With Playoffs Clinched, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Heads to Cleveland

April 1, 2025 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins News Release

Penguins (37-19-7-1) have eight games left to jockey for postseason seeding

Weekly Rewind

Wednesday, Mar. 26 - PENGUINS 4 vs. Hartford 3 (OT)

Avery Hayes clinched a berth to the Calder Cup Playoffs in style, scoring a gorgeous breakaway goal in overtime to cap a comeback against Hartford. Hayes, Valtteri Puustinen and Ville Koivunen scored in regulation as the Penguins swept their six-game season series against the Wolf Pack.

Saturday, Mar. 29 - PENGUINS 5 at Charlotte 3

In the first of two pivotal games, the Penguins received a clutch power-play goal from Vasily Ponomarev late in the third period. Eighteen-year-old Harrison Brunicke made his pro debut, tallying an assist on Ponomarev's big goal.

Sunday, Mar. 30 - PENGUINS 2 at Charlotte 5

The Checkers exacted revenge on the Penguins in the rematch, getting a clutch power-play goal during a tied third period. Puustinen lit the lamp for the fourth game in a row, but Charlotte's surge in the final frame handed Sergei Murashov his first AHL loss.

The Week Ahead

Friday, Apr. 4 - PENGUINS at Cleveland

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton squares off against a Cleveland team that has lost seven of its last 10 games. That skid has dropped the Monsters into a competition for the North Division's final playoff spots. Cleveland currently occupies fourth place in the North, four points ahead of the Belleville Senators in sixth.

Saturday, Apr. 5 - PENGUINS at Cleveland

The Penguins wrap up their trip to Cleveland by doing battle at the same place at the same time one day later. Wilkes-Barre/ Scranton is 18-2-3-0 (.848) all-time against the Monsters, but four of those five losses have occurred on Cleveland's home ice. The Penguins won their only previous meeting this year, rallying from a 4-1 deficit to pull out the win in overtime, 5-4.

Ice Chips

- Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's four-game winning streak (Mar. 22-29) tied their longest streak of the season and was their longest since Oct. 26-Nov. 6.

- Sergei Murashov's 11-game winning streak tied John Curry (2008-09) for the longest winning streak in franchise history.

- Sam Poulin established a new career best with a six-game point streak from Mar. 14-29, gathering nine points (3G-6A).

- Sebastian Aho has six assists in his five games since returning from Pittsburgh.

DIVISION STANDINGS

TEAM GP W L OTL SOL PTS Pts%

1. x - Hershey 64 39 18 6 1 85 .664

2. x - Charlotte 64 38 20 3 3 82 .641

3. x - PENGUINS 64 37 19 7 1 82 .641

4. x - Providence 65 36 22 4 3 79 .608

5. Springfield 65 33 26 2 4 72 .554

6. Lehigh Valley 65 32 26 5 2 71 .546

7. Hartford 65 27 30 6 2 62 .477

8. Bridgeport 65 15 43 4 3 37 .285

TEAM LEADERS

SKATERS GP G A PTS

Ville Koivunen*^ 62 21 34 55

Boris Katchouk 60 21 27 48

Emil Bemström^ 43 21 25 46

Avery Hayes 52 21 18 39

Sam Poulin 52 19 20 39

Rutger McGroarty*^ 60 14 25 39

GOALIES GP W-L-OT GAA SV% Shutouts

Sergei Murashov* 13 11-1-0 2.63 .916 1

Filip Larsson 25 12-8-3 2.66 .916 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

Fri, Apr. 4 Cleveland Rocket FieldHouse 7:00 p.m.

Sat, Apr. 5 Cleveland Rocket FieldHouse 7:00 p.m.

RECENT TRANSACTIONS

DATE PLAYER TRANSACTION

Fri, Mar. 28 (LW) Kyle Jackson Recalled from WHL

Fri, Mar. 28 (D) Chase Pietila Released from ATO

Fri, Mar. 28 (LW) Rutger McGroarty Recalled to PIT

Fri, Mar. 28 (RW) Ville Koivunen Recalled to PIT

Fri, Mar. 28 (C) Joona Koppanen Reassigned by PIT

Fri, Mar. 28 (D) Harrison Brunicke Assigned by PIT from KAM

Tue, Apr. 1 (RW) Nolan Renwick Signed to ATO

American Hockey League Stories from April 1, 2025

• Hlavaj Stars in Iowa's 4-1 Win over Texas - Iowa Wild
• Stars' Five-Game Win Streak Snapped with Loss to Iowa - Texas Stars
• Phantoms Power Play Presented by Provident Bank - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
• Game Day Preview - CGY at TUC - Calgary Wranglers
• Bears Open April against Phantoms, Wolf Pack - Hershey Bears
• G Talyn Boyko Reassigned to ECHL's Tulsa Oilers - Hartford Wolf Pack
• Östlund Named AHL's Rookie of the Month for March - Rochester Americans
• Remi Poirier Named AHL Goaltender of the Month - Texas Stars
• Poturalski, Östlund, Poirier Named AHL Award Winners for March - AHL
• Henderson Silver Knights Announce Plans for Video Game Knight - Henderson Silver Knights
• With Playoffs Clinched, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Heads to Cleveland - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
• Syracuse Crunch Weekly - Vol. 31, No. 25 - Syracuse Crunch
• Blackhawks Agree to Terms with Taige Harding - Rockford IceHogs
• Game Preview: Condors v Canucks, 6:30 p.m. - Bakersfield Condors
• Game #65 Preview: Tucson Roadrunners (30-29-3-2) vs Calgary Wranglers (32-25-4-3) - Tucson Roadrunners
• Wolf Pack Sign G Callum Tung to Amateur Tryout Agreement - Hartford Wolf Pack
• Bridgeport Islanders Sign Cam Berg - Bridgeport Islanders
• Griffins to Host GRPD vs. GRFD Hockey Game - Grand Rapids Griffins
• Penguins Sign Forward Nolan Renwick - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
• Capitals Sign Spencer Smallman to Two-Year Contract Extension - Hershey Bears
• T-Birds Recall F Tarun Fizer from Florida - Springfield Thunderbirds
• Griffins Begin Final Month of Regular Season - Grand Rapids Griffins

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