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By STEVE SEMBRAT steves@leader.net
Saturday, March 08, 2003 Page: 6B
WILKES-BARRE TWP. – Mac is back just in time for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s
stretch run.
Right wing Jason MacDonald said he is ready to return after shoulder
surgery that sidelined him for about two months, and he could be in the lineup
tonight as the Penguins play in the tail end of a hockey doubleheader at First
Union Arena.
In the 1 p.m. matinee, the Wheeling Nailers take on the Trenton Titans in
an East Coast Hockey League contest. Then at 7:05 p.m., Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
plays Hershey in a key game for each team’s American Hockey League playoff
hopes.
The Penguins (28-26-5-5, 66 points) trailed the Bears by seven points
heading into Friday’s action. Hershey played at Rochester while
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton had a rare Friday night off.
The Penguins feel they can catch Hershey and Norfolk and win the South
Division of the AHL’s Western Conference. Norfolk was in first, eight points
ahead of the Penguins, heading into a home game against Lowell on Friday.
“With 16 games left, this is a must-win if we want to catch Hershey,”
MacDonald said. “Otherwise we’d probably have to wait and catch them in the
playoffs. Making up 10 points with 15 games left is awful hard to do.”
Whether MacDonald dresses will be a game-time decision, said Penguins head
coach Glenn Patrick. “He’ll dress for warm-ups and we’ll see how things go.”
MacDonald adds grit to the lineup and a third or fourth line winger and his
contributions are valued by his coaches and teammates. When MacDonald and
defenseman Francois Leroux were sidelined last weekend, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
called up defenseman David Koci and switched him to forward to add some
muscle.
With MacDonald ready to return, Koci on Friday was reassigned to Wheeling
and figures to be in action this afternoon for the Nailers in their ECHL game.
While Wheeling (23-32-3, 49 points) is a longshot to make the postseason,
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton is in solid playoff standing and could be the only team
in the Pittsburgh organization to make postseason play.
This game figures to be especially intense because Hershey has just as much
on the line as the Penguins. In addition to chasing Norfolk for the South
Division lead, the Bears entering Friday were in fourth in the Western
Conference, just two points ahead of Chicago and San Antonio.
The top 10 teams in the conference make the playoffs. The top six get a
first-round bye. The top four are assured home ice in the second round. Each
of the three division champs automatically gets a top three seed.
It is more than just a numbers game, as was evident two years ago when
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton made it to the Calder Cup finals. The Penguins had
struggled because of injuries during February and early March of that season,
but got things worked out down the stretch and put together a memorable
playoff run.
“You want to get on a roll going into playoffs,” MacDonald said. “You
want to feel good about yourself.
“We have as good of a team, if not better, than two years ago. We have to
come together and realize everybody benefits if the team does well. We have a
lot of guys on this team who can play at the next level, and success in the
playoffs will only help them get there.”
NOTE: On Friday, work crews installed white netting at the arena that is to
be used on a trial basis. The AHL mandated protective netting at all its rinks
in July, and the one originally installed at the arena was black. Team
officials are using different netting to try to find which type impairs vision
the least. The team has mailed ballots to its season ticket holders and has
asked them to vote for which netting they like the best.
TODAY’S GAMES
Hershey Bears at
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
FACEOFF: 7:05 p.m., First Union Arena, Wilkes-Barre Township.
TICKETS: The game is expected to be a sellout, although sometimes
additional tickets are released prior to the game. Check the arena box office
or Ticketmaster for availability.
TV/RADIO: The game can be heard on Oldies 92 and 100 (FM). The broadcast
also is available on the Internet at the team’s Web site
(www.wbspenguins.com).
Wheeling Nailers
vs. Trenton Titans
FACEOFF: 1 p.m., First Union Arena, Wilkes-Barre Township.
TICKETS: There are plenty left.