Chirps from Center Ice

           vs.            

4                                                    3

–

I knew they were young at the back, I didn’t think they were that young at the back.

The Penguins played five rookie defensemen in their opening contest against Binghamton, delayed 48 hours because of COVID and carried a 3-1 lead into the third period. That was where they were met with a Devils buzzsaw. Binghamton gets two in the third and the one in overtime to win 4-3 Monday evening.

Emil Larmi opposed Evan Cormier.

Here is how they lined up:

Lineup Notes: If you are wondering where Shane Starrett is, you aren’t the only one. Apparently he is still getting in shape and they have Brochu backing up. I guess that explains his horrible ECHL numbers….Jan Drozg was scratched because of COVID….earlier Monday the Pens signed Tim Schaller to an AHL contract.

First Period: They went back and forth for about fourteen minutes in a virtual deadlock and then Jordy Bellerive scored the first goal of the 2021 season (I am not calling it 2020-21) when he chipped a puck off of the wall and put the shot on Cormier which ricocheted off him to Devils defenseman Brandon Gignac and careened into the net for a goal.

–

They closed the period a defense mess, which I suppose you will need to get used to dressing 5 of 6 rookie defenseman but Emil Larmi was up to task, stopping Tyler Irvine and then ex-Penguin Ben Street on separate chances.

Foreshadowing.

Second Period: I was ready to point out some more lax defending by the rookies, but then play by play man Nick Hart noted that Binghamton was without a shot with about six minutes left to play, then get a flurry of shots and one of them goes in, deflecting off of Nolan Foote’s foot and in.

–

Matt Miller takes a puck off the helmet while the Penguins were on a penalty kill.

–

It didn’t take long for the Penguins to regain the lead when Josh Currie scored his first as Penguins captain on a power play.

–

Then, an absolute gaffe of epic proportions by the Binghamton Devils.

On a delayed penalty against the Penguins, Evan Cormier leaves his net. Binghamton plays the puck back and it eludes everyone, Cormier included, and rolls harmlessly into the net to give Wilkes-Barre a 3-1 lead.

–

Sometimes you’re the hammer, sometimes you’re the nail.

Third Period: That slow start that I eluded to in the second period by the Devils was non-existent in the third. Binghamton peppers Larmi with shots and gets one to go when Danick Martel redirects a Tyler Irvine shot at the net which beats Larmi to cut the Penguins lead to just one.

–

Devils continue to roll, outshooting the Penguins at a four to one pace and Ryan Schmelzer sees a shot hit the post then hits him in the chest, where he sweeps it in the net to tie the game at three.

–

Penguins would get a late power play. Jon Gruden digs a puck off of the wall and tries to beat Cormier over the glove but the Binghamton goalie makes the save.

It was then off to…

Overtime: Reilly Walsh didn’t waste any time with all that open ice.

–

Three Stars: 3) Cam Lee (two assists) 2) Danick Martel (goal, assist) 1) Reilly Walsh (overtime game winning goal)

The Good: Power play clicked at a 50% pace. Probably not sustainable in the long term, but good to see.

The Bad: That defense is green, man. No answer whatsoever for the blitzkrieg the Devils unloaded in the third period at a four to one pace. Got to tighten up.

Turning Point: Late power play, game on the line and the Penguins come up empty. Game heads to overtime. Binghamton wins it. It may be meaningless because I don’t think they are doing playoffs, but two points would have been nice in this shortened season versus just one.

 Around the Division: They all watched us.

Standings: I am not going to pay much attention to this until there is word on if there will be a playoff. Don’t bet on it.

Wheeling Feeling: The Nailers were off.

Video Highlights: Coal Street didn’t offer any.

Let’s Go Pens!

Stay safe.

The final dress rehearsal before they do this for real was held at the PPL Center Thursday night after a delay from snow pushed the game back a few days. Emil Larmi went the distance again for the Penguins in goal, stopping 29 shots in a 2-0 Phantoms win Thursday night. Some of Larmi’s saves were highlight reel saves. 

But the Penguins couldn’t get anything going offensively and would get shut out. 

Here’s how they lined up….

–

Lineup Notes: Why don’t we just worry about this when the regular season starts for real, yeah?

First Period: Ten saves for Larmi in the period, teams trade power plays.

Second Period: Phantoms strike first after a penalty kill. Chris Bigras pounces on a rebound and scores to give the Phantoms a 1-0 lead. Penguins had two chances at a power play.

Third Period: Larmi gets screened and Tyler Wotherspoon shoots and scores to give the Phantoms a 2-0 lead. Seems like they stepped in something great in Newark a few nights ago against the Devils and no matter what they could do, tonight just wasn’t the Penguins night. 

Wilkes-Barre did kill a five on three against, so there is a bit of a silver lining. 

That’s pretty much it. Not really much to write home about for this one. They do it for real in some cities as early as Friday. 

–

So that will do it for preseason. The Pens get going for real Saturday at 5 at home against Binghamton, who will have played the night before at home against Hershey. Gameday setup will be here at 1. I don’t have anything for you in the way of league previews because I really haven’t put too much effort into it if I am being honest. Binghamton will be looking to recapture the hot run they were on when last season got canned, Hershey got Pheonix Copley back from Washington to play goal. Lehigh Valley may be a bit of a mystery and Syracuse will contend. I’m not paying attention to Rochester or Utica because the Penguins don’t play them. So boom, there is your 30 second, four team preview. 

Let’s Go Pens!

Stay safe.

They were originally slated to play this game on Monday, but because of the snow, moved it to Sunday. Hey, at least it wasn’t because of a COVID related something.

The Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins traveled to Newark, NJ where the Binghamton Devils will play their 2021 home campaign from this season and win 5-1. Not bad for a team together for about 72 hours, having opened training camp this past Friday.

Here’s how they lined up for the game, just their third game together as training camp started Friday:

Hashtag overload.

Devils didn’t post lines, or else I would have added them here. Evan Cormier started for Binghamton in goal. Both goalies played the entire game.

Again, with this being preseason, and the first one to boot, regular names like Jordan Nolan and others weren’t involved in the contest. Expect that to change when they do this for real, or as real as it can get in the middle of a pandemic, this Saturday.

First Period: They withstood an early push from the Devils to start, then Tim Schaller, in camp on a PTO, scored on the Penguins first shot of the game.

Thank you again to Taylor for allowing me to embed the goals and stuff in the blog pieces. It is appreciated.

Pens had a power play which looked about as good as you would expect from a team who are historically bad at them, just three days together as a unit.

Scare later in the period where Binghamton found itself on :31 of five on three. Emil Larmi made a save through a pile of bodies and the penalty killing unit made it out unscathed.

Second Period: Josh Maniscalco’s shot from the point beats Evan Cormier which extended the Penguins lead to two.

–

Evan Cormier was really keeping his team in the game, stopping Justin Almeida and Michael Joly on breakaway attempts. The Penguins killed off two more penalties in the period.

Third Period: Chase Berger sets up Zach Nastasiuk who beats Cormier five hole and the Penguins went ahead 3-0.

Binghamton gets on the board when Riley Walsh picks off Emil Larmi out of his net and scores to make it 3-1.

Cormier vacated for the extra attacker and Tim Schaller hit a post but Jordy Bellerive was there to push the puck into the empty net.

Pens get a gaol from John Gruden who grinds one past Cormier to make it 5-1 Penguins for good measure.

Thoughts: The feed was horrible. They are playing in a practice rink so there are nets everywhere. They are not going to take the net down for games so expect that when you play Binghamton in Newark this year. Jon Lizotte played a solid game. They looked good, Larmi played well and Binghamton was chasing the game from the very beginning. Nice way to clamp down and not let the Devils back into the game, killing off those early penalties and the like.

They are back at it again Tuesday down in Allentown, suspect weather permitting. I did not see any place where the Phantoms would be doing a Facebook Live, so it will probably be radio only, so that means I will drop in and do my best to recap what I can for you here Tuesday. They get going for real on Saturday.

Let’s Go Pens!

Stay safe.