The WBS Penguins took on the St. John ‘s IceCaps tonight in front of yet another sparse crowd at the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza attendance says 4.272 but I can’t even see how that could be we had only 32 people in our section, we need more people more noise it got loud when the boys scored but we need it that way all the time.

Anyway the Pens came out looking ok the IceCaps came out looking to take their second game. Brad Thiessen was in net for the Pens fending off the IceCaps early attack, the Pens had a few nice chances as well but Eddie Pasquale held them out too. Late in the first Brock Trotter would score on a nice slap pass to him making it 1-0 IceCaps heading to the dressing room after one period.

The second frame the Penguins came out looking to even things up but just could seem to find the handle on things. WBS was handed three yes three power plays in a row and two of them turned in to 5 on 3 situations but the Penguins just could seem to find a rip in the IceCaps liner to get the puck through Pasquale even robbing O’Reilly on a shot you just knew was in.

End of two it was still St. John’s one Penguins nothing Penguins holding the IceCaps to zero shots on net in the second but still trailing looking to catch up in the third period.

The third period was not pretty the IceCaps were looking to keep the Penguins right where they were and the Pens were looking to get on the scoreboard .Penguins were really having a tuff time with the puck a couple of bad turnovers and some miss played passes really gave them a hard time it seemed.

Late in the period Colin McDonald made a great play getting Eric Tangradi the puck who stuffed it past Pasquale making it one all and igniting the Penguin crowd.

It would end 1-1 in regulation forcing the OT, WBS would look good getting a couple of great runs and chances but St. John’s would come out on top Brock Trotter would get his second of the night giving his team the win and looking toward tomorrow night’s game. If you don’t have your tickets get them tomorrow and come to the game it will be a good one.

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Tonight’s game started out great for the Penguins out shooting the IceCaps 6-0 in the first four minutes of the game. The WBS Penguins went on the first power play of the game but could not convert.

WBS got handed a second chance and still couldn’t get it together for a goal but thirty seconds after the power play the Penguins would get on the board as “Big Dog” Eric Tangradi would pop home a rebound making it 1-0 Penguins.

The IceCaps would get two chances as well on late in the period and they would convert it making it a one to one hockey game heading off the ice for the first intermission. Pens looking good so far in this game a little better puck handling and a better discipline so far.

Second period starts everything even on the scoreboard WBS getting some good chances early on and the IceCaps almost go up by one on a breakaway by John Albert but Thiessen comes up with a big save. Bortuzzo decks Jason King and King comes at Bortuzzo with an elbow drawing a penalty giving the Pens a power play chance, Pens getting some good shots on net but not getting the bounce they wanted.

Jason King would come out of the box for a very short time take a hooking penalty and put the Pens back on the power play looking for that go ahead goal but could not seem to get it going this time with 12:52 left in the second still looking at a 1-1 game in Newfoundland.

Colin McDonald and Philip Samuelsson get a chance but couldn’t get it in the Pens were starting to pick it up just a bit, and the IceCaps doing the same just six minutes left in the second and still one to one but both sides getting some good looks. Samuelsson would sit with 3:19 left in the second for a cross check giving the IceCaps a great chance to go one up before the break, the Pens hold and keep it 1-1 heading off the ice.

Tangradi takes a hooking penalty early in the third period giving the IceCaps the chance they are looking for, but it would be the Penguins who capitalize on it as Cal O’Reilly gets it to Joey Mormina who nails a short handed goal putting the Penguins up by one.

Penguins go on the power play as St. John’s sits for a hold giving the Pens a chance to get an insurance goal and that’s is exactly what they do a nice tic tac toe play and Jason Williams puts it in the net with fifteen minutes to go in the game, still a lot of time to play but the Pens looking sharp.

9:58 Left in the game and the Penguins go on the power play again looking to increase the lead by yet another goal if they could creating more breathing room, with a team like St. John’s it is always a good thing. But just as it gets going Alexandre Picard gets called for a hook and nullifies the Penguins power play now looking at 4 on 4 hockey with the IceCaps getting a very brief power play.

IceCaps really going for it with less than five minutes left but the Penguins defending well keeping the puck away from Thiessen limiting their shots on net. Colin McDonald would take a late delay of game penalty giving the IceCaps a chance to get in to this game St. John’s would pull the goalie making it a 6 on 4 Pens hunker down and kill the penalty.

Now we are looking at a game five for sure as the Penguins take game 2 in Newfoundland heading home for games 3-4-5 hoping to end this series at home. Great game Great win and Great chat tonight, thanks to all that dropped in hope to see you all again in the chat soon.

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Wilkes-Barre/Scranton gets on the boards first with a nice power play goal by
Cal O’Reilly after a rocky start by the Pens giving the IceCaps a few close chances with some bad WBS turn overs early on. The IceCaps had 11 shots on goal playing only seven minutes of hockey really testing the Penguins D and goal tending.

IceCaps get a chance to even it up as Alex Grant would sit for a hook Brad Thiessen looking stellar in net so far this game really keeping the Penguins in this game. WBS would kill the IceCaps first power play chance keeping the score one nothing Penguins. WBS leading at this point in the game but playing a little sloppy hope it doesn’t turn and bite them.

WBS gives up a penalty shot nearing the end of the first as Robert Bortuzzo slashesJason King but Thiessen saves it in grand fashion, then Ben Street gets called for holding the stick giving the IceCaps yet another chance but the Pens kill it again. After the first period it was the WBS Penguins one the St. John’s IceCaps 0 heading for the dressing room IceCaps out shooting the Penguins 20 – 4

The second period saw more action like the first the Penguins getting a few chances and the IceCaps as well, St. John’s would capitalize on one of those chances just over seven minutes into the second frame as Brock Trotter would get one past Thiessen to even things up. Not much in the way of power plays this period the IceCaps not giving any away and the Pens only sitting once in the bin so far it’s been a good game at the end of two it would be 1-1

The Pens came out hard in the third looking to get the go ahead goal, a few problems held play up for about 2 to 3 minutes giving the boys a rest and then right off the face off St. John’s Brock Trotter comes in on Thiessen and tucks one in near the post making it 2-1 IceCaps early in the third.

WBS would get a chance to even it up on the power play as the IceCaps took an interference penalty but the Pens would have trouble with the power play and not be able to get this one converted, some good chances just no good bounces.

With ten minutes left in regulation the game started to take a more physical route the Pens picking up the hitting and the IceCaps hacking and whacking a little more as well. Trotter almost got a HT but rang it off the crossbar. With just 4 minutes left in the game things weren’t looking good for the Pens, as time was ticking away Thiessen came out to play the puck shot it off a shin pad right to St. John’s Garth Murray who would get the IceCaps 3rd of the game to make it 3-1.

That would be the final 3-1 IceCaps looking forward to tomorrows game in Newfoundland the WBS Penguins looking to even the series up at one each.

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The WBS Penguins played host to the Hershey Bears tonight in a must win game five in a best of five series at Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza.  Now the Penguins will move on to face the St. John’s IceCaps in the next round, beginning Tuesday in Newfoundland.

The Pens were leading this series heading out of Wilkes-Barre down to Chocolate town for what the WBS fans thought was going to be a deciding game three but it turned out to be a Hershey game three and four, so the Pens had to come back to the WBS fans for the win in game five. Not a walk in the park win either the Bears were looking to send the Penguins golfing but ended up calling for their own tee times.

The Penguins would get on the board first tonight as did every home team during this series but it took them the better part of two period to do so but when they did they found it twice in under ten seconds. The first score came on a double minor power play for the Penguins Colin McDonald knocked down a clearing attempt and skated toward the crease he backhanded the puck that Cal O’Reilly knocked over the blocker of Bears goalie Dany Sabourin making it one nothing Penguins.

Then as the Bears were shaking it off and getting ready for the face off the Penguins struck again right off the face off Brian Strait knocked the puck into the Hershey zone it bounced off the corner boards into the slot, Zach Sill kind of chipped the shot past Dany Sabourin giving the Penguins a two to nothing lead and really getting the Pens crowd going.

The Bears weren’t going to crawl into their cave yet they still want to go one in the post season as do we and fight they did. Hershey came back with a goal of their own just twenty three seconds into the third period giving their fans a glimmer of hope but the Penguins had it under control. It was an action filled third period to say the least both teams really getting after it and the officials letting the boys play.

Just one note on the Penguins first goal I forgot to mention this was the first power play goal in eleven power plays, actually if you count the double minor as two sepperate power plays it would be in twelve.

Great game tonight great win for the WBS Penguins, now it is on to Newfoundland to take on the IceCaps. I have to say the Hershey fans weren’t to brutal leaving the arena tonight mumbling things like well you wont be so happy when the IceCaps get you and, yeah you wont be chanting after you play St. John’s. All I can say is this, if it was the Bears that won you all would be singing a different tune yes we all love our teams and yes we all want to see them advance and possibly win the Calder Cup but when your team plays hard and comes up short you’re better off just not to say anything because you come off looking bad.

Hershey my hats off to you, you were a good opponent and it was a great series hope you enjoy the off season see you all next season.

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With 9 minutes gone in the first period Kevin Marshall takes a tripping penalty putting the WBS penguins in the power play giving them a chance to get the scoring stated. Pens have a hard time getting set up two cough ups almost gave Hershey a short handed goal but the recovered, but didn’t convert. With five minute left in first still no score.

Hershey would score first on a bad bounce past Thiessen pitting the Bears up one to nothing making this the fourth game in this series that the home team would score first. Pens would get a late power play in the first but would have no luck.

Bears would take a too many men 1:34 in pens looking slow on the ice. Bears kill it.

Joey Mormina would sit in the second giving the bears a chance to go up by two and that they do on a nice backhander by Boyd Kane making it two for two on the power play for Hershey. WBS would get a chance just after the goal as Collins would sit for a high stick.

Penguins get their sixth power play of the game and don’t convert, that is zero for six at this point for the pens not looking good for special teams again tonight.

Finally as the Bears struggle on a break out Alex Grant keeps it in and gets it to Jason Williams who gets the Pens on the boards.

Pens picking it up in the third looking to get back into the game and make up the goals they are behind looking to end this series here but is it to little to late.

Marshall would sit for the Bears giving the Pens their eighth power play giving them the even up chance

but nothing going their way. Just over half way through the third Pens still looking to make this a two two game.

Eric Tangradi takes a selfish penalty throwing the puck at a Hershey player giving the Bears a chance to go up by two and that they do making it 3-2 Bears with only nine minutes left in the game the Bears are now 3 for 4 on the power play.

Penguins get a ninth chance but again yes you know the drill do not
convert really taking the wind out of their sails Pens just not looking good maybe they should go back to what they were doing in games one and two.

Bears win this 4-1

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The WBS Penguins went to Chocolate town tonight to take on the Hershey bears looking to put the series to bed with a clean sweep, the Bears have other plans looking to go the distance. The Big question tonight would be how would the guys that were sent back from Pittsburgh mingle with the boys that took game one and two in WBS.

Almost four minutes into tonight’s game there was still zero shots on net for the Hershey bears but it wouldn’t take them long, just four shots later the hershey Bears would get on the boards with a garbage goal bouncing it off a skate and putting it behind Brad Thiessen making it 1-0 Bears.

Colin McDonald would have the chance of the period as the Penguins were on the power play later in the period as Jacob Micflikier sat for Hershey but Dany Sabourin would make a point blanks save on McDonald keeping his team in the lead. Hershey is playing this game with everything they have fighting for their playoff lives since a loss here would send them golfing for the summer.

WBS turns the puck over for the second time in their own defensive zone and Hershey capitalized on a double screened Thiessen making it a 2-0 game with only six shots on net, getting the Bears second goal would be Cameron Schilling with less than three minutes left in the first period.

Then late in the first period the Pens get a huge chance Hershey would sit for a high stick penalty putting the Pens on a power play, WBS would not convert in the first period and will have a very brief :51 of power play to start the second frame looking to get this game with in one goal.

Cal O’Reilly would get the Penguins on the board with a rebound goal Geoff Walker who would get it on net the rebound would come to O’Reilly who would put it past Sabourin making it 2-1 giving the Penguins a glimmer. Pens really coming out hard in the second looking to even this game up.

Pens go on the PK early in the second period giving the Bears a glorious chance to put some distance in the score, but the WBS Penguins kill it off. To add insult to injury the Pens hand the Bears another power play just as they killed the last one off with a bad line change getting called for too many men on the ice.

WBS would get a power play at 8:12 of the second but could not even get a set up, a little different from the first two games looked a little as if the boys coming back from Pitt were just a little off, something we were afraid of with the changes in the line up. Cal O’Reilly coughed up the puck deep but a hit from Graham Mink on Joey Mormina would kill the play drawing a cross check penalty and a bullshit cheer from the Bears fans.

WBS wound up the power play again hoping to get something out of this one, boys would get set up this time after three attempts but had trouble handling the puck still turning it over, finally getting it worked out Bryan Lerg would get a great chance but no good Simon Despres just letting the puck out of the zone more than he should on this power play. After two periods of play the Pens would trail the Bears 2-1 Penguins not looking as good as the did the first two games at times even confused.

Penguins come out for the third Alexandre Picard coughing it up off the start almost gave Hershey a goal that would have turned this game bad for the Pens. Penguins getting some good chances and finally Eric Tangradi would take a pass from Paul Thompson and would put it past Dany Sabourin making it two all.

Nick Petersen over skates a great chance to open the scoring up and Robert Bortuzzo takes a goaltender interference penalty giving Hershey a chance to take the lead again. WBS would kill it and would have nine minutes to play looking to put this series to bed tonight.

WBS would turn the puck over at center Ice Hershey’s Kyle Greentree would pick it up take it in and score making it 3-1. Pens would go on the power play but would not get a conversion but would draw a slash just as the power play expired giving WBS a second chance with just over four minutes in regulation.

WBS having trouble yet again setting up the power play not looking as sharp as the first two games in the series, but with 3:17 to go Alex Grant lets go of a great slap shot and evens the game at 3. That’s where the regulation would end sending this game into OT.

OT started both teams really looking for it Simon Despres continued to have some trouble then Nick Petersen takes a bad high stick penalty giving the Bears a chance that they really really want and the Pens really really don’t. The Bears were going for it putting as much talent on the ice as possible hoping to get this game done on this power play and the gamble would pay off. The Hershey Bears would win 4-3 and would take this series to Friday in Hershey.

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W-B/Scranton heads to Hershey for Game 3 on Wednesday

LAST WEEK’S RESULTS

FRIDAY, APRIL 20: PENGUINS 3, Bears 1…

Colin McDonald’s two-goal performance helped Wilkes-Barre/Scranton take the first game of their Eastern Conference Quarterfinal series against the Hershey Bears by a final score of 3-1.

The Penguins went ahead, 2-0, in the second period on a power play goal by Cal O’Reilly, his first in a Wilkes-Barre/Scranton uniform. Defenseman Alexandre Picard notched two assists in the contest.

Mike Carman ended the shutout bid for Penguins goalie Brad Thiessen, scoring with 1:52 left in regulation. Thiessen stopped the other 19 shots he faced in the win.

SATURDAY, APRIL 21 PENGUINS 7, Bears 2…

A four-goal outburst in the first period sparked a 7-2 victory for the Penguins over the Bears at Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza.

McDonald posted his second straight game with two goals, opening the scoring at 1:19 of the first and adding a power play tally with less than two minutes remaining in regulation. Jason Williams recorded three assists for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

Ben Street converted a penalty shot for the first time in Penguins playoff history – a shorthanded marker coming midway through the third period.

Thiessen won his second straight start, needing only 14 saves as Wilkes-Barre/Scranton held Hershey to just 16 shots.

PENGUINS TEAM LEADERS as of 4/23/12…

PLAYER                  GP    G    A    PTS

Colin McDonald      2      4      1      5

Jason Williams         2      0      5      5

Alexandre Picard     2      0      3      3

Geoff Walker            2      1      1       2

Alex Grant                2      0      2       2

Player                 GP     REC   SO    GAA    SV%

Brad Thiessen    2       2-0 0             1.50      .917

RECORD WEEKEND…

In taking a 2-0 lead in their first-round series against Hershey, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton set several milestones during the weekend. The 10 goals scored over the first two games were the most in team history to open a playoff series. Ben Street’s shorthanded penalty shot goal on Saturday was not only the first of its kind for the Penguins in the playoffs, but was also the first-ever conversion for the franchise. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton was held scoreless in its previous three penalty shot chances. Finally, the Penguins tied a team postseason record on Saturday when they held the Bears to 16 shots (Apr. 20, 2004 vs. Bridgeport)

ICE CHIPS…

Colin McDonald is tied for the league lead with four postseason goals and Jason Williams ranks first with five assists…On Saturday, the line of McDonald, Williams and Matt Rust combined for seven points (3g-4a) and a +9 plus-minus rating…The Penguins have outscored Hershey 5-0 in the first period…Cody Wild, Matt Rust and Ben Street all picked up their first career playoff AHL goal on Saturday against the Bears.

PENGUINS RECENT TRANSACTIONS…

04/23/2012 Brian Strait D ADD Returned on loan from Pittsburgh (NHL)

04/23/2012 Eric Tangradi LW ADD Returned on loan from Pittsburgh (NHL)

04/23/2012 Simon Despres D ADD Returned on loan from Pittsburgh (NHL)

04/23/2012 Dominik Uher C ADD Signed to ATO

04/23/2012 Reid McNeill D ADD Signed to ATO

UPCOMING GAMES

GAME 3 – WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 7:00 PM: Penguins @ BEARS

GAME 4 – FRIDAY, APRIL 27, 7:00 PM: Penguins @ BEARS – if necessary

GAME 5 – SATURDAY, APRIL 28, 7:05 PM: PENGUINS vs. Bears – if necessary

The Penguins are now 14-13 in 27 playoff games versus the Bears with Hershey holding the 3-2 series edge all-time.

Mike Carman scored his first career playoff goal as a pro with his tally on Friday night against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Hershey’s power play, ranked first during the regular season, is scoreless in four opportunities over the first two games of the series.