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WILKES-BARRE TWP. — The Hartford Wolf Pack are in last place in the Atlantic Division and have lost six of their last 10 games.
Yet the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins are taking them very seriously.
Following a disappointing 3-1 loss to Lehigh Valley on Wednesday, the Penguins remain five points out of a playoff spot with 18 games left. Facing a team like the Wolf Pack, who have allowed a hefty 209 goals, Friday’s matchup seems like an easy two points.
But Penguins coach Clark Donatelli isn’t taking anything for granted, as his team has lost its last two contests.
“Hartford beat us the last time. They’re a good team and they play hard,” Donatelli said after Thursday’s practice at Mohegan Sun Arena. “They have guys up from the ECHL trying to earn contracts, so they have a lot of internal competition going on.”
But the Penguins are also competing as well — for a playoff spot and a change in performance after a lackluster effort on Wednesday.
The key, according to Donatelli, is playing with more consistency in virtual every area of the game.
Righting the ship, he said, should be the focus more than worrying about Hartford.
“We can’t be worrying about other teams right now. We have to get our own game in tune,” Donatelli said. “If we’re playing our own game, we don’t have to worry about who we’re playing.”
With a busy schedule this month that includes eight more home games and plenty of division opponents, Donatelli feels his team is still in control of their postseason hopes.
String a few wins together, he said, and they’re right back in it.
“We have the standings all around here and they’re very aware. These division games are tough, but that’s where you can gain points,” Donatelli said. “We just have to concentrate on not so much winning the next game, but playing the right way to give ourselves a chance to win it.”
NOTES
• Expect Tristan Jarry to continue to see the bulk of the workload in net, including this weekend with back-to-back games against Hartford and Syracuse. The Penguins still have John Muse and Anthony Peters available, but Donatelli indicated that Jarry will remain busy.
“He’s been carrying a lot of the mail lately, and he’ll continue to do so unless we see a change,” Donatelli said.
• Forward Ryan Scarfo and defenseman Chris Wideman are not expected to return this weekend but won’t be out long-term, Donatelli said. Forward Ben Sexton has a upper body injury and might miss considerable time. Thomas Di Pauli has resumed skating and is ahead of schedule in his recovery, but a return date hasn’t been set.
