Streaking Tigers: Wilkes-Barre postgame

Would you feel a little more confident in that last penalty kill if you’ve got Scott Mayfield in from Detroit? Probably. But the guys who were here got it done.

Ben Holmstrom said to give a lot of credit to the guys on at the end, so, OK: Bracken Kearns, James Wright, Kevin Czuczman and Ryan Pulock bent (the four of them, literally, in exhaustion after the buzzer) but didn’t break at the end, and Christopher Gibson stopped what got through them.

“We found a way to win. We blocked shots,” Brent Thompson said. “There are a lot of little things we can build on.”
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They’ve built on some of those little things to win six in a row after losing six in a row.

“During the six-game slide, I think we talked, and I said it’s a long season,” Justin Vaive said. “Everyone kind of stuck to it, simplified their game.

“That’s kind of how we played at the start of the season, when we were fresh. … When things are going best, we’re eliminating turnovers, blocking shots, making passes, all the little things.”

A very strong start. Though shots on goal were 2-0 Pens seven minutes in, it wasn’t for lack of trying: I had attempts 10-3 Bridgeport. They outshot the Penguins 14-3 the rest of the period.

“We came out with a really good start,” Ben Holmstrom said. “That can be kind of tough when you’re up and they’re taking all the chances. You’ve got to stay sound.

“We got loose with details, but we found a way to win.”

There were some turnovers. There were some scoring chances. But they limited them and got a big win.

It all reminded me of what Kearns said last night about how 10 games ago, who knows what happens to them. A different kind of game tonight, but the same kind of alternate reality was possible.

“Going through that rut, bounces were going the other way,” Thompson said. “Maybe we’re having a different talk, a different feeling. Guys are sticking with the system.”

……..

Longest winning streak in almost two years (the Olympic Break seven-game streak, which technically ended a victory after everybody got called up). (They took seven of a possible 42 points the rest of the season after that, but anyway.)

Six-game scoring streak for Alan Quine. Oh, and forgot about this last night: Jumped a couple of guys, for crying out loud. Actually, let’s extend it, because HalmoBox is sneaking up on QuineBox a little:

Rank Name GP G-A-Pts
10 Matt Donovan 180 32-87-119
11 Ben Walter 133 40-76-116
12 Rhett Rakhshani 120 44-69-113
13 Jesse Joensuu 177 42-69-111
14 Alan Quine 168* 40-71-111
15 Mark Wotton 368 22-88-110
16 Sean Bentivoglio 226 41-68-109
17 David Ullstrom 140 50-47-97
18 Eric Manlow 102 27-64-94
19 Mike Halmo 186* 44-46-90

*-Through Feb. 6

Kind of old-time hockey in the final minutes, the two captains battling off the draw and throwing the gloves down. “Heat of the moment,” Holmstrom said. “We were battling all night. Sometimes it just happens.”

By coincidence, the Penguins have had a Nailers-esque lineup in Bridgeport’s past two visits. This was the last one, which inspired me, after the strength of that first period for Bridgeport, to look up if the Sound Tigers have ever had shutouts in back-to-back visits anywhere (for whatever it would have meant, over 13 months apart). The answer is no. For what it’s worth.

The sponsor read of Colin McDonald as AHL Player of the Week drew a few claps. Former Penguin.

Prescout, though the Bears also play tomorrow afternoon at home for Binghamton. They’re now just a point behind the Penguins.

Malcolm Subban was injured in warmups tonight in Portland. Chris Roy said he took a puck to the throat.

Portland captain Brent Regner played his first NHL game tonight.

Brendan Gaunce scored five seconds into overtime, tying the AHL record, to win it for Utica at St. John’s. Charles Hudon won it back but Gaunce, taking the draw, jumped past him, took it in and to the left circle, and fired it home. (Neat sweater for the IceCaps tonight.)

Team’s off tomorrow. Enjoy the football game.

Michael Fornabaio