Chirps from Center Ice

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

Playing Out the String — Pens LOSE 4-1

Comments Off on Playing Out the String — Pens LOSE 4-1 Posted by on April 29, 2022

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These are house money games. Meaningless when you are cemented into the four seed and you already know your fate, the idea with the final two games of the regular season is simple, don’t get hurt.

It’s deeper than that sure, but going 5/5 on the power play while losing your top two players to injury in a 7-1 blowout doesn’t do you any favors.

The Pens better hope they don;’t run into Syracuse again this season. I have the feeling that the Crunch are going to be a tough out in this Calder Cup Playoffs and good luck to the rest of the teams in the North Division that have to run up on this side. It very well may be Syracuse that comes out of the North in the Conference Finals.

Maybe, Utica led that division wire to wire, but that’s for next weeks Playoff Preview.

Pens lose 4-1. No one got hurt, so it’s a loss in the books but a win anyway.

Tommy Nappier opposed Max Lagace.

Lines were…

Lineup Notes: Color me shocked that they went with Nappier in goal, but perhaps he wanted to stay sharp against live fire vs. sitting at home this weekend. Clayton Phillips and Ty Glover made their pro debuts, Niclas Almari’s first game since December 14.

First Period: Droned on in bits, but Remi Elie found some space and opened the scoring past halfway to put the Crunch up 1-0.

Pens had the only crack on a power play which had some good looks but lacked finish. Where have I seen this before?

Second Period: Radim Zohorna finally cracks the Lagace code and scores to tie the game at one.

But Syracuse answers right back on a 2-on-1 to go up 2-1.

That was Symon Ryfors taking a feed from Remi Elie.

Gabriel Dumont scores his 30th goal of the season with a pretty play.

Third Period: Pens had a crack at an early power play but couldn’t come up with anything. Syracuse had two cracks and had the same luck. Alex Green hit an empty netter with Tommy Nappier pulled.

Three Stars: 3) Max Lagace (20 saves) 2) Symon Ryfors (goal) 1) Remi Elie (goal, assist)

The Good: No one got hurt.

The Bad: Would like to see them beat Syracuse, but that’s discounting a Crunch team which still had the two seed in the North to play for.

Turning Point: The Dumont goal late in the second put an already out of reach game it seemed for the Penguins, that much further from their grasp.

They finish out the regular season in Allentown Saturday. The Penguins will kick off the Calder Cup Playoffs Friday at home against Hershey.

Postgamer

Weekend Preview – Play Your Kids

1 Comment Posted by on April 29, 2022

The Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins secured the number four seed in the Atlantic Division Sunday evening when their first round opponent in the Calder Cup Playoff, the Hershey Bears, were defeated by the Syracuse Crunch.

It’s a remarkable turnaround for a team which hovered at sixth place in the division for the majority of the season. The Penguins used home ice to their advantage and benefitted from other teams (Hartford for one, Hershey the other) stumbling to make their luck and finish fourth. With COVID related delays in mid-to-late December, the Penguins are one of a handful of teams finishing out the regular season this weekend.

Fourth place is a major accomplishment for a team bereft of a true finisher and a lineup which seemed to never set in night after night. Under the old format, the Penguins are still a playoff team, which you can feel good about.

The Setup

One in Syracuse and one in Lehigh Valley. Last week the Penguins went 1-2, but in that one game, a win in Providence, they methodically took down a Providence Bruins team 4-1 and with the win and help from out of town, secured a playoff spot. They lost in Springfield on Saturday and in Hartford on Sunday but again, with help from out of town, backed into the four seed and are locked in there.

So they are going to play out the string here and these next two games are in essence, meaningless from the standings perspective. Sure, you want to win them, but it’s vitally important to rest the key guys and make sure that no important player get hurt.

That’s why I think you see a lineup on both nights full of rookies and ATO guys.

Friday’s opponent Syracuse has locked up a playoff spot but are still jockeying with all the other teams not named Utica who have qualified for a playoff spot for positioning. They can finish either second or third.

Saturday’s opponent is Lehigh Valley, who will most likely finish last in the Atlantic and have nothing left to play for. Expect a lineup full of kids for the Phantoms as well.

Records

The Penguins are locked into the fourth seed in the Atlantic with a 35-31-4-4 record.

Syracuse is 40-25-7-2, and presently second in the North division.

Lehigh Valley is 28-32-10-5 and in last in the Atlantic Division.

Who is up, down, out?

Goaltender Louis Domingue is backing up Casey DeSmith in Pittsburgh. No one is up from Wheeling as the Nailers are in the Kelly Cup Playoffs other than goaltender Alex D’Orio. The injured players are D Taylor Fedun and G Filip Lindberg.

Who’s in Goal?

Tommy Nappier is your Game 1 starter against Hershey next weekend. You won’t see him this weekend. I would be shocked if he even travels with the team this week. Joel Blomqvist will get a game and Alex D’Orio will get the other. My guess is Blomqvist goes Friday and D’Orio goes Saturday.

For the opposition, it depends on what Syracuse is up to seeding wise and if they get locked in by Friday or not. If not, Max Lagace, who owns the Pens this year, will likely get the nod. For Lehigh Valley, you will probably see an ATO guy.

What can we learn about the Penguins this week?

Not much. There isn’t much to play for outside of whomever that gets the opportunity to play makes a positive first impression if it is his first professional game this weekend. A preview of 2022-23 coming attractions maybe? That’s all. You don’t want to see anyone get hurt. They want to be competitive.

Hey, whatever happened to the AHL Power Rankings?

I put too much time and effort into them and too few people cared to read them. I could put 45 minutes into the entire project of listing each team from 1-31, writing a blurb about each club, editing and formatting to only have 30 or fewer people check out the work. It’s been that way for a while, back when I used to list who each team played and who they play the following week with records. Way too much time put into something that people read less and less. It’s not worth it. Maybe I bring them back next year with a top ten, and if they are receptive enough start expanding them. After I stopped writing about them, no one asked, so I take that as no one noticed and no one cared.

Who is running the show?

Carter Sandlak and Mike Sullivan have the assignment on Friday in Syracuse with Tory Carissimo and Peter Feola on the lines then on Saturday Katie Guay, who you may remember refereed the first game of the season against these same Phantoms back in October, has the duties with Beau Halkidis joined by Jud Ritter and Bill Lyons on the lines.

Looking Ahead…

Blog wise, I will probably do a playoff preview of the league’s action followed by a breakdown of Pens / Bears the following day with a prediction although that may change. I may just put together an entire preview with a Calder Cup prediction.

Give us a bold prediction…

Whoever I pick to win the Calder Cup probably won’t win it.

Weekend Preview

Home Sweet Home – Pens Clinch Fourth Place

Comments Off on Home Sweet Home – Pens Clinch Fourth Place Posted by on April 24, 2022

Syracuse beat Hershey in the later game this Sunday afternoon 5-3 and this result gives the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton fourth place in the Atlantic Division and home ice over the aforementioned Bears.

There should be a schedule put out later tonight and I’ll run an edit with that schedule. The series is a best of three, so getting home ice advantage in said series is likely crucial in what is sure to be a razor thin, edge of your seat series.

EDIT: Schedule here.

Game on.

The AHL, WBS

Spoiler Alert — Pens LOSE 6-3

Comments Off on Spoiler Alert — Pens LOSE 6-3 Posted by on April 24, 2022

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Full disclosure on this one, a 6-3 Penguins loss Sunday to the Hartford Wolf Pack, playing in their final regular season game of the season.

The Penguins magic number to secure home ice over the Hershey Bears in the Calder Cup Playoffs, best of three between the teams is two. Well, Hartford, after the utter and epic collapse the Wolf Pack displayed at the end of the season going from the top team in the Atlantic to out of a playoff berth played spoiler and beat the Penguins straight up.

It went, based off of what I picked up on radio (I was traveling back from a camping trip in Lancaster Sunday) is that they went back and forth and in the third period, the Wolf Pack, with no tomorrow to play for, emptied the tank and scored two goals and then a meaningless empty netter with starting goaltender Tommy Nappier pulled for an extra attacker.

Filip Hallander had a pair of goals, and Alex Nylander had the other.

Anthony Angello replaced Felix Robert from the only lineup change from Saturday in Springfield. Robert is a guy whom I do not believe should ever be scratched. But as I say time and time again, I don’t coach the club, I just blog about them.

We will wait and see if the Pens can back into a playoff spot with Hershey playing Syracuse at home in the Bears regular season finale late Sunday. If the Bears lose, I will update either the blog or make a new post.

Wilkes-Barre closes out its regular season next weekend with one in Syracuse and one in Lehigh Valley. News as it comes, but if not talk to you again for the final Weekend Preview of the regular season late next week.

Let’s Go Pens!

Postgamer

Better Bird — Pens LOSE 3-1

Comments Off on Better Bird — Pens LOSE 3-1 Posted by on April 23, 2022

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Joel Blomqvist started the game in goal for the Penguins, making his debut in goal for Wilkes-Barre and deserved a better fate.

Blomqvist is the future in goal for this team and his team ran into special teams trouble against a team really good at that aspect of the game and Wilkes-Barre loses 3-1. Blomqvist deserved a better fate, in my opinion.

Blomqvist opposed Joel Hofer.

Here’s how they lined up:

Lineup Notes: Joel Blomqvist made his AHL debut in goal for the Pens. No other lineup changes for the Penguins so the #PlayYourKids isn’t on just yet, with fourth place still on the line.

First Period: Radim Zohorna scored two power play goals last night in Providence, and scored another Saturday in Springfield.

Springfield responded fairly quickly, with a goal by Tommy Cross.

Springfield didn’t score on their first power play, James Neal got close when a puck squirted on him in the crease and the Penguins rookie made the save.

But then, on a double minor, the Thunderbirds scored on the back end of it. James Neal didn’t miss this time.

He scored with four seconds left.

Second Period: Uneventful but for the fight between Will Bitten and Cam Lee. Pens navigated out of another Springfield power play.

Third Period: Pens had pedal to the metal attitude to start the period and that continued throughout, but Hofer was a wall in net for the Thunderbirds. Time slowly became the enemy of the Penguins and with Blomqvist pulled, the Penguins couldn’t find the equalizer.

The Good: Good showing for Blomqvist in goal. Really no complaints with the kids play. The Pens played a decent game but we’re bit on the penalty kill.

The Bad: Sentimental games are nice, but as the Penguins are a playoff team, they are going to ruin in to teams better than them on special teams like the Thunderbirds. They have to figure out how to win games like this.

Turning Point: They we’re four seconds way from getting out of the first 1-1, but NHL sniper James Neal snipes Blomqvist for the goal that stands up as the game winner.

Three Stars: 3) James Neal (goal) 2) Will Bitten (goal, assist) 1) Joel Hofer, 32 saves.

Around the Division: Link to those boxes here. 6:05 start in Springfield tonight, Pens were done an hour early.

Standings: Pens magic number for the four seed and home ice in the first round is four. They should make it, with three games left.

Wheeling Update: Nailers in Game 2 with Fort Wayne, up 1-0 in the series. Box here.

Video Highlights: You should know where to find these.

Back at it in Hartford at 3 Sunday.

Let’s Go Pens!

Postgamer

Playoff Bound at the Surgery Center — Pens WIN 4-1

Comments Off on Playoff Bound at the Surgery Center — Pens WIN 4-1 Posted by on April 22, 2022

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If you read the below and only this, I won’t be mad.

Thanks to Hartford losing AND Lehigh Valley losing in overtime, the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins are playoff bound.

Oh, the Penguins needed to handle their business themselves in order to even have the out of town scoreboard matter and they did. They did it with about the most methodical takedown if I ever saw one of one of the top teams in the Atlantic Division.

Penguins win 4-1 Friday night in Providence, a place they have not lost in regulation in this season and have fortified what looks like a 4th place finish in the division.

Lineup Notes: Reinke for Swoyer on defense, Drew O’Connor for Anthony Angello.

First Period: All Penguins to start. Providence took a penalty and in short order, Radim Zohorna made them pay.

But then the Penguins took a penalty and the roles were reversed. Justin Brazeau scored to tie the game at one.

Shots were 12-7 at the end of one. The Penguins came into the game needing a win and help from out of town to clinch a playoff spot, so to this point they were holding up their end of the bargain by controlling what they could control.

Second Period: All Penguins in this period as well, Matt Bartkowski scored off a nice setup and the Penguins were up 2-1.

The Penguins were getting power plays and kept making the Bruins pay. Radim Zohorna scored again on a power play to give the Penguins a 3-1 lead.

Juuso Riikola took a hard hit along the board and left the game.

That was the power play the Zohorna scored on.

FIlip Hallander scored at the buzzer of another Bruins power play but time had already expired.

Third Period: The surgical dissection continued and the Penguins optioned to press. Then Kyle Olson salted the game away with a goal that made it 4-1 and that quelled any Bruins attempt at a serious comeback.

Three Stars: 3) Justin Brazeau (goal) 2) Drew O’Connor (two assists) 1) Radim Zohorna (two goals)

The Good: What a way to take down the top (coming into tonight) team in the Atlantic tonight with a surgical takedown. That will be a good sign if these teams meet again down the road this season.

The Bad: Can’t think of anything here because the Penguins pressured all game and got what they came for.

Turning Point: The second Zohorna goal, which came about after the hit into the board by Riikola, one of the Penguins best defenseman, put the game in serious favor for the away team.

Around the Division: Got help from Hershey beating Lehigh Valley 4-3 in overtime (thank Brett Leason when you see him next, he scored the OT game winner) and Charlotte beating Hartford 2-1. None of the other scores mattered.

Standings: Wilkes-Barre, Hershey, and Bridgeport secured playoff spots. The Penguins are still in fourth, .542 to .527 over Hershey.

Wheeling Update: Nailers are in Game 1 with Fort Wayne. Box here.

Video Highlights: I am RVing this weekend so I am not sure I will work my way back around to this.

Now to see what type of lineup they dress the final five games of the season with the x next to their name. Guess we don’t have to wait to find out long, back at it Saturday in Springfield.

Let’s Go Pens!

Postgamer

Weekend Preview – Three Away

Comments Off on Weekend Preview – Three Away Posted by on April 22, 2022

So the magic number to clinch a playoff spot is three. The Penguins also have three away games this weekend. The Penguins can actually clinch a playoff spot on Friday this way. Here’s how:

Did you get all that? Because I sure didn’t. Win, and have Lehigh Valley, Hartford and/or Bridgeport lose in regulation or get a point and have Hartford lose in regulation and Lehigh Valley lose in regulation.

I think. I have read it five times and think I get it.

Anyway, the fact remains that in order to clinch Friday, or at any point this weekend, the Penguins face off against two already qualified playoff teams as well as a team fighting for its playoff life. It’s not going to be easy nor should it be.

The Setups

So the idea is that the Penguins and Hershey Bears are on a collision course for a playoff date in the first round. Barring an epic collapse from both teams, it’s going to be Pens / Bears Round 1 in a best of three series to see who plays one of the two top teams in the Atlantic (who get a Round 1 bye) in the next round. So with all that said, let’s only focus on the Pens and Bears this weekend.

Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins

Record: 34-29-4-4, .535 percentage points, five games left. 4th place Atlantic Division

Wilkes-Barre closed out its home record this season with a 16-3-2-1 record in their last 22 games. A remarkable feat and the single thing that has the Penguins on the brink of a playoff spot and possibly home ice in the first round. They shutout Hershey on Tuesday, beat Bridgeport last Saturday in a thriller and beat Hershey in overtime last Friday, all at home. They turned around the two game losing streak and have won the last three. They have two games in hand on the Bears they will burn off next week.

They have Providence this Friday, Springfield Saturday then Hartford on Sunday.

The Bruins: Are still up and down. They looked invincible last week, beating Lehigh Valley and shutting out Hershey, then narrowly squeaked past the Phantoms this past Tuesday in overtime. They play the Penguins tough and it’s a tough matchup. If there is one team I don’t want to play in the playoffs, especially in a best of five, it’s Providence or Charlotte. The Bruins are mercurial, sure, but they always find the right combination against the Penguins.

The Thunderbirds: Springfield has looked strong all season, but the Penguins make the Thunderbirds look down right pedestrian. What I said about the matchup with Providence above, applies in reverse to Springfield. I’d welcome a playoff matchup against Springfield in any format. The Penguins can beat this team.

The Wolf Pack: Are a mess. 1-8-1-0 in their last ten. They led the division a few weeks back and are now on the brink of missing playoffs. Hopefully the Pens wrap up a playoff berth and can rest some regulars and play some ATO guys Sunday when these two teams meet.

Hershey Bears

Record: 33-30-6-4, .521 percentage points, three games left, 5th place Atlantic Division.

Hershey hasn’t scored in the past two games. You know, when I watched them Tuesday it was painfully evident that they are a lot like the Penguins in that, despite them being the Bears, they lack a finisher. I don’t like their chances against the Penguins in the first round playoff series (if it comes to that) they have three games left, all this weekend, and here they are.

Home and home against the Phantoms: Lehigh Valley isn’t dead yet. They need a miracle and will get juiced up for the final two games against Hershey.

Syracuse: Haven’t clinched a playoff spot yet. Probably won’t this weekend. The top three in the North get first round byes. Syracuse wants to protect their third place or improve their positioning coming into the weekend so don’t expect the Crunch to be pushovers here, but expect Hershey to empty the tank at home in their final game of the regular season on Sunday.

Records

Because I didn’t mention it above for the three opponents the Pens play this weekend, here they are.

  • Providence: 36-20-4-6, .621 percentage points, 1st place Atlantic Division
  • Springfield: 39-23-6-3, .613 percentage points, 3rd place Atlantic Division
  • Hartford: 30-31-6-2, .493 percentage points, 7th place Atlantic Division

Who’s Up, Down, Out?

Louis Domingue is up for the injured Tristan Jarry. Alex D’Orio is up from Wheeling backing up Tommy Nappier. Drew O’Connor has an “ailment” which shouldn’t be long term and Mitch Reinke is non-COVID sick. Taylor Fedun is out long term with a lower body injury and Filip Lindberg is done for the year.

Who’s in Goal?

My supposition is that Tommy Nappier gets the playoff teams in Providence and Springfield and either Alex D’Orio or Joel Blomqvist, who backed up Nappier on Tuesday goes Sunday in Hartford. For the opposition, reigning AHL Player of the Week Brandon Bussi may likely go for Providence on Friday, then Joel Hofer for Springfield on Saturday and either Keith Kinkaid or Adam Huska, depending on how things shake out for the Wolf Pack this weekend.

What can we learn about the Penguins this week?

How quickly they wrap up the playoff berth and what they do after. Do they push to protect the four seed (they can’t go higher, the teams ahead of them minimum points percentage if they all lost out is still higher than the Pens max) or do they dress the kids and let the chips fall where they may.

Two schools of thought here. They are good at home, nearly unbeatable. They would have home ice as the four seed in the first round best of three. Wrap up playoff berth with a win Friday and help out of town and protect the four seed at all costs. The second thought is if they know they can beat Hershey, why kill yourself after you wrap up a berth? Rest the guys that have to get you through the next two months in what’s going to be a brutal postseason.

Interesting times, for sure.

Who is running the show?

Jim Curtain and Mike Sullivan have the officiating duties on Friday with Dan Kelly and Stephen Drain on the lines.

On Saturday, it’s Michael Zyla and Beau Halkidis with Kevin Briganti and Brent Colby on the lines.

Sunday sees Kevin drive down to Hartford to meet who I think is his brother Nick Briganti on the lines with Jim Curtain and Jeremy Tufts handling officiating duties.

Looking Ahead…

The Penguins close out the regular season with a date in Syracuse on Friday and a trip down to Allentown on Saturday.

Give us a bold prediction…

The Penguins wrap up a playoff spot…this Saturday.

Weekend Preview

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