In my opinion the most complete 50 minutes of play the Pens have played all year in a 4-3 Wilkes-Barre win. But wait you say, aren’t there 60 minutes in a hockey game? Yes. The Pens were up 4-1 with about 10 minutes left to play in the third when the Admirals came storming back on two power play goals to make it at least interesting tonight in Wilkes-Barre Township.

John Curry vs. Dustin Tokarski tonight. Joe Vitale did not take warmups.

First period: Keven Veilleux and Tim Marks continued their hate-fest and fought about three minutes in. Decision BeastMode. WBS was controlling play, spending about two good minutes in the offensive zone below the dots. Brett Sterling did everything but score a goal in this game and the game before vs. Hershey. You have to think when he finally does score he will just fill up the nets. Finally Nick Johnson and Geoff Walker came in on a 2 on 1 and Johnson finished it off to open the scoring at 12:01. About 7 minutes later, Bryan Lerg scored on a ridiculous backhanded shot. The first would end 2-0 Pens, with them lead in 14-5 in shots.

Second period: Tim Wallace would be whistled for holding and James Wright would score at 11:24 of the 2nd. Right after that Keven Veilleux took a knee-to-knee hit which put him out of the game. He had to be helped off of the ice. He didn’t put any weight on his right leg when he went off either. Radko Gudas was the culprit on the hit and Geoff Walker fought him. Since Walker apparently wasn’t tied down with the fight strap he was given a game misconduct. No one would score and the period would end 2-1 Penguins with the shots on goal tallying 21-12 WBS.

To this point I felt it was the most complete game of the season for WBS. Finally it would appear the Pens would defeat someone relevant.

Third period: Veilleux did not return. I know where the orthopedic doctor for the team sits across from me and he was absent shortly after the hit. Bombulie said in his postgamer that Keven was icing the area above his knee versus the knee itself. He called it a “good sign.” We’d see two goals waved off this period. The first would come for Norfolk as Curry would be interfered with. As soon as the teams went even strength Ryan Craig would score, then later Steve Wagner would rip a shot that Bryan Lerg would deflect on the power play for a Mike Vernace hold. It looked like the rout would be on. Paul Szczechura would sit for high sticking and Tim Wallace would sc—no he didn’t, that was also waved off by referee Nick Krebsbach, saying it never went in. The goal judge turned the light on but after consultation it was ruled the puck never went in.

In hindsight if we lose this game, that moment is the turning point as Norfolk would score twice on two separate power plays. Robert Bortuzzo cross check would result in a Troy Milam goal and then Bortuzzo would interfere and Matt Fornataro would score to make it 4-3. Norfolk would pull Tokarski late but WBS would hold on for the win.

Bryan Lerg is playing out of his mind right now. 5 goals in 4 games. Someone who literally goes unseen most nights is tearing it up. Brett Sterling is way overdue. When he starts scoring again this team will be unstoppable. Norfolk 3 for 6 on PP. That has to change. We cannot win a playoff series if we continue to allow that.

Some news: Norfolk defenseman Ty Wishart was traded to the New York Islanders tonight in exchange for Islanders goaltender Rick DiPietro. As a result, Cedrick Desjardins was sent back to Norfolk. Jordan Staal made his return back to the Pittsburgh lineup and Chris Conner was scratched tonight. Every man on the Pittsburgh roster would need to clear waivers if put there, so we will see. An over healthy Pittsburgh is always a good thing to have.

Around the Division: Binghamton beat Charlotte 3-0. Bingo played last night at home, bussed to Philly last night and flew to Charlotte this morning. Great win for them and even better for us as 2-3 in the division don’t make up any ground. Break up the Adirondack Phantoms, 2-1 winners over the Albany Devils. Syracuse defeated Rochester 4-1. The Crunch are on a rare winning streak.

Standings: WBS is 8 points up now, with 52 points to Norfolk’s 44. Charlotte has 42 points in third. Hershey is in fourth with 41 points. Bingo is in fifth with 36, Syracuse in sixth with 30, Albany in seventh with 28 and Adirondack in last with 20.

Tomorrow: Bingo and Charlotte have a rematch. Norfolk plays Hershey. Would love to see the 8 point lead preserved and no one else really get closer. Charlotte can tie Norfolk with a win and an Admirals loss. Norfolk can get to 6 points to us again with a win. Hershey can get to 9 points to us with a win. I’m keeping my eyes on both games tomorrow afternoon on AHL Live.

Bombulie already said he’s not going to update unless something huge happens between now and the Pens next game which is Tuesday in Charlotte, so look for the same here on my blog at least, unless I feel creative enough to post an entry between Sunday or Monday.

Go Pens!

One of my biggest concerns tonight in this 1-0 Hershey shutout of Wilkes-Barre here at CONSOL Energy Center in Pittsburgh was the fact that Hershey is “big game tested” by winning two straight Calder Cup Championships. I was concerned that the Pens would come out doe-eyed and be overwhelmed by their surroundings and the opponent. Well partially tonight at least, Hershey’s goal came late in the second off of a Keith Aucoin point shot which batted around and in behind goaltender Brad Thiessen’s net. The Pens would come close more often than not, but “close” only happens in horseshoes and hand grenades.

I could probably leave it at that and call it an evening, but you expect more out of me so here goes…but before we do, my view for this evening:

http://twitter.com/#!/nafsnep/status/20623840379932672

Braden Holtby v. Brad Thiessen tonight. Joe Vitale took warm ups but was the scratch. In his place, Geoff Walker. You have to think Hynes wanted him to test the leg in warm ups to see how it felt and if it felt good sit him and play Saturday v. Norfolk.

Then I saw this guy:

http://twitter.com/#!/nafsnep/status/20631716263624704

Then Tux and Iceburgh had a family reunion I captured:

http://twitter.com/#!/nafsnep/status/20634816496013312

Bobby Day made the trek from Wilkes-Barre to serve as our public address announcer.

Alright. To the game.

First period: Back and forth action. Fourth line had the best shift of the game to that point. The teams would trade penalties which would overlap so we saw 4 on 4 hockey for a spell. No one would score in the feeling out period.

Second period: Before a crowd of 13,567 Corey Potter and Steve Wagner played more shoddy defense which was bailed out again by Brad Thiessen. Brett Sterling was everywhere. He has big game experience in playing for the Chicago Wolves and at Allstate Arena in Rosemont Illinois to a packed house of nearly 10,000 on weekends. You could tell he really wanted to put on a show. Hershey’s sticks were in all of the passing lanes though. More Thiessen seeing the puck well also. Late in the second he gloved a Hershey deflection. Ryan Craig would get whistled for slashing on an odd play where Tim Wallace looked like he took a puck to the teeth. The ensuing power play would see Keith Aucoin score. Jesse Boulerice and Patrick Wellar would fight and the period would end.

At this point and even prior to it, I felt that Wilkes-Barre needed to get scored on to wake up and take control of the game. I was fully expecting something along those lines in the third period.

Third period: More Brett Sterling looking for a goal that never came. Playoff-like intensity was felt by me at least. Folks I spoke with after the game found it to be a boring hockey game. Define boring? Hershey would kill two penalties and that was it. The Pens would pull Thiessen and Dustin Jeffrey and Eric Tangradi would have the game on their sticks but did not score.

Again, it all game down to the “big game” experience I think for Hershey to hang on and win.

Three stars were Keith Aucoin, Brad Thiessen and Braden Holtby.

Around the Division: Charlotte defeated Norfolk in overtime 4-3. That was it. Hershey plays Syracuse tomorrow in a game I will keep my eye on.

Standings: It’s going to get tight around here I think. WBS sticks on 50 points for first. Norfolk sit in second with 44 points. Charlotte has 42 points in third. Hershey has 41 for fourth. Binghamton has 34 points good for fifth. Albany-Syracuse sit in sixth and seventh with 26 points each and Adirondack is last with 16 points.

I return home to Northeastern Pennsylvania tomorrow morning with the booster club. Huge game vs. Norfolk New Years night.

Thanks for having me Pittsburgh. To quote General Douglas MacArthur if I may, “I shall return.”

Go Pens.

That is the way the best team in the league is supposed to handle inferior competition. A 5-0 WBS shutout of the hapless Crunch, now shutout in two consecutive games. Nice to have this monkey off of our back.

Brad Thiessen vs. JP Levasseur tonight. No lineup changes for the Pens as Geoff Walker was the scratch. John Curry was demoted to Wilkes-Barre later today and will rejoin the team tomorrow.

First period: Thiessen you could tell right off the bat was on his game, stopping 2-3 deflected pucks sent his way the first ten minutes. After coming dangerously close to scoring in the same shift multiple times, Nick Johnson finally did at 15:34. The period would end with the Pens on a power play after a Maxime Macenauer hook.

Second period: More Thiessen seeing the puck like a beach ball. More Thiessen bailing out Wagner and Potter’s spotty defensive play (both were +1) Trevor Smith took a tripping call off of a faceoff and Nick Johnson would score again on a power play goal. The second would end 2-0.

Third period: Ryan Craig appeared to take a puck in the man region very late in the second. He shook it off in the intermission to come out in the third and score a goal. Five minutes later, Chris Collins scored another stop-and-spin-on-a-dime-and-light-the-lamp goals to make it 4-0. At this point the rout was on. Later, after a scrum after a whistle, Patrick Maroon would sit on a rough and Nick Johnson would complete the hat trick. After that the Pens would just play out the string. Thiessen was still tested but denied all chances. Very very late Joe Vitale would take a puck off of the lower leg which crumbled him. He had to crawl off the ice.

I thought it was a complete game by the Pens. Everything seemed to click. Power play, penalty kill, even strength. All of it. Is it a case of playing a team in disarray? I guess we find out quick because the Bears are in Pittsburgh waiting for the Pens tomorrow.

Three stars were Ryan Craig, Brad Thiessen and Nick Johnson.Odd stat of the night: The entire team was +1 but for Brett Sterling, Jesse Boulerice, Eric Tangradi and Joe Vitale.

Around the Division: Atlantic leading Manchester defeated Adirondack 6-2. That was it.

Standings: Teams immediately behind Wilkes-Barre were dormant, so the Pens get a 7 point cushion on Norfolk and are the first AHL team to 50 points. Norfolk plays Charlotte tomorrow. They have 43 points and the Checkers have 40 points. The Bears sit in fourth with 39 points. They’d love to win tomorrow and an Admirals win as well. Binghamton sits in fifth with 34 points. Then Albany – 26, Syracuse 26 and Adirondack 16.

Pens bus to Pittsburgh tonight. Booster club is leaving tomorrow with yours truly. I will be the tall guy on the concourse with his iPhone in his hand. If you are in Pittsburgh and read the blog and plan on going to the game, find me on the concourse and say hello.

Let’s Go Pens!