#AHL Game Preview: #WBSPens Take On #IceCaps at 6:00 P.M. EDT Tonight

The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (WBS) are up in Newfoundland for a pair of special 6 p.m. EDT face-offs against the St. John's IceCaps (STJ) starting tonight. This is third of four scheduled meetings between the two teams.

The Penguins are coming off a 3-2 overtime loss to Hershey last Saturday night, after a two goal third period comeback by the Pens sent the game to the extra session. Pierre-Luc Leblond and Mike Carman scored for the Penguins. The IceCaps, meanwhile finished a six-game road trip with a 4-3 shootout win over the Binghamton Senators last Saturday night. Jarome Samson scored a goal and added an assist for the IceCaps. Samson has eight goals and six assists in 15 games, nearly a point per game on the season.

Tune into Highland Park Hockey on Twitter tonight for all the latest in-game updates of tonight's AHL action. The puck drops at 6:00 p.m. EDT (7:30 p.m. NDT). Roster notes, lineups and more after the jump.

By The Numbers

WBS: 13-5-1-2, 29 points - First Place East Division (3rd - East)

Last Ten Games: 5-4-1-0

STJ: 11-9-1-2, 25 points, Third Place Atlantic Division (7th - East)

Last Ten Games: 5-3-0-2

WBS Leading Scorers: Brian Gibbons (7G-17A), Tom Kostopoulos (8G-9A), Brendan Mikkelson (2G-12A)

STJ Leading Scorers: Eric O'Dell (10G-12A), Kael Mouillierat (5G-13A), Jason Jaffray (7G-9A)

Expected Starting Goaltenders

WBS - Eric Hartzell: 2-0-0, 1.00 GAA, .964 SV%, 1 SO

STJ - Eddie Pasquale: 9-8-1, 2.39 GAA, .921 SV%, 0 SO

For The Penguins

With Harry Zolnierczyk called up to Pittsburgh, the AHL Penguins are now without seven forwards from their regular lineup through the first quarter of the season. Goal scoring has been at a premium as of late and WBS will be looking for some guys to step up and contribute some timely offensive scoring and continue to be stout on defense along with a good performance in net from either goaltender. With games in back-to-back nights I'd expect both goaltenders will get a game like when the teams played a two-game weekend series at the end of November. Since Hartzell's first start, the two goalies have split time, alternating between games. if the pattern continues Hartzell will lead the WBS Penguins out for the warm up skate tonight.

ROSTER NOTES

• With Harry Zolnierczyk called up to Pittsburgh, the AHL Penguins have just 12 healthy forwards on the active roster. Recent addition and Pittsburgh area native C.J. Severyn is set to make his WBS debut.

• Reid McNeill has practiced with the team earlier this week. Whether or not he is ready to return from an upper body injury sustained last month in Syracuse remains to be seen. 

• Harrison Ruopp and Peter Merth are looking to be the team's sixth defenseman with Simon Despres up in the NHL.

• WBS Expected Scratches: Reid McNeill, Nick Drazenovic, Dominik Uher, Harrison Ruopp and Adam Payerl.

Expected Lines

Thompson - Gibbons - Kostopoulos

Sylvester - Carman - Kuhnhackl

Zlobin - Manderson - Rowney
Farnham - Severyn - Leblond

Samuelsson - Dumoulin

Harrington - Mikkelson

D'Agostino - Merth