Sports

calder cup playoffs

By Tom Venesky tvenesky@timesleader.com
Sports Reporter
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It’s not a surprise that Tim Brent, Kurtis McLean and Chris Minard are in the top 10 in the American Hockey League in playoff scoring.

They are forwards, after all, and scoring is what they’re expected to do.

But it is a bit of a surprise that Alex Goligoski, a defenseman, is second in the league among scoring leaders. Not that Goligoski hasn’t exhibited an offensive prowess during the regular season, but usually the top 10 slots among scoring leaders are occupied by forwards.

Goligoski has 12 points (3 goals, 9 assists) for the Penguins in eight playoff games. His knack for getting involved in the offense has spread to his fellow blueliners in the postseason, as three of the Penguins top 10 playoff scorers are defenseman.

They’ve been getting on the scoresheet by scoring goals or setting up others, and it’s a facet that head coach Todd Richards welcomes.

“When they can chip in in the offensive zone – whether it’s a goal or a nice play that leads to a goal, it’s a great bonus for our team,” Richards said. “There are certain defensemen you ask more of, like a Goligoski or (Mark) Ardelan, in the offensive zone to contribute.”

You can also add Ben Lovejoy, Alain Nasreddine and Ryan Lannon to that list.

Lovejoy, who is sixth on the team in playoff scoring, has shown an ability to join the rush to the offensive zone acting as a fourth forward at times. The move has paid off, and Lovejoy has 5 assists to show for the effort.

Ardelan, who is the team’s ninth top playoff point producer (1 goal, 3 assists), scored the game-tying goal with 45 seconds left in Game 2 to send the Penguins to a 5-4 overtime win.

Although Lannon doesn’t have a goal in the playoffs, he set up a goal against the Phantoms in Game 1, when he skated around two defenders and made a nice backhand pass to Connor James, who one-timed the puck into the net.

Nasreddine (2 goals, 1 assist) scored the opening goal in Game 3 against the Hershey Bears, and he tallied the first score against the Phantoms in Game 3 on Monday.

The Penguins won both games.

Of the three goals the Penguins scored on Monday, two were by defenseman (Nasreddine, Goligoski). When that happens, the team is hard to beat.

“It’s nice when the defense chips in,” Goligoski said. “When your defensemen score a couple of goals, you don’t lose a lot of games.”

Notes

The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and their parent club in Pittsburgh are both enjoying fantastic playoff runs. Pittsburgh has an 8-1 postseason record, and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton is 6-2. Combined, they are 14-3 and have outscored their opponents 63-38.

Up next

GAME 4 EAST DIV. FINALS

Philadelphia (5-4)

at Penguins (6-2)

When: 7:05 p.m. today

Where: Wachovia Center in Philadelphia

Series: Penguins lead 2-0

Last game: Penguins 3, Phantoms 2

Scouting the Phantoms: Despite the loss on Monday, the Phantoms showed they can turn on the offense when they scored two goals in 32 seconds. A loss tonight would put them down 3-1, so expect the Phantoms to come out fast and desperate.

Keep an eye on: For the Penguins – Kurtis McLean. He has been one of the Penguins top playmakers in the postseason. McLean can handle the puck well and knows if he can get a pass to linemates Chris Minard or Tim Brent, the goal judge better be ready to light the lamp. For the Phantoms – F Stefan Ruzicka. Watch him play and it’s clear Ruzicka prefers offense to defense. He has a tendency to float behind the play and wait for the puck to come out to the neutral zone. It’s a risky play, but Ruzicka has 3 goals in the series.