PENGUINS WEEKLY – 12/18/18

Penguins’ Dads’ Trip results in another hat trick

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (14-11-3-1) poised to enter Holiday break on a high note

Weekly Rewind

Wednesday, Dec. 12 – PENGUINS 2 at Springfield 1  (SO)
The Penguins prevailed over Springfield in shootout fashion for the second time this season against the Thunderbirds. Adam Johnson, Thomas Di Pauli and Ben Sexton all scored on consecutive shootout attempts to seal the victory.

Saturday, Dec. 15 – PENGUINS 5 vs. Lehigh Valley 2
Ryan Haggerty scored a hat trick to kick off the Penguins’ second annual Dads’ Trip. Teddy Blueger knocked in the game’s first tally and appropriately brought on the Teddy Bear Toss, a charitable promotion in which fans throw stuffed animals onto the ice after the home team’s first goal. All toys were donated to Tobyhana Army Depot’s Operation Santa Claus and will be given to children in need this holiday season.

Sunday, Dec. 16 – PENGUINS 0 at Bridgeport 1
The Dads’ Trip concluded with a loss at the hands of the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. The defeat marked the end of a five-game winning streak for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

The Week Ahead

Wednesday, Dec. 19 – PENGUINS vs. Bridgeport
The Penguins will look to avenge their loss from three days prior when they host the Sound Tigers at Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza. Bridgeport’s Chris Bourque has recorded a point in each of the three meetings between the two clubs.

Friday, Dec. 21 – PENGUINS at Hershey
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton treks down I-81 to take on Hershey for the seventh time this season. The Penguins are 9-1-1-1 in their last 12 visits to Giant Center.

Saturday, Dec. 22 – PENGUINS at Syracuse
The Penguins play the Crunch for the first time this season. Syracuse’s Connor Ingram leads AHL goalies with four shutouts.

Ice Chips

– The Penguins’ five-game win streak was their longest such streak since they won eight games in a row from Dec. 29 to Jan. 17 last season.

– Ryan Haggerty’s hat trick on Dec. 15 was the second of his AHL career. His previous hat trick (Jan. 12, 2018), also came during the Penguins’ Dads’ Trip.

– In the past two seasons, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton has played four Dads’ Trip games. In three of those games, the Penguins have scored a hat trick.

– Ben Sexton scored the first shootout goal of his AHL career in his first game with the Penguins on Wednesday at Springfield.

– The Pens’ Wednesday shootout win was the first time they went three-for-three in a shootout since Jan. 5, 2011 at Charlotte.

DIVISION STANDINGS

1. Charlotte Checkers (22-6-1-0, 45 PTS)

2. Bridgeport Sound Tigers (17-8-3-1, 38 PTS)

3. Springfield Thunderbirds (14-8-2-3, 33 PTS)

4. Lehigh Valley Phantoms (15-9-1-1, 32 PTS)

5. W-B/Scranton Penguins (14-11-3-1, 32 PTS)

6. Providence Bruins (12-11-5-0, 29 PTS)

7. Hartford Wolf Pack (11-14-1-2, 25 PTS)

8. Hershey Bears (11-15-0-2, 24 PTS)

TEAM LEADERS

Skaters
Teddy Blueger… 29 GP: 9 goals + 12 assists = 21 points

Sam Lafferty*…  29 GP: 5 goals + 13 assists = 18 points

Ethan Prow… 29 GP: 8 goals + 8 assists = 16 points

Thomas Di Pauli… 29 GP: 7 goals + 8 assists = 15 points

three players tied… 14 points

Goalies
Tristan Jarry…  13 GP: 6-5-2  / 2.65 GAA  /  .916 sv%

Anthony Peters…  13 GP: 6-4-2  / 2.91 GAA  /  .903 sv%   /  1 shutout

* = rookie

UPCOMING GAME SCHEDULE

DATE                 OPPONENT     LOCATION                         TIME      

Wed, Dec. 19  Bridgeport       Mohegan Sun Arena       7:05 p.m.

Fri, Dec. 21      Hershey           Giant Center                                7:00 p.m.

Sat, Dec. 22     Syracuse          War Memorial Arena      7:00 p.m.

RECENT TRANSACTIONS

Wed, Dec. 18    (C) Jean-Sébastien Dea             Reassigned by PIT