Prospects Of The Week
Pickering Scores First AHL Goal, Earns NHL Call Up
Owen Pickering scored for the first time in the AHL, giving the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins a 3-2 lead in a 4-3 overtime loss to Lehigh Valley on Wednesday. The 2022 first round pick shook off a backchecker and muscled the puck past the Phantoms goaltender. Three days later, Pickering debuted with the Pittsburgh Penguins at the NHL, recording a secondary assist in a 4-3 shootout win over the San Jose Sharks. After leading blueliners on the Swift Current Broncos last season with 46 points in 59 games, Pickering, likely returning to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton when Kris Letang returns to the Pittsburgh lineup, hopes to start finding the scoresheet with some consistency now a handful of games into a promising professional career.
Murashov Dominant In Two Wins Last Week, Starting To Settle In With Nailers
Sergei Murashov helped the Wheeling Nailers get two wins last week, stopping 56 in 58 shots in all. The 2022 fourth round pick stopped 32 of 33 shots in a 3-1 win over the Fort Wayne Komets on Wednesday and turned away 24 of 25 shots in regulation and overtime and all three shooters in the shootout in a 2-1 shootout win over the Indy Fuel on Friday. After a few forgettable starts in Wheeling, Murashov now carries a 2.41 goals against average and .908 save percentage through seven games and looks to find the same consistency used to dominate the top junior league in Russia the past two seasons.
Hallander Continues Hot Start To 2024-25 In Sweden
The Pittsburgh Penguins still retain the signing rights to Filip Hallander, though the 2018 second round pick appears to be content playing in the SHLâthe top professional league Swedenâfor the foreseeable future. Hallander scored the shootout winner for Timra IK on Saturday after getting a secondary assist on a goal in the first period, and currently leads team and ranks second in the entire league with 21 points through 17 games. Hallander last played in North American in the 2022-23 season, recording 33 points in 43 games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and appearing in two NHL games with Pittsburgh.
Down On The Farm
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Loses Two, Manages One Point
The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins let a 3-2 slip away in the third period and lost 4-3 in overtime to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on Wednesday night. Marc Johnstone and Emil Bemstrom scored in the second period, and Owen Pickering scoredâfor the first time in the AHLâin the third period, but the Phantoms responded with 1:33 remaining in regulation and again in overtime with the Penguins shorthanded. Joona Koppanen, Isaac Belliveau, Vasily Ponomarev, and Rutger McGroarty recorded assists, and Filip Larsson made 35 saves in the loss.
The Bridgeport Islanders spoiled a return to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton net for Joel Blomqvist on Saturday night in a 5-2 loss for the Penguins. Raivis Ansons and Tristan Broz scored, and Jagger Joshua, Bokondji Imama, and Avery Hayes recorded assists. Blomqvist made 29 saves on 32 shots and the Islanders scored twice on the empty Wilkes-Barre/Scranton net in the third period.
Wheeling Nailers Win Three Last Week, Five Of Last Six Games
The Wheeling Nailers beat the Fort Wayne Komets 3-1 in a Tuesday morning game for the annual “Education Day” event. Sergei Murashov stopped 32 of 33 shots, including 13 in the first period. Dustin Manz scored with the Fort Wayne net empty to seal the win and added a helper on a Matthew Quercia goal. Jack Beck scored the other Nailers goal, Nick Hutchison recorded two assists, and Chris Ortiz added a helperâextending a point streak to five games.
Murashov shined again on Friday night, stopping 24 of 25 shots in regulation and overtime and all three shooters in a shootout in a 2-1 win over the Indy Fuel. Quercia scored the lone Wheeling goal off assists by Kyle Jackson and Matthew Koopman, and Jack Beck scored the only goal for either team in the shootout to give the Nailers the win.
Wheeling kept rolling on Saturday night, beating the Indy Fuel again, 5-2. Mathieu De St. Phalle recorded four assists, Jackson scored twice and added a helper, and David Jankowski and Atley Calvert scored and recorded assists. Sam Houde scored the other Nailers goal, and Jack Beck and David Drake added assists. Jaxon Castor made 30 saves in the win.