in the first, then lost Svejkovsky to injury in the nightmare second and then a third period goal from Nathan Legare to make it 4-2. Ex-Penguin Jordy Bellerive had the put away goal that made it 5-2. Then the fights started, four of them total, when Jamie Devane, Josh Maniscalco, Corey Andonovski and Sean Josling all got into it.

Here’s all the goals in the order in which they occurred starting with Svejkovsky’s in the first.

After this, the Penguins had 1:55 of 5-on-3 time but couldn’t extend the lead further. The power play woes continue.

Wilkes-Barre played a great first period and controlled pace of play. Then the second happened.

Chris Ortiz got worked there. Need to tighten up.

Brutal turnover.

Here’s where J.D. Forrest should have went to Tommy Nappier in my opinion. He didn’t.

That entire second period was a structural mess from the top down, goaltender out.

One positive, the Penguins navigated out of 5-on-3 danger of their own for :96.

In the third, Nathan Legare got the Pens to within two, and here’s where you thought maybe…

But no. Jordy Bellerive gets away from the defenders and scores on his old team for a 5-2 Phantoms lead.

Fights happened after that which should be in the highlight package below. Nothing went right for the Penguins from the second period onward.

Three Stars: 3) Cal O’Reilly (assist) – this was O’Reilly’s 700th AHL point. O’Reilly becomes just the 25th player in the AHL to achieve that milestone. I think he has low key put together a hell of a Hall of Fame career….2) Jackson Cates (two assists) 1) Tyson Foerster (two goals)

The Good: If you can think of one, leave it in the comments.

The Bad: J.D. should have gone to Nappier after the third goal. I don’t know if it would have changed the outcome and none of the goals could be pinned on Lindberg per se, but that’s what you have a backup goaltender for.

Turning Point: Bellerive’s goal put out any faint hopes of a Wilkes-Barre comeback.

Oh, here’s how they lined up:

The Pens released Max Newton and recalled Brooklyn Kalmikov from Wheeling. Pittsburgh sent Dustin Tokarski and Taylor Fedun back.

Around the Division: Not a good night on the out of town board. Bridgeport beats Rochester 1-0 in overtime…Providence beats Hartford (good) 5-3…Laval beats Hershey 3-2 in overtime…Springfield pounds Rockford 7-2 (bad)

Standings: Hershey 55 – Providence 53 – Lehigh Valley 43 – Charlotte 42 – Penguins 41 – Bridgeport 41 – Springfield 39 – Hartford 37.

Another big one Saturday in Bridgeport and the Pens thus far have had no success with the Islanders.

Wheeling Update: Nailers were off.

Video Highlights: 

More Saturday. Keep the faith.

Let’s Go Pens!

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I thought the games final 1:30 off a 3-2 Penguins loss to the Syracuse Crunch on Wednesday night was a microcosm of how the game went.

Penguins down by two with starting goaltender Filip Lindberg pulled for an extra attacker, get a goal from Alexander Nylander to pull within one, but after the ensuing face-off and the same six on five man power, they couldn’t get any closer and time ultimately runs out on them.

That’s how the game went for them Wednesday. Scoreless, quiet first followed by Syracuse getting a goal on a boffo shot by Alex Barré-Boulet through a Penguins defenders legs and right past Lindberg for a goal, then a goal from Drake Caggiula slamming home a puck though bodies in front followed by a Gage Goncalves pass in from that deflects off of Syracuse captain Gabriel Dumont and in for a 2-1 lead for Syracuse at the second intermission. Penguins would get close with a power play in the third, but a Daniel Walcott slam dunk far post from a pretty feed from the near wall put the game out of reach for Wilkes-Barre somewhere in the third period.

It was a game that they were in till the end, just couldn’t finish their chances. They had two golden opportunities in the first when Caggiula dished to Nathan Legare but Legare was unable to finish and then Ty Glover misses a seemingly wide open net for what could have been a 2-0 lead.

That’s pretty much it. Here’s the goals in the order they occurred.

Here’s how they lined up:

Lineup Notes: 

Max Newton was signed earlier in the day to a PTO out of ECHL Reading. For what it’s worth I didn’t notice his #58 on the ice at all tonight. Maybe I need to pay more attention.

Three Stars: 3) Gage Goncalves (two assists) 2) Drake Caggiula (goal, assist) 1) Daniel Walcott (goal)

The Good: It was close.

The Bad: Should have won. Game in hand wasted. Not like they don’t have a thousand of them, but still would have been nice to get one.

Turning Point: The Walcott goal that made it 3-1 was it. So much so that I knew it immediately.

Around the Division: Lehigh Valley beats Cleveland 2-1 in overtime. Friday’s game just got that much more important….Springfield rebounds nicely after a bad weekend with a 2-1 win over a very good Milwaukee Admirals team out in The Good Land.

Standings: Hershey 54 – Providence 51 – Charlotte 42 – Penguins 41 – Lehigh Valley 41 – Bridgeport 39 – Hartford and Springfield 37

Wheeling Update: Nailers were off.

Video Highlights: You know you are late with a blog post when the team has the highlights up half an hour before you even sit down to hammer out a blog post.

Back at it Friday for a massive game at home against the Phantoms.

Let’s Go Pens!

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Penalty marred affair here where neither team was capitalizing on the infractions. I would have used it in “the bad” section at the end of the game story if the Penguins lost this game after being the beneficiary of seven power plays.

But they cashed on one, likely the most important one of the contest because it tied the game late, forcing overtime then a shootout where the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins win 3-2 Sunday afternoon via shootout.

Chalk this win up to Filip Lindberg who kept his team in it with some dazzling saves. He store down grizzled veteran J-F Berube.

Here’s how they lined up:

Lineup Notes: Jonathan Gruden was recalled to Pittsburgh Sunday afternoon. Sean Josling jumped back in for the recalled Gruden. Tommy Nappier back up Filip Lindberg.

First Period: The aforementioned Lindberg faced a barrage of early Checkers shots but stopped them all. The period was marred by penalties on both side but neither team was able to score.

Second Period: After the expiration of a power play, the Penguins would score the first goal courtesy of Drake Caggiula.

But then Matt Kiersted scores a goal that if the puck is delivered to him a foot later, he misses the net entirely.

Penalties continued (which was annoying) despite the Penguins being the beneficiary of the calls from referees Chris Waterstradt and Jake Kamrass, but no one else scored in the period, which never had any flow to it because of a refs whistle stopping play seemingly every minute.

Third Period: Lucas Carlsson continued to villanize the Penguins with a goal in the opening moments in the period which edged the Checkers ahead 2-1.

Penguins would continue to get power plays but couldn’t do anything with them. They get one about halfway through the period and finally cash.

That’s Valtteri Puustinen on a Mitch Reinke shot that ties the game.

But remember how I said that Filip Lindberg was the hero in this game? He was none finer with this save which should make the highlight reel at the end of the season.

Late foreshadowing where Lukas Svejkovsky chases a rebound off of JF Berube and Berube takes a swing at the Penguins forward 10 years his minor with his stick.

Overtime: Nick Hart stated at the start that it was the Penguins 12th appearance. That’s a lot of points that matter, but it depends on who you give the other point to. With it being Charlotte, the Penguins were always from this point forward, at least for now, not be able to pass the Checkers for third in the division.

No one scored. Svejkovsky had the game on his stick a couple time but couldn’t find a lane to fire.

Shootout: Alex Nylander with a shake and bake in round one and a roof job, then Lukas Svejkovsky goes five hole in round two. Lindberg stops Anton Levtchi in round one, Zac Dalpe beat him in round two and he stopped Gerry Mayhew.

Ballgame.

Three Stars: 3) Mitch Reinke (two assists) 2) Matt Kiersted (goal) 1) J-F Berube (32 saves)

Okay, then.

The Good: Role players stepped up with a good chunk of the regulars out of the lineup for whatever reason. A point off Charlotte for third in the division is a good consolation, all things considered.

The Bad: But for the officiating, leaving your rookie goaltender out to dry a few times isn’t a recipe for success at all. Good thing that Lindberg is good at his craft, especially on this day.

Turning Point: The power play goal that gets us to overtime by Puustinen gets it here.

Around the Division: Providence hosted Hartford in the only other division action this afternoon and needed overtime to beat the Wolf Pack 3-2 in overtime.

Standings: Hershey 54 – Providence 51 – Charlotte 42 – Penguins 41 – Lehigh Valley, Hartford and Bridgeport 37 – Springfield 35

Wheeling Update: Nailers started a little later than the Pens this afternoon and hosted the Kalamazoo Wings but lost in overtime. Brooklyn Kalmikov had a goal and an assist. Here’s the box.

Video Highlights: They didn’t post any last night but the AHL Video Center came through so if you are really interested in the video highlights, navigate here.

Back at it Wednesday at home against Syracuse. I’ll have the Weekend Preview for you some time mid-morning then. Talk to you then.

Let’s Go Pens!

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So I don’t understand this one.

Hartford comes to Charlotte midweek and sweeps the Checkers, including shutting them out 5-0. The Penguins come to town, fresh off of an overtime victory against the Atlantic Division leading Hershey Bears, and lose 3-1 on Saturday night.

Yeah, there are no pushover teams at this level. No easy two points as it were. Teams are well coached, well connected to their NHL Partners in development, players know they need to be better. But I said in my Weekend Preview that if the Penguins wanted to evade the average teams in the division then all 6 points clean were a must and were doable.

Hope for 4 out of 6 when these two sides rematch Sunday afternoon.

Here’s how they lined up:

Lineup Notes: Josh Maniscalco recalled from Wheeling Saturday early afternoon. Taylor Fedun went up to Pittsburgh, Mark Friedman was sent back to Wilkes-Barre but then recalled. The game originally scheduled in Laval earlier in the month which was postponed by weather will be played on Monday April 10.

Sam Houde was back from illness after missing Wednesday, replacing Sean Josling. On defense, Adam Smith was out along with Taylor Fedun for Chris Ortiz and Josh Maniscalco. They noted on broadcast that Adam Smith picked up an illness yesterday. Filip Lindberg backed up. No change to Kyle Olson, Xavier Ouellet or Filip Hållander’s statuses.

First Period: Staring goaltender Taylor Gauthier gets shook up when two players were tying up near him and a stick went high and into his mask area. Trainers were called and play stopped, but Gauthier was able to see through the remaining five minutes left in the period.

Second Period: Gauthier did not come out, it was backup Filip Lindberg going in. Gauthier was seen in the back up chair later on in the period, so whatever it was (maybe contact lens? cut on the nose?) seemed to be minor.

Lucas Carlsson scores about four minutes into the period for a 1-0 Charlotte lead.

Third Period: Checkers score a power play goal five seconds short of half way in the period and it was a 2-0 Checkers lead. It felt like at the time the way the game was building that the two goal lead was going to be insurmountable.

Jonathan Gruden had other ideas.

1:01 later, he scores to cut it back to one.

Comeback time?

Gerry Mayhew had other ideas.

I’m not able to tell from there if Jon Lizotte knocked it in his own net by mistake or not. Certainly looks like it the way the puck was traveling.

Penguins had 1:30 of 6-on-4 power play, desperate to make up a two goal lead, did a lot of passing and were not able to score.

Three Stars: 3) Lucas Carlsson (goal) 2) Mack Guzda (19 saves) 1) John Ludvig (two assists)

The Good: Lindberg was in good form for the most part, despite giving up three goals. Good to see.

The Bad: 20 shots for against a rival you are trying to stay ahead of is a lackluster effort, plain and simple. Be better Sunday.

Turning Point: The Mayhew goal was the backbreaker. Maybe they play with more urgency down one with a 6-on-4, but down two?

Around the Division: Syracuse thumps Lehigh Valley 5-2 … Hershey does the same to Springfield 6-2 … Utica as well to Bridgeport 5-1 … Hartford, on a heater, beats Providence 3-1. That’s six unbeaten in regulation for the Wolf Pack.

Standings: Hershey 54 – Providence 49 – Charlotte 41 – Penguins 39 – Lehigh Valley and Bridgeport 37 – Hartford 36 – Springfield 35

Wheeling Update: Here is the box for the Nailers and Cyclones.

Video Highlights: I don’t see them. AHL VideoCenter will have them in the morning.

These two teams rematch again Sunday at 4. More then.

Let’s Go Pens!