AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins

Penguins say goodbye to 2007 with 8th straight win

Published on December 31, 2007 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins News Release


WILKES-BARRE, PA - With the way they have been playing of late, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins might be sad to see 2007 end.

Alex Goligoski tied the team record with a four assist night, Chris Minard added two goals and the Penguins posted a 6-3 win over the Norfolk Admirals on New Year's Eve at the Wachovia Arena at Casey Plaza.

The win was the eighth in a row for the Penguins (20-12-0-1) - one shy of tying the team record - and the 17th straight regular season home victory against the Admirals, whose last win in Wilkes-Barre came on Valentine's Day, 2004.

The loss was also the ninth in a row for Norfolk, which fell to 10-22-1-2 on the season.

Continuing with the streak talk, Tim Brent (4+12=16) and Nathan Smith (5+6=11) both pushed their scoring streaks to eight games, while Kurtis McLean (4+4=8) picked up a point in his fifth straight contest.

Brent opened the scoring 4:38 into the contest, taking an odd angle shot that deflected off goaltender Marc Denis' glove for his sixth of the season.

Goligoski, who picked up a helper on the first goal, set up the second, carrying the puck deep down the left boards then hitting Minard with a cross-ice feed. Minard's one-timer beat Denis short side for his 12th of the season.

The Penguins opened the second period much like the first, as Smith deflected a Goligoski point shot 4:21 into the middle frame to make the score 3-0.

Connor James was snuffed on a penalty shot attempt nine minutes into the second, and Norfolk then cracked the scoresheet with a Norm Miley tally midway through the game.

But James made up for the miss by taking a Mark Ardelan clearing pass and beating Denis with a breakaway at 16:34.

The Admirals mounted a comeback as Rob Klinkhammer and Dan Jancevski scored 1:05 apart to start the third, but Minard tipped home a McLean one-timer on the power play and Jonathan Filewich netted his second goal in as many games to put the game to bed.

Dave Brown stopped 18 of 21 shots he saw to record his fourth victory in goal for the Penguins, who return to action on Wednesday, January 2 against the Syracuse Crunch at home.




American Hockey League Stories from December 31, 2007


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