PENGUINS WEEKLY – 4/16/24

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s win streak stalled at seven before final two games

WEEKLY – Penguins (38-23-8-1) to close out 25th season with road games against potential playoff opponents

Penguins Weekly Rewind

Friday, Apr. 12 – PENGUINS 5 vs. Bridgeport 2
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton secured a season-series sweep against the Islanders. Avery Hayes started the scoring with a power-play goal, swiftly followed by Beau Jelsma lighting the lamp in his AHL debut. Joel Blomqvist turned in his second consecutive 35-save gem for his fifth win in a row.

Saturday, Apr. 13 – PENGUINS 4 vs. Hershey 1
A rowdy crowd that turned out to McDonald’s Fan Appreciation Night was treated to decisive victory for the Penguins, establishing a season-high seven-game win streak for the Black and Gold. Hayes buried his sixth tally in as many games, and Jansen Harkins tucked in his first goal since returning on a conditioning loan. Third-period goals by Corey Andonovski and Sam Poulin locked in the Penguins’ win.

Sunday, Apr. 14 – PENGUINS 1 at Hershey 4
The Bears returned the favor on Sunday evening, using a dominant special teams performance to snap the Penguins’ streak. Hershey went 2-for-4 on the power play, scored a shorthanded goal and an empty netter. Vinnie Hinostroza tallied Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s only goal.

The Weekly Ahead

Friday, Apr. 19 – PENGUINS at Hartford
The Penguins’ penultimate game of the season is at XL Center, where they are 1-5-1-1 since 2021-22, having been outscored 37-17. Hartford recently went through a brutal 1-10-1-2 (.179) stretch, but won its both of its two games last weekend.

Saturday, Apr. 20 – PENGUINS at Lehigh Valley
The Pens’ regular season wraps against their turnpike rival, a Phantoms team whose magic number to clinch the Atlantic’s final playoff spot is down to one. Lehigh Valley is tied for the league lead with eight wins when trailing after two periods.

Ice Chips

– Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s seven-game winning streak was the teams longest since an eight-win run in 2017-18.

– Joel Blomqvist is tied for the second-most wins by a rookie in Penguins franchise history, even with Matt Murray (25). Marc-André Fleury owns the Penguins’ rookie record with 26 wins.

– Vinnie Hinostroza is on a six-game point streak, gathering seven points (4G-3A).

– Evan Vierling had points in his first six games (2G-5A), the longest streak by a rookie to start an AHL career in Pens history.

DIVISION STANDINGS

x = clinched playoffs
y = clinched division

TEAM LEADERS

* = rookie
# = not on current roster

UPCOMING GAME SCHEDULE

DATE                  OPPONENT         LOCATION                             TIME      

Fri, Apr. 19         Hartford              XL Center                            7:00 p.m.

Sat, Apr. 20        Lehigh Valley      PPL Center                          7:05 p.m.

RECENT TRANSACTIONS

Thu, Apr. 11    (C) Vinnie Hinostroza                                  Recalled by PIT

Fri, Apr. 12      (LW) Matt Quercia                                         Signed to PTO

Fri, Apr. 12      (D) Isaac Belliveau               Reassigned by PIT from WHL

Sat, Apr. 13     (C) Vinnie Hinostroza                         Reassigned from PIT

Mon, Apr. 15   (C) Jansen Harkins                                       Recalled by PIT

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