PENGUINS WEEKLY – 3/24/26

With playoff spot clinched, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton has nine games remaining

Penguins (39-16-6-2) test their mettle against North Division-leading Rocket on Star Wars Night this Saturday

Weekly Rewind

Wednesday, Mar. 18 – PENGUINS 1 at Laval 5
Gabe Klassen scored Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s only goal in its first meeting with the North Division-leading Rocket. As a result, the Penguins have lost five in a row at Place Bell, with their last victory in Laval coming on Jan. 13, 2018.

Friday, Mar. 20 – PENGUINS 2 at Belleville 1 (SO)
A 28-save night by Joel Blomqvist helped the Pens win a war of attrition against the Sens. Aidan McDonough logged a power-play goal in the middle frame, and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton went three-for-three in the shootout with strikes from McDonough, Klassen and Avery Hayes. Blomqvist denied the league’s top goal-scorer, Arthur Kaliyev, to earn his first AHL shootout win.

Sunday, Mar. 22 – PENGUINS 4 at Toronto 3
The Penguins constructed a commanding 4-0 lead, which proved to be important insurance after a third-period fright from the Marlies. Hayes and McDonough both secured one-goal, one-assist first periods, while Rafaël Harvey-Pinard lit the lamp twice, including the game-winner.

The Week Ahead

Saturday, Mar. 28 – PENGUINS vs. Laval
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton will attempt to shoot down the Rocket on Star Wars Night. The Penguins will be wearing specialty Mandalorian-themed uniforms for their rematch with Laval, a team that dispatched of the Black and Gold last week. The Rocket have never won in six visits to Northeast PA.

Sunday, Mar. 29 – PENGUINS vs. Lehigh Valley
It’s a quick turnaround to Sunday afternoon, where the Penguins kick off a run of three-straight games against their turnpike rival. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton is 7-0-1-1 against Lehigh Valley this season. Furthermore, the Penguins are 23-3-4-3 (.803) in their last 33 regular-season tilts with the Phantoms.

Ice Chips

– Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s win on Friday clinched the 21^st playoff appearance in franchise history.

– The Penguins are 24-7-2-1 (.750) on the road this season.

– Since the start of February, the Penguins are 15-for-61 on the power play, good for a 24.6% conversion rate.

– Aidan McDonough is on a career-best four-game point streak, gathering two goals and three assists in that time.

– Friday marked the fourth time in franchise history that the Penguins went three-for-three in a shootout, with the last instance coming on Oct. 19, 2019.

DIVISION STANDINGS

TEAM LEADERS

UPCOMING GAME SCHEDULE

DATE                  OPPONENT         LOCATION                                    TIME        

Sat, Mar. 28       Laval                     Mohegan Arena                        6:05 p.m.

Sun, Mar. 29      Lehigh Valley      Mohegan Arena                         3:05 p.m.

RECENT TRANSACTIONS

DATE                  PLAYER                                                       TRANSACTION

Mon, Mar. 16     (D) Jack St. Ivany                                        Recalled to PIT

Mon, Mar. 16     (D) Alex Alexeyev                                  Reassigned by PIT

Mon, Mar. 16     (D) Emil Pieniniemi            Reassigned by PIT from WHL

Thu, Mar. 19      (D) Ryan Graves                                           Recalled to PIT

Thu, Mar. 19      (RW) Avery Hayes                                  Reassigned by PIT

Sun, Mar. 22      (LW) Ville Koivunen                              Reassigned by PIT

Tue, Mar. 24      (LW) Ville Koivunen                                    Recalled to PIT