PENGUINS WEEKLY – 10/22/24

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton rides three-game win streak into another home-and-home

Penguins (3-1-0-0) dispatched of Phantoms twice last week, aim to do the same to Crunch

Weekly Rewind

Friday, Oct. 18 – PENGUINS 4 vs. Lehigh Valley 3
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton erupted for four goals in the first period, which proved to be enough offense to stave off a second-half rally by Lehigh Valley. First, Boris Katchouk tallied twice in his home debut, followed by a power-play goal by Tristan Broz and an insurance marker from Boko Imama. Down on a conditioning loan from Pittsburgh, Alex Nedeljkovic made 33 saves, including several starry stops to keep the Penguins ahead.

Saturday, Oct. 19 – PENGUINS 3 at Lehigh Valley 0
Filip Larsson stole the show with a 41-save shutout, his first clean sheet in the AHL. The Penguins jumped off to a hot start again, with Emil Bemström scoring three minutes into the night. Offense cooled in the second period, but another early period strike in the third by Joona Koppanen extended Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s lead to 2-0. Larsson continued to fend off the Phantoms’ barrage until Katchouk wrapped things up with an empty netter.

The Week Ahead

Friday, Oct. 25 – PENGUINS at Syracuse
The Penguins play the same opponent for back-to-back games again this weekend, but this time, they start on the road. Syracuse is the first North Division opponent Wilkes-Barre/Scranton will face this season after going 10-6-2-0 (.611) against the North in 2023-24.

Saturday, Oct. 26 – PENGUINS vs. Syracuse
The Penguins return to Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza for a rematch with the Crunch, where the Black & Gold have scored 11 goals in two games. Syracuse is 3-2-0-0 to start this season, and tied for the team in goals (2) and points (4) is former Penguins defenseman Derrick Pouliot. The first 1,500 fans through the doors on Saturday will also receive a free Team Headshot Poster.

Ice Chips

– Wilkes-Barre/Scranton amassed 14 goals in its first three games, tying the franchise record for most tallies through the first three games of a season (2005-06, 2013-14).

– Filip Larsson’s 41 saves on Saturday were the second-most saves in a shutout in franchise history (Adam Berkhoel, 46).

– Larsson also recorded an assist, marking the fourth instance of a Penguins goalie being credited with an assist in a shutout.

– With five points (2G-3A) in his first four games as a Penguin, Emil Bemström now has 28 goals and 24 assists for 52 points in 37 career AHL games.

– Boris Katchouk’s next point will be his 100^th career AHL point.

DIVISION STANDINGS

TEAM LEADERS

UPCOMING GAME SCHEDULE

DATE                    OPPONENT          LOCATION                                TIME        

Fri, Oct. 25           Syracuse              Upstate Med Univ Arena      7:05 p.m.

Sat, Oct. 26          Syracuse              Mohegan Arena                     6:05 p.m.

RECENT TRANSACTIONS

DATE                  PLAYER                                                             TRANSACTION

Wed, Oct. 16     (C) Sam Houde                                      Reassigned to WHL

Wed, Oct. 16     (LW) Rutger McGroarty                     Reassigned from PIT

Wed, Oct. 16     (D) Mats Lindgren                                 Recalled from WHL

Thu, Oct. 17      (G) Alex Nedeljkovic                Conditioning loan from PIT

Fri, Oct. 18         (G) Taylor Gauthier              Reassigned by PIT from WHL

Sat, Oct. 19       (G) Alex Nedeljkovic                                    Recalled by PIT