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By PATRICK WILLIAMS
Special to the Times Leader
Thursday, March 13, 2003 Page: 1B
WILKES-BARRE TWP. – Playoff hockey is all about hard work, second and third
efforts and strong work on the power play, not to mention a healthy dose of
grit. Lack those elements and the postseason usually is brief.
The Penguins produced little of those ingredients in Wednesday night’s 2-0
loss to the Saint John Flames at the First Union Arena.
The loss stalled the Penguins (29-28-5-5) at 68 points, good for the
seventh spot in the Western Conference. Sixth-place Hershey tied Norfolk
Wednesday night, leaving the Bears six points ahead of Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
Overtaking Hershey for sixth-place would enable the Penguins to avoid the
three-game miniseries to open the playoffs. Idle Milwaukee, meanwhile, remains
one point behind the Pens.
“We’ve got to get back to basics,” coach Glenn Patrick said. “Get the puck
low, do a lot of banging, down and dirty hockey. We’ve got to get going.”
“I thought we were ready to get on a roll. It’s disappointing and
frustrating,” Patrick continued. “We need a better effort.”
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton ran into a desperate club in the Flames, who entered
the contest five points out of the Eastern Conference’s final playoff berth.
J.F. Boutin and former Penguin Martin Sonnenberg posted goals for the Flames
(26-34-5-1, 58 points). Saint John netminder Dany Sabourin’s shutout was his
second in his AHL career.
Penguins goaltender Jean-Sebastien Aubin finished with 26 saves.
Working through the second game of a nine-game road swing, the Flames
played a patient game and settled for a close-checking tilt. For their part,
rather than playing the kind of wide-open hockey that has slowly moved the
Penguins up the Western Conference ladder since November, the hosts watched
Saint John dominate play. Smothered by the Flames’ defense for much of the
night, the Penguins put 33 shots on Sabourin.
The game started out well enough for the Penguins. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
attacked Sabourin early. Toby Petersen and Colby Armstrong generated scoring
chances in close within the game’s first two minutes.
Then the Saint John defense clamped down. Time after time,
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton forwards failed to corral rebounds near Sabourin.
Newcomer Micki Dupont, who played 44 games with the Flames, credited Saint
John for cluttering the Penguins’ shooting lanes while forcing the Pens away
from the middle of the ice. The shots that the Penguins did send through to
Sabourin often were of the routine variety. And when Sabourin was tested, he
did his job.
Even the Penguins’ power play – sixth in the AHL – never came alive,
getting only three chances. Since going 4 for 8 in Cleveland on Feb. 28th, the
Penguins are mired in a 1-for-26 funk. Not since the doldrums of early
November has the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton man-advantage been quite so anemic.
Two Saint John goals within 54 seconds in the second period were enough.
Boutin tipped Jason Morgan’s shot from the left boards at 14:55. The Flames
went up 2-0 when Sonnenberg swatted home a rebound in close.
NOTES: Three former Penguins – Darcy Verot, Robert Dome and Sonnenberg –
were in the Flames’ lineup in their First Union Arena return. Verot and
Sonnenberg were in the starting lineup. … Dupont will wear number 10 for the
Penguins. … Darcy Robinson was Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s only scratch. … The
Penguins travel to Hershey on Saturday night, before returning home for a
rematch with the Flames on Sunday at 5:05 p.m.