PENGUINS RIDE MAJOR
BREAK TO VICTORY

Kurtis McLean took one for the team Friday night, and the team rewarded the Penguins forward.

McLean took a stick to the face from the Manchester Monarchs' Peter Harrold midway through the game, leaving him with a gashed nose and right eye. But the Penguins scored twice on the ensuing major penalty, lifting the home club to a 2-1 win at the Wachovia Arena at Casey Plaza.

The win upped the Pens' record to 15-12-0-1 on the season, and gives them three consecutive victories. Manchester fell to 12-13-3-1 with the loss.

Manchester's Brady Murray was whistled for a slash with his team up, 1-0, at 9:47 of the second. Six seconds later, Harrold's stick found its way under McLean's visor, leaving McLean sprawled on the ice with his hands covering his damaged face. It also gave the Pens a five-on-three power play for 1:54, and even more power play time thanks to the major.

Tim Brent made sure McLean's sacrifice wasn't for naught.

Chris Minard slammed a point shot off the back boards 1:42 into the two-man advantage, and Brent was right there to pick up the rebound and bury it behind Erik Ersberg to tie the contest.

Two minutes later, Brent blasted a shot that bounced off Ersberg's left pad right onto Ryan Stone's stick. Stone easily picked up his fourth of the season into a virtually empty net.

It was a true defensive outing for the Penguins, who limited the Monarchs to just 16 shots on the night, and just nine over the final two periods (four and five, respectively).

John Curry evened his record at 3-3-1 on the season with a 15 save effort, the only blemish coming off a Brian Boyle slap shot from the left circle 16:12 into the first.

The Penguins return to action on Saturday, when they host the Albany River Rats at 7:05pm.

NOTES: Brent has points in his past three games (1+4=5)...The Penguins have picked up points in each of their past four games (seven points)...The Penguins have scored two power play goals in each of their past three games, and are six for 18 in that span...They were one for 25 in the seven games before that streak...Attendance was 7,226

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