PENGUINS WEEKLY – 3/26/19

Huge showdowns on the horizon for Penguins

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (32-25-7-3) has its annual Star Wars Night on Saturday

Weekly Rewind

Tuesday, Mar. 19 – PENGUINS 0 at Hershey 1 (OT)
Due to the stellar goaltending of Tristan Jarry, the Bears were held without a goal in regulation. However, so were the Penguins. Tristan Jarry recorded 38 saves, but was beaten in overtime to give Hershey the win and the extra point.

Friday, Mar. 22 – PENGUINS 2 vs. Lehigh Valley 3
Ryan Haggerty put up a pair of goals, but despite his output, the Pens fell to the Phantoms on an early third-period strike.

Saturday, Mar. 23 – PENGUINS 5 at Lehigh Valley 4 (OT)
Sam Lafferty completed his first career hat trick in the closing minute of regulation to tie the game and force overtime. Haggerty secured the victory with a breakaway in OT, and Jarry made 30 saves while making his 13^th consecutive start.

Sunday, Mar. 24 – PENGUINS 3 vs. Springfield 2
The Penguins and T-Birds combined for a total of 14 power plays in the game, but it was a late third-period even-strength marker by Joseph Cramarossa that secured victory for the Pens.

The Week Ahead

Wednesday, Mar. 27 – PENGUINS vs. Providence
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton has its final head-to-head of the season against the team it’s chasing for the playoffs. The Penguins enter this contest five points back of the Bruins, but could pull within three with a regulation win.

Saturday, Mar. 30 – PENGUINS vs. Springfield
The Penguins hold a four-games-to-one season series lead on the T-Birds and have a nine-game point streak against Springfield dating back to Dec. 17, 2017 (8-0-1-0).

Tuesday, Apr. 2 – PENGUINS at Bridgeport
A mid-week School Day game is slated for a 10:30 a.m. start time at Webster Bank Arena. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s P.K. has put in work against Bridgeport this season, clicking at 88.9%.

Ice Chips

– Tristan Jarry started 13 consecutive games for the Penguins from Feb. 22 – Mar. 23, posting a 2.55 goals against average, .931 save percentage and a record of 7-3-3.

– Sam Lafferty has six points (3G-3A) in the past three games.

– Lafferty’s hat trick on Saturday was Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s fourth hat trick this season. Three of those hat tricks have come against Lehigh Valley.

– Juuso Riikola recorded two assists the Penguins’ Sunday win, his first multi-point game since coming to North America.

– Ten of Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s last 17 games have reached overtime.

DIVISION STANDINGS

1. Charlotte Checkers (44-15-7-1, 96 PTS)

2. Bridgeport Sound Tigers (39-20-6-2, 86 PTS)

3. Providence Bruins (34-22-8-3, 79 PTS)

4. Hershey Bears (36-24-3-4, 79 PTS)

5. PENGUINS (32-25-7-3, 74 PTS)

6. Lehigh Valley Phantoms (32-27-4-3, 71 PTS)

7. Springfield Thunderbirds (28-27-8-5, 69 PTS)

8. Hartford Wolf Pack (28-31-6-3, 65 PTS)

TEAM LEADERS

Skaters

Ethan Prow… 66 GP: 17 goals + 29 assists = 46 points

Adam Johnson^… 63 GP: 18 goals + 22 assists = 40 points

Teddy Blueger^… 45 GP: 21 goals + 18 assists = 39 points

Ryan Haggerty… 61 GP: 19 goals + 18 assists = 37 points

Sam Lafferty*… 61 GP: 11 goals + 22 assists = 36 points

Goalies

Tristan Jarry… 42 GP: 21-13-8 / 2.63 GAA / .917 sv%

John Muse… 7 GP: 5-2-0 / 2.28 GAA / .926 sv% / 1 shutout

Anthony Peters… 19 GP: 6-10-2 / 3.28 GAA / .890 sv% / 1 shutout

* = rookie
^ = currently with Pittsburgh

UPCOMING GAME SCHEDULE

DATE                 OPPONENT      LOCATION                        TIME      

Wed, Mar. 27   Providence       Mohegan Sun Arena       7:05 p.m.

Sat, Mar. 30     Springfield        Mohegan Sun Arena       7:05 p.m.

Tue, Apr. 2        Bridgeport        Webster Bank Arena     10:30 a.m.

RECENT TRANSACTIONS

Wed, Mar. 20   (LW) Adam Johnson                       Recalled by PIT

Wed, Mar. 20   (C) Joseph Blandisi                     Reassigned by PIT

Wed, Mar. 20   (D) Juuso Riikola                         Reassigned by PIT

Tue, Mar. 26     (C) Trevor Yates                       Reassigned to WHL

Tue, Mar. 26     (LW) Renārs Krastenbergs    Recalled from WHL