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An early start on Wednesday suited Teddy Blueger just fine.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s leading scorer picked up two goals to hit 20 on the season and even meshed right away with a new linemate in the Penguins’ 5-2 win at Bridgeport.
A 10:30 a.m. puck drop on the road could have been reason for a sloppy showing for the Penguins, who are fighting at the edge of the playoff race in the Atlantic Division.
Blueger did his part, finishing with three points to give the team a second straight win after an important 2-1 overtime victory over Lehigh Valley earlier in the week. Both Bridgeport and Lehigh Valley are ahead of the Penguins in the standings, as Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (21-18-4-1) is in a logjam with the Phantoms, Providence and Springfield, who are all within two points of each other.
And it was a decisive showing on Wednesday, as the Penguins burst out to a 5-0 lead midway through the second period before settling things down for a scoreless third.
Blueger was the catalyst. He had a new face on his wing, as Joseph Blandisi made his debut with the squad after last week’s trade that brought him over from the Anaheim Ducks organization.
It didn’t take long for the line, with Anthony Angello on the other wing, to click.
Just 3:38 into the game, Blandisi corralled a Blueger rebound in the slot and whipped it past Sound Tigers goalie Christopher Gibson. It was just Blandisi’s second shift with his new squad after playing one game with Pittsburgh and the rest of the season in the AHL with the San Diego Gulls.
Blueger got in on the action himself later in the frame, beating Gibson far side off the rush for an unassisted marker.
Ryan Haggerty scored two goals himself in the matinee, including one early in the second period that got Gibson the quick hook at 3-0.
But backup Jeremy Smith didn’t fare much better to start, as Blueger picked up his second of the day a few minutes later on the power play.
Haggerty then scored just 11 seconds later on Smith to give the Penguins a 5-0 edge that would be more than enough for the win.
After Haggerty’s second tally, the Penguins had more goals than the Sound Tigers had shots (four).
That changed quickly, however, as Bridgeport gained a pulse in the following shifts.
Chris Casto and Tanner Fritz scored two quick goals before the midway point of the second period.
But the Penguins and Tristan Jarry shut the door from there, and the Sound Tigers hurt their own momentum by putting Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on the power play seven times.
Jarry finished with 25 saves on 27 shots and also denied Jeff Kubiak on a first-period penalty shot when the lead was just 1-0.
Eight different skaters recorded a point for the Penguins, led by Blueger’s three and Haggerty’s two.
Ryan Scarfo, playing in his second month with the organization since coming over in a trade, recorded his first two assists in a Wilkes-Barre/Scranton uniform, picking up helpers on both of Haggerty’s goals.
The Penguins will look to make it a streak on Saturday when they go for their third straight win on a road trip to Binghamton. Puck drop will be at 7:05 p.m. for the Penguins’ lone game of the weekend.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton won’t have a home game until next month when Cleveland and Bridgeport come to Mohegan Sun Arena on Feb. 1 and Feb. 2, respectively.