TOM KOSTOPOULOS NAMED PENGUINS’ MAN OF THE YEAR

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. – The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins are proud to announce that Tom Kostopoulos has been named the team’s winner of the IOA/American Specialty AHL Man of the Year award for his outstanding contributions to the Northeast Pennsylvania community during the 2017-18 season.

In his 19^th season of professional hockey, Kostopoulos remains an active part of the community and an example for younger players on the roster. A fan favorite since his first season with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in 1999-2000, Kostopoulos prefers to avoid the spotlight when given the chance, but regularly visits local schools and plays a role in organizing an annual appearance at Back Mountain Memorial Library, where he, other players and Penguins mascot TUX read to children. Also, the Penguins captain heads up the team’s holiday gift giving initiative each year, for which players purchase and deliver Christmas gifts to local kids in need.

This is Kostopoulos’ first selection as IOA/American Specialty Man of the Year in his AHL career.

The Penguins captain is now one of 30 finalists for the AHL’s 2017-18 Yanick Dupré Memorial Award, honoring the overall IOA/American Specialty AHL Man of the Year. The league award is named after the former Hershey Bears forward and AHL All-Star who died in 1997 following a 16-month battle with leukemia. The winner of the Yanick Dupré Memorial Award will be announced by the American Hockey League at a later date.

The Penguins’ next game is tomorrow, Friday, Mar. 30, when they travel to Connecticut to take on the Hartford Wolf Pack for the final time this season. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s next home game is Saturday, Mar. 31, and they’ll host the Providence Bruins. Saturday’s puck drop between the Penguins and P-Bruins is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. at Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza.

Individual tickets for the final four home games of Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s 19^th season of hockey are available at the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza box office, online at TicketMaster.com, or by contacting the Penguins directly at (570) 208-7367.