PENGUINS WEEKLY – 3/5/19

Penguins continue playoff push with three-game home stand

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (27-22-6-2) hosts Marvel Super Hero™ Night on Saturday against Syracuse

Weekly Rewind

Friday, Mar. 1 – PENGUINS 2 at Providence 1 (SO)
Ben Sexton and Joseph Cramarossa each scored in the shootout to down the Bruins and secure an important two points in the Atlantic Division standings. Neither team lit the lamp until the final period of regulation when Ethan Prow scored in the opening minute. The Bruins answered to force an extra session and, eventually, a shootout. Tristan Jarry stonewalled Providence with 35 saves in regulation and OT and denied both shooters he faced in the shootout. Chris Wideman made his Penguins debut and notched an assist on Prow’s goal.

Saturday, Mar. 2 – PENGUINS 3 at Hartford 4 (OT)
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton tallied twice in the third period to force overtime and earn a point before falling to Harford 22 seconds into the extra frame. Down 3-1, Ben Sexton slashed the Penguins’ deficit in half in the first minute of the third period. A late-regulation power play allowed Jimmy Hayes to tie the contest with 2:57 remaining.

The Week Ahead

Wednesday, Mar. 6 – PENGUINS vs. Lehigh Valley
The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins host the Lehigh Valley Phantoms for the seventh time this season. The Penguins lead the series 4-2-0-0 with an overtime victory the last time the teams faced one another on Jan. 21, 2019.

Friday, Mar. 8 – PENGUINS vs. Hartford
The Penguins are seeking revenge on the Wolf Pack after falling to the club in overtime this past Saturday. Sam Lafferty has five points (3G-2A) in the five-game season series thus far.

Saturday, Mar. 9 – PENGUINS vs. Syracuse
A similar storyline has the Penguins looking to redeem themselves from an OT loss to the Crunch back on Dec. 22, 2018. Saturday is also Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s Marvel Super Hero™ Night, with the team donning specialty sweaters for the showdown with Syracuse, the No. 1 team in the North Division.

Ice Chips

– Ethan Prow is third among AHL defenseman in goals (16) and tied for fourth in points (41).

– Joseph Cramarossa is one of only two players in the AHL to be three-for-three or better in shootout attempts this season (Sam Gagner, 3/3).

– Jimmy Hayes’ tying tally on Saturday at Hartford was the 100^th goal of his professional career.

– Ryan Scarfo had a career-best three-game point streak snapped on Friday at Providence.

– The Penguins now have five shootout wins this season. Only the Hershey Bears have more (7).

DIVISION STANDINGS

1. Charlotte Checkers (38-14-6-1, 83 PTS)

2. Bridgeport Sound Tigers (35-18-5-2, 77 PTS)

3. Hershey Bears (32-22-1-3, 68 PTS)

4. Providence Bruins (29-21-7-2, 67 PTS)

5. PENGUINS (27-22-6-2, 62 PTS)

6. Lehigh Valley Phantoms (28-24-3-3, 62 PTS)

7. Springfield Thunderbirds (24-24-6-5, 59 PTS)

8. Hartford Wolf Pack (24-27-6-3, 57 PTS)

TEAM LEADERS

Skaters

Ethan Prow… 56 GP: 16 goals + 25 assists = 41 points

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

Adam Johnson… 56 GP: 16 goals + 19 assists = 35 points

Ryan Haggerty… 51 GP: 15 goals + 15 assists = 30 points

Sam Lafferty*… 51 GP: 8 goals + 22 assists = 30 points

Goalies

Tristan Jarry… 29 GP: 17-10-6 / 2.69 GAA / .913 sv%

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. 6       Lehigh Valley      Mohegan Sun Arena        7:05 p.m.

Fri, Mar. 8           Hartford               Mohegan Sun Arena        7:05 p.m.

Sat, Mar. 9          Syracuse              Mohegan Sun Arena        7:05 p.m.

RECENT TRANSACTIONS

Wed, Feb. 27         (C) Teddy Blueger                                    Recalled by PIT

Thu, Feb. 28          (D) Blake Siebenaler            Reassigned by PIT to WHL