The play from Tristan Broz and the rest of the centers will set the tone for the next two games. The play everywhere else will allow the Penguins to advance to the Eastern Conference Final.
The Atlantic Division Final is tied up at one win each as the series shifts to the Thunderdome. It’s where the Springfield Thunderbirds are 2-0 in the Calder Cup Playoffs and can take control of the series.
But the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins have controlled the series so far. Yes, it’s tied but they were the dominant team in Game One, taking it 2-0, and they outplayed the Thunderbirds through the first two periods of Game Two, boasting a 3-0 lead before squandering it in the final period and losing 4-3 in overtime.
The Penguins are the better team and look to prove it in Game Three and in the next two games to advance to the Eastern Conference Final. To do so, they’ll need their stars to deliver, especially up the middle.
Tristan Broz Is The Difference-Maker
Tristan Broz typically centers the line with the prospects on it. For most of the season, that meant Rutger McGroarty and Ville Koivunen on his wings, and now it’s Koivunen and Mikhail Ilyin. With all that skill on the line, the Penguins need a player who drives the play, and that’s what Broz does.
He’s been great in the playoffs with a goal and four assists and has been a key part of the offense in every playoff game. The numbers, however, aren’t what make him a top player on the Pengiuns and a difference-maker in this series.
Instead, it’s his ability to move the puck into the offensive zone and control the pace of the game. “That’s the skill that’s going to get him to the next level. Broz does such a good job transporting and backing people off, it allows (Mikhail) Ilyin and Ville (Koivunen) to make those plays,” Penguins head coach Kirk MacDonald noted after Game Four’s win over the Hershey Bears that allowed them to advance to the Atlantic Division Final. Broz might not be the top prospect in the Penguins' system but the way he impacts a game makes him a building block for the future and the difference-maker in this series.
The Rest Of The Centers Must Deliver
The Penguins, like a lot of teams in the American Hockey League, go with their centers. When they play well up the middle, they win games, and conversely, they lose games when they struggle in that position.
Bill Zonnons made his AHL debut in Game One against the Thunderbirds and gave the Penguins an immediate jolt. He scored the first goal in the 2-0 win and then was the first to find the back of the net in Game Two to fuel the offense. “The biggest thing is my complete game. Whether it’s offensively or defensively, I think I can do a lot of good stuff, and ultimately just my work ethic. Every time I’m out there, I compete,” Zonnons noted after Game One, and his compete level allows him to find the back of the net in the high-danger areas.
Now it’s a matter of the rest of the centers stepping up. Joona Koppannen had 25 points centering the top line this season. He only has one goal and hasn’t been the same without Rafael Harvey-Pinard in the lineup. The third line has let the penguins down throughout the playoffs, and the question is whether Gabe Klassen can step up with new linemates. The Penguins have the edge up the middle, and the next two games are where they can show it.
The Other Keys For The Penguins
The recent game turned when the Thunderbirds started putting the pucks on the net. They got to the interior and collected the loose pucks to score both of their goals late in the third period. “They delivered a couple of pucks where we had a guy there, and it hits a body we’re trying to create numbers, and they make a couple of plays,” MacDonald noted after Game Two. They have the defensemen to clean up those pucks, and the pressure is on them to do so.
The Penguins can also win this series in the net. Yes, Georgi Romanov has been great in the playoffs. However, Sergei Murashov is one of the best goaltenders in the league and is on a direct path to the NHL. He took over the series against the Bears with light-out performances and can also take over this one.
The Thunderbirds aren’t going away easily and will put up a fight. It’s why this series is still young and poised to go the distance. At the very least, it’s going four games with the next two in front of a loud Springfield crowd. The puck drops for Game Three on Tuesday night at 7 PM Easterm Time. So, buckle up and enjoy!