Weekly: Penguins Get Ready for Rivals in Atlantic Division Final
May 3, 2016 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins News Release
Series Rewinds
Penguins 3 vs. Providence 0
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton swept away the Providence Bruins in the first round with three-straight overtime victories. Veteran experience is a frequently discussed key going into the postseason, but it was a youth movement that led the Penguins to victory. Rookie Jake Guentzel potted seven points (3G-4A) in three games, Daniel Spring scored three times in his first three AHL games, and rookie goalie Casey DeSmith stole the show with a .930 save percentage.
Hershey 3 - Portland 2
Pushed to the brink by the Portland Pirates, the Bears needed a decisive, win-or-go-home Game 5 to find a winner for their first round series. By a slim, one-goal margin, Hershey came out on top in the final game, 2-1. Rookie forward Jakub Vrána exits that series as Hershey's lone point per game player, posting two goals and three assists in five games. After Dan Ellis started in a Game 1 loss, Justin Peters took control of the Bears' crease and finished the series with an impressive .966 save percentage and 0.80 goals against average.
The Week Ahead
Penguins vs. Hershey
Game 1 - Wednesday, May 4 at Giant Center
Game 2 - Friday, May 6 at Giant Center
Game 3 - Saturday, May 7 at Mohegan Sun Arena
Game 4 - Monday, May 9 at Mohegan Sun Arena
The Penguins and Bears kick off their seventh all-time postseason meeting on Wednesday, May 4 at Giant Center. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and Hershey are dead-even at 3-3 in prior playoff meetings. Likewise, they split their 12-game regular season series right down the middle, with both squads posting 6-5-1 records against one another. The last time these two clubs met in the Calder Cup Playoffs was in the first round of 2012. The Penguins won that series, 3-2.
Ice Chips
- This season saw relatively high-scoring affairs between Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and Hershey, as they averaged a combined 6.42 goals per game.
- Dustin Jeffrey had five goals and five assists for 10 points in seven regular season games against the Bears as a member of the Penguins in 2015-16.
- The Penguins will have faced the Bears in the playoffs more than any other AHL franchise (7).
- The first two times these two teams faced one another in the playoffs, both series ended in a four-game sweep (2001, 2006). The last two times they met, the series went the distance and required all possible games to determine a victor (2009, 2012).
- Jake Guentzel leads all forwards in the Calder Cup Playoffs with seven points (3G-4A).
- Wilkes-Barre/Scranton is 2-10 all-time in the first game of a second round series. The Penguins have bounced back to win four of those series in which they dropped Game 1, and they went on to capture both series after winning the first game.
- The Penguins and Bears advanced to the second round of the postseason last season, as well. Both teams lost in that round.
- Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's next playoff win will be its 100th in team history.
TEAM LEADERS
SKATERS GP G A PTS
Jake Guentzel* 3 3 4 7
Carter Rowney 3 1 4 5
Daniel Sprong* 3 3 1 4
Tim Erixon 3 2 2 4
Tom Kostopoulos 3 1 2 3
Kael Mouillierat 3 0 3 3
GOALIES GP W-L GAA Sv% Shutouts
Casey DeSmith* 3 3-0 2.45 0.930 0
* = rookie
UPCOMING GAME SCHEDULE
DATE OPPONENT LOCATION TIME
Wed, May 4 Hershey Giant Center 7:00 p.m.
Fri, May 6 Hershey Giant Center 7:00 p.m.
Sat, May 7 Hershey Mohegan Sun Arena 7:05 p.m.
Mon, May 9 Hershey Mohegan Sun Arena 7:05 p.m.
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
Sun, Apr. 24 DEL (C) Jarrett Burton Released from PTO
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- Griffins Sign Santos to 2016-17 Contract - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Weekly: Penguins Get Ready for Rivals in Atlantic Division Final - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Bears Sign Colby Williams to Amateur Tryout - Hershey Bears
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