PENGUINS WEEKLY – 1/14/25

Penguins aim to conquer Canada at conclusion of long road trip

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (20-9-3-0) looks to secure its first win in Laval since 2018

Weekly Rewind

Wednesday, Jan. 8 – PENGUINS 6 at Toronto 3
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton started its Canadian excursion by lighting the lamp six times. Ville Koivunen scored a hat trick and had four points, while other goal-scorers included Emil Bemström and former Marlies defenseman Filip Král. Filip Larsson posted 36 saves for his fifth-straight win.

Friday, Jan. 10 – PENGUINS 6 at Belleville 1
The Pens notched six goals again in a rout against the Sens. Avery Hayes, Sam Poulin and Valtteri Puustinen all scored on Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s first three shots of the game. Former Ottawa Senators Boris Katchouk and Boko Imama tallied in the second period, and a shorty by Poulin rounded out the offense. Joel Blomqvist wowed with 39 saves on his 23^rd birthday. Rutger McGroarty also nabbed a career-high three assists.

Sunday, Jan. 12 – PENGUINS 3 at Belleville 4
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s season-long eight-game point came to an end in heartbreaking fashion. Two goals by Bemström and a beautiful power-play strike by Hayes couldn’t stack up to a hat trick from Belleville’s Wyatt Bongiovanni. Bongiovanni completed his hat trick with 2.2 seconds left in the game.

The Week Ahead

Wednesday, Jan. 15 – PENGUINS at Laval
The Penguins conclude their Canada road trip in Québec against the Rocket. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton emerged victorious in come-from-behind fashion, 5-3, when Laval visited Northeast PA on Black Friday. However, the Penguins have not won at Place Bell since their very first trip to Laval on Jan. 13, 2018.

Saturday, Jan. 18 – PENGUINS vs. Belleville (POSTPONED)
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s long-awaited return to home ice has been delayed. Saturday’s game against the Senators has been postponed to Tuesday, Mar. 4. The Penguins’ Crosscheck Cancer Night presented by Geisinger has been moved to Saturday, Feb. 8 against the Cleveland Monsters. Information for tickets regarding this Saturday’s postponement can be found here.

Ice Chips

– Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s eight-game point streak was the team’s longest since the 2019-20 season.

– On Wednesday afternoon, Emil Bemström was named to the 2025 AHL All-Star Classic.

– Boris Katchouk is on a six-game point streak (1G-7A), and he has 16 points (6G-10A) in his last 12 games.

– Ville Koivunen ranks second among AHL rookies with 27 points.

– Since 2004-05, no Penguins goalie has lost a start on their birthday, regular season or playoffs.

– The Penguins have out-scored opponents 36-18 (+18) in first periods this season, the best first-period goal differential in the league.

DIVISION STANDINGS

TEAM LEADERS

* = rookie
x = not on current roster

UPCOMING GAME SCHEDULE

DATE                    OPPONENT              LOCATION                                TIME        

Wed, Jan. 15        Laval                      Place Bell                                   7:00 p.m.

RECENT TRANSACTIONS

DATE                  PLAYER                                                              TRANSACTION

Thu, Jan. 2        (D) Chris Ortiz                                                 Signed to PTO

Fri, Jan. 3          (LW) Jagger Joshua                            Traded to Rochester

Fri, Jan. 3          (D) Colton Poolman                                   Assigned by PIT

Sun, Jan. 5        (D) Chris Ortiz                                       Released from PTO

Sun, Jan. 5        (D) Mats Lindgren                               Reassigned to WHL

Mon, Jan. 6       (C) Sam Houde                                      Released from SPC