PENGUINS WEEKLY – 3/5/24

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton begins three-game slate against in-state rival this weekend

WEEKLY – Penguins (28-19-7-1) play the Phantoms three games in a row, including St. Pat’s Day celebration on Saturday

Penguins Weekly Rewind

Friday, Mar. 1 – PENGUINS 4 vs. Charlotte 1
Despite allowing the game’s first goal, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton charged back and was led to victory on the back of its line of Radim-Zohorna, Sam Poulin and Vinnie Hinostroza. Hinostroza scored twice, including the game-winning goal, Zohorna had a goal and an assist, and Poulin notched three assists. Joel Blomqvist grabbed his 17^th win of the season with 21 saves.

Saturday, Mar. 2 – PENGUINS 2 vs. Charlotte 4
Charlotte flipped the script in game two of their back-to-back set, coming from behind with four unanswered goals. Penguins forwards Hinostroza and Austin Rueschhoff both scored for the second night in a row. Knotted 2-2 deep into the third period, Checkers rookie D-man Mike Benning scored the go-ahead goal with 2:58 left in regulation. Magnus Hellberg took the loss despite turning aside 28 of the 31 shots he faced.

The Weekly Ahead

Friday, Mar. 8 – PENGUINS at Lehigh Valley
The Penguins and Phantoms will face-off for their next three games, the first of which takes place at PPL Center on Friday. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton has picked up a point in each of its five games against Lehigh Valley this season (2-0-2-1), but the Phantoms have the edge with three wins to the Penguins’ two. No team in the league has been shorthanded more than Lehigh Valley, and the Penguins’ power play has found the back of the net in back-to-back games.

Saturday, Mar. 9 – PENGUINS vs. Lehigh Valley
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton returns home for its annual St. Patrick’s Celebration, including throwback jerseys inspired by the team’s look during the infamous “St. Patrick’s Day Massacre” in 2002. The Penguins are an even 5-5-0-0 in their last 10 St. Pat’s Celebration games.

Ice Chips

– Wilkes-Barre/Scranton allows 2.82 goals against per game, good for fourth in the Eastern Conference and eighth overall in the league.

– Sam Poulin picked up five assists in the Penguins’ two games last weekend. The last Wilkes-Barre/Scranton player to amass five assists in back-to-back contests was Drew O’Connor in December of 2022.

– Poulin has 11 points (3G-7A) in his last eight games.

– Radim Zohorna has eight points (3G-5A) in his last five games.

– The Penguins’ penalty kill is tied for second overall in the league at 84.9%. Furthermore, the team’s P.K. has gone 25-for-27 (92.6%) in its last eight games.

DIVISION STANDINGS

TEAM LEADERS

* = rookie
X = not on current roster

UPCOMING GAME SCHEDULE

DATE                  OPPONENT         LOCATION                             TIME      

Fri, Mar. 8          Lehigh Valley       PPL Center                            7:05 p.m.

Sat, Mar. 9         Lehigh Valley       Mohegan Sun Arena            6:05 p.m.

RECENT TRANSACTIONS

Thu, Feb. 29    (C) Jonathan Gruden                            Recalled to PIT

Thu, Feb. 29    (D) Owen Headrick                       Recalled from WHL

Thu, Feb. 29    (RW) Avery Hayes                         Recalled from WHL

Thu, Feb. 29    (RW) Max Čajkovič       Reassigned by PIT from WHL

Sun, Mar. 3      (RW) Max Čajkovič            Reassigned by PIT to WHL