Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins

[NEPAsteeler]

If anyone's interested, I figured I'd start a thread keeping everyone updated on the Baby Pens out here in NEPA (Northeast PA, we keep it simple and refer to it as NEPA in these parts, lol. Hence my name). I know it's as simple as checking the website, but hey, I have to occupy myself somehow.

As of today, they are 7-4-1-1, 2nd place in their division, coming off a 6-1 victory last night.

Let's Go Pens!

[NEPAsteeler]

Baby Pens lose today to the Hershey Bears.

Record now stands at 8-5-1-1

Still second in their divison.

Let's Go Pens!

[NEPAsteeler]

Wow... I forgot about this.

Anyways, the Baby Pens finished third in our Divison behind the (Capitals' AHL affliate) Hershey Bears and the (Hurricanes' AHL affiliate) Albany River Rats.

To kind of recap the season, it all started back in September when Pittsburgh held the Black and Gold Game out here in Wilkes-Barre in front of a sell-out crowd of over 8,300. It was awesome seeing Sid, Malkin, former Baby Pens, and all of the Pittsburgh Pens play right here in my own backyard. The season started off on a Positive note but kind of hit a snag when Pittsburgh was hit with injuries early in the season and a lot of our guys got called up. December was alright. Then January came along and that was just a down right painful month to endure. Luckily, The Baby Pens really got things going in February and March after a few line-up changes. Then, it was time for some Playoff hockey!

Our first-round opponent was the Albany River Rats. I felt very confident going up against this team because we were 6-0-1-1 (the AHL counts shoot-outs in the points) in the regular season against them. The first two games were in Albany. Keep in mind that since the Hurricanes missed the playoffs this season, they sent a few of their guys down to the River Rats. The first two games went exactly the same: we would take 2-0 leads then the Rats would tie it up late in the 3rd period and eventually win games 1 & 2 3-2 and 4-3 respectively. Then the series shifted home to Wilkes-Barre. Game 3 was more of the same with the Rats winning 2-1. Then came the do or die Game 4. I have never seen such horrible officiating . The Albany players were mauling our guys all game and not one call. I've never heard/been part of so many "REF YOU SUCK ... REF YOU SUCK" chants in one game . Our guys played their hearts out and put up a hell of a fight, but it just wasn't meant to be as we lost 5-3 and were swept in the first round of the playoffs for the first time in team history.

So now, it's up to the Pittsburgh Pens to get it done! LET'S GO PENS!

[SteelCityMom]

Figured I resurrect this thread. I don't get to see the Baby Pens play that often at all...but I try to keep track of their record and how they are playing.

So far this year they are doing phenomenal! A 10-1 record at this point and some of the best goaltending in the AHL. Great to know we have some of the most capable players in waiting in the league.

First-year coach takes Baby Penguins to task
By Jonathan Bombulie, FOR THE TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Sunday, November 14, 2010
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pitt...rce=rss&feed=8

Five weeks into the season, it's become clear that first-year Baby Pens coach John Hynes is more of a stern taskmaster than either of his two predecessors in Wilkes-Barre, Dan Bylsma and Todd Reirden.

Even though the team is off to a 10-1 start, his practices have been fairly long and intense.

During one recent skate, he stopped practice to chew out winger Eric Tangradi for failing to complete a drill, then made the Penguins' top prospect skate the length of the ice twice before the workout resumed.

"Whether we were 5-5 or 6-4 or 10-1, it's about getting better. We want to make sure we make every player here better as the year goes on," Hynes said. "To do that, you have to put the work in in practice and in the weight room on a regular basis."

CAPTAIN CRAIG

Veteran forward Ryan Craig was named 17th captain in Baby Pens history Thursday.

Craig, 28, has 184 games of NHL experience with Tampa Bay and has previously captained the Brandon Wheat Kings in the Western Hockey League and Springfield and Norfolk in the AHL.

"He's got a maturity about him. Not just that he's a very good player, but he understands the dynamic of how a team works and the dynamic of a season and what it takes to be a consistent professional," Hynes said.

Tim Wallace and Andrew Hutchinson are the alternate captains. Brett Sterling and Nick Johnson will fill in when the three permanent captains aren't in the lineup.

PLUS AND MINUS

Second-year pros Robert Bortuzzo and Brian Strait continue to dazzle as the top defensive pair in Wilkes-Barre. They each carried a plus-9 rating into this weekend, good for a tie for second on the AHL plus-minus leaderboard.

They were on the ice as a pair for just two of the first 18 even-strength goals the Baby Pens allowed this season.

On the flip side, veteran offensive defenseman Steve Wagner was on the ice for 12 of those 18 goals.

ALWAYS UP

A little-known fact about speedy 5-foot-8 winger Chris Conner, who was called up from Wilkes-Barre when a flu bug swept through the Penguins' locker room last week: He's played in the NHL for at least eight games in each of his four previous pro seasons. Two years ago, he even spent about half the season with the Dallas Stars, posting three goals and 13 points in 38 games.