GREETINGS FROM NEW HAMPSHIRE

Hello Pens fans, and welcome to Manchester, New Hampshire, where YOUR Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins will face off with the Manchester Monarchs in Game One of the Eastern Conference Semifinal tonight at 7pm.

The Pens posted a 3-0 sweep of they Syracuse Crunch in the first round of the Calder Cup Playoffs, advancing to the second round for the fifth consecutive season.

The Monarchs, meanwhile, jumped out to a 2-0 lead on the Portland Pirates, only to see the eighth seed win the next two games, before Manchester took Game Five, 5-3, to move on to the next round.

This is the first and last time these two clubs will meet in the Calder Cup Playoffs, as the Los Angeles Kings will move their AHL affiliate to Ontario, California next season.

Manchester had an extremely balanced attack during the regular season, featuring two of the top three scorers in the AHL (Brian O'Neill - 22+58=80 - first; Jordan Weal - 20+49=69 - third), and a stout defense that allowed just 176 goal on the season.  That's second only to the Pens (163).

Game Ones have not been nice to the Penguins over the years, a the team has gone just 15-19 in the first game of a playoff series, and just 8-11 on the road.  However, the Pens have won each of their past two Game Ones (ECF at St. John's last season; ECQF vs. Syracuse this season), and are 4-1 in their past five first games.

The Penguins carry a three-game playoff winning streak into tonight's contest.  The team record for consecutive playoff wins is six games, set from May 1, 2001 through May 17, 2001.  The Pens won Game Six of the Western Conference Semifinal vs. Philadelphia, swept the Hershey Bears in four games, and defeated the Saint John Flames in Game One of the Calder Cup Final.

REGULAR SEASON SERIES SNAPSHOT

KING PENGUIN

By Brian Coe

He’s known around these parts as ‘Mr. Penguin,’ and rightfully so.  

Tom Kostopoulos has appeared in more games (478), scored more goals (138), put up more assists (206) and recorded more points (344) than anyone to ever pull on a Pens sweater. 

The 204th overall pick in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft, Kostopoulos spent parts of his first five seasons in Wilkes-Barre, while also appearing in 79 games with the Pittsburgh Penguins.  During his first stint with Wilkes-Barre, he recorded 286 points (97+179) in 318 games, appeared in an AHL All-Star Game, led the Pens to the Calder Cup Finals twice, and endeared himself to hockey fans in the area thanks to a blue collar work ethic matched by none.

But for one season, hockey fans in Northeast Pennsylvania had to refrain from cheering for their beloved captain, and pull against the popular Penguin.

Following the 2003-04 campaign, which saw the Pens fall to the Milwaukee Admirals in the championship round, Kostopoulos signed a one-way NHL deal with the Los Angeles Kings.  He figured to compete for a full-time spot with the Kings in 2004-05, but labor unrest between the league and players’ association wiped out the entire NHL season.

But instead of sitting on his comfy contract and waiting for the lockout to come to an end, Kostopoulos asked the Kings if he could stay in game shape by suiting up for their minor league affiliate - the Manchester Monarchs.

“I wouldn’t call myself a legitimate NHL player then,” Kostopoulos said after practice on Monday.  “I was kind of in between [the NHL and AHL].  I didn’t want to be off the ice for that long.”

His short stay in New Hampshire proved to be a successful one - not only for Kostopoulos, but for the Monarchs as well.  With a team packed full of NHL talent, Manchester roared to a 51-21-4-4 mark, good for 110 points, just two fewer than the total recorded by the regular season champion Rochester Americans.

“I think we started the season 22-2 or something like that. We had a lot of talent, a lot of guys who should have been in the NHL if there was no lockout,” Kostopoulos said. 

Individually, Kostopoulos had a career year, recording 71 points (25+46) in 64 regular season games.  He ranked second on the team in assists and third in goals and points.

“We had two lines that were kind of competing with each other to be the top line,” he stated.  “It was fun, every night we would push each other.  I played with Yanick Lehoux and Noah Clarke, they were great players.  We were pushing against (Mike) Cammalleri, (Dustin) Brown and Brad Smyth.  So it was two fun lines.”

The Monarchs entered the Calder Cup Playoffs as the top seed in the Eastern Conference, but came up against a tough Providence Bruins team that featured a hot goaltender in Hannu Toivonen.  The Bruins pulled the first round upset over Manchester, 4-2, and Kostopoulos’ stay in New Hampshire came to an end.  But he has fond memories of his time in the granite state even to this day.

“My wife liked it, I liked it.  We got our dog [Charlie, a yellow lab] from there,” he said.

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The Penguins face the Manchester Monarchs in the second round of the Calder Cup Playoffs.  The series starts on the road in Manchester on Wednesday, May 6 and Thursday, May 7, before moving to Wilkes-Barre for Games 3 and 4 on Saturday, May 9 and Monday, May 11.  Game 5, if necessary, will take place in Wilkes-Barre on Tuesday, May 12.

Individual tickets for all home playoff games are on sale now and available at the Mohegan Sun Arena Box Office, by calling the Penguins at 570-208-7367, or online here.

PENS ADD FOUR FROM WHEELING

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. – The Pittsburgh Penguins have assigned goaltender Eric Hartzell and defenseman Harrison Ruopp to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins from the Wheeling Nailers (ECHL), it was announced today.  In addition, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton has recalled defenseman Clark Seymour from loan to Wheeling.

Hartzell went 2-0-0 with a 2.92 goals against average and a .882 save percentage in two appearances this season for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.  Currently in his second season of professional hockey, the 25-year-old also compiled a record of 17-14-1 for the Nailers, while recording a 2.75 GAA, a .914 save percentage and one shutout.  In five games during the 2015 Kelly Cup Playoffs, Hartzell was 2-2-1 with a 2.36 GAA and a .924 save percentage. 

Ruopp, a second-year pro, registered one assist and 58 penalty minutes over 30 games this season with the Nailers, while appearing in seven contests for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.   The 22-year-old from Zehner, Saskatchewan also played in four games for Wheeling during the team’s North Division Semifinal series versus Toledo. 

Seymour, 21, notched one goal and 72 penalty minutes over 54 games with Wheeling while ranking first among team defensemen with 14 assists.  A first-year professional hailing from Brockville, Ontario, Seymour appeared in 12 contests for the Penguins, posting one assist.  He also skated in two postseason matches with the Nailers. 

In a separate transaction, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins have signed forward Sahir Gill to a professional tryout agreement (PTO). 

Gill joins the Penguins for the second time this season.  Signed to a PTO on Dec. 4, 2014, Gill played in 12 games for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, collecting one goal and two assists.  He also dressed for 25 games with the Hamilton Bulldogs (AHL), registering two goals, two assists and six penalty minutes. 

Gill, 23, averaged more than a point per game during the 2014-15 season the Nailers, amassing nine goals and 20 assists in 26 contests.  Gill was third on the team during the playoffs with six points (4G-2A) in seven games. 

The Penguins are in the Calder Cup Playoffs for the 13^th consecutive year – the longest active streak in the AHL – and begin their Eastern Conference Semifinal series versus the Manchester Monarchs on Wednesday, May 6 at 7:00 p.m.

Tickets for Penguins Playoff Home Games C (Saturday, May 9) and D (Monday, May 11) are available now by calling 570-208-7367 or going online to TicketMaster.com.

TALE OF THE TAPE - Pens vs. Monarchs

PENS TO FACE MONARCHS IN SECOND ROUND

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. – The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins today announced the schedule for their best-of-seven Eastern Conference Semifinal series against the Manchester Monarchs in the 2015 Calder Cup Playoffs.

 

The full schedule is as follows: 

Game 1	Wed., May 6			W-B/Scranton at MANCHESTER						7:00 PM
Game 2	Thu., May 7			W-B/Scranton at MANCHESTER						7:00 PM
Game 3	Sat., May 9			Manchester vs. W-B/SCRANTON						7:05 PM
Game 4	Mon., May 11			Manchester vs. W-B/SCRANTON						7:05 PM
*Game 5	Tue., May 12			Manchester vs. W-B/SCRANTON						7:05 PM
*Game 6	Fri., May 15			W-B/Scranton at MANCHESTER						7:00 PM
*Game 7	Sat., May 16			W-B/Scranton at MANCHESTER						7:00 PM

* - if necessary

This will be the first-ever postseason meeting between the Penguins and Monarchs.

 

The Penguins are in the Calder Cup Playoffs for the 13^th consecutive year – the longest active streak in the AHL.  Wilkes-Barre/Scranton is the only team in the league to have reached the second round in each of the last five seasons.   

 

Tickets for Penguins Playoff Home Games C and D are available now by calling 570-208-7367 or goingonline to TicketMaster.com.

PRACTICE WITH THE PENS

The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins swept aside the Syracuse Crunch in three games, and not await the outcome of the other Eastern Conference series to see who they will be facing in the second round of the Calder Cup Playoffs.

We may not know when our next home game will be, but we do know when you can see the team in action again.

The Pens will hold two open practices on Saturday (11:30am) and Sunday (11:15am) at the Toyota Sportsplex in Wilkes-Barre (40 Coal Street), and we are inviting everyone to come and watch the team prep for the next round.

We’re hoping that winter conditions will be in effect (inside the rink anyway) as we look to make both practices mini-whiteouts.  Wear your official Pens Whiteout T-Shirt to the practices, or purchase one at our team store, located inside the Toyota Sportsplex.  T-shirts are just $10 for short sleeved versions, or $13 for long sleeves.

And to add to the fun, we’ll have free hot dogs for everyone in attendance while the team is on the ice.

Say hi to the team, wish them well as their quest for the Calder Cup continues, pick up your tickets to second round home games (Pens reps will be on hand to take your orders) and have some fun with us at the Toyota Sportsplex this weekend.

And don't forget, tickets for second round home games are on sale now by calling the Pens at 570-208-7367 or online at http://bit.ly/WBSIndividual