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Monday, March 03, 2003 Page: 1B
With goalie Aubin leading the
way, W-B/Scranton gets its first
points in four years of visits
to the Cincinnati Gardens.
By JOHN LACHMANN
Special to Times Leader
CINCINNATI It took Jean-Sebastien Aubin to solve the 4-year-old puzzle
that was the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins losing streak at the Cincinnati
Gardens.
The recently demoted goalie stopped 30 shots some in spectacular fashion
to give the Penguins a 3-1 victory here Sunday. The victory gave
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton its first-ever points in this building and snapped an
0-7 all-time mark in Ohio.
“It makes you hate the building,” Penguins coach Glenn Patrick said. “Now,
maybe we won’t mind coming back.”
Aubin has backed up Johan Hedberg for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s parent team
in Pittsburgh most of the season, but was sent down Feb. 26 and played
Saturday and Sunday. He finished the weekend with a 1.50 goals-against average
and a .946 save percentage.
“He was the difference in the game tonight, and he played terrific last
night,” Patrick said. “I’m very happy with the way he played.”
Aubin covered the entire crease to shut down a one-timer off a cross-ice
pass in the second period, then shut down a point-blank one-time blast by
Ducks center Nick Smith midway through the third period. While out of position
after stopping a slap shot, Aubin made a save on a rebound shot with his back
still turned to the play.
“I felt great,” Aubin said. “It’s very positive, and it’s a great way to
win.”
The Penguins fell behind 1-0 when Ducks left wing Travis Brigley beat Aubin
on the short side off a centering one-time pass from center Brian Gornick.
But the Penguins charged back with three goals, all during a 5:19 stretch
of the second period.
Midway through the middle stanza, Penguins center Milan Kraft fed center
Toby Petersen at the top of the crease, and the puck hit Petersen’s shaft on
the follow-through and died at his skates. Petersen swung again, this time
burying a shot over Ducks goalie J.F. Damphousse’s left shoulder.
On a bizarre play less than three minutes later, Penguins center Matt
Hussey broke in on Damphousse, and was denied on a backhander, but the puck
lay idle in the crease while Damphousse stood at the side of the net, unsure
of the puck’s location. Petersen sprinted in and fired the eventual
game-winner into the open net to give the Penguins a 2-1 lead.
“From the top of the circles in, I knew it was there,” Petersen said. “I
just had to beat the guys behind me to the net. Fortunately, it was just
sitting there for me. Easiest goal I scored all year probably.”
Right wing Tom Kostopoulos sealed the game two minutes later with a
one-timer off a centering feed from Kraft.
Kraft, who finished with two primary assists, extended his scoring streak
to 11 games. The center has posted seven goals and 11 assists during that
span.
The Penguins, who finished the three-day, three-game road trip with three
points, move into a tie with San Antonio for sixth place in the Western
Conference with 66 points.
The Rampage hosted Milwaukee late Sunday.
The Penguins have stressed finishing in the top six of the conference,
because those seeds receive first-round byes in the playoffs.
“Absolute priority,” Patrick said. “We’re right in the pack right now, and
we’ve got 11 of our last 16 at home, so we’re aiming for sixth or better.”
Notes: Penguins assistant coach Mike Yeo took matters into his own hands
Sunday when he tore down a sign that a Ducks fan had hung from the front row
of the end zone seats before the game.
The sign bashed Alexandre Daigle’s failed NHL career after the Penguins
center was drafted first overall by the Ottawa Senators in the 1993 draft.
The fan later erected another sign ripping Daigle. “It wasn’t fair,” Yeo
said. “I think people are entitled to their opinions, but there’s a line that
you cross.”
Said Patrick: “It wasn’t in good taste, so we took it down.”