Chirps from Center Ice

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The Lehigh Valley Phantoms have played in seven overtime games this season. They are a hard nosed, and gritty team that can score in bunches and maximize every opportunity when they are on the ice.

Phantoms win 5-4 in overtime in a thrilling game. After a dead first, teams explode for six goals in the first ten minutes and after more back and forth, Tanner Laczynski scores his first AHL goal to ensure that the Phantoms get to over time and Laczynski ends it in overtime with a seemingly harmless shot which handcuffs starting goalie Shane Starrett.

Starrett was, not good today. I thought (me of all 0 hockey games played, I don’t even know how to skate, so take this all with a grain of salt) several goals could have been stopped or at best played differently. However with little help from his defenders on some of the goals (hell of a time to not have GIFs on any of these for this piece) Starrett was not good today, in my opinion.

Alex D’Orio has two shutouts with the last place in the ECHL Wheeling Nailers. This season is meaningless because they are just flying by the seat of their pants and when the season is over there are no playoffs, but D’Orio would at least, at least in my book, deserves a shot at a look.

Starrett opposed Felix Sandstrom.

Here is how they lined up:

Brett Brochu backed up Starrett. Drozg is injured, day to day lower body, Reilly was a healthy scratch and Sam Miletic is on the Pittsburgh taxi squad.

First Period: Seems like the majority of time was spent in front of Sandtrom and the Phantoms end, but the Penguins were not able to score (or really do much) with the Phantoms top rated penalty kill. Shots favored the Penguins 6-4.

Second Period: Man, that first period was dull for action. The second period was completely different.

:14 in, Wade Allison scored to put the Phantoms on the board.

A few minutes later. Nick Schilkey was the first Penguin player to reach double digits in points with a rebound goal to tie the game at one.

Phantoms would respond with two quick goals to go up 3-1 when Allison led a rush and Tyson Foerster flipped one in to go up 2-1, then Chris Mueller scored to make it 3-1.

Drew O’Connor would score on a deflection from a shot from the point to bring Wilkes-Barre to within one and then Jon Gruden scored on a rebound of his own shot that tied the game at 3.

Six goals in just over ten minutes. A frenetic pace between the two rivals.

Later. Jordy Bellerive scored on a 3 on 1 to give the Penguins a 4-3 lead.

If you are looking for the GIFs, Taylor was on Pittsburgh duty covering the NHL team and didn’t have any for us. She’s extremely good at what she does, but isn’t a machine. Use you imagination for one with my descriptions.

Shots were just a paltry 17-11 favoring the Penguins.

Third Period: There was too much standing around in front of Starrett’s goal and not enough moving around when Tanner Laczynski scored his first AHL goal to tie it.

Pens had a golden chance about halfway through to score on a power play but the Phantoms penalty kill is stout.

They managed to grit out a result which got them a meaningless point to get them to…

Overtime: Pens kill a leftover kill from the dying embers of the third period and back at even strength Tanner Laczynski throws a changeup at Starrett that handcuffs the Penguins goalie and goes in. Phantoms win 5-4.

Three Stars: 3) Jordy Bellerive (goal, assist) 2) Wade Allison (goal, assist) and 1) Tanner Laczynski (two goals)

The Good: I liked the response after going down 3-1 because honestly, I was ready to check out of the game and light up another cigar outside. They got it back to even then went ahead heading into the third.

The Bad: Goaltending and special teams. Not all of it, but if one was better than the other, perhaps, maybe, a different result.

Turning Point: Tanner Laczynski’s first two AHL goals doom the Penguins.

They are back at it Wednesday at home against Syracuse. It will be interesting to see who is out of the tunnel first at around 6:20 Wednesday evening.

Let’s Go Pens!

Stay safe.

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There is a lot to say about the headline tonight. I think that the way that the Crunch approach the gameplay against the Penguins gives Wilkes-Barre fits and they can’t seem to overcome.

After a two goal first, the Crunch use a two goal second to race away from the Pens Friday night in front of the first home crowd of the 2021 season and spoil the festivities by winning 5-2.

Emil Larmi opposed Chris Gibson. One goalie was fantastic, the other not so.

Here’s how they lined up:

Lineup Notes: Zach Trotman returned, replacing Billy Sweezy. Up front, Drew O’Connor replaced the recently recalled Radim Zohorna.

First Period: Pens had the only two power play opportunities of the period, but didn’t score. The story here was that seconds after each penalty was killed, the Crunch would score.

Gabe Fortier with this goal, which should not have happened this way.

😬😳

Later, the Crunch would score on a more conventional play, a drop pass to Sean Day and a hell of a shot.

On the power play, the setups were there but the finishes weren’t.

Second Period: Two goals within the games first five minutes and within approximately 70 seconds of one another were the Pens undoing.

Boris Katchouk with a snap shot which beats Larmi for a 3-0 Syracuse lead.

Then Sean Day again.

The defense was, um, not good? Can’t really put it all on Larmi really, but J.D. Forrest decided to make the change in net. In comes Shane Starrett.

Starrett settled things down from there, the bucket of cold water woke up the Penguins defense and they started to tighten up, but faces a steep hill to climb.

Tim Schaller got one back a couple minutes later to get Wilkes-Barre on the board.

Third Period: Penguins pepper Gibson for 17 shots in the third, allow Syracuse only 4, get two early power plays to try to set momentum, and come up with bupkis.

Drew O’Connor does get one to go on a four on three after tensions boiled over to get the Penguins to within two…

But Gibson and the Crunch made sure they didn’t get any closer.

Brady Keeper hits a long empty netter to seal it.

Three Stars: 3) Tim Schaller (goal) 2) Otto Somppi (two assists) 1) Sean Day (two goals)

I would have gave Christopher Gibson the second star. He made 39 saves.

The Good: Progress is a return to normalcy. I am not planning on returning until at least the Fall, but damn was it good to see live humans in the stands at the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza.

The Bad: You can’t get boat raced 4-0 and expect to win. Not against any team and certainly not against the Syracuse Crunch.

Turning Point: Boris Katchouk’s goal early in the third set the tone and broke the back of the Penguins.

They are scheduled to play Sunday in Allentown, depending on what the Lehigh Valley situation is with COVID and how well they have it under control. Syracuse has their game with Utica postponed, so who knows, maybe the Pens return the favor and head to Syracuse Sunday. Stay tuned.

Let’s Go Pens!

Stay safe.

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Six game point streak ends Saturday in Syracuse. A game where they waited for something to develop but instead got developed. Syracuse wins 3-0, getting all of their offense in the second period. Samuel Montembeault with a 37 save shutout. Emil Larmi Started and took the loss.

Lineup:

https://twitter.com/nafsnep/status/1370885056965849088

Lineup Notes: Felix Robert was back after missing the game on Monday, replacing Kyle Olson who replaced him Monday. The Pens sent goalie Shane Starrett to Wheeling earlier in the day.

First Period: Penguins held the Crunch to just one shot in the first 10 minutes of the period but the Crunch caught up on the shot board and it was 8-7 Penguins advantage through the end of the period.

Both teams had a power play and didn’t connect. In the paper tomorrow, you may see, “After a scoreless first period…” because there wasn’t much if anything to write about in the period.

Moving on…

Second Period: Syracuse came alive and scored three goals.

Daniel Walcott off a deflection of a long shot from the point.

Otto Somppi catches the defense flatfooted, is denied on his initial, but follows up for a rebound goal and it’s 2-0.

The Penguins are running around in the defensive zone and Ben Thomas scores.

Yikes.

Third Period: Things settled down from there, Crunch go into a defensive shell to preserve the lead and the Penguins, despite outshooting the Crunch 16-6 in the period, fail to score.

Three Stars: 3) Otto Somppi (goal) 2) Ben Thomas (goal, assist) 1) Sam Montembeault (37 saves)

The Good: They, again, held the opponent to under 25 shots. The Crunch had 22.

The Bad: Syracuse didn’t have the quantity of shots but quality is where it counts. This is a game that the Pens should have won after that first. Syracuse dressed 10 forwards and 8 defensemen. Syracuse was the team scrambling coming in, and it was the Penguins on the ice who were scrambling all game, notably in the second period.

Turning Point: You are either giving it to Daniel Walcott who got the Crunch on the board or Otto Somppi who broke the dam open. There are times in games hone you watch and you know you are at the point of no return. I think Somppi’s goal accomplished that, but your mileage may vary and it could have been Walcott’s.

So they get another week of practice to regroup fro Friday against Lehigh Valley.

Don’t forget to turn your clocks ahead.

Let’s Go Pens!

Stay safe.