Chirps from Center Ice

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I was really looking forward to this weekend and in particular this game to see exactly how the Penguins would stack up against the other teams in the Atlantic Division not named Lehigh Valley.

I still don’t know. If I had to give you an answer, I would say they are lucky.

They were lucky last night when they were grossly outplayed by the Hartford Wolf Pack, but gutted out a point in a shootout loss.

They were lucky Saturday in Springfield to build up a big early lead then ride Filip Lindberg as long as they could to eke out an overtime win thanks to Nathan Legare’s first goal as a professional and win 4-3 in overtime on a power play goal.

Sometimes you can be lucky and good. I think it’s a mix of both.

Filip Lindberg opposed Joel Hofer.

Lines were as follows:

Lineup Notes: Jan Drozg and Felix Robert were in for Michael Chaput and Jamie Devane who Pens radio man Nick Hart advised were out with lower body injuries and are day to day. Niclas Almari was out for Will Reilly. I thought that Almari was particularly and last night in Hartford so the lineup change was justified in my opinion.

First Period: Matthew Peca plays shorthanded catch with High McGing and the Thunderbirds strike first with a shorthanded goal, their second of the season.

Too much standing around.

Felix Robert meanwhile, makes the best of his opportunity and scores over the shoulder of Hofer and ties the game at one.

Radim Zohorna was taken out with a high hit at the blue line by Tanner Kaspick.

Zohorna went to the room, the Penguins went to the power play.

Watch to see if the AHL follows through with supplemental discipline in the form of a suspension to Kaspick. If I remember my rules right, if Zohorna is injured, the Penguins can ask the League to look at the hit again and make a call on a suspension. But that’s only if there’s an injury. I could be wrong.

Zohorna did not return for the second period.

Second Period: Wilkes-Barre tacks on two more goals to lead 3-1. They came out flying to start the period and got another goal from Felix Robert…

…and then a goal from their leading scorer Valtteri Puustinen…

So a goal from the guy that has been doing it all so far offense wise and a second goal from a guy who wasn’t even in the lineup Friday in Hartford. Nice.

Penguins found themselves in penalty trouble late and Springfield had :40 of two man advantage but Wilkes-Barre was able to sail out of there unscathed.

Third Period: You could get the sense that the Penguins were just hanging on by a thread as the period wore on. The Penguins were outshot 15-5 in the second period but that’s because they were killing penalties in the period. In the third, Springfield took it to the Penguins at even strength. It was only a matter of time before the Thunderbirds would strike.

Keean Washkurak scores to cut the deficit for the Thunderbirds to one.

Shades of last night, handing on by a thread.

Also shades of last night, the team that pulls the goalie for the extra man scores to force overtime.

Calle Rosen with a shot which deflects off of Penguins defenseman Cam Lee’s face and into the net for a goal. I mean look at this.

It was off to…

Overtime: Springfield takes a penalty, a retaliatory one when Steven Santini thought he was tripped / interfered with but no call was awarded. He got mad and slashed called someone. The Penguins call timeout and score a power play goal when Nathan Legare shoots and scores his first professional goal to win it for the Penguins.

Three Stars: Keean Washkurak (goal) 2) Felix Robert (two goals) 1) Nathan Legare (game winning overtime goal)

The Good: You took 5 of 6 points out of the week and 3 of 4 out of teams not named Lehigh Valley. They have not been pretty by any stretch, but sometimes that’s all you need.

The Bad: I still can’t get a handle on this team. Goaltending is there. Scoring is, I think as well. Defense is hit / miss, but such is life.

Turning Point: Boy there were a lot tonight, weren’t they? The kill at the end of the second and into the third, the Rosen tying goal off Lee’s chin. Have to give it to Legare though for the game winning goal.

Around the Division: Good night overall on the scoreboard for the Penguins. Lehigh Valley was up 2-0 to start the third at home against Syracuse and lost 3-2 in overtime. The Phantoms still don’t have a win. Cleveland beats Hershey 2-1 in a shootout. Charlotte beat Hartford 3-2. The Checkers visit the Thunderbirds Sunday. Bridgeport outgunned Providence and won 6-4.

Standings: Springfield (on percentage points) have 10 points because they haven’t yet lost in regulation yet… then the Penguins with 11, Hershey 8 on percentage over the Wolf Pack’s 9, Charlotte 7, Bridgeport 8 Providence 6 and Lehigh Valley 2.

Wheeling Update: Nailers are out in Wichita, Kansas and are down multiple goals when this blog post went up. Alex D’Orio was chased from goal after giving up 4 goals on 8 shots. Box here.

Video Highlights: 

November is here! Power Rankings Tuesday, Weekend Setup Wednesday then an away game against the Phantoms, again.

Let’s Go Pens!

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Some nights, you need your goaltender to make a save or two.

Most nights, you need your goaltender to win a game.

Every night, your goaltender can’t do it all.

A dazzling 35 save performance for the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins net minder Louis Domingue tonight as the Penguins battle back to force overtime but lose in a shootout 3-2 on Friday night. A point earned draws the Penguins even with idle Springfield, who is the opponent Saturday night.

Domingue was the best player on the ice in road black tonight for the Penguins. If Wilkes-Barre gets him run support, then maybe he isn’t the best player on the ice (the guy putting up all the points would be) but tonight, with goals becoming scarce, Domingue was the best player on the ice.

That wasn’t a good thing, because the Penguins were lucky to earn a point Friday and by rights should have lost the game. It was only Sam Poulin’s goal with Domingue pulled that earned the Penguins a point.

We talked this week about how the Penguins really haven’t answered any questions about what type of team they can be because Lehigh Valley is a mess right now and they aren’t a fair measuring stick. The real test was going to come this weekend against a rested Hartford and Springfield side.

Saturday night in Springfield can’t get here fast enough.

Domingue opposed Keith Kinkaid.

Here’s how they lined up:

Despite what the graphic says, the game was played at the XL Center in Hartford,. Connecticut.

Lineup Notes: Kasper Bjorkqvist was returned from Pittsburgh Friday afternoon. He didn’t play while up there. He replaced Felix Robert.

First Period: The thing about Wolf Pack goaltender Keith Kinkaid is that he spills rebounds everywhere. The Penguins, as well as every other team that Hartford plays, are aware of this. Example:

Initially it was announced by Nick Hart as Nathan Legare’s goal, but the scoresheet says otherwise.

Hartford draws even in the last five minutes of the period. Here’s where I thought that the Penguins let off here. Wolf Pack race through the neutral zone and into their attacking side, draw Domingue out who lost his stick. The Wolf Pack would score this goal after video review by referees Mathieu Menniti and Dominic Cadieux:

Hartford outshot the Penguins 8-1 over the last five-ish minutes of the first period and it cost them a goal.

Second Period: Louis Domingue was the best player on the ice for Wilkes-Barre / Scranton this period. Hartford peppered the Penguins net minder with 13 shots and bailed his club out on multiple occasions when Hartford had the Pens hemmed in their zone for long stretches. No one scored.

Third Period: Penguins were hanging on, Domingue continued to make saves. Finally a penalty on Valtteri Puustinen for a hook, saw Morgan Barron score on a deflection of a Zac Jones shot that gave the Wolf Pack a lead:

The Pens would pull Domingue in favor of an extra attacker and Sam Poulin would score to tie the game at two late:

Big goal. Hartford let off for the first time since the first period and it bit them.

No one else scored in regulation and it was off to overtime.

Overtime: More saves by Domingue, a few by Kinkaid too.

Shootout: Tim Gettinger scored in the top of the fourth. Puustinen, Zohorna, Poulin and Bellerive all missed in their chances, in that order.

Here’s Gettinger’s attempt:

Three Stars: 3) Anthony Greco (goal, assist) 2) Keith Kinkaid (26 saves) 1) Tim Gettinger (assist, shootout winning goal)

The Good: They battled back for a point which will probably come in handy later in the season.

The Bad: I didn’t like how they couldn’t seem to get anything going offensively. Again, it seems. The lack of offense is being shielded now by winning games with defense and goaltending, but you are going to need goalscoring if you want to win games.

Turning Point: Poulin’s goal that got the Pens the point gets it here.

Around the Division: The woes for the Phantoms continue, losing 5-2 up in Utica….Providence beats Charlotte 4-3.

Standings: Three way tie for first with Springfield, the Penguins and Hartford on 9 points. Hershey 7, Charlotte 5, Bridgeport and Providence 6 (remember they rank by points percentage) and then Lehigh Valley on 1. Eventually I will switch to the points percentages when I start taking this section more seriously.

Wheeling Update: The Nailers started an hour after the Penguins because they are out in Independence, Missouri playing the KC Mavericks. Here’s your box. Nailers were down 2-0 when this post went up on the blog.

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Two power play goals and more than two goals scored in a track meet of a game of sorts compared to the games thus far and the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins are 4-1 after a 4-2 takedown of the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on Wednesday night.

Radim Zohorna led the way with a pair of goals on the scoresheet but it was an all around showing from the offense and defense that got the Penguins the win. A team effort win, if there was one.

Filip Lindberg opposed Felix Sandstrom. Here’s how they lined up:

Lineup Notes:

First Period: Wild, to say the least. There haven’t been many goals scored between these two teams this season. That all changed in the first period. Five total goals were scored in this period alone.

The Penguins got on the board first when Jamie Devane tipped in a Nicolas Almari shot from the point. Those two will get the headline, but Jonathan Gruden did all the work.

Gerry Mayhew for the Phantoms tied it on a power play on a tip in off a rush and the two teams were off to the races.

No GIF of it or any Lehigh Valley goal, just use your imagination.

Then later, Adam Clendening pinched from his normal defensive spot and got himself a goal off of a bit of a busted play to put the Phantoms up 2-1.

Felt like a little bit of a turning point here. Phantoms were being outshot and yet still led 2-1. Pens maybe were in trouble here and questions about Lehigh Valley’s potent offense were starting to come to life, how do the Pens respond here?

Michael Chaput scores on a power play with a Hallander screen in front to toe the game at 2, that’s how.

But they weren’t done. With 2.4 seconds left, Valtteri Puustinen has his ice taken away from him and Radim Zohorna bags his first of the season to give the Pens a 3-2 lead.

First time the Penguins have scored more than three goals in a game this year and they come all in one tidy period.

Second Period: Penguins add to their lead and get some good goal keeping to preserve their lead. It’s a Wednesday night and I have work in the morning, gotta move this along.

Radim Zohorna on a power play for his second of the night. Nice centering pass by Puustinen here.

Two power plays in one game? I love Wednesday night home games!

Phantoms start buzzing then Chris Bigras hooks Gerry Mayhew in front to take away what probably would have been a goal. Good penalty to take there which squelched the Phantoms momentum because they were unsuccessful on the power play chance.

Filip Lindberg robs Tyson Foerster going post to post to keep it a two goal Penguins lead:

Third Period: Special teams practice. Penguins had :51 of five on three advantage but weren’t able to ice the game away, the Phantoms had a few chances to get back into the game on their man advantage chances but were unable.

Three Stars: 3) Filip Lindberg (20 saves) 2) Valtteri Puustinen (two assists) and 1) Radim Zohorna (two goals)

The Good: Adversity stared them in the face, they stared right back and hit them in theirs. Nice way to come back from a deficit and hold the opponent off the score sheet the rest of the way tonight.

The Bad: Phantoms Head Coach Ian Laperriere probably isn’t long for this coaching world. His team is 0-4, at the bottom and fading in what looks to be a very competitive division and the firepower that the Phantoms possess look rigid and out of sync. Take the 4-1 start with a grain of salt, three wins so far have come against a Phantoms team that doesn’t look like they know what they are doing half the time, and that starts with the head coach.

Turning Point: Gave it to you in the first period. Penguins were down, picked themselves back up and ran away with the game from there.

Around the Division: Only other action in the division was in Hershey and the Bears lost their game in overtime to the Syracuse Crunch 3-2.

Standings: Pens are second, a point off Springfield for first. They could, conceivably, take the overall division lead Friday with a win at Hartford with Springfield idle that night. But a long way to go.

Wheeling Update: Justin Almieda playing hero for the Nailers out in Iowa tonight:

Am I reading that graphic right? The Nailers finished the game with 43 shots on goal to the Heartlanders 17? Tommy Nappier from THEE Ohio State with the win for the Nailers only two Wheeling skaters didn’t register a shot on goal. Nailers win 4-3.

Video Highlights: 

Catch you back here Friday to recap the meeting with the Wolf Pack.

Let’s Go Pens!

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Masterful performance by Louis Domingue in net today a bit overshadowed by the fact that he lost a shutout in the dying embers of regulation. How long as it been since the Penguins shutout their opponent?

Anyway, Valtteri Puustinen’s two goals, one in the first and one in overtime, guarantee that the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins take four points out of the weekend with a 2-1 overtime win in Allentown against Lehigh Valley Sunday.

Louis Domingue opposed Samuel Ersson. Here is how they lined up:

This visual is not correct, Jordy Bellerive was out and Michael Chaput was in. That’s the swap up front. With Kris Letting run COVID protocol up top, Pittsburgh recalled Juuso Riikola. In his place Sunday was Niclas Amari.

For the Phantoms…

First Period: You had the Puustinen goal here that highlighted the period:

Second Period: Then you had the Louis Domingue show, highlighted with this save at the death of them second period.

Penguins outshot the Phantoms 13-8 in the period, despite Lehigh Valley’s four power play opportunities.

Third Period: They kept gift wrapping power plays to Lehigh Valley and Domingue kept bailing them out. With :46 left in regulation and Ersson pulled for the extra attacker, Max Willman cleaned up a rebound of a shot from the point.

Tie game. Domingue had to make one more save at the end of the game to preserve a point for his side.

Overtime: Possess the puck. On the off chance you don’t have it, hope your goalie bails you out. With two less guys out there, there is space to make plays.

Valtteri Puustinen to the microphone.

Ballgame.

Three Stars: 3) Sam Ersson (28 of 30 saves) 2) Max Willman (goal) 1) Valtteri Puustinen (two goals, overtime game winner)

Laughable that PPL Center has two guys in the third star selection, including the goalie that gave up the goal to end the game. Homerism at its finest, but such is life at this level.

The Good: Undeterred, they went though a methodical takedown of a floundering, faltering Phantoms offense. How good has Puustinen been?

The Bad: Nitpicking, but you would like to see them complete the job and get their goalie their shutout.

Turning Point: Puustinen’s goal in overtime gets it. You could maybe mix in a Domingue save or two, but no one remembers those, sadly.

Around the Division: Bridgeport blanks Laval 3-0….Springfield is going to be your new #1 team when the Power Rankings come out Tuesday with a 4-1 win in Providence, the Thunderbirds have yet to lose in regulation.

Wheeling and Standings: Nailers kicked off the campaign yesterday and lost. Pens, with the OT win today, bump to third in the division.

Pens and Phantoms rematch Wednesday in Wilkes-Barre.

Video Highlights: Coal Street quick on them this evening…

Power Rankings Tuesday, Weekend Preview Wednesday. I still don’t like weekday hockey games.

Let’s Go Pens!