web1_OI000144.jpg

Penguins’ Prow soaking in first AHL All-Star experience

web1_TTL012819CoyoteHunt_5.jpg

Hunters turn in nearly 40 coyotes during Tunkhannock hunt

<p>SPRINGFIELD, Mass. &#8211; As players from the American Hockey League (AHL) gathered in Springfield, Massachusetts for the 2019 AHL All-Star Classic, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins defenseman Ethan Prow immediately took notice to all the little details put into the league&#8217;s annual event showcasing some of hockey&#8217;s top prospects in North America.</p><p>&#8220;Everybody was really welcoming. The AHL does a great job of getting you here and making you feel welcome right from the start,&#8221; Prow said, adding he&#8217;s familiar with a few of the players at this year&#8217;s event. &#8220;You try to meet guys as you go, and just kind of introduce yourself and get to know them in the couple days ahead.&#8221;</p><p>Overall, the third year pro is looking forward to enjoying the events the weekend has to offer.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s exciting. Just kind of fun with the whole day,&#8221; Prow said. &#8220;That&#8217;s one of the main aspects you have to do. Just enjoy it.&#8221;</p><p>Sunday night, the AHL All-Stars competed in the annual Skills Competition. Prow helped the Eastern Conference All-Stars earn their first point of the night in the second race of the puck control relay - showcasing quickness, skating ability and solid puck-handling skills.</p><p>&#8220;Yeah that was good. A little cold to start with, but no it was good,&#8221; Prow recalled after the event. &#8220;Anytime you can get out there and help and just have some fun with it. It was good.&#8221;</p><p>Later on in the evening, Prow participated in the accuracy shooting contest - hitting two of the four targets on his eight attempts.</p><p>&#8220;With accuracy shooting, hopefully they&#8217;re going at the right targets,&#8221; Prow joked before the event. &#8220;I think I hit the crossbar three or four times, so just wasn&#8217;t my night there. It was still fun, just have to laugh about it and enjoy,&#8221; he added afterward participating.</p><p>The Western Conference All-Stars proved victorious in the Skills Competition, defeating the Eastern Conference All-Stars by a final score of 17-14.</p><p>Monday night&#8217;s three-on-three tournament - the AHL All-Star Challenge - will pit Prow and his fellow Atlantic Division All-Stars against the All-Stars from the North, Central and Pacific Divisions.</p><p>&#8220;It should be an offensive game. I think when they changed it to 3-on-3 it&#8217;s for the fans,&#8221; Prow said of the upcoming All-Star Challenge on Monday night. &#8220;Hopefully get them excited, get a couple chances and a couple goals.&#8221;</p><p><strong>PENGUINS CONNECTION:</strong> Both of the playing captains in this year&#8217;s AHL All-Star Classic - Lehigh Valley&#8217;s Colin McDonald and Iowa&#8217;s Cal O&#8217;Reilly - have spent part of their respective AHL careers as a member of the Penguins and were briefly Penguins teammates seven years ago.</p><p>McDonald spent the majority of the 2011-12 season with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, appearing in 68 games and tallying 49 points (14 goals, 35 assists) that season while also appearing in five NHL games with Pittsburgh - the first five of his career that has now seen him appear in 148 total NHL games in his pro career.</p><p>O&#8217;Reilly also played part of the 2011-12 season with the Penguins, recording 10 assists in 21 regular season games before being one of the Penguins&#8217; go-to scorers in the 2012 Calder Cup Playoffs that - taylling nine points (five goals, four assists) in 12 postseason games that year.</p><style>
.neFileBlock {
	margin-bottom: 20px;
}
.neFileBlock p {
	margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;
}
.neFileBlock .neFile {
	border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa;
	padding-bottom: 5px;
	padding-top: 10px;
}
.neFileBlock .neCaption {
	font-size: 85%;
}
</style>
<div class='neFileBlock'>
<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/web1_Prow-HS-1.jpeg">
<div class="neCaption"></div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/web1_Prow-HS-1.jpeg</photo0><caption0></caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Tony Androckitis</p><p>For Times Leader</p></bylineMeta></div>

Prow soaking in first AHL all-star experience