PENGUINS WEEKLY – 3/11/25

Playoff race gets tighter as Wilkes-Barre/Scranton takes on Keystone State rivals

Penguins (31-16-7-1) saw their offense roar to life last weekend

Weekly Rewind

Tuesday, Mar. 4 – PENGUINS 1 vs. Belleville 4
Atley Calvert put Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on the board first, but Belleville took the lead before the first intermission. Senators goalie Leevi Meriläinen ultimately stonewalled the Pens with 35 saves.

Friday, Mar. 7 – PENGUINS 7 at Hartford 1
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton improved to 5-0-0-0 in its season series against Hartford by thumping the Wold Pack with seven different goal-scorers. Nikolai Knyzhov posted a career-high three points by gathering a trio of assists.

Saturday, Mar. 8 – PENGUINS 8 vs. Belleville 3
The offense kept rolling at home, as the Pens avenged their loss to the Sens from earlier in the week. Ville Koiuvnen snatched up three points (1G-2A), while Sam Poulin completed at natural hat trick in the third period.

Sunday, Mar. 9 – PENGUINS 1 vs. Syracuse 5
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton fell short of a perfect three-in-three weekend, surrendering five unanswered goals to the Crunch. Mathias Laferrière scored three minutes into the game.

The Week Ahead

Wednesday, Mar. 12 – PENGUINS vs. Hershey
The Penguins trail the Bears by five points for first place in the division. Six of the eight games between these rivals have been settled by one goal.

Friday, Mar. 14 – PENGUINS at Lehigh Valley
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton makes its first of two trips down the turnpike. The Penguins are on a six-game point streak against the Phantoms, going 6-0-1-1 in that stretch.

Sunday, Mar. 16 – PENGUINS at Lehigh Valley
The Penguins wrap up their 12-game season series with Lehigh Valley on a Sunday afternoon. The Pens are 4-4-0-0 on Sundays.

Ice Chips

– The Penguins rank second in the AHL with 3.51 goals per game.

– Ville Koivunen leads all AHL rookies with 52 points (19G-33A), which is also tied for third overall in the league.

– Sergei Murashov is now 7-0-0, establishing a new franchise record for longest winning streak to start an AHL career.

– The Penguins combined for 15 goals on Friday and Saturday, which also set a franchise record for highest goal total in two consecutive games.

– Sam Poulin’s hat trick on Saturday was the team’s eighth hat trick of 2024-25, further improving on what was already a franchise record for most in a season.

DIVISION STANDINGS

TEAM LEADERS

* = rookie
x = not on current roster

UPCOMING GAME SCHEDULE

DATE                    OPPONENT              LOCATION                                  TIME        

Wed, Mar. 12      Hershey                   Mohegan Arena                        7:05 p.m.

Fri, Mar. 14          Lehigh Valley          PPL Center                                7:05 p.m.

Sun, Mar. 16       Lehigh Valley          PPL Center                                3:05 p.m.

RECENT TRANSACTIONS

DATE                  PLAYER                                                                     TRANSACTION

Fri, Mar. 7          (RW) Chase Stillman                Traded by NJ to PIT; Assigned by PIT

Fri, Mar. 7          (C) Jonathan Gruden                                               Traded by PIT to NJ

Fri, Mar. 7          (D) Jack St. Ivany                                                              Recalled to PIT

Sat, Mar. 8         (RW) Mathieu De St. Phalle                                   Reassigned to WHL

Sat, Mar. 8         (C) Gabe Klassen                                                     Reassigned to WHL

Sat, Mar. 8         (D) Jack St. Ivany                                                       Reassigned by PIT

Tue, Mar. 11       (D) Sebastian Aho                                                           Recalled to PIT

Tue, Mar. 11       (LW) Matt Nieto                                                              Recalled to PIT