WBS Penguins AHL Prospect Report - March Grades

No one has turned their season around more in March than that of goaltender Peter Mannino (pictured above). Photo by: @ItsJacki.

Editors Note: Statistics include all 12 WBS Penguins games this month, starting with March 1st's game vs. Albany and ending with March 29th's 2-1 win over Norfolk.
 
After six months of the season have passed, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins are well on their way to clinching a berth in the 2014 Calder Cup playoffs for the 12th straight season and with a record of 38-22-3-5, the Penguins magic number has dropped to 10 points with eight games remaining.

The Penguins turned things around in March, finishing the month with a record of 9-2-0-1. They have solidified their position in the AHL's Eastern Conference, currently sitting in 5th place and just two points behind Division-leading Binghamton for the third seed in the 2014 Calder Cup Playoffs.

Highland Park Hockey's Player of the Month

Every month, I compile a look at how every player on the team performed and offer insights to what each player has done over the course of the month.  I choose one player who has performed well in the last month and feature him on the main page and "tag" him as HP Hockey's Player of the Month.

March's player of the month is...
 
Peter Mannino - Grade A

AHL Stats: 14GP, 8-3-1, 1.58 GAA, .933 SV%, 2 SO
March Stats: 10GP, 7-2-1, 1.09 GAA, .950 SV%, 2 SO

Mannino has come to the team in March after a two-month suspension for not reporting to the Penguins ECHL affiliate back in November and played lights out, starting 10 of the team's 12 games this month and not allowing more than two goals in any of his 11 appearances since re-joining the WBS Pens on February 28th. Could Mannino be up for the league's goaltender of the month award?

Previous winners with links to each month's prospect report below:

February (2014) - Spencer Machacek
January (2014) - Eric Hartzell
December (2013) - Nick Drazenovic
November (2013) - Tom Kostopoulos
October (2013) -Brian Gibbons


A look at everyone who participated in AHL games in March after the jump.

March of the (WBS) Penguins

In a game that played out kind of like Friday night's meeting at the Scope, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins edged the Norfolk Admirals by another 2-1 decision Saturday night, and are now two points behind East Division-leading Binghamton and have extended their lead over third place Norfolk to seven heading into April.

The Penguins were woefully out shot, 25-13 in the game and 11-3 in the third period, but were able maintain a one-goal lead thanks to a Dominik Uher shorthanded goal in the opening minute of the third and 24 saves by WBS goaltender Peter Mannino, who has taken over as the team's starting goaltender heading into the final month of the regular season.

The Penguins finished March with a record of 9-2-0-1 and have solidified their position in the AHL's Eastern Conference, currently sitting in 5th place and just two points out of a top three seed guaranteed by finishing first place in the division.

But what has been the cause(s) for the Pens' turnaround after a February to forget (3-5-2-1) for the Pittsburgh Penguins top minor league affiliate?

Saturday's Morning Skate 3/29

Everyone in the East Division was in action last night and this weekend could help create some distance among the four teams in playoff contention.

East Division Standings (Conference Position)

1. Binghamton (3rd) - 83 points, 11 games remaining
2. WBS Penguins (5th) - 82 points, 9 games remaining
3. Norfolk (7th) - 77 points, 10 games remaining
4. Hershey (9th) - 74 points, 10 games remaining
5. Syracuse (11th) - 64 points, 10 games remaining

Friday Night Around The East Division

WBS Penguins - 2, Norfolk - 1

In Norfolk, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins hold onto a one-goal lead in the third period and take two points from the Norfolk Admirals in a 2-1 victory. Chuck Kobasew continued his torrid goal scoring streak, tallying a goal - the game-winner - in his 6th straight game for the Penguins, while amateur tryout Josh Archibald tallied his first goal as a pro and Peter Mannino stopped 19/20 to improve to 7-3-1 on the season.

John Gibson kept his team in it and Emerson Etem drew the Admirals within one after a nice individual effort, but Norfolk couldn't find the equalizer in the third period. These two teams play against each other again tonight in Norfolk at 7:15 p.m. ET.

Mannino's March, Kobasew's Scoring Streak and Archibald's First Pro Goal Highlight Penguins 2-1 Win Over Norfolk

In his second pro game, Penguins forward prospect Josh Archibald tallied his first professional goal, Photo credit: @ItsJacki.

In Norfolk, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins hold onto a one-goal lead in the third period and take two points from the Norfolk Admirals in a 2-1 victory tonight. These two teams will conclude their regular season series in a rematch tomorrow night at 7:15 p.m. ET.

Josh Archibald scored his first professional goal in the first period and Chuck Kobasew added one early in the second as Kobasew continues to score a goal in each game he has played in the AHL this season to pace the Penguins scoring attack tonight.

Peter Mannino continued his strong play in March stopping 19 of 20 shots he faced tonight to improve to 6-2-1 in nine starts this month with a 1.11 goals-against average, a .949 save percentage and two shutouts. Mannino has not allowed more than two goals in his last ten appearances since being recalled by the Penguins from Wheeling on February 28th.

The Penguins win keeps them within three points of division-leading Binghamton, who defeated St. John's 2-1 tonight, and extends their lead over third place Norfolk to five points. In the conference playoff picture, the Penguins remain one point ahead of Providence for 5th best in the East.

Subban Steals Show, Bruins Defeat Penguins 2-1

The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins couldn't overcome a one-goal deficit in the third period, due in large part to the play in net by Providence Bruins' goaltender Malcolm Subban. Subban stopped 31 of the 32 shots he faced, including a a bunch of saves in the final minute of regulation with the Penguins extra attacker on the ice.

The Penguins 6th round draft pick from 2011, Josh Archibald, made his pro debut tonight with the WBS Pens and spent most of the night on the 2nd line with Nick Drazenovic and Tom Kostopoulos. Archibald looked a little unsure of himself in the first two periods, but had a strong third period including two Grade A scoring chances in the final few minutes.

After signing an amateur tryout contract (ATO) on Saturday, Archibald joined the WBS Pens for his first practice with the team yesterday before playing tonight. Quick turnaround for Archibald, who just finished his junior season at the University of Nebraska-Omaha.

Archibald is likely going to be in the lineup this weekend for a pair of games in Norfolk, due in large part to the fact that Dominik Uher is now out with an injury. With Uher, Harry Zolnierczyk, Spencer Machacek and Zach Sill still out of action, the AHL Penguins called up forward Carter Rowney from Wheeling.

Philip Samuelsson, who left in the 2nd period after an apparent upper body injury, did not return. If Samuelsson misses any extended amount of time, Barry Goers could be back in the lineup and it's possible Harrison Ruopp could be recalled from Wheeling for a 7th defenseman to travel to Norfolk this weekend.

Big pair of games coming up for the Penguins this weekend in Norfolk against the Admirals, who trail the Penguins by three points for second place in the East Division. The Pens trail division-leading Binghamton by one point.

King Kobasew Lifts Penguins Past Devils

With three points today (2G-1A), Chuck Kobasew has a goal in each of his first four games with the AHL Penguins. Photo credit: @ItsJacki.

After letting a 1-0 lead to start the third period slip away into a 2-1 deficit 7:16 into the final frame, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins continued their magic at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.

First Brendan Mikkelson knotted things up with 1:04 left on a feed from Chuck Kobasew. Then, Kobasew crashed the net in overtime and after several whacks at a loose puck in Devils goaltender's Keith Kinkaid's crease, the red goal light came on and the Penguins escaped with a 3-2 victory.

Kobasew finished the game figuring in on all three WBS goals with two goals and an assist. He now has six points (5G-1A) in four games and has scored a goal in each of his first four games since being re-assigned from Pittsburgh.

If these two teams meet in the playoffs, the Penguins should push for the Devils' home games to be played there. The Penguins are now a perfect 5-0 against the Albany Devils in games played at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.

The win gives the Penguins sole possession of 5th place in the Eastern Conference and they now trail Binghamton by just one point for first place in the East Division. The Penguins return home for their next game Wednesday night against the Providence Bruins.

Comets Power Play Gets Utica Two Goals, Two Points Against Penguins

In yet another low scoring game between the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and Utica Comets - the third of four scheduled meetings on the season - the Comets prevail with a third period power play goal in a 2-1 decision over the Penguins.

The loss snaps a five-game win streak and seven game points streak for the Penguins, who were a bit sluggish for a good portion of the night. Despite a last ditch effort in the final few minutes, the Penguins were unable to find the equalizer.  

If the first three meetings between the two teams haven't been hard-fought enough, imagine how important the final meeting between these two teams could be if either is still fighting for playoff position. The Penguins end the 2013-14 regular season in Utica on April 19th.

Beau Bennett made his WBS return after missing 40+ games with wrist injury he suffered with Pittsburgh. Not surprisingly, he looked much like a guy who hasn't played in awhile. Bennett had a few chances throughout the game but was sluggish like most of his teammates.

I'm sure everyone is expecting more out of Bennett as he starts to get back in the swing of things. He'll likely be in the lineup again tomorrow night as the Penguins travel to Atlantic City for another game at Boardwalk Hall against the Albany Devils Sunday at 4:00 p.m. ET.

Saturday's Morning Skate 3/22

The AHL's East Division is still a logjam among the top three teams, which are separated by three points. There's still a lot left to be decided in the last five weeks of the regular season.

East Division Standings (Conference Position)
1. Binghamton (3rd) - 79 points, 13 games remaining
2. Penguins (5th) - 78 points, 13 games remaining
3. Norfolk (7th) - 76 points, 12 games remaining
4. Hershey (9th) - 72 points, 13 games remaining
5. Syracuse (13th) - 58 points, 14 games remaining

Friday Night Around The East Division

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton - 2, Syracuse - 0

In Syracuse, the Penguins used a pair of first period goals from Spencer Machacek and Adam Payerl along with a second straight shutout by Peter Mannino (16 saves) to extend the Pens' win streak to five games and a 6-0-0-1 record in the month of March.

The Pens haven't allowed a goal in their last 162:20 of hockey and have only allowed eight goals in their last seven games, playing solid defensively and using their depth and ability to roll four lines to ware their opponents down to grind out this current win streak.

The Penguins return home to host the Utica Comets, who are battling for their playoff lives out West. Syracuse hosts the Albany Devils Saturday night before the Devils and Penguins rematch at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey on Sunday afternoon.

Hershey - 2, Providence - 0

In what was a battle between 9th and 8th place in the conference, the Bears got power play goals from David Kolomatis and Ryan Stoa and a 28-save shutout from David Leggio to keep them in the Eastern Conference playoff race.

Providence out shot the Bears 12-2 in the third period but were unable to start the rally against  Leggio. The Bears continue their New England road trip tonight at the DCU Center against Worcester.

Binghamton - 5, Norfolk - 2

The BSens prevailed in a game much closer than the final score suggests. Tied at 2-2 after two periods, Binghamton got an early third period goal from Shane Prince and insurance markers from Cole Schneider and Stephane Da Costa (empty net) late in the third to pull away from the Admirals.

With the win, the BSens moved back into first place in the division, leading the second place Penguins by one point and third place Norfolk by three points. These two teams rematch tonight at The Scope in Norfolk.

Other Eastern Conference Scores

St. John's - 6, Hartford - 1
Adirondack - 4, Utica - 3
Springfield - 4, Worcester - 2

Saturday's Schedule

Hartford @ Adirondack at 7:00 p.m ET
St. John's @ Bridgeport at 7:00 p.m. ET
Manchester @ Springfield at 7:00 p.m. ET
Albany @ Syracuse at 7:00 p.m. ET
Hershey @ Worcester at 7:00 p.m. ET
Utica @ Wilkes-Barre/Scranton at 7:05 p.m. ET
Binghamton @ Norfolk at 7:15 p.m. ET

March of the Penguins - Mannino/Payerl Lead Penguins Past Syracuse

In a physical East Division battle on a Friday night, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins used a pair of first period goals and continued pressure to shut out the Syracuse Crunch.

Since a 4-0 shutout loss back on February 28th to these same Syracuse Crunch, the Penguins have been on a roll in the month of March. They are now 6-0-0-1 this month, including five straight wins and back-to-back shutouts by Peter Mannino (16 saves tonight), who is now 5-0-1 since re-joining the Pens.

The player of the game was definitely Adam Payerl, who continues to be a net-front presence for WBS. He was flying out there tonight, scoring his third of the season on a beautiful backhand to forehand move on the power play to put the Penguins in front 2-0 in the first period in what would be the game's final goal.

When Spencer Machacek went down early in the second period (more on Machacek after the jump), Payerl moved up to the top line in Machacek's spot and played arguably one of his best games at the pro level, with a game-high and career-high nine shots on goal tonight.

Elsewhere in the East Division, Binghamton defeated Norfolk 5-2 and jumped over the Admirals and Penguins for first place in the division. The Penguins return home for a match up with the Utica Comets Saturday night.

Penguins Goaltending Carousel Comes Full Circle With Return of Peter Mannino

From left to right: Peter Mannino, Eric Hartzell and Jeff Deslauriers. Middle photo is Highland Park Hockey's own, while the end photos are courtesy Amy's WBS Pens Picture Page. Special thanks to @TaylorHaase87 for the photo edit.

With 14 games left in the regular season for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, the team's number "true" number one goaltender couldn't be more unclear.

The Tale of the Men Between the Pipes

Jeff Deslauriers has been with the team the entire 2013-14 season from preseason to opening night to Game 63 this Friday night against Syracuse.

Deslauriers seemingly won the starting job out of the preseason, starting the first four games for the WBS Pens before then-backup goaltender Peter Mannino made his first appearance in game five on the 2013-14 campaign on the middle game of a three-in-three weekend.

Deslauriers started the next two games and after a shootout loss to Binghamton, Mannino got his second start in a WBS uniform in a tough 2-1 loss to Norfolk. The Pens went back to Deslauriers for three games, giving him 9 of the first 11 games as the starter.Upon starting Mannino against Albany back on November 8th, the backup goaltender was shelled for five goals on 19 shots in two periods of work.

Hard to believe that one bad game for the backup goaltender in his third start of the season would have such an effect on his season, but it was the last game Mannino was seen in. He backed up Deslauriers for three more games before being demoted to the Pens ECHL affiliate Wheeling Nailers in a swap that saw the Penguins bring up highly touted rookie goaltender Eric Hartzell in Mannino's place on November 18th.

Mannino failed to report to Wheeling and was suspended indefinitely the following day (November 19th). Hartzell backed up Deslauriers in the Pens' next two games before making his AHL debut in the 17th game of the season for WBS on November 23rd in the 2nd of a two-game weekend set at home with the St. John IceCaps. From there both Deslauriers and Hartzell saw stretches of consecutive starts but while on the road for the teams biggest road trip of the season in mid-January, Deslauriers struggled and Hartzell took over.

While the battle for the AHL's top goaltender spot was at its height, Mannino reported to Wheeling and after almost two months of being suspended, he returned to action in the ECHL on January 26th.

Hartzell went on to win the AHL's Goaltender of the Month award for January but struggled in February, being pulled in four of six starts before being re-assigned to Wheeling and swapped for the man who backed up Deslauriers at the beginning of the season - Peter Mannino - on February 28th.

The Crunch hosted the Penguins on the 28th so Mannino joined the team and backed up Deslauriers, who got the start in net. Deslauriers had lost in four of his last five appearances and after allowing three goals on eight shots in 25:23, was pulled. Enter Peter Mannino.

Mannino allowed a goal on one of the first shots he faced just 1:27 after he came on in relief of Deslauriers, but at that point it was 4-0 and the writing was on the wall for a Penguins team that was struggling. Mannino calmed down and went on to stop 18 of 19 in the team's 4-0 loss.

Mannino earned the start the next night in Atlantic City on March 1st and since then has started five of the team's last six games, going 4-0-1 with a 0.98 goals-against average, a .955 save percentage and one shutout.

But with 14 games left in the season, who will the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins ride with in net come late April?

4-0 Means Four In A Row - Penguins Shut Out Norfolk

Harry Zolnierczyk's first period goal got the Penguins rolling at home again tonight. Photo credit: @ItsJacki

Another dominating performance tonight by the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, who shut out the Norfolk Admirals 4-0 en route to their fourth straight victory in an attempt to fortify their East Division lead. 

Peter Mannino only needed to make 12 saves to earn his first shutout of the season for the Penguins, who outshot Norfolk 40-12. Mannino is now 3-0-1 in four games in March since returning from Wheeling. More on Mannino and the WBS goaltending situation early next week.

Offensively, Tom Kostopoulos and Bobby Farnham led the Penguins attack with two assists each. Harry Zolnierczyk, Brian Dumoulin, Chuck Kobasew and even Pierre-Luc Leblond got on the scoresheet as each tallied goals in the Penguins win.

The trend of the weekend for the Penguins? Goals scored late in a period after sustained cycling and systematic forechecking. All nine goals on the weekend - all five Friday night and the four tonight - were scored in the final 8:40 of a period or later. The stats suggest the Pens simply out-hustled and wore their opponents down this weekend.

Saturday's Morning Skate 3/15

In one week, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins went from fourth up to first in the East Division, going 3-0-0-1 in their last four games while their East Division counterparts, Binghamton and Norfolk, have been in a dog fight to keep up with the WBS Pens' recent pace.

Friday Night Around the East Division

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton - 5, Hamilton - 1

The Penguins returned home for their first game at the Mohegan Sun Arena since February 25th and used a total team effort in a convincing 5-1 over the Bulldogs.

Anton Zlobin led the WBS attack with his first three point game of his AHL career (2G-1A), while Andrew Ebbett, Harry Zolnierczyk and Denver Manderson all paced the Pens with two points each. Peter Mannino, who has started three of the team's last four games, stopped 26 of 27 to improve to 4-1-1 on the season.

The win moved the Penguins into first place in the division with a battle coming up tonight with Norfolk in what could be for first place.

Binghamton - 3, Norfolk - 1

In Binghamton, the BSens jumped out to a 2-0 first period lead and held on for a big home win to start the weekend, defeating then first place Norfolk by a 3-1 count.

David Dziurzynski and Stephane Da Costa tallied first period goals for the BSens and although Devante Smith-Pelly's 22nd goal of the season in the first shift of the second period made it a 2-1 game, the Admirals couldn't find the equalizer. J-P Pageau added an empty net goal with 1:08 left to seal the deal for the BSens.

The Admirals travel to Wilkes-Barre to take on the Penguins tonight, while Binghamton remains home to host the Rochester Americans.

Syracuse - 3, Hershey - 2 (OT)

In the other East Division match up last night, it's the Crunch with the final strike in a back-and-forth kind of game with the Bears.

After newcomer Chis Brown scored his 15th of the season (and first with Hershey), the Crunch responded with two of their own goals - a late first period goal by Chrales Landry and an early 2nd period tally from newly acquired Dalton Smith - to take a 2-1 lead into the third.

The Bears tied it halfway through the final frame, but it was Jon DiSalvatore haunting his former team in overtime to give the Crunch the two points.

The Crunch remain home to host Hamilton tonight, while the Bears return to Giant Center for a Saturday night home matchup with the Adirondack Phantoms.

Other Eastern Conference Scores 

Portland - 7, St. John's - 4
Hartford - 2, Adjrondack - 1 (SO)
Manchester - 7, Bridgeport - 0
Springfield - 6, Albany - 4
Worcester - 4, Providence - 3 (OT)

Saturday's Schedule 

Hartford @ Albany at 5:00 p.m. ET
Portland @ St. John's at 6:00 p.m. ET
Worcester @ Bridgeport at 7:00 p.m. ET
Adirondack @ Hershey at 7:00 p.m. ET
Providence @ Springfield at 7:00 p.m. ET
Hamilton @ Syracuse at 7:00 p.m. ET
Rochester @ Binghamton at 7:05 p.m. ET
Norfolk @ Wilkes-Barre/Scranton at 7:05 p.m. ET

East Division Standings (Conference Position)

1. Penguins (3rd) - 74 points, 15 games remaining
2. Binghamton (5th) - 73 points, 17 games remaining
3. Norfolk (7th) - 72 points, 16 games remaining
4. Hershey (9th) - 68 points, 16 games remaining
5. Syracuse (13th) - 57 points, 17 games remaining

Zlobin, Mannino Lead Penguins Past Hamilton

A convincing 5-1 home win tonight for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins over the Hamilton Bulldogs in the team's first home game since February 25th.

The win gives the Pens three straight victories and with Norfolk's 3-1 loss to Binghamton tonight, the Pens have moved into first place in the East Division with a crucial Saturday night matchup against Norfolk coming up tomorrow night at the Mohegan Sun Arena.

Anton Zlobin had his biggest game in a WBS uniform, tallying three points (2G-1A) for the first time in his AHL career. Peter Mannino, making his 3rd start in the team's last four games, stopped 26 of 27 to improve to 4-1-1 on the season.

Andrew Ebbett, Denver Manderson and Harry Zolnierczyk all added two points each for the Pens, who are 3-0-0-1 in their last four games and have gone from "on the bubble" in the AHL's Eastern Conference playoff race to a Divison leader with the 3rd seed.

What a difference a weekend makes.

WBS Penguins Add UMass Captain Conor Sheary

The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins didn't make any trades on AHL Trade Deadline Day, but that doesn't mean they won't add any new faces in their final 16 games this season. At this time of the year, several drafted and undrafted players from the college and junior ranks finish their respective seasons and turn pro.

UPDATE: Connor Sheary has joined WBS Penguins on an amateur tryout contract (ATO) for the rest of this season and looks to earn an AHL contract for next season.

There are several reports out of the northeast this afternoon that the Penguins have signed forward Conor Sheary, who just finished up a four-year career at the University of Massachusetts (UMass).

John Buccigross' latest on Twitter:

"UMASS Conor "thin mints" Sheary signs AHL deal with Wilkes-Barre"

Several of Sheary's UMass teammates have also been quick to congratulate Sheary on his first NHL contract on social media.

Sheary captained the UMass squad this season, tallying 28 points (9G-19A) in 34 games in the Hockey-East Conference. In four years at UMass, Sheary appeared in 138 games and tallied 104 points (38G-66A).

Sheary is an undersized forward at 5'9, but it seems like the kind of move Penguins GM Ray Shero has been accustomed to making - bring in a undrafted forward and give him a tour of the pro game with the AHL club.

It seems that has been a common move for the Pens. Other undrafted forwards brought in to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in recent years include Jayson Megna, Brian Gibbons, Adam Payerl and Paul Thompson. Former Penguin Mark Letestu was undrafted as well. There are plenty more on the list.

As for the kind of player Sheary is, I'll leave that to those who have seen him play this season and over the past four years at UMass.

Rich Murray, NCAA writer for Hockey's Future, had this to say about Sheary when I contacted him this afternoon:

"Small undersized player with a lot of skill and speed, similar to that of a guy like Brian Gibbons. Needs to get bigger and stronger like most college prospects." 

Also, Murray wrote this feature on Sheary last season: http://www.hockeysfuture.com/articles/80287/sheary-overcoming-small-stature-with-hard-work/

Here's a feature on Sheary back in January from UMass beat writer and sports editor at the college's daily collegian Nick Canelas: http://dailycollegian.com/2014/01/28/conor-sheary-seeks-memorable-finish-to-strong-career/

Sheary probably won't be the only guy coming to the AHL Penguins on some sort of tryout contract or entry level deal. Another notable forward that could be on his way is Matia Marcantuoni, whose season with the OHL's Kitchener Rangers ends Thursday night.

Pivotal Game For WBS Penguins: Shootout Win Moves Pens to Top of the East Division

Andrew Ebbett set up Pens' game-tying goal with 12.9 seconds left and netted the game-clinching shootout goal to give the WBS Pens a 4-3 win over the Toronto Marlies.

The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins found themselves in a battle with the Toronto Marlies at the tail end of a three game weekend road trip that saw them play three games in three different road cities. It was the end of the road trip and the proverbial gas tank was running on fumes.

After carrying the edge in play for most of the game and failing on their 8th straight power play opportunity, the Penguins put themselves shorthanded and Marlies forward Spencer Abbott tied the game at 2-2 with 9:04 left in regulation.

The Penguins 30-19 advantage in shots and edge in puck possession in the first 50 minutes of the game had dwindled away, as the Penguins were out shot 13-5 in the 3rd period. Former WBS forward and current Marlies captain Trevor Smith haunted his former team and gave the Marlies their first lead of the hockey game, at 4-3 with 4:01 left.

At that point, it seemed the writing was on the wall for the Penguins. They had played well through the first 50 minutes of the game but simply 'ran out of gas' after a long road trip (Utica to Hamilton to Toronto in less than a 48 hour span).

The Penguins dug deep and with the goaltender pulled, worked a puck to get Nick Drazenovic open in the slot. The pass from Andrew Ebbett was on target and Drazenovic scored a Sidney Crosby-type goal from one knee on a one-timer with 12.9 seconds left to tie the game at 3-3, sending it to overtime.

After going 0-for-5 in a shootout loss Friday night, the Penguins scored on three straight attempts and got three saves from Jeff Deslauriers, including two well-timed poke checks, to give the Penguins a 4-3 win in the shootout.

Five out of six points for the Penguins on the three game road trip, which was a homecoming of sorts for several WBS players born in Ontario - Kostopoulos, Manderson, Payerl, D'Agostino, McNeill and Harrington - to get a chance to play in front of some family and friends back home.

Easily the goal of the season so far for Drazenovic and the AHL Penguins, who with the shootout win and regulation loss to Binghamton, have moved into a first place tie in the East Division with Norfolk. Remember this game, which could easily be a pivotal game in the 2013-14 season for the Penguins.

Manderson "The Hometown Hero" as Penguins Hold Off Hamilton

Denver Manderson (Fergus, Ontario native) with the game-winning goal in a road game that was close to home for Manderson.

The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins fell behind late in the first period tonight against the Hamilton Bulldogs but tallied three straight in the second period, including back-to-back power play goals 1:39 apart to start the middle frame, and held off a furious Hamilton attack in the third period en route to a 4-2 win for the Penguins.

Peter Mannino picked up the win in his second straight start of the weekend, stopping 30 of 32 shots. Andrew Ebbett picked up three points (2G-1A), while Tom Kostopoulos added a goal and an assist. Denver Manderson, a Fergus, Ontario native, tallied the game winning goal in his return close to home.

The win, coupled with regulation losses by Albany and Providence, moves the Penguins into 6th place in the Eastern Conference. In the East Division, Norfolk defeated Hershey 3-1 to move into first place, leapfrogging the Binghamton Senators after the BSens see a 4-0 lead over Utica on home ice evaporate into a 6-5 shootout loss. The Penguins remain third in the division, two points behind Norfolk and one point behind Binghamton.

The Penguins finish their three-game weekend road trip against teams from the Western Conference with a 3 p.m. ET face-off against North Division leader Toronto Marlies Sunday afternoon at the Ricoh Coliseum.

Saturday's Morning Skate 3/8

The East Division race got even more compact after last night's action. The difference between 4th place Hershey and first place Binghamton is three points. The difference in the conference is Binghamton sits in third, while Hershey is not in the playoffs if they started today in 9th place.

Friday Night Around The East Division

Utica - 2, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton - 1 (SO)

A storybook ending in a St. Patrick's themed night in Utica as the Comets stun the Penguins with a game tying goal in the final seconds of regulation and an eventual shootout winning goal from former Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins forward Cal O'Reilly.

Peter Mannino stopped 20 of 21 and stopped four of five shooters in the shootout, but was out dueled by Joacim Eriksson who stopped 32 of 33 in regulation and overtime and all five WBS shooters in the shootout.

Ex WBS forward Brandon DeFazio tied the game at 1-1 with 7.2 seconds left in regulation on a goal mouth scrum with the extra attacker on the ice, sending the sold out crowd at the Utica Memorial Auditorium into a frenzy. After an 0-7-1-1 start to the season for the first year AHL franchise, the Comets have turned things around and have moved within striking distance on a playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Hershey - 3, Norfolk - 2

In Norfolk for a two-game set with the Admirals, the Hershey Bears snapped a six-game losing skid and tighten the East Division to a four-team race. Michael Latta and Dane Byers each tallied a goal and an assist in the win for the Bears.

Norfolk jumped out in front on Devante Smith-Pelly's 21st of the season in the first period, but the Admirals surrendered three straight goals before making it a one goal game in the waning seconds. The two teams rematch at the Norfolk Scope again tonight.

Rochester - 4, Syracuse - 1

The Rochester Americans jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first period and never looked back, handing Kirsters Gudlevskis and the Syracuse Crunch a loss to start the weekend. Four different Amerks tallied goals in the win. Joel Armia (1G-1A) and Chad Ruhwedel (0G-2A) each finished with a game-high two points in a well-balanced offensive attack from the home team.

Other Eastern Conference Scores (3/7)

St. John's - 3, Bridgeport - 2

Hartford - 6, Springfield - 2

Manchester - 4, Adirondack - 2

Albany - 4, Portland - 3 (SO)

Worcester - 5, Providence - 4 (SO)

Saturday's Schedule

Providence @ Manchester at 3:00 p.m. ET

Bridgeport @ St. John's at 6:00 p.m. ET

WBS Penguins @ Hamilton at 7:00 p.m. ET

Springfield @ Adirondack at 7:00 p.m. ET

Albany @ Hartford at 7:00 p.m. ET

Rochester @ Syracuse at 7:00 p.m. ET

Portland @ Worcester at 7:00 p.m. ET

Utica @ Binghamton at 7:05 p.m. ET

Hershey @ Norfolk at 7:15 p.m. ET

East Division Standings (Conference Position)

1. Binghamton (3rd) - 20 games remaining, 70 points

2. Norfolk (5th) - 18 games remaining, 70 points 

3. Penguins (8th) - 18 games remaining, 68 points

4. Hershey (9th) - 18 games remaining, 67 points

5. Syracuse (13th) - 20 games remaining, 53 points

Penguins Stunned by Utica in a Shootout

A storybook ending in a St. Patrick's themed night in Utica as the Comets stun the Penguins with a game tying goal in the final seconds of regulation and an eventual shootout winning goal from former Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins forward Cal O'Reilly.

Peter Mannino stopped 20 of 21 and stopped four of five shooters in the shootout, but was out dueled by Joacim Eriksson who stopped 32 of 33 in regulation and overtime and all five WBS shooters in the shootout.

Ex WBS forward Brandon DeFazio tied the game at 1-1 with 7.2 seconds left in regulation on a goal mouth scrum with the extra attacker on the ice, sending the sold out crowd at the Utica Memorial Auditorium into a frenzy. After an 0-7-1-1 start to the season for the first year AHL franchise, the Comets have turned things around and have moved within striking distance on a playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Tough loss for the Penguins on the first of a three-cities-in-three-nights weekend, but they do pick up a point in the shootout loss and remain ahead of the Hershey Bears by one point for the 8th and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Oddly enough, the Pens are also just two points out of first place in the East Division which would ensure them a top three said. The playoff race is heating up.

The Penguins are back at it tomorrow night in Hamilton against the Bulldogs at 7:00 p.m. ET.

Down The Stretch: AHL Postseason Push 3/7

The Rochester Americans currently sit 7th in the Western Conference and will look for the four guys pictured above to carry them into the postseason. (from left to right: Chad Ruhwedel, Joel Armia, Rasmus Ristolainen and Johan Larsson)

Editors Note: Just like the "Highland Park Hockey Morning Skate" feature, which recaps the previous night's AHL action and provides a look ahead at the upcoming schedule of games, I'm going to have a new weekly/bi-weekly update on the AHL postseason races in both conference's heading down the stretch.

With about 20 games left for most teams in the American Hockey League (AHL), it's never too early to be looking at the standings to see where the teams are shaking out in early March. Both conferences have some pretty interesting playoff races going on right now and there could be several playoff spots on the line heading into the final weekend of the season in mid-April.

Eastern Conference Standings

*1. Manchester Monarchs (Los Angeles) - 16 games remaining, 80 points
*2. Springfield Falcons (Columbus) - 19 games remaining, 74 points
*3. Binghamton Senators (Ottawa) - 20 games remaining, 70 points
4. St. John's IceCaps (Winnipeg) - 19 games remaining, 72 points
5. Norfolk Admirals (Anaheim) - 19 games remaining, 70 points
6. Providence Bruins (Boston) - 18 games remaining, 69 points
7. Albany Devils (New Jersey) - 20 games remaining, 67 points
8. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (Pittsburgh) - 19 games remaining, 67 points
9. Hershey Bears (Washington) - 19 games remaining, 65 points
10. Bridgeport Sound Tigers (NY Islanders) - 19 games remaining, 57 points
11. Syracuse Crunch (Tampa Bay) - 21 games remaining, 53 points
12. Adirondack Phantoms (Philadelphia) - 21 games remaining, 52 points
13. Worcester Sharks (San Jose) - 21 games remaining, 52 points
14. Hartford Wolfpack (NY Rangers) - 20 games remaining, 52 points
15. Portland Pirates (Phoenix) - 20 games remaining, 51 points

Mathematically, every team still has a chance to qualify for the postseason, but in the Eastern Conference the main pack is appears for now to be a 10-team race with a few teams on the outside looking in.

The East Division, home to Binghamton, Norfolk, the Penguins, Hershey and Syracuse have four teams in the top nine, while last place Syracuse remains 14 points out of a playoff spot entering this weekend's games. This division has often represented the conference in the Calder Cup Finals in recent years, and you can see why with the competition amongst themselves during the regular season.

Manchester and Springfield continue to carry the lead in their respective divisions, the Atlantic and the Northeast, but a few teams outside the top eight right now (such as Adirondack, Syracuse and Hartford) can close the gap and make things very interesting if they get hot at the right time.

Western Conference Standings 

*1. Texas Stars (Dallas) - 17 games remaining, 78 points
*2. Grand Rapids Griffins (Detroit) - 18 games remaining, 77 points
*3. Toronto Marlies (Toronto) - 21 games remaining, 70 points
4. Abbotsford Heat (Calgary) - 17 games remaining, 73 points
5. Chicago Wolves (St. Louis) - 19 games remaining, 72 points
6. Rockford IceHogs (Chicago) - 16 games remaining, 68 points
7. Rochester Americans (Buffalo) - 20 games remaining, 64 points
8. Milwaukee Admirals (Nashville) - 20 games remaining, 62 points
9. Oklahoma City Barons (Edmonton) - 18 games remaining, 60 points
10. Charlotte Checkers (Carolina) - 20 games remaining, 57 points
11. San Antonio Rampage (Florida) - 20 games remaining, 56 points
12. Hamilton Bulldogs (Montreal) - 21 games remaining, 55 points
13. Utica Comets (Vancouver) - 19 games remaining, 55 points
14. Iowa Wild (Minnesota) - 20 games remaining, 54 points
15. Lake Erie Monsters (Colorado) - 21 games remaining, 52 points

The Western Conference division leaders all have a nice cushion over their divisional counterparts, but even last place Lake Erie is just 10 points out of a playoff spot with one game in hand on eighth place Milwaukee. The battle for the 4-8 seeds in the West is wide open.

The offensive firepower in the Conference is led by the likes of the Texas Stars and Abbotsford Heat, but Grand Rapids, Toronto and Chicago all play a defense first, low scoring kind of game that will bode well for them in the postseason. 

Could the Utica Comets, who started the season win-less in their first nine games as an AHL franchise, make a late push to get into the postseason? San Antonio has closed the gap to six points with a record of 7-3-0-0 in their last ten games and is also another team looking to make the postseason potential field a little larger heading into the final six weeks of the season.

Penguins Organization Bolsters Forward Depth At Deadline

The Pittsburgh Penguins didn't make the blockbuster deal a lot of respected journalists and insiders believed would go down at the deadline, but the Penguins still made some moves to add depth in their forward core heading down the stretch.

The Penguins made two separate moves acquiring forward Marcel Goc from the Florida Panthers and forward Lee Stempniak from the Calgary Flames today, sending their 2015 third round and 2014 fifth round picks to the Panthers and their 2014 third round pick to the Flames.

The Skinny on NHL Pens Acquisitions:

C/LW Marcel Goc

An unrestricted free agent at the end of the season with a cap hit of $1.7 million this season. Goc has tallied 23 points (11G-12A) in 62 games with the Panthers this season. It's possible that Goc can eat up some penalty kill minutes left from the loss of Pascal Dupuis. Goc is penciled in on the crew of bottom six forwards at the Pens disposal.

RW Lee Stempniak

Also a UFA at seasons end with a cap hit of $2.5 million. On his way from Calgary where he spent the last three seasons, Stempniak has tallied 23 points (8G-15A) in 52 games. and looks to add a secondary scoring touch. Whether he slots in on the top line with Sidney Crosby or on a third line with Brandon Sutter, Stempniak looks to add some secondary scoring. 

Kobasew Re-Assigned To Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins

Chuck Kobasew, who cleared waivers yesterday, was officially re-assigned to the AHL Penguins today to make room in Pittsburgh and thus is eligible to finish the rest of the regular season and playoffs with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (WBS).

Kobasew tallied two goals in 32 games with the NHL Penguins this season but is a former two-time 20-goal scorer of the Boston Bruins and gives WBS head coach John Hynes another right handed shot to add to a lineup that was already pretty solid up front.

Paper Transactions & Possible Conditioning Stints

Also eligible to be re-assigned to the WBS Penguins and play in the AHL is forward Brian Gibbons and Simon Despres who were re-assigned to the AHL Penguins, at least on paper, making them eligible if they are re-assigned down the road.

One caveat to the AHL rule of needing to be on an AHL roster at today's 3 p.m. ET trade deadline to be eligible in the AHL the rest of the regular season/playoffs is the fact that injured players can play up to 14 days in the AHL on rehabbing conditioning stints.

Chris Conner and Beau Bennett are currently injured and while they weren't on the list of paper transactions, they could be sent to the WBS Penguins on what would be a 14-day maximum re-assignment this season. It's even possible that Penguins goaltender Tomas Vokoun could come down to the AHL on a rehab assignment this season.  

Quick Recap of Trades Around The East Division

I plan to have an Eastern Conference and Western Conference update coming soon heading down the stretch, but some trades that directly affected teams in the East Division:

Binghamton
- Traded for defenseman Patrick Mullen from Utica
- Traded Andre Pettersson to Norfolk for Alex Grant.
- Mike Hoffman and Codi Ceci re-assigned and eligible to join Binghamton this season.

Norfolk
- Traded goaltender Viktor Fasth to the Edmonton Oilers for a 5th round draft pick
- Traded ex-WBS defenseman Alex Grant 20 points (7G,13A in 52 games) to the Senators in exchange for Andre Pettersson (17G-23A in 47 games)
- Sami Vatanen, Devante Smith-Pelly, Emerson Etem, Rickard Rakell all eligible to play in AHL playoffs

Hershey
- Traded forward John Mitchell to Portland for forward Chris Brown
- Ryan Stoa called up to Capitals (NHL) but eligible for the Bears

Syracuse
- Traded Dana Tyrell and Matt Taormina to Columbus in exchange for Jonathon Marchessault and Dalton Smith

LIVE BLOG: #NHL Trade Deadline Day

Where will Brian Gibbons end up within the Penguins organization?

UPDATE ( 1:59 p.m. ET): The Penguins made their first move, acquiring forward Marcel Goc from the Florida Panthers in exchange for their 3rd round pick 2015 in and their 5th round pick in 2014. With Hemsky off the table, the Penguins bolster their bottom-six with a two-way forward in Goc, who has added 23 points (11G-12A) in 62 games with the Panthers this season. The price is the same that Hemsky got from Ottawa for Edmonton.

The importance, Rob Rossi says, is that the Penguins still have this year's 3rd round pick and could make a push for Ryan Kesler. Only an hour left until the 3 p.m. deadline. Buckle up.

Guys like center David Legwand of Nashville and left wing Tuomo Ruutu of Carolina are picking up trade buzz. 

TSN's Bob McKenzie says the Penguins are interested in Legwand, while Kevin Weekes, Co-host on CBC Hockey Night In Canada, says that Ruutu is very much in play and a deal is pending with the New Jersey Devils. (Edit: Devils acquired Ruutu for Andrei Loktionov and a conditional 2017-3rd round pick).

Update (12:30 p.m. ET): The Penguins missed out on the Ales Hemsky sweepstakes, as Hemsky was sent to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for a 3rd round pick in 2015 and a 5th round pick in 2014. The Oilers are also paying half of Hemsky's remaining salary. The Senators waived forward Cory Conacher yesterday to make room for Hemsky, so as of now it doesn't appear that the Binghamton Senators will be losing a forward to their NHL club for the time being.

Next move for the Penguins? Elliot Friedman thinks the Pens are going after current New York Islanders left wing Tomas Vanek. Tribune Review's Josh Yohe has denied those thoughts saying that the Pens aren't in on Vanek. Rob Rossi is saying in his latest Pens trade update that Ryan Kesler might be staying put in Vancouver until this summer and that Shero not willing to trade Derrick Pouliot.

It's that time of year again. I'll be updating this post throughout the afternoon with any trades affecting the Penguins organization as well as some AHL trades that affect the WBS Penguins.

If not dealt before today's deadline, Simon Despres, Brian Gibbons and even Chuck Kobasew, who cleared waivers and remained with Pittsburgh, must be re-assigned to the AHL's Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins before 3 p.m. ET or they will remain with Pittsburgh the rest of the year. Any player on an NHL roster at Wednesday afternoon's trading deadline is ineligible to play in the AHL the rest of the 2013-14 season, including the 2014 Calder Cup Playoffs.

The Penguins (as Rob Rossi of Pittsburgh's Tribune-Review has reported all week) have interest in Vancouver Canucks center Ryan Kesler. From Rossi's updates on the Penguins trade deadline situation:

The Penguins have offered Vancouver a package that includes C Brandon Sutter, either of Ds Simon Despres or Brian Dumoulin, and their first- and third-round picks at the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. That they are willing now to soften on their stance against including D Derrick Pouliot, a first-round pick from 2012, is an indication of just how badly they want Kesler.

The Penguins prefer to keep defensive prospects Derrick Pouliot and Scott Harrington and instead surrender picks, but those parameters could change to close a deal for Kesler. Also, it is possible the deal could involve more players from both sides, similar to the one that helped the Penguins land Marian Hossa six years ago.

There are also claims that the Penguins have talked with the Edmonton Oilers about right wing Ales Hemsky as ESPN.com NHL columnist and TSN Hockey Insider Pierre Lebrun, as well as Rossi, have said the Penguins might be interested in Hemsky. The current asking price by the Oilers for Hemsky is reported to be a second round draft pick, which the Penguins don't have (traded for Douglas Murray last season).

The bottom line: If the Penguins are going to acquire either of the two aforementioned forwards, or even bolster their forward depth with a different option, a Penguins defenseman prospect and/or draft pick will likely be involved.

Here's a look at the current organizational depth chart:

NHL

Kunitz - Crosby - Gibbons
Jokinen - Malkin - Neal
Pyatt - Sutter - Vitale
Glass - Adams - Kobasew

Injured: Beau Bennett, Chris Conner, Pascal Dupuis

Brooks Orpik - Olli Maatta
Matt Niskanen - Robert Scuderi
Simon Despres - Robert Bortuzzo
Deryk Engelland

Injured: Kris Letang, Paul Martin

AHL

Dominik Uher - Andrew Ebbett - Spencer Machacek
Harry Zolnierczyk - Nick Drazenovic - Tom Kostopoulos
Adam Payerl - Denver Manderson - Jayson Megna
Bobby Farnham - Mike Carman - Pierre-Luc Leblond
Tom Kuhnhackl - Anton Zlobin

Injured: Zach Sill

Philip Samuelsson - Reid McNeill
Scott Harrington - Brendan Mikkelson
Nick D'Agostino - Harrison Ruopp
Barry Goers

Injured: Brian Dumoulin

Could #Pens Forward Prospect Tom Kuhnhackl Be Moved Before the Trade Deadline?

Kuhnhackl has clearly fallen out of favor with the WBS coaching staff as evidenced by his lack of opportunities in the AHL this season.

The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins roster could look very different 24 hours from now as Wednesday's 3 p.m. deadline for NHL teams to trade approaches. A lot of AHL guys have already been on the move, and even more should be moved tomorrow as usually prospects and picks get moved from a contending team to a team looking to rebuild for next season.

If not dealt before tomorrow's deadline, Simon Despres, Brian Gibbons and even Chuck Kobasew, who cleared waivers today and remained with Pittsburgh, must be re-assigned to the AHL's Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins before 3 p.m. ET tomorrow or they will remain with Pittsburgh the rest of the year. Any player on an NHL roster at Wednesday afternoon's trading deadline is ineligible to play in the AHL the rest of the 2013-14 season, including the 2014 Calder Cup Playoffs.

One name on the AHL Pens I think you could see in tomorrow's transactions leaving the Penguins organization is forward Tom Kuhnhackl, who has seemingly fallen out of favor with the coaching staff with the AHL Penguins.

#AHL Monthly #WBSPens Prospect Report - February Grades

Machacek has brought his goal-scoring touch to the Penguins this month after being acquired from the Springfield Falcons in the beginning of February. Photo credit: @ItsJacki

*Editor's Note: Much like the WBS January Grades, for the sake of confusion and taking one game off of every players season totals, the March 1st come-from-behind win over Albany is included in every players season statistics when mentioned in this article.

After five months (and one day*) of the 2013-14 regular season, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL) have played 57 games. With a record of 30-20-3-4, they've dipped to third place in the East Division and entering the first full week of March they lead division-rival Hershey by two points for the eight and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

The Penguins aren't in a bad spot with 19 games left, but they need to get headed in the right direction heading towards the postseason if they want to make a serious run at the Calder Cup.

With the trade deadline fast approaching (Wednesday March 5th, at 3 p.m. ET), I have a feeling the AHL Penguins roster will look a little different before their next game Friday night in Utica. Sometimes a change of scenery trade (take a look at Spencer Machacek, for instance) pays off. There's always a chance that Pittsburgh could involve minor league players to close out a deal or even swap prospects.

The beauty of the trading deadline is attempting to expect the unexpected, decipher between rumors, and watch the trades unfold on Wednesday afternoon. I'll have more on leading up to Wednesday's deadline as well as an update on how AHL teams stand after the dust settles.

Highland Park Hockey's Player of the Month

Every month, I compile a look at how every player on the team performed and offer insights to what each player has done over the course of the month.  I choose one player who has performed well in the last month and feature him on the main page and "tag" him as HP Hockey's Player of the Month.

February's player of the month is...


Spencer Machacek - Grade A

AHL Stats: 43GP, 15G-12A, +6, 39 PIM
February Stats: 11GP, 7G-2A, +2, 15 PIM

Since coming over in a trade for Paul Thompson, Machacek has been consistently one of the best forwards on the ice night in and night out. The Pens brought him in because they needed a goal scoring punch in their top six. So far, a great move by the organization as that is exactly what Machacek has brought to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

Previous winners with links to each month's prospect report below:

January (2014) - Eric Hartzell
December (2013) - Nick Drazenovic
November (2013) - Tom Kostopoulos
October (2013) -Brian Gibbons


A look at everyone who participated in AHL games in February after the jump.

Kostopoulos Completes Comeback, Penguins Perfect in Atlantic City

After going 120:39 between goals, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins scored two goals in a span of 2:35 in a third period come-from-behind win over the Albany Devils in Atlantic City. I doubt the team is staying in town, but they should roll the dice at the Trump Casino if they are. The Pens are a perfect 3-0 all-time in games played in Atlantic City.

A very fortunate comeback in a big game for the Penguins, who for the time being have leapfrogged the Devils and Hershey Bears to move to 6th in the Eastern Conference.

Through the first two and a half periods, it was a low-scoring and rather uneventful 1-0 hockey game with team defense on full display. After killing off three straight minor penalties in the first half of the third period, the Penguins mounted the offensive attack, which had been held to just nine shots on goal through 40 minutes of play.

The Penguins don't play again until a Friday night matchup with the Western Conference's Utica Comets, so I'll have some exclusive content for the website during the week including the WBS February Grades post and Highland Park Hockey's first look at the 2014 Calder Cup Playoff races in both the Eastern and Western Conference, among any other noteworthy breaking news with the NHL's Trade Deadline fast approaching.

Recap after the jump.

Saturday's Morning Skate: Friday's Recaps & Saturday's Schedule 3/1

Writers Note: In an attempt to better incorporate a broad scope of the American Hockey League (AHL) in my coverage to increase awareness of notable league-wide happenings moving forward, take a look at a new feature I plan on using on a regular basis in the very near future. Let me know your thoughts in the comments at the bottom of the article

Friday Night Around The East Division

Syracuse - 4, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton - 0

Syracuse - The Crunch took the lead early and never looked back, shutting out the Penguins and winning their third straight game in the process behind 30 saves from the rehabbing Anders Lindback. 

The Penguins have lost seven of their last eight games and their goaltending woes continue as Jeff Deslauriers was pulled after allowing three goals on eight shots in 25:23 of work. With the struggling Eric Hartzell re-assigned to Wheeling earlier in the week, Peter Mannino stepped in and stopped 18 of 19 the rest of the way for the Penguins, who just seem to be in a rut as of late.

The Crunch host the Adirondack Phantoms tonight at 7:00 p.m EST, while the Penguins head to Atlantic City for an important meeting with the Albany Devils at Boardwalk Hall at 5:00 p.m. EST.

St. John's - 6, Binghamton - 2

St. John's - The IceCaps took the first of two games against the Senators this weekend, jumping out to a 6-0 lead and winning in blowout fashion. John Albert tallied two goals and an assist, while Kael Mouillerat added two goals as well in the win.

Buddy Robinson and Jean-Gabriel Pageau tallied third period goals for the Senators in the loss, who saw their lead in the Division dip to just two points. Nathan Lawson was torched for six goals on 34 shots.

The two teams rematch tonight at 6:30 p.m. EST from the Mile One Centre in Newfoundland, Canada.

Hartford - 2, Hershey - 1

Hartford - The Wolfpack took advantage of the Bears third period penalties, tying the game on a 5-on-3 power play goal from Ryan Bourque with 8:45 left in regulation to get the game into overtime. Marek Hrivik and T.J. Hensick scored in the shootout and Dov Grumet-Morris stopped 29 of 30 shots through 65:00 minutes of play, and the last four Hershey shooters in the shootout, to preserve the win for the Wolfpack.

After 38:56 of scoreless hockey, the Bears got on the board to break the scoreless tie courtesy Peter LeBlanc's 12th of the season from Matt Watkins and Dane Byers. David Leggio stopped 34 of 35 shots through regulation and overtime, but is tagged for the shootout loss.

Hershey returns home for a Saturday night match with the Charlotte Checkers, while Wolfpack host the Portland Pirates at the XL Center in Hartford. Both games start at 7:00 p.m. EST.

Norfolk - 3, Manchester - 2

Norfolk - The Admirals played well against the Eastern Conference's top team, holding off the Manchester Monarchs late siege in the third period for the 3-2 decision. Viktor Fasth stopped 26 of the 28 shots he faced in the win for Norfolk. After a scoreless first period and a Monarchs goal halfway through the second, the Admirals cranked it up scoring three goals in a span of 4:08 at the tail end of the second period and the first minute of the third period. 

Emerson Etem started the Admirals attack, picking up his 13th goal of the season and assisting on Sami Vatanen's 5-on-3 power play goal with less than a minute left to give the Admirals a 2-1 lead heading into the third period. Richard Rakell scored on the second half of the power play, tallying his third point of the night (1G-2A), to extend the lead to 3-1.

Manchester battled back and drew within one on Nick Shore's 11th of the season with 2:31 left in regulation, but that's as close as the Monarchs would get. The two teams rematch tonight down in Norfolk, VA at 7:15 p.m. EST.

Saturday's Schedule 

PENGUINS @ Albany at 5:00 p.m. EST*

Binghamton @ St. John's at 6:30 p.m. EST

Worcester @ Bridgeport at 7:00 p.m. EST

Portland @ Hartford at 7:00 p.m. EST

Charlotte @ Hershey at 7:00 p.m. EST

Providence @ Springfield at 7:00 p.m. EST

PHANTOMS @ Syracuse at 7:00 p.m. EST

Manchester @ Norfolk at 7:15 p.m. EST

East Division Standings

1. Binghamton: 55 games played, 33-18-1-3 = 70 points

2. Norfolk: 55 games played, 30-17-1-7 = 68 points

3. Hershey: 55 games played, 29-19-3-4 = 65 points

4. PENGUINS: 56 games played, 29-20-3-4 = 65 points

5. Syracuse: 53 games played, 21-23-4-5 = 51 points

Eastern Conference Standings

*1. Manchester: 59 games played, 80 points

*2. Springfield: 55 games played, 71 points 

*3. Binghamton: 55 games played, 70 points

4. St. John's: 56 games played, 70 points

5. Norfolk: 55 games played, 68 points 

6. Albany: 54 games played, 66 points

7. Hershey: 55 games played, 65 points

8. PENGUINS: 56 games played, 65 points 

9. Providence: 56 games played, 65 points

10. Bridgeport: 56 games played, 57 points 

* = Division Leader