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By STEVE SEMBRAT steves@leader.net
Monday, March 10, 2003 Page: 1B
WILKES-BARRE TWP. – Don’t let the points fool you. Toby Petersen has been
playing well all season.
Recently, though, the 24-year-old left wing has become one of
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s hottest scorers.
Heading into a contest against Syracuse today (7:05 p.m. faceoff, First
Union Arena), Petersen has 11 goals and five assists during the past 15 games.
He has scored twice in the Penguins’ last two games, both victories.
Petersen is tied for the team lead in multiple-goal games with three along
with Kris Beech, Tom Kostopoulos and Michal Sivek. Petersen is second with 11
multiple-point games, with Kostopoulos leading the category with 17. Overall,
Petersen is second to Kostopoulos in overall scoring with 24 goals and 28
assists.
“Toby has played very well all year,” said Wilkes-Barre/Scranton head
coach Glenn Patrick. “He has been successful point-wise recently, but he has
been a strong player the entire season.
“You go through times where you are in the right place at the right time
and you score goals.”
Petersen said one of the reasons his scoring statistics have spiked
recently is that he and Alexandre Daigle are starting to click. The two have
been paired since Dec. 28 after Daigle was sent here from Pittsburgh.
“With his speed, it creates a lot of room,” Petersen said of Daigle. “It
forces the D to back off. He is such a smart player. He always sees the
openings. I know that if I find the soft area, he is going to find me.”
That fact was evident on Saturday in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s 4-3 victory
against Hershey. Petersen scored twice on feeds from Daigle, where Daigle
lifted the puck over the outer lip of the goal from behind the net to set up
Petersen, who was wide open in front.
Although Patrick likes to juggle lines, he has kept Daigle and Petersen
together for 25 games (Daigle missed three games in late January with an
injury). “Right now,” Patrick said. “I’m very happy with them.”
Although Petersen has played well, it has yet to earn him a call-up to
Pittsburgh. Right wing Eric Meloche on Sunday became the 11th player this
season to play for both Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and Pittsburgh. While Petersen
spent all season with the parent club in 2001-02 and recorded eight goals and
10 assists in 79 games, he isn’t frustrated by the fact he hasn’t returned
there this season.
“Every time there has been a call-up, the guy has been very deserving,”
Petersen said. “Besides, it’s not my job to decide who goes up, that’s
management’s job and I’m not going to argue with their decisions.”
Petersen might yet fit into the picture of the NHL team. Pittsburgh, which
lost its ninth consecutive game Sunday night at Ottawa, might decide to
jettison many of its veterans and go with a youth movement next season.
Petersen, whose contract with the team is up at the end of this season, could
fit into those plans, and every goal and assist he gets helps in that regard.
“When you’re in a contract year, you want to have a good year and put
yourself in a position where they are going to want you,” Petersen said.
“You try not to think about it, because it can only be a distraction.”
Instead, Petersen is focusing on doing what he can to help
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton during its stretch run. The Penguins are off to a 1-0
start in their final 16 games, and feel they can win the division title if
they go 12-4 during that span. He is one of two players to appear in all 65 of
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s games, with defenseman Brendan Buckley being the
other.
“I take a lot of pride in my durability,” Petersen said. “I don’t want
to jinx myself. Hockey players are superstitious. I take a lot of pride in
what I’ve been able to do for this organization.”
TODAY’S GAME
Syracuse Crunch (21-35-6-4) at
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (29-26-5-5)
Faceoff: 7:05 p.m., First Union Arena, Wilkes-Barre Township.
Tickets: According to a team release, there were some left heading into the
weekend. Check the arena box office or Ticketmaster for availability.
TV/Radio: The game will be televised by WNEP TV’s 24-hour news channel
available on Adelphia Cable Channel 63. The game can be heard on Oldies 92 and
100 (FM). The radio broadcast is available over the Internet at the team’s Web
site (www.wbspenguins.com).