Prospects Of The Week

NHL Debut, AHL Dominance Highlight Memorable Week For Avery Hayes

Avery Hayes scored a goal for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in a 4-1 win over the Hershey Bears on Wednesday; joined the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday, debuted in the NHL, and scored two goals; and rejoined Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Saturday and scored a hat trick–including the overtime winner–in a 4-3 overtime win over Hershey.

Hayes now boasts a seven-game point streak and four-game goal streak in the AHL. The undrafted forward leads Wilkes-Barre/Scranton with 16 goals and ranks second on the team with 26 points in 32 games. Hayes scored 23 goals and finished with 42 points in 60 AHL games last season.

Melvin Fernstrom Makes Immediate Impact In AHL After Midseason Transition

Only a few weeks after being demoted to the second tier of professional hockey in Sweden and subsequently reassigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton by the Penguins organization, Melvin Fernstrom debuted in the AHL and recorded a pair of primary assists in a 6-5 win over the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on Friday and scored in a 4-3 overtime win over the Hershey Bears on Saturday.

Named the SHL Rookie of the Year last season after recording 17 points in 48 games with Orebro, the 2023 third round pick struggled through 2025-26 with only four points in 46 games. Only 19 years old and acquired last season from the Vancouver Canucks, Fernstrom hopes the change of scenery leads to continued production and to play a part in the final third of the regular season with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

Tanner Howe Scores First Pro Goal After Long Road Back From Injury

Nearly 10 months since playing a competitive game, Tanner Howe debuted with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on February 1 and recorded a secondary assist in a 6-2 win over the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Three days later, the 2024 second round pick scored for the first time in the AHL, giving Wilkes-Barre/Scranton a 3-1 lead in a 4-1 win over the Hershey Bears.

Howe started last season with the Regina Pats in the WHL before being traded to the Calgary Hitmen and recording 39 points in 37 games–often on a line with Ben Kindel–and adding nine points in seven playoff games before a season-ending knee injury. Howe plays with a physical edge but still managed 279 points in 254 WHL games and looks to develop into a reliable middle-six forward if able to stay healthy.

Down On The Farm

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins Win Three Of Four Behind Strong Scoring And Goaltending

Sergei Murashov kept the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins alive with 29 saves through two periods before Aaron Huglen opened the scoring in a 4-1 win over the Hershey Bears on Wednesday night. Avery Hayes, Tanner Howe, and Aidan McDonough scored the other Wilkes-Barre/Scranton goals. Matt Dumba, Finn Harding, Ville Koivunen, Emil Pieniniemi, Chase Pietila, Rafael Harvey-Pinard, and Gabe Klassen all recorded assists. Murashov finished with 30 saves in the win.

The Penguins held on for a 6-5 win over the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on Friday night. Dumba scored three goals and added a helper. Koivunen scored and added two assists. McDonough and Harvey-Pinard scored the other Wilkes-Barre/Scranton goals. Tristan Broz recorded three helpers. Melvin Fernstrom–in a Wilkes-Barre/Scranton debut–recorded a pair of assists. Atley Calvert and Klassen both recorded helpers. Joel Blomqvist turned away 36 shots with the Penguins being outshot 41-23 in the game.

Avery Hayes scored the overtime winner and completed a hat trick in a 4-3 overtime win over the Hershey Bears on Saturday. Fernstrom scored the other Wilkes-Barre/Scranton goal. Rutger McGroarty and Koivunen both recorded two assists. Klassen, Alexander Alexeyev, Owen Pickering, and Dumba all picked up assists. Murashov stopped 20 shots in the win.

Wheeling Nailers Earn Points In Three Of Four As Offense And Goaltending Shine

Taylor Gauthier turned away 53 of 55 shots–including four in extra time–in a 3-2 overtime win over the Fort Wayne Komets on Wednesday. Brent Johnson scored the overtime winner and added a helper. Matthew Quercia and Connor Lockhart scored for Wheeling in regulation. Randy Hernandez, Logan Pietila, and Craig Armstrong all recorded assists.

The Nailers battled back twice but lost 3-2 to the Indy Fuel in a shootout on Friday night. Mathieu De St. Phalle and Pietila scored. Armstrong, Brayden Edwards, Zach Urdahl, and Johnson all recorded assists. Gauthier stopped 29 shots in regulation and overtime but surrendered two goals in the shootout.

The Nailers’ offense exploded for six goals in a 6-0 win over the Cincinnati Cyclones on Saturday night. Max Graham and Edwards both scored and added a helper. Armstrong, Daniel Laatsch, Urdahl, and Quercia scored the other Wheeling goals. Tristan Thompson, De St. Phalle, and Mike Posma all recorded a pair of assists. Johnson, Lockhart, and Alexander Kuqali all picked up assists. Maxim Pavlenko stopped 31 shots and picked up his fourth shutout of the season.