Chirps from Center Ice

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

2021-22 Opponent Preview

Comments Off on 2021-22 Opponent Preview Posted by on October 12, 2021

Predicting what will happen in the American Hockey league is a tricky science because you genuinely never know what will happen. One month you can be up, and the other you can be down.

Anyway, I decided to bring these back this year, but mixed up a little than before. I am giving you something interesting regarding each team the Penguins will play, including when the Penguins play each team. Only the teams that the Penguins play are included here, so you Tucson Roadrunners fans which read my blog are out of luck.

Let’s get right to it, in no particular order, but starting in the Atlantic Division with Springfield.

Springfield Thunderbirds (St. Louis Blues)

Tell me something interesting about the Thunderbirds: They are a St. Louis affiliate now. It’s a silly game that the Charlotte Checkers of the AHL and the Carolina Hurricanes of the NHL are playing where they don’t like each other anymore and aren’t affiliated with each other any longer. Carolina’s affiliate went to the Chicago Wolves, the Checkers are a Florida affiliate mainly and are also hosting Seattle’s AHL prospects while the new AHL team in Palm Springs debuts next season. Springfield, a team that basically gets the short end of pretty much everything of late, is left with St. Louis, who changes AHL affiliates more times than most people change their socks.

Blues prospects are good though, so look for this iteration of Springfield to contend for one of the six playoff spots available in the division.

vs. WBS: @ 10/30, @ 11/19, vs. 12/12, vs. 2/2

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Hartford Wolf Pack (New York Rangers)

Tell me something interesting about the Wolf Pack: They are one of the two teams I don’t think will make the silly expanded playoffs in the division. Rangers are full on rebuild mode but on the upswing, Wolf Pack made a late push late in last years forced exhibition season but that won’t translate to a more normal season. Someone is going to have to finish last in the division and it may very well be Hartford.

vs. WBS: vs. 10/22, @ 10/29, @ 11/6, vs. 3/13, vs. 3/30, @ 4/24

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Hershey Bears (Washington Capitals)

Tell me something interesting about the Bears: Hershey took care of Hershey this offseason, adding big names, but Washington’s depth for NHL prospects is as bad if not worse than Pittsburgh’s. Despite that, the Bears reloaded and will probably play at the top of the division all season.

Tell me something else interesting about the Bears: We play these fools twelve times in the season, but the first game isn’t until the month of December.

vs: WBS: @ 12/5, vs. 12/5, vs. 12/8 (editors note: that’s three straight games against Hershey) @ 12/18 (editors note #2: that’s four times in a five game stretch) vs. 12/27, @ 12/29, @ 1/8. @ 1/9, vs. 1/16, @ 1/25, vs. 3/9, vs. 4/15

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Bridgeport Islanders (New York Islanders)

Tell me something interesting about the Islanders: Wait a minute, who? Huh? Islanders? Weren’t these the Sound Tigers? Yes, Lou Lamoriello doesn’t like facial hair on his employees and likes continuity in the lineage of his franchises. You had the New Jersey Devils, the Lowell / Albany and Binghamton Devils in the AHL and at one time you even had the Trenton Devils of the ECHL. Nobody knew what a Sound Tiger was anyway. The AHL team in Bridgeport isn’t going anywhere, despite always being in the rumor mill, so changing the name to match up with the NHL counterpart is a thing that no one will notice come November.

Bridgeport is probably a playoff team, unless they aren’t, because Lou doesn’t really care that much about his AHL clubs.

vs. WBS: ‘member how I said we don’t play Hershey till December? The Penguins don’t meet up with the Sound Tigers Islanders until February 4 in Wilkes-Barre. Rest of the schedule goes like this: @ 2/26, @ 3/4, @ 3/5 (editors note #3: three games against Bridgeport in a four game stretch) vs. 4/2, vs. 4/16

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Lehigh Valley Phantoms (Philadelphia Flyers)

Tell me something interesting about the Phantoms: They kept Hershey honest last years exhibition season and should contend and push for the division crown this year. Philly is a long term buy on a franchise who is going to find success sooner or later. Where does that start, usually? On the farm. You saw that in the 2010 to 2015 iterations of the teams in Wilkes-Barre, and Pittsburgh went on to win back-to-back Stanley Cups. Philly’s prospects are the best in the group that play AHL hockey in the state of Pennsylvania.

vs. WBS: vs. 10/16, @ 10/24, vs. 10/27, @ 11/3, vs. 1/14, @ 1/15, vs. 1/19, @ 2/12, vs. 2/23, @ 3/20, @ 4/1, vs. 4/6

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Providence Bruins (Boston Bruins)

Tell me something interesting about the Bruins: Won a three team division last year with a mediocre Bridgeport and a bad Hartford team. But for a few games with Utica, that’s all who Providence faced off against last year. Bruins won’t have ex-Penguin coach Jay Leach behind the bench as Leach defected for NHL Seattle in the offseason. Ryan Mougenel gets that honor this season, having served as a Leach assistant last season. What does it all mean? It means the Bruins are probably a lock for the postseason and will contend. If you want a dark horse team to win the division, look no further.

vs. WBS: vs. 11/5, @ 11/20, vs. 11/27, vs. 2/5, @ 3/6, @ 4/22

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Charlotte Checkers (Florida Panthers / Seattle Kraken)

Tell me something interesting about the Checkers: Florida affiliate now, splitting with neophyte Seattle while Palm Springs gets their AHL ducks in order for next season. They didn’t play last year so they are a bit of an unknown as to how good they can be. They are the other team I think that does not make playoffs this season, despite how well they look on paper. They will be in the mix till the very end, but I can see them faltering and finishing seventh, probably behind the Penguins and well ahead of the Wolf Pack. I’m probably wrong about this however and the Checkers missing out is probably the least confident I am in all my picks of who or won’t make playoffs.

vs. WBS: vs. 10/17, vs. 11/12, vs. 11/13, @ 11/23, @ 11/24 (editors note #4: four times in a six game stretch here) vs. 12/4, @ 2/15, @ 2/16

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Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins (Pittsburgh Penguins)

Tell me something interesting about the Penguins: They could be good this year and could contend for a bit, but I don’t see them as a top four team. We ragged the expanded playoff announcement in the summertime by the AHL, but that could play into the hands of Wilkes-Barre / Scranton. Alex D’Orio is probably the #1 in goal with a steady vet in Louis Domingue as the veteran presence. I have them as a #6 seed and a play-in team. Need to play .500 or better hockey against one of either Hershey or Lehigh Valley, maximize points against bad clubs like Hartford and teams in the North Division in order to have a shot at a spot. They could punch above their weight and contend for a bit, but everything would have to fall into place perfectly. With Pittsburgh’s core aging and the walking M*A*S*H unit that it is, don’t expect the group that plays opening night to be the same come March, probably way sooner. 

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Now onto the aforementioned North Division, where the Penguins play every team at least once.

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Laval Rocket (Montreal Canadians)

Tell me something interesting about the Rocket: Laval is an early Calder Cup favorite. They played a few percentage points worse than league best Hershey last season, absolutely ran circles around their Canadian counterparts in last years circus of a season and will carry that momentum into this season. Hands down a favorite to win the North provided things fall into place. I really want to see how they stack up against Syracuse and Cleveland in the division and Hershey, Lehigh Valley and Providence in the Atlantic.

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

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Cleveland Monsters (Columbus Blue Jackets)

Tell me something interesting against the Monsters: Should be a dark horse contender. Played in the Central Division last “season” against the likes of Iowa, Grand Rapids and Chicago. They have a decent mix of prospects. I have them as a playoff team. They are an above average team that plays in an above average division.

vs. WBS: vs. 12/31, vs. 1/1, @ 1/28, 1/29

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Utica Comets (New Jersey Devils)

Tell me something interesting about the Comets: Devils affiliate this year, Devils were bad last year in Binghamton, so this is one of the two teams I do not think make playoffs this season. Probably the one team I would put money on (if I did that) to miss playoffs. Team will be looking to maximize points against this team early and often.

vs. WBS: @ 1/7, vs. 3/18

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Rochester Americans (Buffalo Sabres)

Tell me something interesting about the Americans: They are probably the other team that doesn’t make the expanded playoffs this season. Buffalo is a dumpster fire, and that stuff normally runs downhill. Plain and simple.

vs. WBS: vs. 11/10, @ 12/22

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Belleville Senators (Ottawa Senators)

Tell me something interesting about the Senators: They still have Troy Mann running things behind the bench for them. But for how long is the question because Mann is a hell of a mind and with all the turnover with NHL head coaches it won’t be long and you can argue is well overdue that Mann gets his shot. On the ice Belleville is projected to be a playoff club. They will just have to outlast the Laval’s and Cleveland’s of the division and maximize points against the Utica’s and Rochester’s.

vs. WBS: vs. 2/11, @ 3/25

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Syracuse Crunch (Tampa Bay Lightning)

Tell me something interesting about the Crunch: One of a handful of teams who require you to be vaccinated in order to take in a home game. Keep that in mind if you plan on heading to Syracuse this season. On the ice, a good team who will mix it up with the Laval’s and Cleveland’s of the world. Should have ex-Penguin Max Lagace tending nets.

vs. WBS: @ 12/3, vs. 2/27, vs. 3/19, @ 4/9

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Toronto Marlies (Toronto Maple Leafs)

Tell me something interesting about the Marlies: They signed a bunch of guys I never heard of for the farm. Things are a powder keg in Toronto, with the Maple Leafs seemingly ready to break out but instead, implode. How does that carry over across town to the AHL affiliate when you may already have five good teams to make playoffs is anyone’s guess. Marlies are probably a solid five seed behind some combination of Laval, Syracuse, Cleveland and Belleville.

vs. WBS: @ 12/21, vs. 1/21, vs. 1/22, @ 3/23

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So there you have it. I am probably wrong about the playoff chances for most of these teams because, like I said at the top the AHL is a funny league. Teams that are bad go on runs, teams that are good go through dry spells. There is always one or two surprise teams. That’s why we watch.

I’ll be back Thursday with the weekend preview of the games against Lehigh Valley on Saturday and Charlotte on Sunday. Gone are the daily Gameday setups, at least for now. Check me out then.

The AHL

Preseason Game #3 – Phantoms 4, Penguins 3 (OT)

Comments Off on Preseason Game #3 – Phantoms 4, Penguins 3 (OT) Posted by on October 9, 2021

Penguins played in their final preseason game before the real thing starts next Saturday. They were in Allentown playing against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. The Phantoms are next Saturday’s opponent. Let’s hope that tonight’s result, a 4-3 overtime loss, isn’t a preview of coming attractions for next weekend and beyond.

First, more housekeeping. The Penguins received Juuso Riikola and Michael Chaput from the Pittsburgh Penguins Saturday afternoon after the duo cleared waivers. Anthony Angello is on waivers presently.

Coal Street made some cuts today as well:

They also made cuts the other day too, and I never added those here over on the blog. So, here those are, but these are dated:

Preseason for me too.

Anyway, here is how they lined up tonight:

That’s a hell of a lineup. Let’s see how long it sticks together. If history is any indicator, not long.

For the Phantoms:

It was a fun first period, if you were a Penguins fan. The Phantoms found themselves on the wrong end of a 5-on-3 for 90 seconds, but were able to get out of it. They scored a few seconds later when Max Willman picked a ridiculous angle to beat Domingue for a 1-0 Phantoms lead.

But, on yet another 5-on-3, P.O. Joseph went bar down and in for a goal that tied the game at one a piece.

Kasper Bjorkqvist scored in the slot to make it 2-1. Sam Houde had a primary assist here, his fifth such assist in the preseason. Sometimes you just play your way onto a team, that’s what Houde is doing.

Nathan Legare scored his first goal in Wilkes-Barre via the short handed variety, giving the Penguins a 3-1 lead.

But then Samu Tuomaala scored with under 4 minutes left to play in the second period to cut the lead to one.

The one thing I will say is that there were way too many penalties in this game, with nine against the Penguins and eight against the Phantoms. You can’t establish anything close to a flow when there are referees arms going up every three minutes.

Morgan Frost tied the game at three after the Penguins killed a long five on three against.

In overtime, the aforementioned Frost crashed the net and beat Domingue to win it for the Phantoms.

These two teams do it for real in a week from Saturday in Wilkes-Barre. But for a few modifications here and there, this is as close as a dress rehearsal for the Penguins as you are going to find. They could get more help, but don’t count on it.

I’ll have a preview of the opponents for you Tuesday here on the blog. Sooner if there is anything newsworthy. I’m shaking things up this year with the Gameday Previews too. I think you’ll like it.

Postgamer

Preseason Game #2 – Penguins 4, Bears 5

Comments Off on Preseason Game #2 – Penguins 4, Bears 5 Posted by on October 8, 2021

Before we get ripping on the game story, some news from earlier in the day.

The Penguins sent the following players to Wilkes-Barre:

Forwards Kasper Bjorkqvist, Filip Hallander, Nathan Legare and Sam Poulin. They also sent defensemen P.O. Joseph down as well.

Reassigned (after getting called up Wednesday) were forwards Jonathan Gruden and Valtteri Puustinen, as well as defensemen Niclas Almari and Taylor Fedun.

In a separate transaction, goaltender Louis Domingue was sent down later in the day.

Also, defenseman Juuso Riikola and forward Michael Chaput were placed on waivers on Friday.

That doesn’t mean necessarily that Riikola and Chaput get sent here automatically (provided they clear by 2 p.m. Saturday) but, like Domingue, if they clear it could be a matter of time.

Onto Friday nights on ice action…the Penguins hosted the Hershey Bears Friday night.

Here’s how they lined up:

Penguins jumped out to a 1-0 lead on a Jan Drozg dart. It’s Drozg’s second goal in as many games.

Bears respond in kind just after their power play expired on an Eddie Wittchow dart which tied it.

Later, a Cam Lee shot was stopped but remained in the slot long enough for a falling Matt Alfaro to sweep home to put Wilkes-Barre back ahead 2-1.

Early impressions of Lindberg is that he’s as athletic as they come. Bears had a handful of power play opportunities in the first, he handled it all well. He had a diving post to post stop about halfway through the period also. Wilkes-Barre may be deep in defensive depth, they are deeper in goal I think.

Eddie Wittchow scored again to open the second period just as a Penguin penalty had expired from the first to tie the score at two.

There were a lot more fights in this game then there were Wednesday. There are guys trying to make an impression and make the team. Well, Felix Pare is one of those guys. He fights Kale Kessy after a save. Kessy doesn’t need an invitation to fight. What’s Pare given? An instigator penalty which also comes with being thrown out of the game.

Ridiculous. You want to cut down in fighting but protect guys like Kessy whose only existence is to fight. It was a terrible decision by the officials (Hanrahan and Kamrass) throwing Pare out of the game like that.

Hershey scored on a power play later on with Lindberg screened to take the lead. Lindberg dazzled again with more sprawling post to post saves.

In the third, the teams switched goaltenders. Alex D’Orio for the Penguins and Ryan Bednard for the Bears. The Penguins peppered Bednard with shots and got goals from Jan Drozg (a nifty between the legs goal) and Justin Almeida for a 4-3 lead.

But Bednard settled in, something I didn’t think he would do, and the Bears got goals from Brett Leason on a power play and ex-Penguin Macoy Erkamps with a deflection in front to give Hershey a 5-4 lead with 63 seconds left to play.

Here’s the box, in case you want to check that out.

Eh, it’s exhibition. Onto Lehigh Valley Saturday night before the real thing next weeekend.

More tomorrow.

Postgamer

Preseason Game #1 – Penguins 2, Phantoms 1

Comments Off on Preseason Game #1 – Penguins 2, Phantoms 1 Posted by on October 6, 2021

I was going to do math today and find out how many days it had been since I was last at the Arena to take in a game. I want to say March 2020. I got busy at work today and never got around to it.

Moral of the story is I still don’t like weekday games. Maybe later in the month and the first part of November when I’m back working from home it will be a little better, but you can have everything about weekday home games.

The Penguins played host to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in a preseason home game Wednesday at the Arena. The Penguins beat the Phantoms 2-1.

Tommy Nappier opposed Kirill Ustimenko. Here were the lines:

I don’t think Lehigh Valley posted any. I didn’t look. It’s preseason. Also, their call letters are apparently ‘LHV’ now. Duly noted.

Not much happened in the first. The Penguins had two power plays. They didn’t score. Who needs preseason when your special teams are in midseason form.

One bit of action was when the Penguins Jake Flegal fought the Phantoms Quinn Schmiemann. With a name like Schmiemann, you’d think he’d be used to getting in fights. It did not go well for Schmiemann.

Jamie Devane, a regular you’ll be seeing a lot of this year, scored on a tip in front with 1:06 left to play off a nice setup from Patrick Watling.

Jan Drozg scored :21 into the third. Nice pressure to open and it was Sam Houde doing the dirty work to keep an uncontrolled puck controlled and over to Drozg for the goal.

So of course Lehigh Valley would respond on their very first power play of the season. Tommy Nappier was screened heavily.

Shaw Boomhower fought Brennan Saulnier. Two fights in one game? What is this, 1999?

No scoring in the third. Nappier played the whole game in goal for the Penguins. Pat Nagle took over for the Phantoms to start the period.

But for the logo being upside down, good to be back. The tickets on the phone thing worked fine, they have touchless hand sanitizer stations all over the place. About half the food vendors were open. I didn’t buy anything.

More Friday, sooner if I have to.

Postgamer

Sunday Ketchup

Comments Off on Sunday Ketchup Posted by on October 3, 2021

Well, things are picking up so may as well bust off a blog post summarizing what’s probably already been summarized elsewhere.

First, there were some questions regarding the arena mandates as far as COVID is involved. Will you need to show proof of vaccination in order to take in a game and all that like some other places in the League are requiring? No, or at least not yet.

Know before you go. Masks recommended, cashless concessions. I don’t really like under $5 transactions on my credit card, so $3 or whatever for a soda or a box of popcorn may be a few and far between idea for me every now and again. What they should do is offer gift cards or reloadable food cards you can use in the arena for those who go to more than just one game like me. Heaven help us if the transaction system ever goes down.

Pittsburgh training camp continues and there have been the usual cuts and what not. A notable name was Matt Bartkowski, a defensemen they invited to camp on a PTO. The Penguins released him Saturday and not long after Coal Street announced an AHL contract for him. Enough of an impression left between both sides that the veteran Bartowski signs an AHL deal with the affiliate. Wilkes-Barre looks stacked on defense.

Training camp opened Sunday morning on Coal Street. Full list of participants here. It’s a group of familiar names plus those released by Pittsburgh’s camp so far. A local name on there is Charlie Spetz, who played for Wilkes University. Coal Street featured him in a story Sunday afternoon. Spetz signed a contract with Roanoke of the Southern Professional Hockey League, which is a notch below the ECHL.

Do I expect Spetz to make the team? No. Wilkes-Barre is stacked at defense, a position Spetz plays. But, like Bartowski, it’s all about making a positive impression with the option that one day he gets a chance to play for the Penguins.

Later, it was announced that Head Coach J.D. Forrest and his assistant Kevin Porter agreed to a two year contract extension. Forrest took a team to .500 in a joke of an exhibition season against three tough opponents (sorry, Binghamton) and the team looks (at least on paper) to be better than last year, so reward the staff with a two year extension and see what 2021-22 brings.

I have the Penguins as a six seed. Hershey, Lehigh Valley and Providence are the class of the field. Hartford I have finishing last and some combination of either Springfield or Charlotte finishes seventh. But that’s today, on the first day of training camp as opposed to 40 or 50 games in, with call ups, trades and injuries and all that.

Anyway, you will get more thoughts on how the rest of the division sets up next week when I roll out my previews. Next up, a Wednesday and Friday preseason home game against the Phantoms Bears, respectively.

Have a good week and we’ll talk to you Wednesday.

Pittsburgh, The AHL, WBS

Preseason Official 9/23

Comments Off on Preseason Official 9/23 Posted by on September 23, 2021

Well, as official as can be.

League announced Thursday their 2021 Preseason Schedule. Coal Street never followed through with an official release because the cat was out of the bag when the teams announced the regular season schedules back in July. If you have the Penguins app on your phone, you should see the two home dates. There is also a road date. They are:

  • Lehigh Valley @ Wilkes-Barre (Wednesday, October 6)
  • Hershey @ Wilkes-Barre (Friday, October 8)
  • Wilkes-Barre @ Lehigh Valley (Saturday, October 9)

Each start is at 7:05.

I have a few things in the cooker for you this upcoming season. I’ll have a preview of the season with looks at opponents probably the week of October 11 and I’m shaking up the way I do the pre-game setups. Gone are individual Gameday setups and here to play (at least in the short term) are weekend previews. I drafted a few mock ones up the other day and really liked how they flowed. They offer more substance I think too vs. the usual, “here is the opponent, the time it starts and the record.” You’ll probably have to wait for that as we get closer to the start of the season in about three weeks.

Anyway, so that’s what’s going on. Talk to you in a few weeks.

The AHL, WBS

New Playoff Format Announced 8/5

Comments Off on New Playoff Format Announced 8/5 Posted by on August 5, 2021

Remember when playoffs used to mean something? A reward for having a winning season, playing the select few, the best of the best and a chance at the ultimate trophy, the Calder Cup?

Yeah, me too.

Thursday, the American Hockey League announced the new playoff format which will debut in the upcoming 2021-22 season. Here it is in a tweet:

No, you read that right, TWENTY THREE TEAMS will qualify for the playoffs next season. Not eight, not sixteen, TWENTY THREE teams, or 75% of the league.

To follow simply, if you finish in the bottom two of your division, you didn’t make it. Better luck next year.

The release tries to sell this ridiculous format by citing playoff experience and postseason development and yammers on about 150 more players getting said experience.

It’s watering down a product which has become so diluted it is hardly recognizable anymore.

You have 31 teams this season, 32 when Palm Springs comes in in 2022-23 all playing differing schedules and different amount of games this season (68, 72 and 76, everyone plays 72 in 2022-23) – none of this matters when three-fourths of your league qualifies for a postseason. It doesn’t.

It’s not about the regular season. Hell, it may not very be about the postseason. It’s everyone gets a chance to play (unless you are one of the eight teams that don’t make it), good luck trying to sell a season ticket package on that pitch. “Well, everyone made it in the postseason last year EXCEPT us, but trust me, you are going to want to spend your money on us this season!!!”

You know what it is? It’s a participation trophy league now for grinding out a 68-76 game schedule this year and being essentially at or near average or better. Finish slightly below .500? Here’s a playoff spot!

Say you are a team that is a 6 seed in the Atlantic and you play 76 games and you win the Calder Cup, but in doing so every playoff series went the maximum allowable games. (27) – that is 103 games in one season. That’s insane. Or say you are that same team that runs up against a Pacific Division #1 seed that didn’t need as many games to get there. They are rested by, say half the amount of games in playoffs plus the 68 they played in the regular season. That’s 82 games. 103 to 82. Not fair.

Sure, it will help the Penguins, who I project to be a five or six seed this upcoming year, but if they finish sub .500, get dusted in two games in a playoff series, can you really call them a playoff team?

I don’t know, and I am getting to the point where I may not care to know anymore.

Enjoy your August.

The AHL

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