PENGUINS WEEKLY – 2/21/17
Penguins try to get back on track against Utica, Lehigh Valley
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (37-14-3-0) continues seven-game road stretch
Weekly Rewind
Friday, Feb. 17 – PENGUINS 0 at Albany 4
Mackenzie Blackwood of the Devils made 24 saves for his first career shutout. The Penguins were unbeaten on the penalty kill all night, improving to 16-for-16 over their past three contests. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s line of Dominik Simon, Teddy Blueger and Jean-Sébastien Dea accounted for 11 of the team’s 24 shots on goal.
Saturday, Feb. 18 – PENGUINS 1 at Springfield 2
The Penguins heaped the pressure on the Thunderbirds, but netminder Reto Berra never broke down, backstopping Springfield to an upset victory. David Warsofsky registered his team-leading seventh power play goal of the season.
Sunday, Feb. 19 – PENGUINS 2 at Providence 3
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s power play remained potent, striking twice against Providence’s second-ranked penalty kill. However, the Penguins surrendered a late, game-winning goal to the P-Bruins with 4:04 remaining in regulation. Tom Kostopoulos assisted on both of the Penguins’ goals.
The Week Ahead
Friday, Feb. 24 – PENGUINS at Utica
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton starts the weekend by heading to upstate New York once again. The Penguins got the better of the Comets, 3-2, in their only meeting of the season back on Jan. 27.
Saturday, Feb. 25 – PENGUINS at Lehigh Valley
The rivalry between the Penguins and Phantoms rekindles with the season series knotted at 2-2-0-0. However, in those four games, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton has outscored Lehigh Valley, 16-11. Penguins forward Jean-Sébastien Dea has 17 points (10G-7A) in 24 games against the Phantoms, the most production against any opponent in his career.
Ice Chips
– Sunday afternoon’s loss was the first time all season that the Penguins dropped the third game of a three-in-three (5-1-0-0).
– Tom Kostopoulos played in his 1300th pro game on Saturday at Springfield.
– Kostopoulos has produced at a point-a-game pace over his past 18 games, earning seven goals and 11 assists for 18 points.
– Kostopoulos is the only member of the Penguins to skate in all 54 of the team’s games this season.
– Wilkes-Barre/Scranton boasts the best penalty kill in the league (86.8%).
– David Warsofsky leads the entire AHL with a plus-28 rating.
– Tristan Jarry has the second-most wins in the AHL (22).
DIVISION STANDINGS
| TEAM | GP | W | L | OTL | SOL | PTS | Pt% |
| 1. PENGUINS | 54 | 37 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 77 | .713 |
| 2. Lehigh Valley | 52 | 34 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 70 | .673 |
| 3. Bridgeport | 51 | 33 | 16 | 1 | 1 | 68 | .667 |
| 4. Providence | 53 | 30 | 14 | 5 | 4 | 69 | .651 |
| 5. Hershey | 53 | 26 | 16 | 8 | 3 | 63 | .594 |
| 6. Springfield | 52 | 20 | 23 | 7 | 2 | 49 | .471 |
| 7. Hartford | 52 | 19 | 28 | 3 | 2 | 43 | .413 |
TEAM LEADERS
| SKATERS | GP | G | A | PTS |
| Jake Guentzel*^ | 33 | 21 | 21 | 42 |
| Tom Kostopoulos | 54 | 18 | 24 | 42 |
| David Warsofsky | 39 | 12 | 26 | 38 |
| Oskar Sundqvist | 48 | 16 | 20 | 36 |
| Kevin Porter | 50 | 8 | 25 | 33 |
| GOALIES | GP | W-L-OT | GAA | SV% | Shutouts |
| Tristan Jarry | 33 | 22-10-1 | 2.27 | .921 | 1 |
| Casey DeSmith* | 20 | 14-4-2 | 2.32 | .912 | 0 |
* = rookie
^ = currently with Pittsburgh
UPCOMING GAME SCHEDULE
DATE OPPONENT LOCATION TIME
Fri, Feb. 24 Utica Utica Memorial Aud 7:05 p.m.
Sat, Feb. 25 Lehigh Valley PPL Center 7:05 p.m.
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
Sat, Feb. 18 (RW) Josh Archibald Reassigned by PIT
Sat, Feb. 18 (D) Brett Stern Signed to PTO
Fri, Feb. 17 (LW) Christian Hilbrich Recalled from WHL
Sat, Feb. 11 (C) Jarrett Burton Recalled from WHL
