Game Story: Charlotte - 1 at W-B/Scranton - 4 (3/1/24)

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. - It wasn't their best start, but the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins put their best foot forward in the final 40 minutes Friday night in a 4-1 win over the Charlotte Checkers.

Trailing the Checkers 1-0 after the opening 20 minutes, the Penguins' top line of Radim Zohorna, Sam Poulin and Vinnie Hinostroza took over the game in the middle frame.

Hinostroza tallied a pair of goals to turn the tides and set the stage for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton - playing a strong final 40 minutes on their way to a big win in a battle of two teams that entered the night four points apart in the Atlantic Division standings.

Austin Rueschhoff recorded an important insurance marker 7:37 into the final frame to extend the Penguins' lead to 3-1, and Zohorna added an empty netter to complete the final score.

Poulin, in his first game back from an injury that kept him out since February 3, recorded a game-high three assists.

The game had a little bit of everything, with some big hits and physical confrontations after whistles along with some selfless play from the penalty killers on both teams - with several guys laying out to block shots in a game that featured a noticeable uptick in urgency and intensity.

It should set up for an interesting rematch between the two teams on Saturday night.

Post-Game EXTRA!

Penguins head coach JD Forrest

On being pleased after a strong showing Friday

"I mean, first period wasn't the best, but there's a lot of special teams going on. It's kind of a weird one to get into. But I thought the second and third periods, we played a strong game."

"Our penalty kill was excellent. And that got us through that first period, because our power play took a little while to get going there. It's nice to win that special teams battle as well."

On the way the team attacked the third period leading 2-1.

"I did think we did a nice job of just, you know, keeping them under pressure a little bit and not just trying to absorb everything. When you're playing a third period like that - with a lead - then you can put them in their zone a little bit. It goes a long way. I do think they had a push. They're a good team, they got a lot of weapons. We did a good job kind of avoiding sitting on our heels and not letting them take it to us."

Penguins forward Vinnie Hinostroza

On a big win at a crucial time against opponent nearby in the standings.

"Yeah, it was huge. I think, the first [period] was okay, I think the second and third we played great. So just want to carry that momentum into tomorrow."

On the way the team attacked the third period with a one-goal lead

"Yeah, I think we're just using our speed and getting pucks behind their [defensemen] - making simple plays, not trying to do too much."

GAME STORY

In a penalty-filled first period that featured nearly half of the opening 20 minutes played 5-on-4, it was surprisingly an even-strength tally that opened the scoring.

After both teams exchanged sloppy, ineffective power play opportunities in the opening 7:30 of play, Charlotte scored after Santu Kinnunen started a breakout and dished it off for Mackie Samoskevich in the Checkers' defensive zone.

Samoskevich used an elite burst of speed through the neutral zone to create some separation and, although his shot attempt from between the circles was blocked down, he was able to corral the loose puck before turning and zipping a cross-ice pass right into Skoog's wheelhouse for a quick shot past Blomqvist to put the Checkers up 1-0 just prior to the midway mark of the period.

The parade to the penalty box continued with the Penguins taking back-to-back penalties after Skoog's opening goal, before Jamieson Rees was whistled for the fifth infraction of the game with 4:36 left before the first intermission - cutting short their own power play chance.

After a bit of a slow start to the middle frame, the Penguins - and in particular Hinostroza - upped the ante.

Hinostroza had a particularly fiery shift just before he tied the game at 1-1.

He went in hard on the forecheck, knocking a Checkers' forward off his skates and creating a turnover that his teammates would gain control of.

Radim Zohorna lost control of the puck just inside the blue line, but was able to regain possession and start the rush back into the offensive zone - getting it to Poulin on the right wing before Poulin dropped it for a one-timer from atop the right-wing circle by Hinostroza.

Hinostroza's blast whizzed past everyone on its way into the net, tying the game at 1-1 with just 4:58 gone in the middle frame.

After the game, Penguins head coach JD Forrest credited the fourth line of Dillon Hamaliuk, Justin Addamo and Avery Hayes with getting the team's offensive engine going - making some simple plays and getting a smart line change to the top unit while maintaining pressure in the offensive zone.

From there, the Checkers took back-to-back penalties - allowing the Penguins to remain on the attack and take the lead.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton wasn't able to cash in on Santtu Kinnunen's hooking minor, but after Zohorna was tripped along the right wing wall by Uvis Balinskis it was once again the Vinnie Hinostroza show.

After a face-off win in the offensive zone, Poulin worked a puck up to the left point for Ty Smith - who slid a pass across to Hinostroza in a similar spot as he was in when he scored his first goal of the period. Hinostroza buried it, picking the short side top corner to Cormier's glove side - giving the Penguins a 2-1 lead on a power play tally with 7:08 left before the second intermission.

Jagger Joshua took a penalty late in the period, but the Penguins were able to kill it off to preserve the 2-1 lead before Joshua was hauled down taking the puck to the net with 14 seconds left in the period - setting up the Penguins with 1:46 of carryover power play time to begin the third period as well as the one-goal lead.

The Penguins were unable to convert on the power play to begin the final frame, but later added an insurance marker after some pretty passing from Ryan Shea and Corey Andonovski was finished up with a tap-in at the net by Rueschoff to extend the Penguins lead to 3-1 with 12:23 left to play.

Charlotte began to push in the final seven minutes of regulation, later pulling their goaltender in favor of the extra attacker with 3:05 left to play.

The Penguins' defense held, and Zohorna completed the 4-1 final score with an empty net tally to seal the deal on a big two points for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

Charlotte Checkers Lineup Notes

Evan Cormier got the start in net for the Checkers Friday night. Spencer Knight served as Charlotte's backup goalie, and is expected to draw in for Saturday's rematch.

Checkers Scratches: Mack Guzda, Ludovic Waeber, Calle Sjalin, Riley Bezeau, Skyler Brind'Amour, Ryan McAllister, Lucas Carlsson and Brendan Perlini

Lines/Pairings:

Rasmus Asplund - Alexander True - Gerry Mayhew Wilmer Skoog - Justin Sourdif - Mackie Samoskevich Jamieson Rees - Patrick Khodorenko - Zac Dalpe Cameron Morrison - Jake Wise - Patrick Giles

Matt Kiersted - Santtu Kinnunen Casey Fitzgerald - Dennis Cesana Uvis Balinskis - Michael Benning

Evan Cormier (Backup: Spencer Knight)

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins Lineup Notes

Joel Blomqvist got the start in net for the Penguins Friday against Charlotte. Magnus Hellberg served as Blomqvist's backup.

Up front, the Penguins began to get some healthy bodies back from the injured list.

Avery Hayes (out since November 10), Sam Poulin (out since February 3) and Radim Zohorna (out since February 21) all returned to the Penguins lineup Friday.

It was the same six defensemen as last weekend for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton with captain Taylor Fedun and Owen Headrick remaining the odd men out on the Penguins' blue line.

Penguins Scratches: Taylor Fedun, Marc Johnstone, Peter Abbandonato, Max Cajkovic, Lukas Svejkovsky and Owen Headrick

Lines/Pairings

Radim Zohorna - Sam Poulin - Vinnie Hinostroza Austin Rueschhoff - Joona Koppanen - Corey Andonovski Matt Filipe - Raivis Ansons - Jagger Joshua Dillon Hamaliuk - Justin Addamo - Avery Hayes

Ty Smith - Xavier Ouellet Ryan Shea - Jack St. Ivany Jack Rathbone - Dmitri Samorukov

Joel Blomqvist (Backup: Magnus Hellberg)

GAME SUMMARY

1st Period

5:12: WBS - (PP) Filipe, minor (elbowing) 7:30: CHA - (PP) Kiersted, minor (interference) 9:49: CHA - Skoog (11) - Samoskevich, Kinnunen 9:55: WBS - (PP) St. Ivany, minor (interference) 13:51: WBS - (PP) Hinostroza, minor (slashing) 15:34: CHA - (PP) Rees, minor (hooking)

2nd Period

4:58: WBS - Hinostroza (9) - Poulin, Zohorna 8:52: CHA - (PP) Kinnunen, minor (hooking) 11:11: CHA - (PP) Balinskis, minor (tripping) 12:52: WBS - PPG Hinostroza (10) - Smith, Poulin 19:46: CHA - (PP) Fitzgerald, minor (holding)

3rd Period

7:37: WBS - Rueschhoff (6) - Andonovski, Shea 17:31: WBS - St Ivany, minor (roughing) 17:31: CHA - Benning minor (roughing) 17:31: CHA - (PP) Benning, minor (interference) 17:48: WBS - ENG PP Zohorna (4) - Poulin

BOXSCORE

W-B/Scranton  0 - 2 - 2 = 4 Charlotte  1 - 0 - 0 = 1

Shots

W-B/Scranton  8 - 14 - 14 = 36 Charlotte  6 - 7 - 9 = 22

Goalies

WBS: Joel Blomqvist (21 saves - 22 shots) CHA: Evan Cormier (32 saves - 35 shots)

Power Play

WBS: 2-for-6 CHA: 0-for-4

Penalty Kill

WBS: 4-for-4 CHA: 4-for-6