Wilkes-Barre/Scranton to open March with back-to-back games against Charlotte
WEEKLY – Penguins (27-18-7-1) thrive despite mounting injuries, with Jonathan Gruden spurring the team’s offense
Penguins Weekly Rewind
Wednesday, Feb. 21 – PENGUINS 2 vs. Lehigh Valley 3 (OT)
Jagger Joshua and Alex Nylander put Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in a 2-0 lead against their turnpike rival, but Lehigh Valley roared back and got the win in overtime. Cooper Marody generated both the Phantoms’ tying and game-winning goals.
Friday, Feb. 23 – PENGUINS 1 at Hershey 4
Down seven forwards due to injury, a short-staffed Penguins squad hung with the No. 1 team in the league until late in regulation. Hershey cashed in on its seventh power play of the night with 3:38 left to take its first lead of the game. Jonathan Gruden scored his team’s only goal while shorthanded.
Saturday, Feb. 24 – PENGUINS 4 vs. Bridgeport 1
Mounting injuries did not stop the Penguins from picking up a decisive win on Military Appreciation Night presented by MetLife. Gruden and Joshua scored 48 seconds apart before the game was three minutes old. Dmitri Samorukov tallied for the first time in 21 games to put things out of reach, while Magnus Hellberg notched 31 saves during a solid outing in net.
The Week Ahead
Friday, Mar. 1 – PENGUINS vs. Charlotte
The first of back-to-back visits by the Charlotte Checkers takes place on Friday night. The season series has been a neck-and-neck affair, with the clubs splitting six decisions right down the middle. Checker forward Rasmus Asplund leads the series with seven points (1G-6A) in six games. The first 1,200 fans in attendance on Friday will receive a Sidney Crosby Bobblehead.
Saturday, Mar. 2 – PENGUINS vs. Charlotte
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton is 9-7-3-0 (.553) in the second game of back-to-backs this season, including three-straight wins in that scenario. However, including playoffs, Charlotte has won 14 of its last 17 games at Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza.
Ice Chips
– Wilkes-Barre/Scranton allows 2.83 goals against per game, good for fourth in the Eastern Conference and 10th overall in the league.
– Despite playing in a league-high 53 games, the Penguins have allowed the fewest first-period goals in the AHL (29).
– Since returning from injury on Jan. 31, Jonathan Gruden has 10 points (5G-5A) in his last eight games.
– Gruden is also on a six-game point streak, establishing a new career-high.
– Jagger Joshua has three goals and two…
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