Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Opens 2025-26 Season on Saturday
AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Opens 2025-26 Season on Saturday

Published on October 8, 2025 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins News Release


Penguins host Wolf Pack at home Saturday, seek revenge on Phantoms on Sunday

Preseason Rewind

Oct. 3, Oct. 4 (2-0-0-0)

The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins opened their preseason in front of 3,200 students with their annual 'Learn With Hockey' STEM & School Day game. That energetic crowd helped spur the Penguins to a 2-1 shootout victory over the Hershey Bears. Rookie goalie from Kazakhstan Maxim Pavlenko made 17 saves in regulation and OT before denying all three Bears shootout attempts to improve the Pens to 4-0-0-0 all-time in their STEM day game. The next night, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton racked up a 5-1 victory against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Rookie defenseman Chase Pietila scored in both games and led the team in its preseason with three points.

The Week Ahead

Saturday, Oct. 11 - PENGUINS vs. Hartford

The Penguins open their 2025-26 campaign on home ice, hosting the Hartford Wolf Pack. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton dominated its season series with Hartford last year, winning all six matchups. In those six contests, the Penguins out-scored the Wolf Pack 28-8 and held the Hartford power play to 2-for-24. Furthermore, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton is on a six-game home winning streak against Hartford dating back to Oct. 23, 2023. The Penguins are 13-10-3-0 (.558) all-time in home openers. Saturday will also feature a pregame block party outside of Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza. Starting at 3:00 p.m., there will be DJs, concessions, street hockey and other family activities.

Sunday, Oct. 12 - PENGUINS at Lehigh Valley

It's a quick turnaround from the opener to the Penguins' first road game, as they take on the Phantoms at 3:05 p.m. It's also a quick opportunity at vengeance for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, as Lehigh Valley was the team that bounced the Penguins from last year's Calder Cup Playoffs. This will be John Snowden's first taste of the Pens/Phantoms rivalry as head coach. Snowden took over Lehigh Valley's head coach position on July 14, 2025.

Ice Chips

- In Kirk MacDonald's first season as head coach last year, he led the Penguins to their first 40-win season since 2017-18.

- Last season, the Penguins set their franchise record for best power play at 21.3%.

- Wilkes-Barre/Scranton scored six goals in their first season-opener under MacDonald last season. The Penguins finished the 2024-25 season with 3.39 goals per game, second in the league and first in the Eastern Conference.

- Chase Pietila was the only defenseman to score twice during the AHL preseason.

2024-25 DIVISION STANDINGS

TEAM W L OTL SOL PTS Pts%

1. Hershey 44 20 7 1 96 .667

2. Charlotte 39 22 3 0 85 .653

3. Providence 42 23 5 3 93 .625

4. PENGUINS 40 24 7 1 87 .611

5. Lehigh Valley 36 28 6 3 73 .556

6. Springfield 34 32 2 2 65 .514

7. Hartford 30 33 7 3 78 .479

8. Bridgeport 15 50 4 3 37 .257

2025-26 NEW PENGUINS

NAME Pos. Ht Wt Age AHL Season

Alex Alexeyev D 6'4" 229 25 6th

David Breazeale D 6'3" 215 25 1st

Ryan Graves D 6'5" 222 30 5th

Finn Harding D 6'1" 206 20 1st

Rafaël Harvey-Pinard LW 5'9" 181 26 5th

Danton Heinen LW 6'2" 187 30 3rd

Aaron Huglen RW 6'0" 180 24 1st

Phil Kemp D 6'3" 202 26 5th

Aidan McDonough LW 6'2" 200 25 3rd

Maxim Pavlenko G 6'4" 176 23 1st

Chase Pietila D 6'2" 190 21 1st

Nolan Renwick RW 6'3" 215 24 1st

UPCOMING GAME SCHEDULE

DATE OPPONENT LOCATION TIME

Sat, Oct. 11 Hartford Mohegan Arena 6:05 p.m.

Sun, Oct. 12 Lehigh Valley PPL Center 3:05 p.m.

Check out the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins Statistics

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American Hockey League Stories from October 8, 2025


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