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Lake-Lehman posts first shutout in 21 games

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Holy Redeemer football can’t keep up with Athens

<p>WILKES-BARRE TOWNSHIP &#8212; One of the biggest question marks facing the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the preseason is who will comprise the goaltending tandem to start the year.</p><p>During Thursday&#8217;s preseason opener head coach Clark Donatelli split the game evenly between netminders Casey DeSmith and Leland Irving, and he said both played well in a game where the Penguins spent a lot of time on the penalty kill.</p><p>But he still hasn&#8217;t seen enough to declare DeSmith and Irving his goaltending duo to start the season.</p><p>&#8220;We&#8217;re going to need more time,&#8221; Donatelli said after the 4-1 loss to open the exhibition season. &#8220;We have to let this play out a little bit more.&#8221;</p><p>DeSmith got the start and allowed one goal on the night. He faced a flurry of shots right away and was happy with the start and the quick action.</p><p>&#8220;It would be a universal &#8216;yes&#8217; if you asked any goalie out there,&#8221; DeSmith said about starting the game as opposed to coming in at the halfway point. &#8220;It&#8217;s tough to go in cold, especially in the middle of a period.&#8221;</p><p>DeSmith said he was seeing the puck well and his effort was a step in the right direction. He credited his strong play to seeing shots right away.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s always tough if you&#8217;re sitting at the beginning of a game not getting much action. They threw a few on and a couple scrambles there gets your mind into it,&#8221; DeSmith said. &#8220;It was a good way to get into the game.&#8221;</p><p>All four of the Devils goal came on the power play and Irving allowed three of them during his half of the game. He said killing penalties is tough early in the preseason because teams aren&#8217;t really structured for it, so those situations can become a bit &#8220;scrambly.&#8221;</p><p>Irving added the preseason is a process and he&#8217;s anxious to see more action over the weekend.</p><p>&#8220;It doesn&#8217;t happen automatic, overnight. It takes a couple of games to get back into it,&#8221; Irving said. &#8220;Even as intense as training camp has been, it can&#8217;t prepare you for some of those bounces that you get in a game.&#8221;</p><p>DeSmith is signed to an AHL deal this season while Irving is in camp as a tryout. A former first-round pick of the Calgary Flames, Irving is hoping for a better performance in his next preseason game.</p><p>&#8220;It takes a bit to feel good again and get your timing back,&#8221; he said. &#8220;You have to be able to find pucks, and I felt like I didn&#8217;t do a very good job of that tonight.&#8221;</p><p><strong>Burton shines</strong></p><p>Thursday&#8217;s game was filled with minor penalties, and forward Jarrett Burton had plenty of chances to display his strength as a penalty killer. Burton also scored the Penguins lone goal when he tipped a Reid McNeill point shot.</p><p>He hopes the effort earned him more ice time in another preseason game.</p><p>&#8220;To have that opportunity tonight to show the coaching staff that I can kill penalties is a good thing, and I wanted to show some offense as well,&#8221; Burton said. &#8220;You want to get in as many preseason games as you can to make sure you&#8217;re showing what you can do.&#8221;</p><p><strong>Making impressions</strong></p><p>Thursday&#8217;s lineup was comprised primarily of younger players who are on the bubble. Despite the 4-1 loss, Donatelli said some of those players took a step forward.</p><p>&#8220;Some of these guys are going to play again and some guys won&#8217;t,&#8221; he said.</p><p>The Penguins play again at home on Saturday and in Hershey on Sunday. Donatelli said he&#8217;ll insert more veterans in the lineup during those two games.</p><p><strong>No captain, but three alternates</strong></p><p>Defensemen Tim Erixon and Barry Goers and forward Ryan Haggerty served as alternate captains for Thursday&#8217;s game.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins goaltender Casey DeSmith makes a save during the first period of Thursday&#8217;s preseason game against the Albany Devils. Barry Goers (6) defends in front. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/web1_TTL100716pens1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins goaltender Casey DeSmith makes a save during the first period of Thursday&#8217;s preseason game against the Albany Devils. Barry Goers (6) defends in front. </caption0><photoCredit0>Aimee Dilger |Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/web1_TTL100716pens2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins forward Milos Bubela skates the puck up ice as Albany&#8217;s Kevin Rooney tries to knock it away during Thursday&#8217;s preseason game at the Mohegan Sun Arena. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/web1_TTL100716pens2.jpg</photo1><caption1>Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins forward Milos Bubela skates the puck up ice as Albany&#8217;s Kevin Rooney tries to knock it away during Thursday&#8217;s preseason game at the Mohegan Sun Arena. </caption1><photoCredit1>Aimee Dilger |Times Leader </photoCredit1></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>All 4 Devils goals came on the power play</subheadMeta></div><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>

Casey DeSmith, Leland Irving split time in net in Penguins preseason loss