WBS Pens weekly report - 11/6

[eastonpensfan]

Good evening Pens fans... A 1-1 weekend where the Pens looked thoroughly outplayed by a bad Phantoms team until the very end and then came back by beating Norfolk like a rented mule (royalty fee to Mike Lange) both with their fists and on the scoresheet. Let's get it started:

GOOD:
LW Daniel Carcillo - For the weekend, 1+2, a +2 rating, 6 shots, and a 5-minute fighting major. The Admirals were trying to egg him into a second fight but he wasn't having it. Late in the game, they had a fighter line up against him on the faceoff and he was taking a couple of shots that he could have retaliated for, but his only fight was sticking up for Pouliot.

C Erik Christensen - In 2 games, the stats read a ridiculous 2+3, a +1, 10 shots and 2 PIM. No one will argue that he has an excellent scoring touch, but still doesn't seem to care to do the extra work that would get him to the NHL. His best work comes on the PP. That's about the only knock I can give to the now 3rd leading scorer in the AHL.

D Micki DuPont - He lit up the scoresheet this weekend, which is not usually his forte. 1+2, a +2 rating, and 8 shots. He is showing his veteran leadership when he takes the point on the PP now that Welch is in Pittsburgh. All of his points came on the PP.

C Marc-Antoine Pouliot - One word... WOW! 4 goals, an assist, 13 shots, and 2 penalty minutes. Schremp has been dropping the past 2 weeks and Pouliot is moving up and taking his spot. Last week, he turned his defensive work into offensive opportunities and this weekend, he has been rewarded for his work by starting Saturday's game. He was 3rd star on Saturday and 1st star on Sunday.

C Ryan Stone - You wouldn't be impressed with him if you just read the stat sheet (2A, +1, 5 SOG, 7 PIM), but he earned the 2nd star spot he won on Sunday. His work along the boards was instrumental in 2 of the goals and he stood up for his teammates when needed at the end of the Philly game. One of those hard working guys that you love to watch play. You can't really appreciate this player until you see him live. The closest player I can compare him to on the big team is a smaller Thorburn, the definition of an "energy player".

UNDECIDED:

G Andrew Penner - Got the win against Norfolk but they aren't a very skilled team offensively. 29 shots faced-26 saves. Got the job done.

Ds Alain Nasreddine, Tom Gilbert, Ryan Lannon - Naz skipped Sunday's game for the mysterious "personal reasons", giving Curtiss Patrick the chance to become the first PSU player to score in the AHL (with an assist). He was a -1 and invisible in Saturday's game. Both Gilbert and Lannon didn't play as strongly as you would expect from them, but I wouldn't say they were bad, just not their best games.

BAD:

G Jeff Deslauriers - I really hate to put him here, but he let in some SOFT goals against Philly. The defense let him see the shots and he just didn't stop them. The most frustrating part is that you know he's much more talented than this, just like watching MAF last year.

D Matt Carkner - His -3 rating on the weekend pretty much says it all. 9 PIMs on Sunday and did his job in his fight, but that's about the only time.

RW Dennis Bonvie - 1 game, 1 SOG, 1 token fight with Tristan Grant after the period ended. To make it worse, he also picked up a roughing minor on the fight, meaning he put his team shorthanded to start the period, but at least Philly didn't capitalize.

On the Ex-Pens watch, Petr Nedved had a monster game for the Phantoms, going 2+1 and being the first star. It's sad to see how far he has dropped, not even being able to keep a 4th line job on one of the worst teams in the NHL. This week, D Darius Kasparaitis will be playing against the Pens as part of a "conditioning assignment" for the Hartford Wolfpack on Wed.

Still a good team, only 2 losses on the year.