Weekly Wrap-Up - Atlantic Division (Week 17)
Editor's Note: The Penguins remain on top of the Atlantic Division with another consistently strong week, but it's a lot of hot and cold teams below them. The Phantoms appear within striking distance of the number one seed, and have a Saturday showdown with them in Wilkes-Barre. Providence had a lull of a week, but are still comfortably in a playoff position. Charlotte's recent woes have them on the bubble. Bridgeport, for the second straight year, appears to be on the edge of the playoff line heading down the stretch. The WolfPack are streaking, winners of five straight. The Thunderbirds are slowly getting better, and it's bad news bears for Hershey.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
Record Last Week: 2-1-0
The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins headed into the All-Star break with a strong, four-point week that started Wednesday with a 4-0 white-washing of the Bears in Hershey. Zach Aston-Reese and Jarrett Burton both scored for the Penguins in the first. After a scoreless second, former Bear, Christian Thomas notched his 12th goal of the season just before Zach Trotman rounded out the scoring. Anthony Peters recorded his first AHL shutout by making 18 saves on the evening.
Friday in Allentown, the Daniel Sprong scored an unassisted goal just 54 seconds into the game, but the Phantoms rebounded in the final two periods to hand the Penguins a 5-2 set-back. Aston-Reese scored Wilkes-Barre’s other goal. Peters once again was in net, allowing five goals on 30 shots.
But the Penguins rebounded nicely Saturday night with a 4-3 OT victory over the Binghamton Devils. Jean-Sebastien Dea scored the lone goal of the first period just 29 seconds into the game. Kevin Czuczman gave the Penguins a two-goal lead, but that was quickly erased by Nick Lappin who recorded a pair of PP goals to tie the game before the second intermission. In the third, Garrett Wilson briefly put the Penguins back on top, but a Binghamton goal just 35 seconds later forced OT where Aston-Reese finished off a three-goal week. Tristan Jarry made his first appearance in net for the Penguins since October. He recorded 26 saves on 29 shots.
Despite the successful week, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s PP went 0-for-9 on the week. The PK was 13-for-15.
Lehigh Valley Phantoms
Record Last Week: 2-0-1
The Lehigh Valley Phantoms also posted a strong week heading into the All-Star break, securing five of six points starting with a 3-2 victory over Providence on Wednesday night. On Wednesday night, Alex Krushelnyski and Greg Carey each scored in the first period and Mike Vecchione scored in the third to give the Phantoms a three-goal lead. Alex Lyon allowed two goals in a late-game Providence rally, but Alex Lyon’s 30 saves proved to be enough as the Phantoms kept pace with the Atlantic Division-leading Penguins.
On Friday night, the Phantoms moved closer to the Penguins in the standings with a 5-2 drubbing of Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in Allentown. Nicolas Aube-Kubel paced the Phantoms with a two-goal performance. Lehigh Valley also got goals from Carey, T.J. Brennan, and Mike Vecchione. Dustin Tokarski, after allowing two goals on just four shots, was replaced by Lyon who kept the Penguins off the board for just over 53 minutes, stopping all 26 shots.
But the Phantoms win streak was stopped Saturday by the Utica Comets who posted a 3-2 OT victory over Lehigh Valley in Allentown. Vecchione scored the lone goal of the first period, but Utica tied the game early in the second before Oskar Lindblom put the Phantoms back on top before the second intermission. In the third, Lehigh Valley was 58 second away from sweeping the week with Utica tied the game. In OT, the Comets got the game winner just over a minute in. Dustin Tokarski made 30 saves on 33 shots.
Lehigh Valley went 0-for-4 on the PP on the week; they did not have any PP chances against Providence. The PK was a perfect 8-for-8.
Providence Bruins
Record Last Week: 1-2-0
The Providence Bruins got a victory over the Hershey Bears, but were dealt a pair of losses on the week and dropped to third in the standings. On Wednesday night, the Bruins fell 3-2 at Lehigh Valley. Kenny Agostino and Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson each scored late in the third period, but the Providence come-back bid fell just short. Zane McIntyre made 20 saves on 23 shots. The Bruins were not whistled for a penalty in the game.
On Friday night, the Bruins scored three times on the PP as Providence downed the Bears, 5-2. Ryan Fitzgerald, Tommy Cross, and Austin Czarnik each tallied on the man-advantage for Providence. Jakub Zboril notched his first goal of the season while Josh Hennessy accounted for Providence’s other goal. McIntyre made 27 saves on 29 shots.
But Providence was unable to make it two-in-a-row as the Thunderbirds dealt Providence a 5-2 loss Saturday night in Springfield. Agostino scored just 11 seconds into the game, but Springfield scored four-straight goals before Czarnik added a PP goal in the third. Jordan Binnington allowed five goals on 33 shots.
Providence went 5-for-13 on the PP this week while the Bruins were 6-for-10 on the PK. The Bruins were not called for a penalty Wednesday night in Lehigh Valley.
Charlotte Checkers
Record Last Week: 0-2-0
The Charlotte Checkers traveled to Hartford for a pair of games this weekend and fell in both the the Wolf Pack.
On Friday night, the Checkers fell 3-2 in a three-round shootout. Josiah Didier netted his first goal of the season in the second period and Valentin Zykov scored on the PP in the third to tie the game at 2-2. In the shootout, Zykov scored Charlotte’s lone goal while Hartford got two pucks past Alex Nedeljkovic who posted 19 saves on 21 shots before the shootout.
In the rematch on Saturday, the Checkers were blanked by Hartford, 4-0. Jeremy Smith was lifted just past the midway point in the game after allowing three goals on 13 shots. Nedeljkovic made 11 saves on 11 shots as Hartford’s final goal was an empty netter.
Bridgeport Sound Tigers
Record Last Week: 2-1-0
The Sound Tigers pulled closer to the Checkers for the fourth and final playoff position with victories over Springfield and Hershey this week. On Wednesday night, Bridgeport posted a 3-1 victory over the Thunderbirds. John Stevens, Travis St. Denis, and Josh Holmstrom scored goals for Bridgeport. Kristers Gudlevskis nearly had a shutout as he stopped 19 of 20 shots.
In the rematch on Friday night in Springfield, the Thunderbirds emerged with a 5-3 victory. Kellen Jones tied the game early in the second period and Ryan Bourque scored a pair of goals in the third, but Springfield added an insurance marker late in the third. Gudlevskis made 27 saves on 32 shots in the loss.
On Saturday, the Sound Tigers finished off their January schedule on a high note with a 3-1 victory over Hershey. Scott Eansor scored a pair of goals and Ben Holmstrom added a short-handed, empty net goal late in the third. Christopher Gibson made 32 saves on 33 shots and had the secondary assist on Eansor’s first goal of the evening.
Bridgeport went 2-for-9 on the PP this week. Meanwhile, the PK was 11-for-13 with a shorthanded goal scored against Hershey.
Hartford Wolf Pack
Record Last Week: 3-0-0
Hartford secured a six-point week with a pair of victories over Charlotte and a 4-3 OT victory over Utica Wednesday night. Cole Schneider, Adam Tambellini, and Adam Chapie all scored in regulation for Hartford before Schneider netted the game-winner in OT. Alexandar Georgiev made 27 saves on 30 shots in net for the Pack.
On Friday night, Hartford needed a three-round shootout to secure the first of two victories over the Charlotte Checkers. Cristoval Nieves and Tambellini each scored in the second period for Hartford. Tambellini and Filip Chytil each notched goals in the shootout while Hartford netminder, Georgiev allowed just one. Prior to the shootout, Georgiev made 21 saves on 23 shots.
In Saturday’s rematch, the Pack scored three in the second and one in the third for their first regulation decision in five games. Scott Kosmachuk, Vinni Lettieri, Tambellini, and Dan Catenacci all posted goals. Georgiev recorded his second shutout of the season with a 38-save performance.
Hartford’s PP was 4-for-16 on the week, while the PK went 9-for-12.
Springfield Thunderbirds
Record Last Week: 2-1-0
The Thunderbirds secured four of six points on the week with victories over Bridgeport and Providence. Their lone loss of the week came Wednesday in Bridgeport as the Sound Tigers jumped out to an early lead en route to a 3-1 victory. Anthony Greco scored the lone goal for the Thunderbirds. Evan Cowley made 21 saves on 24 shots in the loss for Springfield.
But the Thunderbirds returned the favor Friday night with a 5-3 victory over Bridgeport in Springfield. Greco opened the scoring with a shorthanded goal. In the second, Thomas Schemitsch tallied unassisted while Greg Chase recorded his first goal of the season. In the third, Mikkel Aagaard scored the eventual game-winner while Greco added an insurance marker. Cowley earned the victory in net with 33 saves on 36 shots.
Cowley and Springfield made it three-for-three on Saturday with a 5-2 victory over the Providence Bruins. Alexandre Grenier recorded two PP goals while Bobby Farnham also scored on the man-advantage. Greco added a shorthanded goal, Chase Balisy scored Springfield’s lone even-strength goal. Cowley made 34 saves on 36 shots.
Springfield’s PP was 4-for-14 on the week. The PK was 10-for-12.
Hershey Bears
Record Last Week: 0-3-0
Hershey’s three straight losses this week put the Bears in last place in the Atlantic Division. On Wednesday, the Bears were blanked, 4-0 by the visiting Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Pheonix Copley made 17 saves on 21 shots. Hershey’s PP was 0-for-6 on the evening.
Things didn’t get much better for the Bears on Friday in Providence as the Bruins emerged with a 5-2 victory. Tyler Graovac scored on the PP for Hershey and Zach Sill added a goal in the third, but it wasn’t enough as Hershey’s winless streak climbed to seven games. Vitek Vanecek stopped 23 of 28 Providence shots in the loss.
Hershey’s league leading eighth-straight loss came Saturday at the hands on the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. Nathan Walker scored Hershey’s lone goal on the PP in the third, but Bridgeport emerged with the 3-1 victory over the Bears.
On the week, Hershey’s PP was a miserable 2-for-15. The PK was 8-for-12.
Atlantic Division Standings as of January 31st, 2018
W-B/Scranton: 42 GP, 26-12-3-1, 56 points, .667 pct Lehigh Valley: 45 GP, 26-13-3-3, 58 points, .644 pct Providence: 44 GP, 25-15-3-1, 54 points, .614 pct Charlotte: 44 GP, 24-18-0-2, 50 points, .568 pct Bridgeport: 44 GP, 22-16-4-2, 50 points, .568 pct Hartford: 46 GP, 20-20-3-3, 46 points, .500 pct Springfield: 47 GP, 21-24-1-1, 44 points, .468 pct Hershey: 45 GP, 17-21-3-4, 41 points, .456 pct
This Week’s Atlantic Division Schedule
Friday, February 2
Springfield at Bridgeport - 7:00 PM Hartford at Providence - 7:05 PM Charlotte at Lehigh Valley - 7:05 PM Hershey at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton - 7:05 PM
Saturday, February 3
Providence at Hartford - 7:00 PM Charlotte at Hershey - 7:00 PM Belleville at Bridgeport - 7:00 PM Lehigh Valley at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton - 7:05 PM
Sunday, February 4
Charlotte at Hershey - 2:00 PM
Edited by: Tony Androckitis
