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First Posted: 2/28/2013 Alex Grant has a plan when he returns to the lineup for tonight&#8217;s game against the Hershey Bears: pick up where he left off.
That means blasting shots from the point, something the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins would welcome as they work on boosting their goal production.
With seven goals in their last five games, the Penguins know they need to put more pucks in the back of the net as they jockey for playoff position. Grant, who has missed the last six games with an injury, believes he can help.
&#8220;Getting shots to the net and having traffic in front is obviously our recipe for scoring a goal,&#8221; said the fourth-year defenseman. &#8220;That&#8217;s what I want to bring to the table; get lots of shots and hopefully, with traffic in front, one squeaks through or someone is able to put home a rebound.&#8221;
Judging by Grant&#8217;s play before he was injured, his return to the lineup should certainly equate to a few more shots from the blueline. On the season he has 61 shots in 26 games, averaging 2.34 shots per game - highest among all Penguins&#8217; defensemen.
&#8220;He gives you a shot presence,&#8221; said head coach John Hynes. &#8220;The main thing he brings to our power play is we can establish that high shot. He finds a way to get shots through and to the net.&#8221;
The injury came at a bad time for Grant. After being a healthy scratch for much of November and December, Grant returned to his regular spot on the blueline and registered two goals and six points in 14 games since Jan. 1. Four of those points have come on the power play, and Grant seemed to be picking up where he left off last season when seven of his 10 goals came with the man advantage. He was also the team&#8217;s highest-scoring defenseman with 37 points.
&#8220;I missed so many games early in the year and I was finally getting the chance to play and then the injury happens. It&#8217;s frustrating,&#8221; he said after Thursday&#8217;s practice at the Mohegan Sun Arena.
&#8220;I spent the last few days watching the games and sometimes when it&#8217;s not going so well you want to get out there and help. I feel great now and I&#8217;m anxious to get back.&#8221;
NOTES
- In addition to Grant, the Penguins will also welcome back winger Chris Collins, who missed the last four games with an injury. Hynes said Collins will help the offense not so much by scoring goals, but by doing the work that leads to putting the puck in the net. &#8220;To get more than one or two goals a game, we have to shoot the puck more on the power play, get more gritty and play and battle on the inside,&#8221; Hynes said. &#8220;Chris will help in those areas. That&#8217;s what he brings.&#8221;
- Tonight&#8217;s game against Hershey marks the 11th of 12 meetings this season between the East Division rivals. The Penguins lead the Bears by three points for third place in the division. &#8220;It&#8217;s going to be a big swing in points if we can get the win,&#8221; Grant said. &#8220;But anytime you play Hershey, regardless of the points, it&#8217;s a big game that means that much more.&#8221; The Penguins are 4-5-1 against the Bears this season, including a 1-3 mark at home.
- The Penguins wrap up this weekend with a Saturday home game against the Albany Devils.

All signs point to Grant