Third-year pro Brad Thiessen is a solid NHL prospect, the reigning AHL goaltender of the year and a cornerstone of a Wilkes-Barre/Scranton team that's off to a 10-3-1-1 start.
But he has a black mark on his record, too. This season, his play in the third period, when the game is often on the line, hasn't been anywhere near as good as his results in the first two periods.
In the first two periods, Thiessen's save percentage is .950. In the third period, it's .843.
Some of that discrepancy can be chalked up to circumstances. The Baby Pens frequently have third-period leads, and opponents trailing late in games usually go for broke, making life difficult on a goaltender.
But because of how last season ended -- Thiessen and the Baby Pens gave up four goals in the last 13 minutes of a 4-3 loss to the Charlotte Checkers in Game 6 of the division finals -- it's a concern.
"As a goaltender, you know the shots are coming. You have to be more aware," Thiessen said. "Generally, when they're throwing pucks at the net, they're coming hard to the net too, so it's about controlling rebounds and stuff like that."
Easy street
Baby Pens center Ben Street posted two goals and six assists in three games last week, earning AHL player of the week honors.
Street, a second-year pro out of the University of Wisconsin, was the ECHL rookie of the year last season, recording 51 points in 38 games for the Wheeling Nailers. He's on an AHL contract.
Fight night
Winger Steve MacIntyre, who was called up Tuesday after a four-game conditioning assignment with the Baby Pens, used the opportunity to knock some rust off last Saturday night.
MacIntyre landed heavy shots with both hands to bloody game-but-overmatched Norfolk Admirals winger Eric Neilson in a 90-second scrap that some Internet aficionados are calling the AHL fight of the year.
"It's nice to be able to engage and get in one," MacIntyre said. "That way, when the time comes that you're fighting guys that are a little bigger, a little tougher, a little stronger, you'll be sharper."
Rising prospect
Offensive defenseman Nick D'Agostino, the Penguins' seventh-round pick in the 2008 draft, continues to show he might be a diamond in the rough.
The 6-foot-2, 181-pound Cornell junior was named Inside College Hockey's national player of the week after back-to-back two-goal games in victories over Harvard and Dartmouth last weekend. He has eight points in five games this season.
Top freshman
Another Penguins' seventh-round pick, 2011 choice Scott Wilson, is quickly making a name for himself in college hockey.
The 6-foot, 175-pound freshman winger at UMass-Lowell has been named Hockey East rookie of the week two weeks in a row.
He had a goal and two assists in a 7-1 upset of 12th-ranked Boston University on Nov. 5, then had two highlight-reel goals and an assist to lead UMass-Lowell to a two-game sweep at Maine last weekend.
UMass-Lowell is off to a 5-3 start, matching its win total from last season when the team went 5-25-4.
Additional Information:Player to watch
Carl Sneep
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL) -- Defense
6-foot-3, 217 pounds
How acquired: Second-round pick, 32nd overall, in 2006 NHL Draft
How he's doing: With Brian Strait and Robert Bortuzzo close to NHL ready and first-round picks Simon Despres and Joe Morrow in the pipeline, Sneep has become the forgotten Penguins prospect on defense. He's trying to change that in the early going this year, leading the Baby Pens in plus-minus rating (plus-10) and defenseman scoring (seven points in 15 games) heading into this weekend. He's been paired frequently with Despres.
Why he might make it to the NHL: He has prototypical NHL size and plays a sound, all-around game.
Why he might not: He's not outstanding in any one area and the defense depth chart is crowded.
