Penguins/Bears Ready to Clash

These two teams do not like each other.

Three of the next five games, including tonight's contest, are against intrastate rival Hershey. With the top three teams in the East Division separated by just three points, the division games become basically "a four point game" where big swings in the standings can be made.

Hopefully the Penguins can take care of business and distance themselves from the rest of the division heading down the stretch.

Interesting note on the AHL's website, as Brian Day is listed as being recalled from Wheeling (ECHL) to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL) and then suspended by the team. Could Day be on his way to Europe?

In other news, Matt Rust and Cody Wild have signed standard AHL deals. They both came in on 25 game professional tryouts (PTO) and both deservedly get contracts.

Boris Valabik and Alexandre Picard began skating at practice yesterday in red no-contact jerseys but aren't close to returning to the lineup just yet.

Brandon DeFazio also practiced in a red jersey but is day-to-day. We reported DeFazio leaving last Friday's game in Connecticut in the first period after taking a big hit, and while he came back and finished that game he sat out the next night in the 7-4 loss to Binghamton.

The lines from practice yesterday, thanks to WBS writer Jonathan Bombulie:

Gibbons-Lerg-Williams
Tangradi-Street-Thompson
Craig-Sill-Walker
MacIntyre-Rust-Chupp/Schnell

Expect one of Chupp/Schnell to be the healthy scratch along with a defenseman (Samuelsson or Wild).

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