Wilkes Weekly: Winning continues
CLEVELAND, OH - FEBRUARY 27: Cleveland Monsters goaltender Zach Sawchenko (36) traps the puck as Cleveland Monsters defenseman Will Butcher (39) defends Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins left wing Bokondji Imama (14) during the third period of the American Hockey League game between the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and Cleveland Monsters on February 27, 2026, at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins are heating up, currently on a four-game winning streak after taking care of business in both of their games this week. From WBSPenguins : Saturday, Mar.
28 – PENGUINS 3 vs. Laval 1 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton avenged its loss to Laval the week prior, restoring balance to The Force on Star Wars Night. Avery Hayes gave the Penguins a first-period lead with a shorthanded goal, then tallied an insurance marker in the third.
In between, Aidan McDonough scored 14 seconds after the Rocket tied things up late in the middle frame. Sunday, Mar. 29 – PENGUINS 5 vs.
Lehigh Valley 1 The Penguins’ line of Rafaël Harvey-Pinard, Joona Koppanen and Tanner Howe spearheaded a Sunday-afternoon thrashing of their turnpike rival, with each linemate recording a goal and multiple points. Howe posted the first four-point game of his career (1G-3A), and McDonough lit the lamp on the power play for his fourth-straight game with a goal. Joel Blomqvist had his shutout bid busted with 78 seconds left in regulation, but he is now 7-1-1 (and one no decision) in his last 10 starts.
Scoring rates are lower in the AHL, Tanner Howe had a respectable 10 points in 19 games headed into Sunday’s game, where he added four points to put a major increase in his season stats to 14 points in 20. Aidan McDonough, a frequent shoutout in Wilkes Weekly, continues his productive ways to help the WBS Pens despite the revolving door of talent like Avery Hayes and Rutger McGroarty leaving the team, Ville Koivunen now being long gone and Tristan Broz out injured the whole month of March. Veteran Rafael Harvey-Pinard is heating up lately with five points (3G+2A) over his last three games to provide another strong option.