No need to “fix” current backup ambulance place for Wilkes-Barre, says city council head

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Sem mock trial advances in competition

<p>Niclas Andersen strayed from his job description during Tuesday&#8217;s 4-3 win over Springfield.</p><p>With the game tied 2-2 in the second period, Andersen collected a pass from Reid McNeill and ripped a slapshot from the top that deflected into the net to give the Penguins a 3-2 lead.</p><p>It was Andersen&#8217;s first goal since since Jan. 27 - a span of 22 games, and it was only his second point since then.</p><p>But that doesn&#8217;t mean Andersen hasn&#8217;t been playing to his strength. In his first year as a pro in North America, the Sweden native has been a remarkably consistent presence on the blueline. He&#8217;s relied upon not necessarily to put up points, but to prevent opponents from putting up goals.</p><p>&#8220;Scoring isn&#8217;t the thing I focus on every day because I know I have to do my job in the defensive zone first,&#8221; Andersen said. &#8220;It&#8217;s not my main job to do out there, but it&#8217;s always nice to get a goal now and then.&#8221;</p><p>Andersen&#8217;s run of consistency was briefly interrupted in the middle of March with a lower body injury. It was originally expected that Andersen would miss a few weeks, but he was only sidelined for about 10 days and missed just two games.</p><p>It didn&#8217;t take him long to work the rust off after the short stint on the shelf.</p><p>&#8220;It was only a week, so I felt good after the first couple of shifts,&#8221; Andersen said. &#8220;But it&#8217;s always tough to get back from an injury and know exactly how your body is going to respond.&#8221;</p><p>Now that he&#8217;s healthy and back to being a regular face on the blueline, Andersen is looking forward to experiencing another &#8220;first&#8221; in North American hockey - the playoffs. While he&#8217;s adjusted nicely from the larger ice surfaces in Europe to the small rinks around the AHL, Andersen knows the playoffs are an entirely different game.</p><p>But it&#8217;s not something he hasn&#8217;t been through before. During Andersen&#8217;s nine pro seasons in Sweden and the Kontinental Hockey League, his teams made the postseason four times. He knows what a grueling playoff schedule is like and how to prepare for it.</p><p>&#8220;On the ice you&#8217;re playing games every second day and seeing the same players. It&#8217;s intense, and that includes off the ice because you try to eat and sleep well to stay healthy,&#8221; Andersen said. &#8220;It&#8217;s a part of the season where, overseas or here, it&#8217;s a different game and everyone has to contribute more than they did during the season.&#8221;</p><p>For Andersen, that means playing stellar defense and perhaps chipping in a point or two.</p><p>NOTES</p><p>- G Franky Palasseze was released from his PTO on Thursday and will report to Wheeling. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton recalled G Brian Foster from Wheeling.</p><style>
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<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Tom Venesky</p><p>tvenesky@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Tom Venesky at 570-991-6395 or on Twitter @TLTomVenesky</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins defender Niclas Andersen ready to bring consistency to postseason