WB/S Weekly: Pens End Weekend with Disaster, 9-5 Loss to Checkers

Overall the Pens were 2-2 last week but their most recent game ended terribly. After being down 3-0 and 4-1 early, the WBS Pens tied it up at 4.  But Charlotte erupted for five straight goals in the third in route to a 9-5 victory. A quick recap of the AHL Penguins games this past week.

Wednesday 1/19: 4-1 Win over Syracuse

• John Curry was impressive and had good control of his rebounds for the most part. 23 saves on 24 shots
• Joey Mormina scores his first goal of the season on a third period power play goal. It was Mormina's first goal in his last 42 games, his last goal came against the Pens when he was a member of the Adirondack Phantoms back on March 14th, 2010.
• Andrew Hutchinson returned after missing the Pens last 20 games, picked up an assist on the power play. Hutchinson's return sparked a deflated power play missing its best point guy and their best forward (Jeffrey). They went 3 for 6 that night.

Friday 1/21: 4-2 Loss to Adirondack

• The game was played in the Flyers NHL Arena: the Wells Fargo Center, and over 18,000 were in attendance. The Phantoms had a lot to play for as well as WBS forward Eric Tangradi, who is from the Philadelphia area.
• The Pens outshot the Phantoms 40-16 but the Phantoms got a late goal with 1:30 left in the third, and an empty net goal soon later to seal the deal.
• Brett Sterling saw his six game point scoring streak come to an end. Good news is that he has started off the new year right. He has registered at least one point in ten of the last twelve games to date, all in the month of January.

Saturday 1/22: 6-2 Win over Albany

• Pens continue their shooting gallery (45-23) but this time the pucks find the pack of the net. Sterling scores twice.
• Keven Veilleux nets the game winner; The physical forward has scored a goal in three of his last four games up to that point.
• Geoff Walker had scored just one goal in the first 33 games of the season but has picked up the pace and has scored four goals in his last seven games.

Sunday 1/23: 9-5 loss to Charlotte

• The Pens simply ran out of gas in the third period. After coming back to tie the game at 4 in the second period, the Checkers rang off five straight in the third period.
• Sterling has another two goal performance in a losing effort.
• The loss puts the Pens at 34-11 on the season, still tops in the entire AHL by nine points.