Chirps from Center Ice

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

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.

–

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.

–

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.

—

My very wrong predictions:

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

1) Milwaukee
2) Chicago
3) Texas
4) Rockford
5) Iowa
—
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

Just an FYI…

2 Comments Posted by on October 1, 2022

I’m skipping preseason entirely this go around for a number of reasons this year.

1) A 10:30 a.m. preseason game, let alone the first game played this year does nothing for me. A midweek game tailored for kids (school day game) isn’t my cup of tea. Plus I have a lot going on work wise, so it’s out.

2) Last camping trip of the season is scheduled for next weekend, so Friday and next Sunday are out.

3) Midweek road game in Allentown next week is usually a dress rehearsal for the fringe guys and a warmup for the regulars. They don’t televise these and so it’s a pass for me.

Pens socials should have it all covered for you if your itching for coverage. I’ll be back with a preview of everything when I get back from my camping trip. I think I’m running a league wide preview and will have the weekend setup for the opener against the Phantoms and the Monday road game in Utica.

Anyone have six more weeks of summer they can let me borrow? No? Damn. Talk to you in about ten-ish days.

The AHL, WBS

2022-23 AHL Schedule Released

Comments Off on 2022-23 AHL Schedule Released Posted by on July 21, 2022

Ho hum with these anymore.

League release here. Penguins release here.

TL;DR every team in the Eastern Conference like last year, Hershey and Lehigh Valley 12 times each. You see one schedule release, you see them all. But, for posterity, let’s do the thing.

1) Do you have a schedule matrix of opponents? Anyone in the Conference we are not playing?

2) Longest road trip? Longest home stand?

Four game home stand in March, spanning a week. No more than three games on the road. Charlotte trip around Thanksgiving, a Canada trip around Christmas and the other Charlotte trip in January.

3) How many three in threes?

Two. One in October. One in March. The benefit of a 72 game schedule.

4) Can I borrow your highlighter? I want to circle and highlight all the Sunday and worknight home games!

Two Sunday home games. One in February and one in March. Ten Wednesday games.

5) Show me more charts!

6) Any, “I have to close the door and act busy at work” dates on the calendar?

Nope.

7) The All Star Classic, are they doing that this year?

Laval. February 5 and 6, provided COVID doesn’t derail it like it has the last two seasons.

8) Anything else I need to know?

The Saturday home games start at 6:05 again. I don’t mind it, but they started it last year with something in mind with the earlier start and never did anything with it. But the 6:05 starts on Saturday home games remain a thing.

9) Playoff structure?

From the League release, cited above, it will stay the same. 23 teams make it.

The playoff field will include the top six finishers in the eight-team Atlantic Division, the top five finishers each in the seven-team North and Central Divisions, and the top seven teams in the 10-team Pacific Division. First Round match-ups will be best-of-three series; the two highest seeds in the Atlantic, the three highest seeds in each of the North and Central, and the first-place team in the Pacific will receive byes into the best-of-five Division Semifinals, with the First Round winners re-seeded in each division. The Division Finals will also be best-of-five series, followed by best-of-seven Conference Finals and a best-of-seven Calder Cup Finals series.

10) You mentioned preseason games yesterday. Where are they?

A Wednesday morning preseason game against Hershey? Oof.

The AHL, WBS

Schedule Tomorrow – Summer Vacation

Comments Off on Schedule Tomorrow – Summer Vacation Posted by on July 20, 2022

AHL schedule will be released on Thursday.

It’s the same thing, different year with these things. Only difference this year is that all AHL teams are playing 72 games.

For the Penguins, they will host the (you guessed it) Lehigh Valley Phantoms on October 15.

Included in that release is the mention of preseason games that will be played as well.

In past years, the Pens weren’t the opponent for any other team and their home opener. Not this year.

You might be wondering why a Monday.

Makes sense for them.

Pens aren’t done being other teams home openers.

If I see any more additional teams tweet who they are playing and if it includes the Penguins, I’ll edit this space. Usually the AHL adds a link of all the home openers in the evening.

My question is whether they get everyone in the Eastern Conference like they did last year. Also, what will the Eastern Conference look like? There hasn’t been any mention of what the divisional alignment will look like for 2022-23. How many games with Hershey and Lehigh Valley?

I’ll be back at some point Thursday to break it all down for you.

Oh, and in case you are wondering where the blog has been and why I haven’t updated anything? I’m loving summer too much. Here’s a link to the offseason signings made by Coal Street so far this year.

The AHL, WBS

Offseason Contract Statuses

2 Comments Posted by on May 17, 2022

Below is a list of all the names that touched or will touch the AHL’s version of the Penguins either this year or next year. If you spot an error or a glaring omission, please let me know in the comments below. This list below on the main blog won’t be updated but the separate page, found here will be.

Here is the key:

G6 UFA: Group VI Unrestricted Free Agent*
RFA: Restricted Free Agent
R-UC: An incoming rookie who is under contract.
UC: Under contract for the 22-23 season.
UFA: Unrestricted Free Agent

*- Definition from Puckpedia: A player becomes a Group 6 UFA if they are 25, completed 3 or more professional seasons, has a contract expiring, and has played less than 80 NHL Games.  For goalies, this is 28 NHL games with more than 30 minutes of ice time.  

I teetered between defining an NHL contacted player and non. I don’t think it matters.

–

Name Position Status Blurb
Niclas Almari D RFA I don’t know why they decided to bring him back after letting him bounce for overseas earlier in the season. He won’t get qualified and you’ll never hear from him again.
Justin Almeida F RFA Buried in Wheeling where he thrived. Wasn’t part of taxi squad when Wheeling went out, probably tell tale sign he’s not going to get qualified.
Corey Andonovski F R-UC Saw him a bit in early Spring with WBS. I think he’s poised for a big 2022-23 season.
Anthony Angello F G6 UFA He either re-signs and is an AHL player or signs someplace else and is still an AHL player.
Raivis Ansons F R-UC Played with Nathan Legare in juniors. Will play with him in the AHL also.
Matt Bartkowski D UFA An, “it is what it is” type player. Not for everyone, but good enough.
Jordy Bellerive F RFA Salt of the earth type player. If he gets qualified it’s probably more WBS time in 22-23.
Kasper Bjorqvist F RFA I think he’s in the Alex D’Orio camp, but maybe less so. I think they expect more from him and haven’t got it. He probably gets qualified.
Shaw Boomhower D UFA Nailers D man with a funny name.
Michael Chaput F UFA Banged up a bit. 33 points in 57 games.
Jamie Devane F UC Brought in for toughness. Filled that role OK in today’s game. Will be back in 22-23.
Louis Domingue G UFA Third option for the NHL Pens at goal, was thrust into duty in Round 1 vs. NYR. Was best option for WBS when healthy.
Alex D’Orio G RFA I don’t think they qualify him because I don’t think he’s developed the way they wanted.
Jan Drozg F RFA Given away to Grand Rapids for nothing. He won’t get qualified.
Taylor Fedun D UFA Played as captain. There will be a replacement for this role in 22-23.
Jordan Frasca F R-UC Put up tons of numbers with OHL Kingston. Different game playing with men, though.
Taylor Gauthier G R-UC I think he is Wheeling’s #1 for a part of next year.
Ty Glover F R-UC Saw two games with WBS at the end of the season.
Jonathan Gruden F UC Penalty killing forward who, when not on the ice on the PK, it shows.
Filip Hallander F UC In the the camp of “good but lacks finish” bucket of players.
Sam Houde F UFA Bounced between AHL / ECHL. Decent enough type player but probably doesn’t get an NHL contract.
P-O Joseph D RFA Should be #1 priority for a qualifying offer.
Cam Lee D RFA PIT signed a bunch of rookie D men. Lee was replaced in Game 3 vs. SPR for one of them. I don’t think he gets qualified.
Nathan Legare F UC Hit the rookie wall and was a healthy scratch towards the end of the year. Does he develop like Anthony Angello or more like Teddy Blueger?
Filip Lindberg G UC Broke his foot in the Winter. Last year was a wasted season for him. Now he has to play catch up.
Josh Maniscalco D UC Played in Wheeling. I don’t know if he cracks WBS in 22-23.
Tommy Nappier G UC Coming into his third year of his three year AHL deal. He’s been OK, holding things together in a tumultuous season.
Alex Nylander F RFA Should get qualified. Singlehandedly turned the Pens around after his trade from Rockford.
Drew O’Connor F UC Depending on how PIT does this offseason, probably a 13th / 14th forward option for PIT to start next season.
Kyle Olson F UFA OK AHL bottom six who plays with bite.
Chris Ortiz D UC Was buried in Wheeling for much of the year. Will be looking to breakthrough in 22-23.
Sam Poulin F UC Really took off as the season wore on. I think he’s probably ahead of Bjorkqvist, Angello, etc. developmentally.
Valtteri Puustinen F UC Was good, but lacked consistency most nights. Led the Pens in points, but this team lacked a finisher.
Will Reilly D RFA Another dime a dozen of the RFA group. If you like him, you want him qualified, but there are better options.
Mitch Reinke D UFA Good in flashes. Solid defensive depth.
Juuso Riikola D UFA Key PP QB for the Pens. He probably tries for another NHL deal elsewhere or bolts overseas.
Felix Robert F UFA I liked him. Played with pop. Wouldn’t mind seeing him again in a WBS sweater.
Lukas Svejkovsky F R-UC 2020 4th rounder by PIT will get his feet wet with WBS likely next year.
Colin Swoyer D R-UC Saw Game 3 against SPR. They think highly of him, and I think he’ll be fine.
Radim Zohorna F UC Can’t teach size. Solid NHL / AHL player.

–

Again, this list will update over here and if you spot an omission or error, please let me know and I will correct.

WBS

It Was 4-1. Now It’s Just Fore! — Pens LOSE 7-6 (SPR wins series 3-0)

1 Comment Posted by on May 15, 2022

vs.

7                                 6

–

I’m not going to GIF all 13 of these goals tonight.

It was 4-1 in favor of the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins in the first period. Springfield thunders back to tie the game in the second period then pulls ahead in the third. They win Game 3 7-6 and sweep the Penguins out of the Atlantic Division Semifinals.

The Penguins got in a fire fight with a team full of gasoline and it almost worked, but they faced a barrage in the second they were not able to overcome.

I don’t have anything bad to say about the team. They were in last in December. They battled back to a respectable fourth. They beat Hershey in the First Round of the playoffs and lost to a Springfield team which was better than them in nearly every aspect and were swept out.

Sure, the turning point of the season is probably when Casey DeSmith goes down in Game 1 and makes Louis Domingue the de facto number one starter. The idea is that Jarry makes it back, Domingue goes back down and steals the series against Springfield.

I still didn’t like the Penguins chances against who I think wins the Bridgeport – Charlotte series and that’s the Checkers.

So if you don’t make it out of the Division and win the Calder Cup, does it really matter?

Anyway, let’s get into it.

Here’s how they lined up. Cam Lee came out for Colin Swoyer.

First Period: Guns blazing for the Penguins, just 2:45 in and Jonathan Gruden scores to make it 1-0 Penguins. They get a power play and don’t score or even get a shot on starting goaltender Charlie Lindgren for Springfield.

Springfield then gets a power play and Sam Anas scores to tie the game at one.

Penguins push ahead with a goal by Filip Hallander and again with a power play goal by Sam Poulin. Nathan Legare makes up for the penalty that led to the Anas power play goal with a goal of his own that makes it 4-1 Penguins.

Second Period: Complete role reversal. Penguins get in penalty trouble. The officiating was awful Sunday. Justin Kea is probably going to be a full time NHL referee one day, but if he throws clunkers like today, it won’t be for long. Rob Hennessy is an overmatched hack who just fills a referee suit. He’s awful and needs to be carried by the other guy.

Anyway, Will Bitten scores (kicks) a goal to make it 4-2 on a 5-on-3 for the Thunderbirds. A long review by Kea / Hennessy and the goals stands. Then Steven Santini scores through a screen and it’s 4-3. Then Dakota Joshua ties the game at four.

It was a blitzkrieg of goals for the Thunderbirds under an avalanche of shots. Wilkes-Barre was outshot by a 4:1 margin at one point.

Third Period: I wondered if the comeback for Springfield would have taken all the starch out of them and the Penguins, as long as they played it close, would be fine and make it to a Game 4.

I was wrong.

Matthew Peca scores a rebound goal to make it 5-4 Springfield. Then 6-4 when Tommy Nappier stabs the puck with his blocker and up into the ai where Mackenzie MacEachern is waiting to whack it in for a 6-4 lead.

Sam Poulin brings the Pens back to within one with his second of the game.

But then Jonathan Gruden throws a puck out of play and the Pens are down a man and their best penalty killer and Hugh McGing scores a power play to reestablish the Springfield two goal lead in the third period.

Alex Nylander scores the final goal of the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins season. WIth  Tommy Nappier pulled, the Penguins never found the equalizer.

Three Stars: 3) Matthew Peca (goal, two assists) 2) Sam Anas (goal, three assists) 1) Hugh McGing (goal)

The Good: Several of you won’t agree, but it was a successful season for the Penguins. Fourth place finish with this group? Get me a finisher and a little more steadier defense and goaltending and we will see where this goes.

The Bad: Another season, another playoff exit.

Turning Point: Alex Nylander turned the season around for the Pens. Losing Zohorna and Domingue and O’Connor hurt the Penguins chances against beating Springfield, but rest assured, I don’t think they make it past Charlotte or beyond.

Video Highlights: All 13 of the goals described above should be here:

Thanks for following along this season. I’ll be around. Have a great summer!

Let’s Go Pens!

Postgamer

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