WBS Pens' weekly report - 1/4

[eastonpensfan]

Sorry this one is a couple days late. I have the flu and have been home but haven't felt up to posting much. There's only so much Ramen noodles and Theraflu you can take though. Time to get back to business. 2 big wins last weekend, a shootout win in Syracuse(where they set a franchise record with 58 shots!) and a too-close-for-comfort 5-4 win at home against Providence.

GOOD:

F Alexei Mikhnov - Mikhnov is playing possessed. He's been using his size (6'5", 230) to create opportunities and then converting. He went 2G+2A with a shootout goal in the Syracuse game. His goal against Providence was incredible. He took the puck off the boards, got slashed by a couple of players and still used his reach to deposit it on the far side on his wraparound move.

D Noah Welch - Welch has had some poor games lately but finally has been putting it together this past weekend. His stats show 1+3 in the 2 games but led the team in shots for the Syracuse game. He's got a cannon from the point and he's doing much better in keeping the puck in on the blueline and controlling the game like a veteran blue-liner. If he can put more games like that together, maybe he earns a return to the Burgh.

UNDECIDED:

G Andrew Penner - Penner played both games and did just enough to win. He had a couple highlight saves on Saturday, but let in a couple soft goals too.

BAD:

RW Dennis Bonvie - Bonvie was a scratch on Saturday and managed exactly 0 shots in a 58 shot game! That says enough. Saturday he gave his lineup spot to an extra D-man, Wade Brookbank, who played Bonvie's 4th line RW spot.

D Ryan Lannon - He just keeps moving farther down the depth chart. It was hoped in training camp that he could challenge for a Pittsburgh spot if there was an injury or 2. But, due to a poor defensive showing on Wednesday (yet again), he was scratched for both games.

It should be a fun weekend this week, with games against Grand Rapids and Hershey, both at Home. If they get 2 wins in these games they will be back in the division race. They are 5 points out, but have played 3 less games than the 2 teams ahead of them.