AHL Preseason 2022: Lehigh Valley - 0 at W-B/Scranton - 2 (10/7/21)

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. - The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins put together a solid effort with a lineup featuring many AHL regulars and expected difference makers Friday night, taking care of business with a decisive 2-0 victory in a game in which they outshot their opponent, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, by a 38-16 margin.

Tommy Nappier (six saves in 32:45) and Taylor Gauthier (10 saves in 27:15) combined to pitch the shutout, while Mitch Reinke (PP) and Nathan Legare tallied goals. Drake Caggiula recorded primary assists on both Penguins goals.

Phantoms goalies Nolan Maier (27 saves - 28 shots) and Jonathan Lemieux (9 saves - 10 shots) kept their team in a close game on the scoreboard, but in terms of shots/chances and puck possession they were chasing the play for most of the night with a much lighter lineup compared to their counterparts.

Post-Game Reaction

Head coach JD Forrest

On putting together a solid effort

"We had some of the guys back in the lineup here. And I thought we did a lot of things well. So it's nice to have these games because even though you do some things the way you want to do and there's there's a lot there that you can look at and say we can clean this up and start getting more regular season form. But I thought from that lineup, the effort was there trying to execute. A lot of times, we made some really nice plays out there."

On the new-look power play unit featuring Puustinen (left-wing circle), Nylander (right-wing circle), Hallander (net-front), Cagguila (high-slot) and Reinke (center point).

"I thought, you know, the early ones, were just okay. And then we had those couple in the second period, the one, two minutes in their zone and we moved the puck really well. And we're dangerous shooting it. And I really liked our tenacity on pucks, and kept recovering the rebounds and loose pucks and not letting them clear it, hemming them in their zone. And then that kind of carried over to the next power play that we scored on. So that's always good to for those guys get a feel for each other. And it's pretty close to what we might see as our power play unit [in the regular season]."

Drake Caggiula

On his first game with the AHL Penguins

"Yeah, it was good. Obviously, my first game here, still getting to know the group as a whole, but I think it was a good start. There's a lot of good things that we can continue to build off of. And obviously, with preseason, there's a lot of things that you can take away and try and learn and correct from and, you know, there's definitely stuff that we can pull from this game and improve on over the next couple of weeks leading up to start the season. But overall, it's a good start and something to build on going forward."

On the power play and how it looked in action Friday night (1-for-4)

"Early on, I think we're struggling to get in the zone on the first power play or two there and then we kind of figured it out. You know, we got a good O-zone face-off win, and we're able to spend a full power play in there and create some momentum for us. Got a second power play pretty close, right after that, and then we're able to capitalize on that. And that was the difference in the game - the first goal. But you know, it's the first time we've done any sort of power play work other than video. So definitely a good start. But obviously, things we can clean up as well."

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins Lineup Notes

Tommy Nappier got the start in net for the Penguins Friday night in the team's second pre-season contest. Similar to Wednesday's preseason game, the Penguins' starter was relieved near the midway mark of regulation. Taylor Gauthier, who started the first half of Wednesday's game before being replaced by Nappier, came in on relief of Nappier to finish Friday's game.

Penguins Scratches: Mario Culina, Ryan Bednard, Dustin Tokarski, Taylor Fedun, Adam Smith, David Drake, Drew O'Connor, Felix Pare, Daniel D'Amico, Jordan Frasca, Brooklyn Kalmikov, Josh Maniscalco, Louis Roehl, Justin Addamo, Tyler Sikura, Cedric Desruisseaux, Max Johnson, Jonathan Gruden, Nick Fea, Tyler Rockwell, Sam Houde, Chad Yetman and Clay Hanus

Lines/Pairings:

Alex Nylander - Drake Caggiula - Nathan Legare Filip Hallander - Kyle Olson - Valtteri Puustinen Raivis Ansons - Lukas Svejkovsky - Corey Andonovski Jamie Devane - Matthew Quercia - Sean Josling

Xavier Ouellet - Mitch Reinke Jon Lizotte - Jack St. Ivany Chris Ortiz - Colin Swoyer

Tommy Nappier - Taylor Gauthier

Lehigh Valley Phantoms Lineup Notes

Nolan Maier got the start in net for the Phantoms.

Defenseman Wyatte Wylie and forward Isaac Ratcliffe wore alternate captain A's in the contest.

Phantoms Scratches: Tyler Wall, Pat Nagle, Adam Karashik, Linus Hogberg, Cal O'Reilly, Ryan Fitzgerald, Jordy Bellerive, Garrett Wilson, Max Willman, Adam Brooks, Olle Lycksell, Adam Ginning, Will MacKinnon, Cam York, Louie Belpedio and Tyson Foerster

Lines/Pairings:

Tyler Kirkup - Jacob Gaucher - Charlie Gerard Isaac Ratcliffe - Elliot Desnoyers - Zayde Wisdom Linus Sandin - Alex Kile - Tye McSorely Trey Bradley - Zane Franklin - Max Newton

Cooper Zech - Colin Felix Dominic Cormier - Wyatte Wylie Garret McFadden - Mason Millman

Nolan Maier - Jonathan Lemieux

GAME SUMMARY

1st Period

0:22: LV - (PP) Desnoyers, minor (slashing) 15:36: LV - (PP) McFadden, minor (slashing) 17:12: WBS - (PP) Ouellet, minor (holding) 19:38: WBS - (PP) Olson, minor (slashing)

2nd Period

2:19: LV - (PP) McFadden, minor (hooking) 6:31: WBS - Olson, minor (roughing) 6:31: LV - McSorley, minor (roughing) 15:38: LV - (PP) McSorley, minor (kneeing) 16:00 WBS - PPG Reinke (1) - Caggiula, Puustinen 16:26: WBS - Josling, major (fighting) 16:26: LV - Zech, major (fighting) 18:16: WBS - (PP) Ansons, minor (holding)

3rd Period

17:26: WBS - Legare (1) - Caggiula 18:28: LV - (PP) Newton, minor (high-sticking)

BOXSCORE

Lehigh Valley 0 - 0 - 0 = 0 W-B/Scranton  0 - 1 - 1 = 2

Shots

Lehigh Valley 3 - 5 - 8 = 16 W-B/Scranton  10 - 18 - 10 = 38

Goalies

LV: Nolan Maier (27 saves - 28 shots in 40:00) and Jonathan Lemieux (9 saves - 10 shots in 20:00) WBS: Tommy Nappier (6 saves - 6 shots in 32:45) and Taylor Gauthier (10 saves - 10 shots in 27:15)

Power Play

LV: 0-for-3 WBS: 1-for-4

Penalty Kill

LV: 3-for-4 WBS: 3-for-3