After two months, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins find themselves tied for first place in the East Division, but feeling the ill-effects of mid season injuries and callups and going forward will need to dig deep and get a full team effort for 60 minutes to earn victories in the near future.
The power play still needs some work and the penalty kill remains pretty good after the first quarter of the season. The AHL Penguins went 7-4-1-1 in 13 November games in large part due to some timely scoring from team captain Tom Kostopoulos and Harry Zolnierczyk.
November's Player of The Month tallied 12 points (6G-6A) in 13 games in November. He's been a leader both on and off the ice and is stepping up at the right time in the midst of callups at the forward position. The player of the month for November is...
Tom Kostopoulos – Grade A+
AHL Stats: 18GP, 8G-9A, +6, 23 PIM
November Stats: 13GP, 6G-6A, +5, 19 PIM
Team-captain Kostopoulos has been a leader both on and off
the ice. His five power play goals are more than twice as many as anyone else
on the roster (four others tied with two apiece). In November, he's tallied offense at nearly a point-per-game.
Goaltenders
Jeff Deslauriers – Grade B+
AHL Stats: 17GP, 10-5-2, 2.41 GAA, .897 SV%, 0 SO
November Stats: 11GP, 5-5-1, 2.37 GAA, .894 SV%, 0 SO
Deslauriers has come in on an AHL tryout and is the clear
number one goalie for the AHL Penguins. He recently signed an AHL contract and is signed through the rest of the season. His numbers have come back to earth after an unbeaten October, but still a great option to have in net on a nightly basis.
Eric Hartzell – Grade Incomplete
AHL Stats: 2GP, 2-0-0, 1.00 GAA, .964 SV%, 1 SO
ECHL Stats: 5GP, 2-2-1, 2.58 GAA, .922 SV%, 1 SO
November Stats: 2GP, 2-0-0, 1.00 GAA, .964 SV% 1 SO
Hartzell won his AHL debut and looked impressive, and followed that up with a 25 save shutout in his 2nd start, a 1-0 win over the recently streaking Binghamton Senators. It’s still too early to tell what the future holds for him. Expect him to remain in the
AHL now with the disappearance and subsequent suspension to fellow goalie Peter
Mannino for failure to report to Wheeling (ECHL).
Defensemen
Simon Despres – Grade A+
AHL Stats: 17GP, 3G-8A, +13, 21 PIM
NHL Stats: 3GP, 0G-0A, +2, 2 PIM
November Stats: 10GP, 3G-5A, +7, 12 PIM
Being the odd man out on the NHL blue line, a disappointed
Despres began the 2013-14 season in minors. Instead of sulking, the big
defenseman continued to work even harder to round out his game in an attempt to
be even more NHL-ready when he was next called upon. He appeared in his first
NHL game of 2013-14 last night.
At the AHL level, Despres was a workhorse, playing a
shutdown role on the top pairing alongside teammate Philip Samuelsson. Despres
logged big minutes on the PK and while playing defense was what he was in the
AHL to hone on, he also logged power play minutes and put up some pretty
impressive offensive stats in 17 games with the AHL Penguins. His +13 is also
good for 2nd best in the AHL.
Brian Dumoulin – Grade B-
AHL Stats: 20GP, 1G-5A, Even, 17 PIM
November Stats:13GP, 1G-3A, +3, 15 PIM
Is seems that after a slow start after missing opening night recovering from an injury
sustained in training camp, Dumoulin is getting back on track, though he hasn’t been quite as impressive as he was
last year in his rookie season. Dumoulin’s offensive numbers aren't down from
last year, and while I’m not advocating that Dumoulin has been hit with the “sophomore
slump” tag yet, he might have set the bar a little high during his first pro
season where he was on the top pairing most of the year.
Brendan Mikkelson – Grade B+
AHL Stats: 20GP, 2G-12A, +8, 27 PIM
November Stats: 12GP, 1G-5A, +13, 14 PIM
Mikkelson has come in and played well in his first season
with the Penguins organization. He’s been known for clutch scoring this season
as both of his goals are overtime game winners. Mikkelson has been a top-four
defenseman for the AHL Penguins all season and logs big minutes on special
teams as well as in important situations in-game. He’s also been a good mentor
to rookie defensemen Scott Harrington and Nick D’Agostino, as Mikkelson brings
the most pro experience to the AHL blue line.
Scott Harrington – Grade B+
AHL Stats: 21GP, 2G-6A, +5, 27 PIM
November Stats: 13GP, 1G-4A, +1, 11 PIM
Harrington is doing just fine adjusting to the pro-game
through the first quarter of the season. Playing in some AHL playoff games last
season is really adjusting the learning curve for him this season. Harrington
has played on the 2nd team special teams units on both power play and penalty
kill and continues to develop his two-way game.
Philip Samuelsson – Grade B+
AHL Stats: 21GP, 0G-5A, +8, 31 PIM
November Stats: 13GP, 0G-3A, +5, 25 PIM
Samuelsson hasn’t scored his first goal of the season yet,
but he has been playing well on the top pairing in a shutdown role and has been
shutting down opposing teams top players so far through the first 19 games.
Nick D’Agostino – Grade C+
AHL Stats: 14GP, 0G-3A, -1, 11 PIM
November Stats: 8GP, 0G-3A, -1, 9 PIM
November Stats: 8GP, 0G-3A, -1, 9 PIM
The rookie offensive defenseman from Cornell has been the
teams 6th/7th defenseman thus far and is still adjusting to the pro-style game.
Personally, I believe he has one of the best shots on the team and needs to
shoot the puck more often.
Reid McNeill – Grade C+
AHL Stats: 8GP, 0G-0A, +2, 18 PIM
November Stats: 4GP, 0G-0A, Even, 7 PIM
McNeill had been splitting time with D’Agostino on the third
pairing so far this season until an upper body injury has sidelined the stay at
home defender.
Dustin Stevenson – Grade C
AHL Stats: 4GP, 0G-0A, -1, 2 PIM
ECHL Stats: 9GP, 0G-5A, +9, 17 PIM
November Stats: 4GP, 0G-0A, -1, 2 PIM
Stevenson started the season injured and was sent to
Wheeling to get in some games before being recalled by the AHL Penguins earlier
this month. Stevenson, like McNeill, is a big physical stay-at-home type
defenseman.
Forwards
Jayson Megna – Grade A+
AHL Stats: 11GP, 7G-3A, +12, 2 PIM
NHL Stats: 9GP, 2G-2A, +1, 0 PIM
November Stats: 5GP, 4G-1A, +4, 2 PIM
Megna has come into this season and elevated his game to new heights
that I’m sure many in Wilkes-Barre thought were unimaginable. Starting
the season in the AHL, Megna dominated the ice.
Upon being
re-assigned to Wilkes-Barre in time for a November 15th match up with division
rival Syracuse Crunch, some thought an NHL hangover would ensue. Not even
close.
Megna continued to dominate at the AHL level, recording a
point in each of the five games he played after returning from Pittsburgh and
it wasn’t long before he was given a second look by the NHL club, as he is
currently on the NHL roster with four points in nine NHL games.
Brian Gibbons – Grade A+
AHL Stats: 18GP, 7G-17A, +12, 29 PIM
NHL Stats: 5GP, 1G-1A, Even, 2 PIM
November Stats: 10GP, 2G-8A, +1, 16 PIM
Another forward in the Penguins prospect pool making big
strides is Brian Gibbons. Gibbons had blazing speed and shiftiness last season
but the pucks weren't going in. This year, they are. And in bunches. Gibbons leads the team in scoring with 24 points in 18 games. Gibbons has been a top line staple at the AHL level for the
Penguins. The smaller forward uses his speed and skating ability to blow
by defenders, especially on the penalty kill
No one made a bigger impact in their first NHL stint than
Gibbons, who recorded his first NHL goal and an assist in his NHL debut with
the Penguins back on November 18th against the Anaheim Ducks. Gibbons is
currently back in the AHL with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins but with the
injury bug hitting Pittsburgh hard lately, Gibbons is probably the next forward
in line for an NHL promotion.
Andrew Ebbett – Grade A-
AHL Stats: 18GP, 6G-9A, +4, 16 PIM
NHL Stats: 3GP, 0G-1A, +1, 0 PIM
November Stats: 10GP, 4G-4A, +3, 16 PIM
Ebbett has been the most consistent of the AHL forwards not
named Gibbons or Megna, posting at near point-per-game level before his first
NHL call up of the season this past weekend. He recorded an assist on a nice
set up on Chris Conner’s goal this weekend in his first NHL game with the
Penguins.
Harry Zolnierczyk – Grade A-
AHL Stats: 18GP, 9G-3A, +5, 27 PIM
NHL Stats: 3GP, 0G-0A, Even, 0 PIM
November Stats: 13GP, 5G-3A, +3, 23 PIM
Zolnierczyk has been a nice addition to the AHL Penguins
this season, as the speed and experience he adds to the team has been a nice
compliment with that of line mate Brian Gibbons. Harry Z has been a staple on
the PK for the WBS Pens this season and with the injuries in Pittsburgh, he’s
getting top line minutes and extended looks on the power play in the AHL. Zolnierczyk's 9 goals lead the team.
Chris Conner – Grade A-
AHL Stats: 15GP, 6G-5A, +3, 8 PIM
NHL Stats: 5GP, 1G-0A, Even, 0 PIM
November Stats: 10 GP, 3G-4A, Even, 6 PIM
Conner is another guy that has played well while in the AHL
and is currently in Pittsburgh with the NHL Penguins, scoring his first goal of
the season against the Toronto Maple Leafs this past weekend.
Nick Drazenovic – Grade Incomplete
AHL Stats: 12GP, 2G-8A, +2, 6 PIM
November Stats: 4GP, 1G-4A, +3, 2 PIM
Drazenovic hasn't played since November 16th, but was producing at point-per-game levels in
the AHL before the injury. With the call ups in Pittsburgh, the AHL Penguins
are hoping Drazenovic can return to action soon.
Dominik Uher – Grade B
AHL Stats: 19GP, 3G-6A, +2, 30 PIM
November Stats: 11GP, 1G-4A, Even, 19 PIM
Uher continues to improve in his 2nd pro season. The feisty
Czech grinder has already outdone his offensive point totals from his 53-game
rookie season (4G-3A) and is currently getting an extended look in the AHL
Penguins top-six forward core. He missed the last two games of the month after taking a puck up high to the face area on Thanksgiving Eve.
Forward Tom Kuhnhackl – Grade D
AHL Stats: 20GP, 5G-0A, -1, 16 PIM
November Stats: 12GP, 1G-0A, -1, 2 PIM
Maybe I’m being a little hard on Kuhnhackl, who is still
considered a rookie after missing most of last season after having in-season
shoulder surgery to repair a separated shoulder. With just one goal in his last
11 games, he certainly needs to elevate his game while five AHL Pens forwards
are currently in Pittsburgh. One other thing to note is that Kuhnhackl got off
to a slow start offensively last year too before starting to produce before the
season ending injury last December.
Zach Sill – Grade B
AHL Stats: 14GP, 2G-3A, +4, 27 PIM
NHL Stats: 2GP, 0G-0A, Even, 0 PIM
November Stats: 6GP, 1G-2A, +5, 11 PIM
After 276 regular season games at the AHL level, the 5th
year pro finally got his first NHL call up earlier this month. Sill is your
prototypical 4th line center who plays a solid defensive game and is
well-suited for a gritty, grinding 4th line at the NHL level.
Adam Payerl – Grade C+
AHL Stats: 19GP, 2G-4A, +3, 26 PIM
November Stats: 12G, 0G-3A, +3, 17 PIM
No goals in November, but three points for the second year power forward who - at 6-3, 218 pounds - is a physical specimen to say the least. Payerl is great in the corners and around the net, but needs to
better use his size and be a little more physical if he wants an extended look
in the AHL Penguins lineup outside the bottom-six role he’s played in this
season.
Mike Carman – Grade B-
AHL Stats: 11GP, 1G-3A, -1, 4 PIM
November Stats: 11GP, 2G-0A, -2, 4 PIM
Carman is a guy that has impressed me since day one as a
reliable bottom-six center who plays a simple yet effective game. With the injuries in Pittsburgh, Carman has found himself centering the 2nd line as of late.
Bobby Farnham – Grade B
AHL Stats: 15GP, 1G-2A, +2, 47 PIM
November Stats: 11GP, 1G-2A, +4, 26 PIM
Farnham is easily becoming one of the most hated men in the
AHL. As long as he doesn’t hurt the team’s chances to win by taking too many
unnecessary penalties, he’s a solid option on the fourth line wing for the AHL
Penguins. With three points (1G-2A) and a plus four rating in his last four games, Farnham is playing well with the new 3rd line role he's in now.
Pierre-Luc Letourneau Leblond – Grade B
AHL Stats: 15GP, 1G-1A, Even, 85 PIM
November Stats: 7GP, 1G-1A, +1, 45 PIM
Leblond returned to action Friday night after missing several
games with an upper body injury. The team’s enforcer has protected his
teammates and been a solid option on the 4th line this season. He even ended the month by adding a goal, his first of the season, last night to jump start a third period comeback to help the Pens earn a point in Hershey.
Forward Paul Thompson – Grade D
AHL Stats: 14GP, 0G-1A, -6, 18 PIM
November Stats: 8GP, 0G-0A, -5, 8 PIM
After a 20-goal sophomore season in 58 games last year, another 20 goal season
was on the horizon heading into 2013-14. After the two months of the season, Thompson is goal-less
and has fallen out of favor with the coaching staff, often sitting out as a
healthy scratch. With the injuries and subsequent call-ups to Pittsburgh, now
is as good a chance as ever for Thompson to get more ice time and start
producing. It could be his last chance to make an impression for a regular spot in the WBS lineup for when guys in Pittsburgh in healthy and the bodies start coming back.
Cody Sylvester – Grade C+
AHL Stats: 5GP, 1G-0A, -1, 2 PIM
ECHL Stats: 12GP, 5G-1A, +6, 4 PIM
Sylvester has filled in nicely on the 4th line after being
called up last week and tallied the game winning goal in Rochester in his first
AHL game November 20th.
Denver Manderson – Grade Incomplete
AHL Stats: 5GP, 0G-1A, Even, 0 PIM
ECHL Stats: 12GP, 2G-7A, +1, 4 PIM
Manderson is another
guy called up from the AHL Penguins affiliate in Wheeling (ECHL). A former line
mate of Beau Bennett’s at Penticon (BCHL), Manderson has centered the 4th line
for the AHL Penguins as of late.
Carter Rowney - Grade Incomplete
AHL Stats: 2GP, 0G-0A, +1, 0 PIM
ECHL Stats: 15GP, 6G-7A, +9, 7 PIM
Carter Rowney is the latest of call up forwards from Wheeling and with Uher out the last two games, made his WBS debut Friday night in the Pens 1-0 win over Binghamton.
Anton Zlobin – Grade Incomplete
AHL Stats: 1GP, 0G-0A, Even, 0 PIM
ECHL Stats: 8GP, 4G-5A, Even, 8 PIM
After off-season shoulder surgery slowed his rookie season,
Zlobin was sent to the ECHL to get playing time and has looked well in six
games with Wheeling.
0 comments:
Post a Comment