Playoff Race Gets Tighter as Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Takes on Keystone State Rivals
March 11, 2025 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins News Release
Penguins (31-16-7-1) saw their offense roar to life last weekend
Weekly Rewind
Tuesday, Mar. 4 - PENGUINS 1 vs. Belleville 4
Atley Calvert put Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on the board first, but Belleville took the lead before the first intermission. Senators goalie Leevi Meriläinen ultimately stonewalled the Pens with 35 saves.
Friday, Mar. 7 - PENGUINS 7 at Hartford 1
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton improved to 5-0-0-0 in its season series against Hartford by thumping the Wold Pack with seven different goal-scorers. Nikolai Knyzhov posted a career-high three points by gathering a trio of assists.
Saturday, Mar. 8 - PENGUINS 8 vs. Belleville 3
The offense kept rolling at home, as the Pens avenged their loss to the Sens from earlier in the week. Ville Koiuvnen snatched up three points (1G-2A), while Sam Poulin completed at natural hat trick in the third period.
Sunday, Mar. 9 - PENGUINS 1 vs. Syracuse 5
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton fell short of a perfect three-in-three weekend, surrendering five unanswered goals to the Crunch. Mathias Laferričre scored three minutes into the game.
The Week Ahead
Wednesday, Mar. 12 - PENGUINS vs. Hershey
The Penguins trail the Bears by five points for first place in the division. Six of the eight games between these rivals have been settled by one goal.
Friday, Mar. 14 - PENGUINS at Lehigh Valley
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton makes its first of two trips down the turnpike. The Penguins are on a six-game point streak against the Phantoms, going 6-0-1-1 in that stretch.
Sunday, Mar. 16 - PENGUINS at Lehigh Valley
The Penguins wrap up their 12-game season series with Lehigh Valley on a Sunday afternoon. The Pens are 4-4-0-0 on Sundays.
Ice Chips
- The Penguins rank second in the AHL with 3.51 goals per game.
- Ville Koivunen leads all AHL rookies with 52 points (19G-33A), which is also tied for third overall in the league.
- Sergei Murashov is now 7-0-0, establishing a new franchise record for longest winning streak to start an AHL career.
- The Penguins combined for 15 goals on Friday and Saturday, which also set a franchise record for highest goal total in two consecutive games.
- Sam Poulin's hat trick on Saturday was the team's eighth hat trick of 2024-25, further improving on what was already a franchise record for most in a season.
DIVISION STANDINGS
TEAM GP W L OTL SOL PTS Pts%
1. Hershey 55 35 15 5 0 75 .682
2. PENGUINS 55 31 16 7 1 70 .636
3. Providence 56 32 18 4 2 70 .625
4. Charlotte 54 31 17 3 3 68 .630
5. Springfield 56 30 20 2 4 66 .589
6. Lehigh Valley 58 29 22 5 2 65 .560
7. Hartford 58 24 27 5 2 55 .474
8. Bridgeport 57 12 38 4 3 31 .272
TEAM LEADERS
SKATERS GP G A PTS
Ville Koivunen* 55 19 33 52
Emil Bemström^ 43 21 25 46
Boris Katchouk 51 19 25 44
Vasily Ponomarev 44 13 22 35
Rutger McGroarty* 53 12 23 35
GOALIES GP W-L-OT GAA SV% Shutouts
Sergei Murashov* 7 7-0-0 2.13 .931 1
Filip Larsson 21 10-6-3 2.44 .923 5
Joel Blomqvist 15 7-5-3 2.93 .910 1
Tristan Jarry^ 12 6-5-1 2.67 .908 1
* = rookie
^ = in Pittsburgh
UPCOMING GAME SCHEDULE
DATE OPPONENT LOCATION TIME
Wed, Mar. 12 Hershey Mohegan Arena 7:05 p.m.
Fri, Mar. 14 Lehigh Valley PPL Center 7:05 p.m.
Sun, Mar. 16 Lehigh Valley PPL Center 3:05 p.m.
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
DATE PLAYER TRANSACTION
Fri, Mar. 7 (RW) Chase Stillman Traded by NJ to PIT; Assigned by PIT
Fri, Mar. 7 (C) Jonathan Gruden Traded by PIT to NJ
Fri, Mar. 7 (D) Jack St. Ivany Recalled to PIT
Sat, Mar. 8 (RW) Mathieu De St. Phalle Reassigned to WHL
Sat, Mar. 8 (C) Gabe Klassen Reassigned to WHL
Sat, Mar. 8 (D) Jack St. Ivany Reassigned by PIT
Tue, Mar. 11 (D) Sebastian Aho Recalled to PIT
Tue, Mar. 11 (LW) Matt Nieto Recalled to PIT
American Hockey League Stories from March 11, 2025
- Anaheim Ducks Recall Ville Husso from San Diego - San Diego Gulls
- Ads Annual Charity Game Slated for Sunday - Milwaukee Admirals
- Checkers Recall Dennis Cesana from Ghost Pirates - Charlotte Checkers
- Penguins Trade Nikolai Knyzhov to Grand Rapids - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Griffins Acquire Nikolai Knyzhov from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Syracuse Crunch Weekly - Vol. 31, No. 22 - Syracuse Crunch
- Enjoy $2 Beer this Friday on Screw City & Boy Band Night - Rockford IceHogs
- Playoff Race Gets Tighter as Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Takes on Keystone State Rivals - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Monsters Sign Ryland Mosley to Amateur Tryout, AHL Contract for 2025-26 - Cleveland Monsters
- Belleville Sens and Quinte Museum of Natural History Announce "Fossils and Faceoffs Night" - Belleville Senators
- Game Preview: Condors at Canucks, 7 p.m. - Bakersfield Condors
- Griffins to Play Seven of Next Eight at Home - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Game #56 Preview: Tucson Roadrunners (27-23-3-2) vs Ontario Reign (31-19-3-1) - Tucson Roadrunners
- Last Week around the Leagues - OSC Original by Fran Stuchbury
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