PENGUINS WEEKLY – 11/26/24

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton to be tested with two division leaders this week

Coming off of shutout and stuffing, Penguins (9-4-1-0) have Black Friday home game with unique theme

Weekly Rewind

Friday, Nov. 22 – PENGUINS 5 vs. Bridgeport 0
Responding to a loss from Bridgeport the previous Saturday, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton responded with a dominant showing in every facet of the game. Emil Bemström led the team’s offense with a three-point night (2G-1A). Other multi-point performers included Boris Katchouk (1G-1A), Avery Hayes (1G-1A) and Ville Koivunen (2A). The Penguins’ final goal came from Jonathan Gruden with 1:26 left in regulation almost immediately after the team neutralized a full, two-minute, five-on-three penalty kill. Joel Blomqvist notched his first AHL win of the season and the second shutout of his AHL career with 23 saves.

The Week Ahead

Friday, Nov. 29 – PENGUINS vs. Laval
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton welcomes the Laval Rocket to town for the first and only time this season. The Penguins are 4-0-0-0 all-time at home against the Rocket, but it may be difficult to maintain that trend this year. Laval is the No. 1 team in the North Division and has the fewest losses in the league (4). In addition to being a 28/22 Fan Friday featuring $2 beers on sale from 6:00-7:30 p.m., this Black Friday matchup also marks the first Fan Control Friday of the Pens’ season. Online polls leading up to game night have allowed fans to pick the night’s theme, goal song, food specials and more. Additional polls will be conducted during the game itself, further influencing the night’s presentation.

Saturday, Nov. 30 – PENGUINS at Hershey
For the first time this season, the Penguins will take on their oldest rival and the back-to-back Calder Cup Champions, the Hershey Bears. The Bears are off to another strong start to the season, leading the Atlantic and stringing together a four-game point streak (3-0-1-0). However, Hershey only has a 5-4-1-0 record at home this season. Bears two-time AHL All-Star Ethen Frank has racked up 12 goals, good for second in the league.

Ice Chips

– Wilkes-Barre/Scranton has out-scored its opponents 16-4 in the first period, the best first-period goal differential in the AHL.

– The Penguins have posted three shutouts so far this season. Only two other teams have met that total, Calgary and Syracuse.

– With seven goals, Tristan Broz ranks third among league rookies.

– Emil Bemström has seven points (3G-4A) in his last five games.

– This past Saturday was the first time the Penguins played a game with no power play opportunities since Feb. 21, 2020, a 2-1 win over the Hershey Bears.

DIVISION STANDINGS

TEAM LEADERS

* = rookie
x = not on current roster

UPCOMING GAME SCHEDULE

DATE                    OPPONENT              LOCATION                                TIME        

Fri, Nov. 29          Laval                         Mohegan Arena                      7:05 p.m.

Sat, Nov. 30         Hershey                   Giant Center                            7:00 p.m.

RECENT TRANSACTIONS

DATE                  PLAYER                                                          TRANSACTION

Thu, Nov. 14     (C) Vasily Ponomarev                                Recalled to PIT

Thu, Nov. 14     (LW) Matt Nieto                                         Recalled to PIT

Thu, Nov. 14     (G) Joel Blomqvist                               Reassigned by PIT

Fri, Nov. 15        (D) Owen Pickering                                  Recalled to PIT

Fri, Nov. 22       (D) Phip Waugh                                 Reassigned to WHL

Sat, Nov. 23      (C) Vasily Ponomarev                         Reassigned by PIT

Mon, Nov. 25    (C) Sam Poulin                                    Reassigned by PIT