Chirps from Center Ice

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

One and Oh, Joe — Pens WIN 2-1

Comments Off on One and Oh, Joe — Pens WIN 2-1 Posted by on October 21, 2022

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I met this guy by the name of Joe. It was his first hockey game. His friends told me if the Penguins won the game tonight, they would call him 1-0 Joe.

Penguins win 2-1 over Laval Friday night and Joe, buddy, you have a new name. Wanna change it? See you Wednesday when the Penguins host the Cleveland Monsters.

I don’t know if this was a masterclass in defense and goaltending or a young team learning to come together and put a full 60 minutes together because in the first period, it looked like the Pens were set to run away with the game, up 2-0 heading into the second period off of a power play goal by Alex Nylander and a breakaway goal by Nathan Legare. Dustin Tokarski started in net and wasn’t challenged much if at all in the opening frame.

That all changed in the second period however as Tokarski would face a barrage of shots from the Rocket, 21 in total from the second period on and the Penguins held on for the narrow win.

Tokarski opposed Cayden Primeau.

Lines were…

Lineup Notes: Jonathan Gruden made his season debut. Sam Houde was back from the cut suffered on his face last Saturday. Raivis Ansons and Lukas Svejkovsky yielded. Defense was intact.

First Period: Coupla quick goals from the more rested Penguins who were idle on Wednesday and not in a foreign country, unlike the Rocket, who hosted Springfield. It was a sense of bus legs I think because the Rocket were flat and took three penalties in the period.

Nylander opened the scoring with this power play goal.

Followed by Nathan Legare on a breakaway set up by Sam Houde.

Second Period: With virtually nothing to do in the first period, Dustin Tokarski was a very, very busy man for the Penguins in goal in the second period. Laval came alive with plenty of good looks and good opportunities, but Tokarski was dialed in and denied them all.

Third Period: More of the same from the second for the Penguins. Time was whittling down and the Penguins were in firm control of the game I thought. Whatever happened to get through. Tokarski would get a piece of.

Then, the Penguins found themselves on a late penalty kill. With Primeau pulled, Laval would get within one with a lot of time on the clock.

I know what you were thinking, here we go again with the empty net goals late in a game that the Penguins are in control of.

Not this time.

Tokarski with some more key saves late, including a block by Jon Lizotte and Wilkes-Barre holds on.

Three Stars: 3) Dustin Tokarski (26 saves) 2) Alex Nylander (goal) 1) Nathan Legare (game winning goal)

The Good: At times they kept it simple. Defense was dialed in and the goaltender was laser focused.

The Bad: They do everything right and lose a shutout for their goaltender late with an extra skater on a puck over glass infraction.

Turning Point: You didn’t know it at the time, but the Legare goal that made it 2-0 in the first is enough to get the Penguins to the pay winda first, daddeh.

Around the Division: Hershey had a 3-0 lead in Charlotte but that evaporated quick and the Bears lose 5-4….Springfield beats Belleville 5-2 to earn the Thunderbirds their first win of the year….Bridgeport beats Providence 5-4 in overtime.

Standings: Charlotte 6 – Providence 5 – Hershey and Bridgeport 4 – Penguins 3 – Lehigh Valley and Springfield 2 – Hartford 1

Wheeling Update: The ECHL got going tonight, but the Nailers play Saturday at home against Toledo.

Video Highlights: 

More Saturday in Hartford.

Let’s Go Pens!

Postgamer

Weekend Preview: Pair of Threes

Comments Off on Weekend Preview: Pair of Threes Posted by on October 20, 2022

One of the two three in three weekends will be played by the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins this weekend when they host the Laval Rocket on Friday then hit the road to face the Hartford Wolf Pack Saturday and the Providence Bruins on Sunday afternoon.

Music to Set the Mood…

The 80’s were something else, man.

A Quote

If you run from a wolf, you may run into a bear.
– Lithuanian proverb

I like this one. I’ve got Hartford and Hershey pegged as the class of the Atlantic Division field early. If one doesn’t lead the other one will. Plus, it ties in nicely to the weekend of play with the Wolf Pack and Bruins.

The Setup

Laval, Hartford and Providence, all within the span of about 48 hours. A good test to see what kind of team we have under us.

About that… we really don’t know what kind of team we have under us just yet. They lost in overtime with 1.4 seconds left Saturday to Lehigh Valley and a power outage in Utica on Monday cut short what was at the time a 2-1 Comets lead. That game was suspended and will be completed January 24. So the Pens are technically still 0-0-1-0.

Laval hosted Springfield Wednesday and shut them out 2-0. Cayden Primeau had 34 saves. Last weekend the Rocket played the Belleville Senators in a home and home and lost in OT last Friday and straight up on Saturday.

Hartford was in Charlotte last weekend and were swept. They lost Friday in overtime 4-3 and Saturday straight up 3-1. The Checkers cumulatively went 3/10 on the power play in both games.

Providence looks really good, dropping Bridgeport 3-1 Friday and beating Springfield 4-3 Sunday. Keith Kinkaid stopped 42 shots Friday and Fabian Lysell had three assists Sunday. Bruins went 2/4 on the power play but Springfield also struck twice on the power play in six tries.

So we may not know what kind of team we have under us until next week.

Records

The Pens enter the weekend 0-0-1-0 … Laval has a 1-1-1-0 record … Hartford is 0-1-1-0 and Providence shows 2-0-0-0. Early days.

Man, am I glad percentage points are gone for good.

Who’s Up? Who’s Down? Who’s Out?

Sam Houde took a skate to the face Saturday and missed Monday’s game in Utica….Chris Ortiz was sent to Wheeling Monday….Jonathan Gruden is day to day….Jordan Frasca is week to week….Jamie Devane has a middle body injury (that’s new) and they still need to evaluate. Coal Street sent goalie Taylor Gauthier down to Wheeling on Wednesday. No one is presently on recall to Pittsburgh.

What can we learn about the Penguins this week?

Three more tough opponents. I wanted to look at the production from the top six but when I did it was good, accounting for more than 80% of the offense. I wouldn’t expect any major shake ups to the top six. I would, however, shake up the defense. Laval isn’t going to be a pushover. Hartford had a bad weekend in Charlotte on the road but have their home opener and have a lot of great expectations this season. Providence looks elite, but it’s only two games.

Are we grinding for goals as we were last Saturday against the Phantoms or chasing the game with questionable defense from veteran leaders as we saw in parts in Utica?

The more I think of it, the more of a story the absence of Jonathan Gruden will be to this team. Penalty killer. Bottom six forward. Drink stirrer. Felix Robert ain’t walking through that door till Syracuse comes to town.

Who is in goal?

They gave Dustin Tokarski the start Saturday which was a shock to me. I think they go back to Filip Lindberg again Friday, Tokarski Saturday against his old team in Hartford and Lindberg Sunday in Providence. Flip it if Tokarski comes out first Friday. I don’t think anyone plays back to back.

The aforementioned Cayden Primeau gave up six against Troy Mann’s Belleville Senators on Friday. Kevin Poulin fared no better Saturday against the Senators. I think it’s Primeau’s start, especially coming off of the shutout Wednesday against the Thunderbirds, but there’s the whole travel and crossing the border you have to deal with so it may actually be Poulin’s start. I’m glad I don’t wager on these!

Louis Domingue will likely face off against his old team Saturday for the Wolf Pack’s home opener. Toss a coin for Kyle Keyser or Keith Kinkaid for the Bruins Sunday, who will also be playing their third game in as many nights, but all at home.

Who is running the show?

Conor O’Donnell and Amanda Tassoni have the assignment on Friday with Josh Cleary and Bill Lyons on the lines. Saturday up in Hartford, it’s Dre Barone and Mike Dietrich doling out penalties and Trevor Disbennett and Nick Briganti on the lines. Sunday in Providence, Dietrich again with Rob Hennessey and Dan Kelly and Stephen Drain on the lines.

Looking ahead…

Cleveland drops in for an ever popular weekday home game, Wednesday when they take on the Penguins at 7:05. Then the Pens stay in state with a Friday trip to Allentown to take on the Phantoms and then Hershey to visit the Bears Saturday.

Give us a bold prediction…

I’ll slowly warm up to work night home games.

Weekend Preview

I Kind of Miss Binghamton – Pens / Comets Resumes January 24

Comments Off on I Kind of Miss Binghamton – Pens / Comets Resumes January 24 Posted by on October 18, 2022

Used to be the Penguins would always, like always be in New York when Binghamton was in the league. A 90 minute trip up north on I-81.

The Penguins aren’t in New York again until, get this, January.

So it’s natural that the day before (a Wednesday, January 25 game in Rochester) that the Pens and Comets resume their game which was postponed Monday because of a power outage on Tuesday, January 24 at 7 p.m.

Miss you, Bingo.

Not AHL, WBS

One Hell of a Story…Game Suspended Due to Power Outage

2 Comments Posted by on October 17, 2022

So far….

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2:43 left to play, 2nd period.

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They were plugging along, on the 35th anniversary to the day of the first ever Utica Devils home game when it suddenly got dark.

Power outage. We have all been there. I’m prepared, I have a home generator.

With the Utica Comets up 2-1 with 2:43 left to play in the second period the lights went out and about twenty minutes later the League made it official.

So this is going to make for a hell of a game story. It’s the Penguins only trip to Utica this season. You’d have to think that they run the final 22:43 on some random Thursday in January (weather permitting) or something like that. Since I already have the game story written I may as well what happened when the lights were shining on Monday, October 17 in Utica now and bring this same post back whenever the Penguins and Comets can complete the remaining 22:43 at some point down the line, likely with different lineups, different referees, different linesmen, etc.

Like I said, one hell of a game story.

Lines were…

Lineup Notes: Kyle Olson slides over to third line center. Nathan Legare to third line left wing. Tyler Sikura down to fourth line center. Lukas Svejkovsky, who skated the extra Saturday is in. Sam Houde was out. No changes to defensive pairings from last Saturday.

First Period: Comets score twice in the period. The first goal was a face-off win in the Penguins zone which Wilkes-Barre wins but Taylor Fedun can’t keep the puck in. The rush up the ice sees ex-Penguin Nick Hutchison score over the glove of Lindberg for a 1-0 Comets lead.

Later, Robbie Russo unleashes a cannon from the point that goes in to give Utica a 2-0 lead.

Filip Lindberg was asking for a possible goalie interference call but his petitions fell on the deaf ears of referee Adam Tobias and Jim Curtain.

Second Period: Ty Smith scores a power play goal to bring the Penguins to within one.

Prior to this, Kyle Olson fed Nathan Legare a one timer but Nico Daws got over in time to stop it.

With about 2:43 left to play in the period, a power outage halted play.

And this blog post.

More Friday when the Penguins host the Laval Rocket back in Wilkes-Barre.

Postgamer

Stolen Point – Pens LOSE 3-2 (OT)

Comments Off on Stolen Point – Pens LOSE 3-2 (OT) Posted by on October 15, 2022

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They stole that point Saturday. Troy Grosenick was that dude in goal for the visiting Lehigh Valley Phantoms who beat the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins on opening night 3-2 in overtime with 1.4 seconds remaining.

Sometimes you run into a hot goaltender. If Grosenick was any hotter he would have lit the place on fire. I don’t think I have seen a goaltender that dialed in in some time. The Penguins threw everything at him, even strength and on special teams, and he just kept denying the Penguins time after time.

Wilkes-Barre scored dirty goals. An Alexander Nylander power play goal with Grosenick screened to tie the game at one and then a Sam Poulin deflection goal with a minute to play in regulation with Penguins starter Dustin Tokarski pulled to tie it to get it to overtime.

I liked the effort tonight. I liked the pace. I liked them on special teams. I liked what I saw tonight. You bring that same effort for 71 more games and they will be in good shape.

Lines were…

Lineup Notes: I like the new graphic which gives you the extra skater who took warmups but didn’t dress for the game (Svejkovsky)

A little surprised they went with Tokarski over Lindberg too.

First Period: Penguins outshoot the Phantoms 8-1 halfway through the first period. Then the Phantoms respond and get a goal when Eliot Desnoyers is set up in front with the puck behind the net of Tokarski. Desnoyers was a beneficiary of right place / right time.

Second Period: Pens get on even terms on a power play goal from Alexander Nylander.

Phantoms regain the lead with a goal from Zack MacEwen who deflects a shot from the point and in past Tokarski for a 2-1 Lehigh Valley lead.

Pens had a power play late where they spent 1:45 or more in the zone but time after time get denied by Grosenick, so was quickly becoming the story.

Third Period: Pens take a late penalty they get out of fine then with Tokarski pulled find the equalizer via Sam Poulin with exactly one minute to play in the period.

(No GIF here sorry, he bunted the puck past Grosenick as the puck deflected three times behind the Phantoms goaltender)

Overtime: Drew O’Connor turnover results in a Louie Belpedio breakaway. Tokarski the initial save, but not the second. Too much time really was left on the clock, Belpedio with a second chance and scores to end the game with 1.4 seconds left.

Three Stars: 3) Alex Nylander (goal, assist) 2) Troy Grosenick (38 saves) 1) Louie Belpedio (overtime game winning goal)

Woulda been fine if they awarded Grosenick the first star, honestly.

The Good: Troy Grosenick played as an elite goaltender tonight. The Penguins got flat beat, but managed to steal a point. Tighten up a few things defensively and they will be fine.

The Bad: They looked scrambly at times, the first Phantoms goal and the overtime game winner especially. Gotta tighten that up.

Turning Point: Have to go with the Belpedio overtime game winner for obvious reasons.

Around the Division: Hershey beats Utica 3-1…Charlotte beats Hartford 3-1…Bridgeport beats Springfield 3-2. Providence was off.

Standings: Boy am I glad I don’t have to mess with percentages anymore. Early days, but it’s Charlotte with 4, Providence, Hershey, Lehigh Valley and Bridgeport with 2, Wilkes-Barre and Hartford with 1 and Springfield with 0.

Wheeling Update: Nailers get going next week.

Video Highlights: No idea if they will post them. If they do I’ll try to work an edit in.

Back at it Monday (Monday?) in Utica. More then.

Let’s Go Pens!

Postgamer

Weekend Preview: Welcome to the Black Parade

1 Comment Posted by on October 14, 2022

Back and marginally better than last year, the Weekend Preview returns, setting up the week or so of play for the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins, who kickoff the regular season a day later than the official start, Friday or today, on Saturday night against in state rival Lehigh Valley and then wrap up opening weekend with a rare Monday game up in Utica, the Pens only visit up to the Comets this season.

I’m going to try to spice these up with a YouTube video of some relevance to the weekends proceedings and a quote to tie it all in before diving right in to the where’s, why’s and what’s of the weekend slate of games.

Easy enough start. Parade of a slimmed down 72 game schedule starts out of the gate with a 6:05 Saturday home game against Lehigh Valley.

A Quote

Old Men and Comets have been reverenced for the same reason:
their long beards. and presences to foretell events.
– Jonathan Swift

Utica did pretty well last year. I know in my AHL Preview I gave you yesterday that I really wanted to see how the Penguins stacked up against the Hartford Wolf Pack on October 22 because I loved all of the signings made by the Wolf Pack, but if the Penguins roll out of the gate hot with a 2-0 start against a Utica team they did pretty well against last year, they can really pick up momentum as they have traditionally done in seasons past.

One weekend does not a season make, but you have waited (conceivably) all summer for this, you want it to go well.

The Setup

Lehigh Valley and Utica home and away respectively. How do the Penguins fare against a Phantoms team which stunk last year and brought back the coach that oversaw the flaming wreckage? As I said yesterday, I think Wilkes-Barre improved and got worse at the same time. I like the Jon Lizotte signing a lot. I like bringing back Alex Nylander. Xavier Ouellet provides solid defensive depth. Goaltender Dustin Tokarski has a lot of miles on him but Tommy Nappier is more than capable and a logjam in goal with Filip Lindberg back and healthy will make for great competition. I don’t like losing Jordy Bellerive to rival Lehigh Valley and Hershey is primed and ready to cause chaos. Remaining essentially the same, but different, may not be the best concoction for the Pens. But time will tell.

Utica did well for itself last year under the new New Jersey Devils regime, running away with the North Division but stumbled in the Semifinals, getting bounced in five games against Rochester. They are primed and ready for another run and should not be taken as a pushover.

In my (whatever it’s worth) preview I gave you yesterday, I have the Comets finishing third behind Laval and Syracuse.

Who’s in Goal?

I think you have to start with your horse, so for the Pens that is going to be Filip Lindberg on Saturday and possibly Monday, if not then likely the backup which should be Dustin Tokarski up in Utica. Tommy Nappier was sent to Wheeling Thursday evening, so that eases some of the bottleneck for the Pens in goal.

For Lehigh Valley Troy Grosenick will likely be out first for the Phantoms. For Utica, they are in Hershey Saturday night and I think that’s Akira Schmid’s start meaning that Nico Daws gets the start Monday. You can flip that and have Daws go Saturday and Schmid for the Comets home opener, but that’s overthinking another teams lineup.

Who’s Up? Who’s Down? Who’s Out?

Enjoy it. Full strength. Everyone who should be in Pittsburgh is in Pittsburgh. Everyone who should be here is here. Wheeling gets going next week.

It won’t last long, as history has shown.

What can we learn about the Penguins this week?

Do they have a finisher? What’s the power play / penalty kill look like? How physical will they look?

I think that’s a general question which can be applied to the other 31 teams in the AHL. Will it be a grind for the Pens, as it was in parts during last year or will it come easy and for how long does it last before the inevitable callups and injuries occur?

If you forced me to answer, it’s going to be a little of both. Pittsburgh is one of the oldest teams in the NHL, so they aren’t getting any younger. There are going to be injuries, which will prompt call ups. The Pens are bare prospect wise, so where will they go if the leading scorer goes up? Who steps up and how?

Pens play two games this weekend. I think a fair assessment can be made with the following guide:

0-2: Work needs to be done.
1-1: Can live with it.
2-0: Keep going, don’t stop.

I’m discounting loser points. *shrug*

Who is running the show?

Weekend assignments usually come out around Wednesday. The AHL usually doesn’t play on Monday’s but in this case the Pens do. This is a long explanation that I don’t have the Monday crew. Mystery refs!

Jack Young and Casey Terreri are your first pair of refs to yell at Saturday with Patrick Dapuzzo and J.P. Waleski on the lines.

Looking ahead…

Let’s get one of the only two three-in-three’s out of the way as soon as possible. Pens host Laval next Friday, October 21st, then travel to Hartford on the 22nd and then Providence for a Sunday matinee on the 23rd.

Give us a bold prediction…

Three power play goals will be scored this weekend, Penguins win both games.

Weekend Preview

2022 AHL Preview

Comments Off on 2022 AHL Preview Posted by on October 13, 2022

Decided to wing it this year and do a full 32 team AHL Preview. Stripped down from other years, just blurbs on teams and when these teams play the Penguins. Let’s start in the Pacific Division and work our way eastward. The Penguins don’t play any of these teams and probably never will.

As an added twist, I provided finishing order for each division as well. Let’s come back in April and see how wrong I was! I also identify a divisional dark horse. I’m more confident with this then I am with finishing order, for obvious reasons.

Pacific Division

Coachella Valley Firebirds: The Leagues newest team playing in the bloated, ten team Pacific Division and won’t play an actual home game until December. Should have some names fairly familiar to the Penguins as Seattle’s AHL players were with Charlotte in a split affiliation last year. Dan Bylsma is the coach, a name really familiar here, so who knows how good they can be.

Calgary Wranglers: Moved from Stockton to Calgary. Are a really good, deep team who pushed eventual winner Chicago in the Calder Cup Playoffs last year. Should, hypothetically, pick up where they left off and contend again this season.

Colorado Eagles: Surprisingly (or maybe not so) stayed put in the Pacific Division and didn’t (like I expected) move to the Central Division, where I think they would have a better shot at (conceivably) winning the division, because I don’t see it happening to them this year in the Pacific.

Tucson Roadrunners: The other team I was expecting to jump with Colorado over to the Central, was one of the eight teams to miss playoffs so it’s been a long summer for them. Only way is up, but the Pacific is a vipers pit, so good luck.

San Jose Barracuda: Have a brand new arena that is very, very nice, at least from the pictures and stories I have read on it. Are the 2024 All Star hosts. Still projected to be mediocre to bad, but at least it’s sunny all the time in San Jose and rarely rains.

Ontario Reign: Will probably contend with Calgary or some other surprise team in the Pacific for the division crown. With healthy doses of Tucson, San Jose and an unknown Coachella Valley side, it’s easy to see why.

San Diego Gulls: Retooled with some decent signings in the offseason and have sure fire AHL Hall of Fame head coach Roy Sommer running things this season. Don’t expect the Gulls to be a doormat for other teams this season. We may have a dark horse team on our hands here.

Henderson Silver Knights: Quiet offseason which, by all accounts is probably fine but other teams improved, reloaded or flat out got better. Will it be enough?

Bakersfield Condors: See Henderson above, of the five California teams aren’t the first best, probably aren’t the second best and likely not the third. Somewhere in between fourth and last, likely. Could be a long year.

Abbotsford Canucks: Lotsa trips to Calgary are on deck for the Canucks, which probably means lots of L’s. Couple that with a super division that is the 10 team, mega chungus Pacific Division, and you are probably clinching a playoff berth on the final weekend of the regular season this year.

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Central Division

Chicago Wolves: I don’t think they repeat. They got raided in the offseason, but will probably still contend.

Iowa Wild: Missed playoffs last year but I don’t see that happening this season. Could play dark horse but Bill Guerin is still GM of Minnesota, so maybe you can manage to mess up a free lunch after all.

Grand Rapids Griffins: Didn’t make playoffs last year and by all accounts, could repeat that impressive feat again this season.

Manitoba Moose: Just have to play better than the two worst teams in the division and they are a playoff team. Simple, right? I think they are better than Grand Rapids and marginally better than say Rockford and Texas, so they could be a safe bet to return to the playoffs again.

Milwaukee Admirals: Had a pretty solid offseason signings wise. Primed to make a run in the Central, considering other teams lack of bigger name signings and some teams getting picked apart in the summer.

Rockford IceHogs: Should improve over last season and are probably a better dark horse candidate than Iowa.

Texas Stars: Should show better than their fifth place finish last season. I have them as a top three team, mixed in somewhere with Milwaukee and one of either Rockford or Chicago.

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Central Division

Note: Pens play everyone in this division at least once, with those games identified in bold.

Rochester Americans: Bland offseason for Rochester. Should be OK though, just not a division contender.

WBS: @ 1/25, vs. 3/17

Belleville Senators: Decent upgrades for Belleville. Could contend as the dark horse divisional winner. We remain Troy Mann stans on this blog.

WBS: @ 12/21, vs. 2/25

Cleveland Monsters: Going through the lists of who got who in this division, there isn’t a lot of there there with a lot of teams. Cleveland is one of them. Could either be a boom or bust, and with the Monsters putrid showing last year, leaning towards the latter.

WBS: vs. 10/26, vs. 12/9, @ 3/4, @ 3/5

Toronto Marlies: I mean I don’t think that the Marlies will miss the playoffs this upcoming season, like they did last year. Decent enough signings to push them to a possible top five finish.

WBS: @ 12/20, vs. 3/8

Syracuse Crunch: I like their upgrades at all positions. They will be a hard team to play against, as history has shown.

WBS: vs. 1/18, @ 2/24, @ 3/18, vs. 4/1

Utica Comets: I see them as a playoff team, just not one which tore through opponents and won the division going away type like last year.

WBS: @ 10/17, vs. 3/11

Laval Rocket: Had them pegged as the division winner last year and that didn’t pan out but they were the last North Division team standing last year so what the hell and let’s pick them to finish first again this season.

WBS: vs.10/21, @ 12/23

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Atlantic Division

Hershey Bears: Loaded up like the Bears always do. And not just big names, but really solid depth signings when the inevitable call ups happen. I think they contend for the division this season.

WBS: @ 10/29, vs. 11/5, @ 11/6, vs. 11/18, @ 11/29, @ 12/4, vs. 12/16, vs. 12/17, vs. 12/27, @ 1/11, vs. 2/15, @ 3/1

Charlotte Checkers: Now on an island all their own with Seattle packing up shop and moving their AHLers to sunny California. Sole Florida affiliate now. I think they are a playoff team, but the confidence level on this call is low.

WBS: @ 11/21, @ 11/23, vs. 1/4, vs. 1/6, @ 1/14, @ 1/15, vs. 4/5, vs. 4/15

Springfield Thunderbirds: Calder Cup runners up got raided a bit with Sam Anas defecting for in division rival Hershey, though should still contend. We waited for the bottom to fall out last season and that never came. Does it this season?

WBS: vs. 11/12, @ 11/26, vs. 11/1, @ 11/3

Hartford Wolf Pack: The most improved team in the division and I think in the entire league. Big off-season get in CJ Smith from Chicago, if he doesn’t stick with the Rangers he’s a point machine at this level. Wolf Pack are a dark horse division contender and a team who will do a complete 180 and should compete all season long.

WBS: @ 10/22, vs. 11/11, vs. 1/7, @ 2/4, vs. 3/26, @ 4/14

Bridgeport Islanders: Shocked us all as the 6 seed ousting the 3 seed Providence Bruins in last years playoffs. I think the Islanders are a solid choice to show better than the 6 seed again this season, but when you play division heavies like Hartford and Springfield 100 times in a season and sprinkle in visits with perennial heavies like Hershey and the Pens, trouble can befell Bridgeport in a hurry.

WBS: @ 11/19, vs. 12/3, @ 1/21, vs. 1/28, vs. 2/19, @ 4/8

Lehigh Valley Phantoms: Laughingstock of the division last season with all that firepower. How in the hell did Ian Laperriere keep his job? Phantoms are back to give it another go, retooled. Rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic or will they contend in the division like we all expected them to last year?

WBS: vs. 10/15, @ 10/28, vs. 11/25, @ 12/31, vs. 1/20, @ 1/27, @ 2/18, vs. 2/22, vs. 3/10, @ 3/19, vs. 3/25, @ 3/31

Providence Bruins: So as I am putting these things together I am going on the individual team websites to see who signed. Uh, I think the Bruins are still on summer vacation (kinda like me) because all I saw was one signing and that’s all. Boston signed a bunch of guys but they either either draftees or have been with the team prior. So that probably means that the P-Bruins win the Calder Cup this year.

WBS: @ 10/23, vs. 12/30, @ 2/10, vs. 2/11, vs. 3/29, @ 4/7

Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins: Do I think they improved? Slightly. Do I think they got worse? Slightly. JD Forrest took this team to a 4 seed last season and they ousted their biggest rival in Hershey. The remaining core for the most part is there. I think they upgraded slightly in goal (Tokarski) on defense (resigning Reinke, inking Jon Lizotte and Xavier Ouellet) but downgraded in the grit / toughness department with the loss of Jordy Bellerive to Lehigh Valley. Sam Poulin and Nathan Legare should be around for the most part and you hope they don’t hit a sophomore slump. Will give Hershey fits and what I really want to see is how they stack up against Hartford out of the gate on Oct 22.

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My very wrong predictions:

1) Ontario
2) Colorado
3) Calgary
4) San Diego
5) Bakersfield
6) Coachella Valley
7) Abbotsford
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8) San Jose
9) Tucson
10) Henderson

1) Milwaukee
2) Chicago
3) Texas
4) Rockford
5) Iowa
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6) Manitoba
7) Grand Rapids

1) Laval
2) Syracuse
3) Utica
4) Belleville
5) Rochester
—
6) Toronto
7) Cleveland

1) Hartford
2) Hershey
3) Springfield
4) Wilkes-Barre
5) Bridgeport
6) Charlotte
—
7) Lehigh Valley
8) Providence

–

If you have a team going tomorrow, best of luck. I will be back here again Friday morning with the first Weekend Setup of the season previewing Lehigh Valley and Utica. More then.

The AHL

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