Comments Off on The Calvary is Here
Posted by nafsnep on April 18, 2025
With Pittsburgh’s season over, the following players were assigned to Coal Street around noon Friday…
The Penguins have re-assigned the following players to the @WBSPenguins (AHL): · Ville Koivunen · Joona Koppanen · Filip Kral · Vasily Ponomarev · Sam Poulin · Valtteri Puustinen
Absent this list is Rutger McGroarty, who is injured and you can’t send an injured player up or down. Ideally Coal Street is around long enough to where he can still be assigned, but that would mean getting out of the first round of the playoffs, of which the Penguins have announced their first two home dates.
Individual playoff game tickets are available NOW!
— x – Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) April 17, 2025
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Nothing yet on the cadre of players packing bags and heading to Wheeling, who is in an 0-2 hole to the Norfolk Admirals in the North Division Semifinal. Wheeling dropped both games in Norfolk by a score of 4-0. Game 3 goes off Wednesday April 23 in Wheeling.
I’ll drop an edit here once the players headed to Wheeling are announced.
More later after the Pens / Bears game in Hershey.
Comments Off on Tufte Luck – Pens LOSE 3-2
Posted by nafsnep on April 16, 2025
Nothing fancy as I write this in the fly on a busy (for me) Wednesday. Short week with being off Monday and again this Friday, so it’s a three day work week. Instead of boring you with the details, let’s get into it.
Kiss the bye goodbye. A Riley Tufte shot with 26.3 seconds to play in regulation give the visiting Providence Bruins a 3-2 regulation win Wednesday night in Wilkes-Barre. The Penguins cannot finish any higher than third now and are guaranteed to face either the Lehigh Valley Phantoms or Springfield Thunderbirds in a first round best of three series likely starting next week.
Here’s how they lined up:
Providence at WBS tonight. Patrick Brown goes in as one of AHL's hottest players with 6-9-15 in last 10 games
— x – Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) April 16, 2025
Lineup Notes: Matty De St. Phalle for Nolan Renwick up front, Sebastian Aho for Filip Kral (recalled) on defense. Taylor Gauthier backed up Joel Blomqvist.
First Period: Both teams killed the others penalty. I was surprised Providence went DiPietro in net. Atley Calvert slammed home a goal at the expiration of a power play for the Penguins.
— x – Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) April 16, 2025
Striking first was likely in the game plan.
Second Period: Bruins outshoot the Penguins 16-10 in the period, dominate zone time, puck possession, you name it. The Pens stayed disciplined and didn’t take a penalty but it was a Dans Lačmelis deflection of a Chris Ortiz shot that tied the game at one for the visitors.
For as dominant that the Bruins were for the period, getting beat on a deflection is something that you can live with.
Penguins failed to score on the only power play awarded to them in the period.
Third Period: Joel Blomqvist was under bombardment in the period, facing 20 shots. The Penguins managed only six.
One of those shots was here when Emil Bemstrom through a backhand shot at the net in the rare offensive zone time the Penguins did enjoy in the period that gave them a 2-1 lead.
— x – Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) April 17, 2025
But Providencewould respond in kind with a power play goal by Bruins captain Patrick Brown who willed a puck past Blomqvist and in that tied the game at two.
Questionable interference call made by referee Patrick Hanrahan. I thought he and Rob Hennessey understood the assignment coming in, only calling what needed to be called, which wasn’t a ton, but this call didn’t need to be made in my opinion.
Wilkes-Barre sweats through another power play for Providence late and with time dwindling it looked like we were headed to overtime.
Get ready for that First Round series with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, buddy.
Three Stars: 3) Patrick Brown (goal) 2) Dans Ločmelis (goal, assist) 1) Riley Tufte (game winning goal)
The Good: Joel Blomqvist had a hell of a game and was the only reason it wasn’t a blowout for the Bruins. There should be no doubt that he isn’t up to the task when playoffs start next week.
The Bad: Bruins win their 12th straight against the Penguins, sweeping the season series and keeping the league’s 2nd best power play off the scoresheet. This club masters the Penguins and, despite the fact Wilkes-Barre will be loaded by Pittsburgh in about 48 hours, I don’t like their chances against the Bruins in a five game series.
Turning Point: Do you need me to spell it out in crayon? Tufte’s goal gets it here.
Comments Off on Weekend Preview – Let’s Go Back…
Posted by nafsnep on April 16, 2025
It’s the final Weekend Preview of the season and we are going back to the playoffs. The Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins have a lot to play for still as they still gun for the first round bye.
Music to Set the Mood…
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This has been an earwig for me for the past week. So catchy and apropos. Shut the Top 40 garbage off and listen to real music.
Also, let’s go back to playoffs and stay a while.
The Setup
It’s the proverbial stone in the shoe Providence Bruins this Wednesday at home, then the final regular season road trip to Hershey on Friday before closing out they regular season with a home match against the Cleveland Monsters.
The Penguins had a 2-0 lead coming into the third period Friday which was erased by the visiting Hershey Bears in the first five minutes where the Bears would. go on to win 4-2.
The Penguins dominated the Springfield Thunderbirds the next night at home, winning 4-1 and dominating the shots on goal, 44-23.
Then Wilkes-Barre handled business in Bridgeport to close out the last three in three of the season winning 5-2.
For the Bruins, they beat Hartford 6-2 Friday and won against Belleville 3-2 in overtime Saturday.
Hershey lost to Lehigh Valley 5-1 after their Friday meet with the Pens. The Bears will host a Syracuse team which has not clinched a playoff berth yet on Wednesday.
Cleveland split with the Toronto Marlies in a home and home weekend series. The Monsters will be in Rochester Wednesday and Lehigh Valley on Friday.
Records
The Penguins are 39-22-7-1 and on 86 points in third in the Atlantic Division.
Providence has the same number of points and in fourth in the Atlantic with a 39-23-5-3 record.
Hershey leads the Atlantic with a 43-19-6-1 record, on 93 points.
Cleveland sits fourth in the North with a 35-23-5-6 record on 81 points.
Check Your Surroundings
Wilkes-Barre cannot win the division, but can finish as high as second. Charlotte holds that seeding presently.
The Checkers are in Hartford Wednesday before closing out their regular season in Springfield Friday and Saturday. They are 41-22-3-3 with 88 points.
Joona Koppanen, Rutger McGroarty and Ville Koivunen are in Pittsburgh. McGroarty could be back this season, provided the Penguins are still around. My guess is 4-6 weeks. Vasily Ponomarev and Valtteri Puustinen are also up.
Emil Bemstrom was sent back last weekend.
Gabe Klassen, Matty De St. Phalle and Logan Pietila are up from Wheeling.
Goaltender Taylor Gauthier was recalled Monday and they sent Sergei Murashov and Jack Beck to Wheeling.
Joona Koppanen cleared waivers Tuesday but was not immediately re-assigned.
Pittsburgh’s season ends this Thursday, so expect a ton of roster shuffling on the wires this Friday with guys coming back from Pittsburgh and going down to Wheeling.
The Nailers start their seven game series with the Norfolk Admirals this Wednesday, with Games 1 and 2 Wednesday and Thursday in Norfolk, then Game 3 not till the following Wednesday. That series is weird because it’s a 2-5 setup, with games 5, 6 and 7 (if needed) being played all in Wheeling.
What can we learn about the Penguins this week?
They are going to get help, but will that help arrive in time for a First Round series against the Springfield Thunderbirds or a second round matchup against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms possibly? None of the bodies in Pittsburgh will be around Wednesday against a Providence team they can’t beat at home to save their arse.
Suffice to say, the Wednesday game against the Bruins is the biggest game of the season for them.
Now, they can lose, hope that Charlotte loses, but then the Bruins would need to lose against the Bridgeport Islanders in their final game Saturday and that won’t happen because the Bruins have only lost once against the Islanders all year.
Again, in my opinion, Wednesday night’s game against the Bruins is probably the most important game for Wilkes-Barre in the last five years, maybe more.
Who’s in Goal?
Up until Monday afternoon it was an interesting conundrum. Whoever gets the start is probably your Game 1 starter when playoffs do begin. Is it Joel Blomqvist or Sergei Murashov? Well, for the time being, it’s Joel Blomqvist.
They dominated Springfield Saturday when Blomqvist was in net and won big. But Murashov also won, albeit against a terrible Bridgeport team who tested him, Sunday. But Wheeling gets going in their Kelly Cup Playoffs this week and they can use him to help them get deep.
Figure Blomqvist – Larsson and then possibly Taylor Gauthier if there isn’t anything left to play for Saturday. If there still is, figure Blomqvist.
Brandon Bussi – Garin Bjorklund – Jet Greaves is my shot in the dark for the opposition.
Wait. What? They really reassigned Murashov to Wheeling?
They want him in high leverage situations. They want a healthy Joel Blomqvist in high leverage situations also. Since the AHL rulebook does not allow you to play two goaltenders at the same time, Murashov was moved to Wheeling to assist the Nailers in their Kelly Cup pursuit. Make no bones, has nothing to prove at the ECHL level any longer, but this is the die which has been cast. It isn’t a knock on Murashov. He doesn’t develop in a ball cap operating a door at the bench during the Calder Cup Playoffs. He will do well and develop helping the Nailers go deep in the Kelly Cup Playoffs.
Who’s Running the Show?
Patrick Hanrahan and Rob Hennessey are the refs assigned to Wednesday’s matchup with J.P. Waleski and Chandler Yakimowicz on the lines.
Friday sees Graedy Hamilton and Chad Ingalls as the referees in Hershey with Jeremy Faucher and Tommy George on the lines.
Hamilton will make the trek up I-81 to meet up with Ben Betker Saturday in Wilkes-Barre with Ryan Jackson and J.P. Waleski on the lines for the regular season finale against Cleveland.
Looking Ahead…
We don’t know yet. Seeding and likely a playoff opponent and schedule will be out Saturday night at the conclusion of the Monsters / Penguins game. Or will it? Will the Penguins have locked up a bye?
Give us a bold prediction…
Get ready for another three game first round series with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, buddy.
Comments Off on AHL Power Rankings – Week 27
Posted by nafsnep on April 14, 2025
One week to play in the AHL season. For some there isn’t a whole heck of a lot to play for, for others, this is their entire season right here as they still haven’t clinched, are close but so are two other teams in the same predicament. Others it’s all about seeding and for others it’s fine tuning for a hopeful deep playoff run. Which side is your team on?
Let’s get right into it…
1. Abbotsford Canucks
Last Week: 1st (no change)
Record: 41-24-2-2
Canucks should be in your Calder Cup Finals pool.
2. Colorado Eagles
Last Week: 2nd (no change)
Record: 42-19-5-3
Looks like the West is coming through Colorado.
3. Laval Rocket
Last Week: 3rd (no change)
Record: 46-18-3-2
Looks like the Rocket will win the regular season title, which really doesn’t mean a thing.
4. Hershey Bears
Last Week: 4th (no change)
Record: 43-19-6-1
The drive to three straight starts in a week for the Bears.
5. Charlotte Checkers
Last Week: 6th (up 1)
Record: 41-22-3-3
The Checkers are fighting to hold on to the first round Atlantic Division bye.
Comments Off on I Didn’t See Any Elephants — Pens WIN 5-2
Posted by nafsnep on April 13, 2025
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5 2
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I was away all weekend and didn’t take in either of the two home games in Wilkes-Barre this weekend. I didn’t see any live elephants in the Noah showing at Sight & Souud Theater this weekend in Ronks, PA. Just a large mechanical one which looked life like, but I had to use my imagination to believe it was real.
Highly recommend taking in a show down there.
Anyway, the Penguins, despite losing four straight, rattle off a 5-2 win Sunday afternoon in Bridgeport to give themselves a two game win streak heading into a very important game with the Providence Bruins while still trying to track down the Checkers for the second round bye.
Big, big, final week of the season for the Penguins who still control their own fate.
— x – Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) April 13, 2025
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Bridgeport didn’t post lines.
First Period: The Penguins used the fact that Bridgeport is the worst team in the league and the worst team at home fact to their advantage. They scored three goals in the period, two by rookies, to go up three in the first period.
Gabe Klassen scored his first AHL goal with a nice setup by Logan Pietila, and both these guys notched their first AHL points.
A couple of firsts on that one ‼️
Gabe Klassen scores his first AHL goal, and Logan Pietila records his first AHL point with the assist! pic.twitter.com/5CL28qJF1f
— x – Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) April 13, 2025
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Then Nolan Renwick scored his second goal in as many nights (he scored Saturday vs. Springfield) on a backdoor play setup by Dan Renouf.
— x – Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) April 13, 2025
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The Penguins couldn’t seemingly do anything wrong in the period, also killing a penalty.
Second Period: Bridgeport bit back in a big way.
The Islanders scored on a power play that cut the lead to one. Sergei Murashov made the save but left a rebound that Gleb Veremyev put in that got Bridgeport on the board.
Then an Emil Bemstrom turnover led to a Ross Mitton goal that made it 3-2 in the final minute of the period that gave the Islanders the jump heading in the third.
Third Period: They settled, had to set through a Jack St. Ivany delay of game penalty and got a huge goal from Atley Calvert, stick handling in a phone booth to give the Penguins a 4-2 lead.
— x – Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) April 13, 2025
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Just a huge, huge goal.
Then, with. T.J. Semptimphelter pulled for an extra attacker, Sergei Murashov makes a huge save to keep it a two goal lead, then Avery Hayes puts a bow on it.
— x – Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) April 13, 2025
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Don’t normally show empty net goals, but the Murashov goal here makes it worth it.
Three Stars: 3) Ross Mitton (goal) 2) Atley Calvert (goal) 1) Zach Gallant (goal, assist)
The Good: Got the points needed in Bridgeport to keep the heat on Charlotte for second.
The Bad: This was the Islanders last home game in an epically bad, horrible season. You would think they would skate to center and acknowledge the fans in attendance for having them endure this embarrassing season? No. Just some half hearted stick raises as they came off the ice. I would be throwing my seat onto the ice trying to light the building on fire if that was me.
Power Rankings sometime Monday afternoon, then I will set up the final week in the regular season the best I can for you Wednesday in the run up to the huge clash with the Providence Bruins.
Comments Off on Weekend Preview – A Town Called Malice…
Posted by nafsnep on April 11, 2025
Let’s just jump in this pool already.
Music to Set the Mood…
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A Quote…
Better stop dreaming of the quiet life ‘Cause it’s the one we’ll never know And quit running for the runaway bus ‘Cause those rosy days are few And stop apologising For the things you’ve never done ‘Cause time is short And life is cruel But it’s up to us to change This town called Malice
— The Jam
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Six games left, three game losing streak, window for first place in the division closing rapidly, the second seed and the bye getting away from you and your top prospect injured Tuesday in the NHL and done for the rest of the year.
April in Wilkes-Barre? A Town Called Malice you say?
Groundhog Day. Real ones know.
The Setup
Oh boy. A home game with Hershey Friday and another one with Springfield Saturday then a road trip to Bridgeport Sunday to complete the final three in three of the season.
The Penguins were swept in Cleveland an aggregate 10-1. The offense dried up despite getting Emil Bemstrom back from Pittsburgh, but the penalty kill was 3/11 while the power play was 1/6. Special teams can kill you most nights, and in Cleveland it did.
Hershey got right, because of course they did, after being swept by Utica a fortnight ago and beat Lehigh Valley and swept Hartford, essentially killing the Wolf Pack’s playoff chances.
Springfield qualified for the Calder Cup Playoffs despite losing 4-2 to Rochester, 5-2 to Utica and shutting out Lehigh Valley 1-0 in overtime.
Bridgeport has only won four times at home and will have an all time bad season. They have been out of it for months.
Records
The Penguins are 37-21-7-1 and on 82 points in fourth in the Atlantic.
Hershey is 42-18-6-1, on 91 points and lead the Atlantic.
Springfield is 34-28-2-4 and on 74 points in fifth.
Bridgeport is 15-46-4-3, on 37 points and last in the league.
Check Your Surroundings
Charlotte, in second with 86 points, have played one more game then the Penguins, host Utica Saturday and Sunday.
Providence, in third with 82 points have two more games then the Penguins, is in Hartford Friday and host Belleville Saturday. They will be in Wilkes-Barre this coming Wednesday.
ATO Season
Coal Street added a trio of players on Monday, defenseman David Breazeale and forwards Aaron Huglen and Zach Urdahl. Only Breazeale out of the press release from Coal Street joins the team immediately on the Amateur Tryout Agreement.
Who’s Up? Who’s Down? Who’s Out?
Matt Nieto went up Tuesday, Kyle Jackson went to Wheeling Sunday, Joona Koppanen, Rutger McGroarty and Ville Koivunen are in Pittsburgh.
In the wake of that news, Pittsburgh recalled Emil Bemstrom, Vasily Ponomarev and Valtteri Puustinen. I ma assuming these recalls are for the remainder of Pittsburgh’s season, which incudes Friday at New Jersey, Sunday at home vs. Boston and Thursday at home in the finale against Washington.
Coal Street responded by recalling Gabe Klassen Wednesday, Mathieu De St. Phalle and Logan Pietila on Thursday.
What can we learn about the Penguins this week?
I said last week that the time to make a move was last weekend. They scored one goal and were embarrassed by a team dressed up like pierogis.
Now they host their biggest rival at home with the teams going it looks like in the wrong direction. On top of that, they lack direction. Who is the leader of this team? Who can you rely on for a goal when you need one? Who can shut down the other teams best line?
You have those answers if you are a Bears fan. You know two out of three if you live in Charlotte. I blog about this god damn team and I can’t give you a straight answer.
They have to find a way. They clinched and rested on their laurels. Job isn’t done, though. They need to transition into playoff mode now if they want to creep back into a bye in the first round. They aren’t out of that by any stretch, but their current run of form isn’t promising.
It doesn’t help that they were insulated in part by injuries to the NHL club for a large stretch but now it seems half the team is in Pittsburgh for the final three meaningless games in Pittsburgh’s season while the AHL club is attempting to jockey for a first round bye for playoffs.
Who’s in Goal?
Murashov – Larsson – Murashov should be the rotation. The Bears can’t beat Sergei Murashov and they bring out the best in him. It’s a crime if anyone else other then Murashov isn’t out of the gates first at around 6:20.
Where will you be at 6:20 on Friday?
I will be in Lancaster for the weekend at the first camping trip taking in Noah at Sight and Sound Theater for a 7 p.m. showing. These things are planned months in advance. The weather isn’t going to the best, and this is the last time I am camping in April.
Who else is in goal?
Clay Stevenson for the Bears, Colten Ellis for the Thunderbirds and it doesn’t matter for the Islanders. If the Penguins can’t beat the Islanders you probably don’t have to worry about me going camping in May (Knoebel’s around Memorial Day) and missing another Penguins game because they won’t be around at that time.
Who’s Running the Show?
Chris Rumble and Mathieu Menniti are the referees Friday with Jud Ritter and J.P. Waleski on the lines.
Rumble stays in Wilkes-Barre, Mason Riley tags in for Menniti and Tyler Loftus and Chander Yakimowicz are the linesmen Saturday.
Koletrane Wilson and Rob Hennessey have the assignment Sunday in Bridgeport, Shawn Oliver and Cameron Carlson have the lines.
Looking Ahead….
They close the books on the 2024-25 AHL season with a home game Wednesday against Providence, a Friday road trip in Hershey and a Saturday home game against Cleveland.
Give us a bold prediction…
I am expecting an elephant in the Noah show, since it’s an Old Testament tale about animals on an ark. I am not going to see an elephant.
WBS News
Chirps from Center Ice 