PENGUINS WEEKLY – 1/7/25
Streaking Penguins hit the road for Canada
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (18-8-3-0) has points in six-straight games after shutout win on Saturday
Weekly Rewind
Friday, Jan. 3 – PENGUINS 2 vs. Charlotte 3 (OT)
Another tight battle between the Penguins and Checkers ended in heartbreak for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. The Black & Gold took a 2-0 lead on goals from Ville Koivunen and Nate Clurman, but the visitors rallied with three unanswered to steal the win.
Saturday, Jan. 4 – PENGUINS 5 vs. Hartford 0
Filip Larsson made 33 saves to record his fourth shutout of the season. Rutger McGroarty scored the team’s first two goals of the game, with Vasily Ponomarev picking up his 100th AHL point with an assist on the latter. Ponomarev tallied a goal of his own late in the second period, followed by a pair of third-period strikes from Emil Bemström.
The Week Ahead
Wednesday, Jan. 8 – PENGUINS at Toronto
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s excursion to the Great White North begins with another Gruden Bowl. Last month, John Gruden’s Marlies came to NEPA and blanked the Penguins, 3-0. However, his son, Jonathan Gruden, walked away with victory when he and the Pens made their only visit to Toronto last season.
Friday, Jan. 10 – PENGUINS at Belleville
The Penguins clash with the Senators for the first time this season. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton is 3-1-0-0 all-time at CAA Arena. Belleville is only 5-6-1-2 (.464) on home ice this season, being out-scored 38-52.
Sunday, Jan. 12 – PENGUINS at Belleville
The Pens and Sens clash again on a Sunday afternoon in Ontario. This weekend serves as a mini-homecoming for Penguins forward Boko Imama, who played 53 games for the Senators last season, and Penguins head equipment manager Matt Mitchell, who spent seven seasons in Belleville.
Ice Chips
– Wilkes-Barre/Scranton is on a four-game point streak (4-0-2-0), its longest streak of the season.
– Filip Larsson is tied for the league lead with four shutouts, but he has the fewest starts among that group (10).
– Boris Katchouk has 12 points (5G-7A) in his last nine games.
– Ville Koivunen is tied for the second among rookies in power-play points (11).
– At least one rookie has scored in eight of the Pens’ last 10 games.
– Emil Bemström has four three-point games this season.
– The Penguins have out-scored opponents 29-15 (+14) 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. 8 Toronto Coca-Cola Coliseum 7:05 p.m.
Fri, Jan. 10 Belleville CAA Arena 7:00 p.m.
Sun, Jan. 12 Belleville CAA Arena 3:00 p.m.
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
DATE PLAYER TRANSACTION
Sun, Dec. 29 (D) David Drake Released from PTO
Wed, Jan. 1 (D) Nate Clurman Reassigned by PIT
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
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