PENS TAKE TWO OF THREE ON THE WEEK

WEEK IN REVIEW:
The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins finished up their longest road trip of the season (seven games) last Wednesday, dropping a 3-2 decision to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.  That decision left the Pens with a 4-3-0-0 record on their odyssey, which also included stops in Hershey, Lowell, Manchester, Portland, San Antonio and Houston.  Jeff Taffe and Chris Minard sandwiched goals around three from Bridgeport.  Both Taffe and Minard also added assists in the game.

The Penguins seven-game road swing was the team’s longest trip of the season, and the longest since a nine-game trip from Feb. 12-26, 2006.  The Pens have had five strings of seven games or more in a row on the road in their nine years:

1999-2000         13 games          Oct. 1-Nov. 12               (1-9-3)
2002-2003         8 games            Nov. 29-Dec. 15             (4-2-1-1)
2003-2004         7 games            Feb 18- 29, 2004            (4-2-1-0)
2005-2006         9 games            Feb. 12-26, 2006            (3-5-0-1)
2008-2009         7 games            Oct. 19-Nov. 5, 2008      (4-3-0-0)

The Penguins’ first home game since October 17 proved to be much more successful, as Adam Berkhoel shut down the Lowell Devils for the second time this season, stopping 26 shots in a 4-0 victory on November 7.  Chris Minard netted a pair of power play goals in the early going, while Ryan Stone and Tim Wallace chipped in with first period tallies to give Wilkes-Barre/Scranton all the offense it would need.  Minard’s first tally turned out to be the game-winning goal - his fourth of the season.

The Hershey Bears visited the Wachovia Arena one night later, and they helped to wake Danny Richmond from hibernation, as the Pens defender posted three assists - his first points of the season - in a 4-3 win.  Richmond set up goals from Dustin Jeffrey (even strength), Bill Thomas (shorthanded) and Jeff Taffe (power play).  Jonathan Filewich also scored for the Penguins, and John Curry made 29 saves for the win.

UPCOMING GAMES:
The Penguins are off until Friday, when they begin a home-and-home series with the Binghamton Senators at the Broome County Veteran’s Memorial Arena at 7:05pm.  Those same teams face off the following night in Wilkes-Barre at 7:05, and the Pens finish the weekend with a Sunday afternoon contest at home against the Syracuse Crunch at 5:05pm

LEAGUE LEADERS
Chris Minard is second in points (20), first in goals (13), tied for fifth in power play goals (3), first in game-winning goals (3), tied for second in power play goals (5), and tied for fourth in plus/minus (plus-11)

Janne Pesonen is tied for 18th in points (13), tied for sixth in assists (11), tied for eight in power play assists (3) and tied for eighth in plus/minus (plus-10)

Jeff Taffe is fourth in points (18), tied for third in goals (9), tied for 12th in assists (9), tied for third in game-winning goals (2) and tied for second in plus/minus (plus-12)

Ben Lovejoy is tied for fourth in plus/minus (plus-11)

Adam Berkhoel is sixth in goals against average (2.26), sixth in save percentage (.927), tied for 14th in wins (4) and tied for first in shutouts (2)

MINARD’S GREAT START:  Chris Minard has had one of the hottest scoring hands in the American Hockey League this season, recording 20 points (13+7) in 20 games with the Penguins.  He missed the team’s October 31 game against the San Antonio Rampage due to recall by Pittsburgh, but was returned to the team prior to a November 2 contest in Houston. 

He carries an 11-game scoring streak into this week’s action:

Minard’s personal best for points in a game is three, and he has already accomplished that feat three times this season.

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