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Police: Two Scranton women shot in Wilkes-Barre

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Night to Shine offers ‘way more fun’

<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and Hershey Bears have played each other 57 times in the regular season over the last five years. The Penguins have won 33 of those contests and have held an advantage over the Bears for quite some time.</p><p>Until this season.</p><p>In nine games against Hershey, the Penguins have won just three times, and that&#8217;s not the worst of it.</p><p>Thanks to an 11-0-0-1 run, Hershey has leapfrogged the Penguins in the standings and are two points ahead for fifth place in the Atlantic Division. The rivals face off Wednesday night in Hershey with both chasing Lehigh Valley for the fourth and final playoff spot.</p><p>&#8220;There&#8217;s no secrets this time,&#8221; Penguins coach Clark Donatelli said. &#8220;It&#8217;s very important for both teams in these division games. They are four-point games this late in the season.&#8221;</p><p>One factor on the Penguins side, however. Although Donatelli said the Giant Center in Hershey is a tough place to play, his team has held its own there this season, winning two of four contests. In fact, the road has been kinder to the Penguins all season. They are 14-9-4-1 on the road this season, vs. a 10-12-1-0 mark at home.</p><p>But with 26 games left in the regular season and the Penguins on the outside of a playoff spot, every game is a must-win regardless of where it&#8217;s played.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s a little bit different this season because we&#8217;re on the outside looking in,&#8221; forward Sam Lafferty said. &#8220;But at the end of the day, we just have to go out and win hockey games.&#8221;</p><p><strong>NOTES</strong></p><p>&#8226; Defenseman Blake Siebenaler, who was acquired by Pittsburgh from the Columbus organization on Monday, reported to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and joined the team for Tuesday&#8217;s practice at the Toyota Sportsplex.</p><p>Siebenaler, 22, has spent all three of his professional seasons to this point with the Cleveland Monsters of the AHL, producing 14 points (7G-7A) in 83 games. This year, he has two points (1G-1A) in 17 contests.</p><p>A 6-foot-2, 208-pound native of Toledo, Ohio, Siebenaler was originally drafted by the Blue Jackets in the third round (77th overall) of the 2014 NHL draft.</p><p>&#8220;I&#8217;m ready for a fresh slate. A good opportunity,&#8221; Siebenaler said. &#8220;I know (Pittsburgh) had success at the NHL level, and it all starts here. I&#8217;m excited to be here.&#8221;</p><p>&#8226; Also on Monday, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and forward Troy Josephs mutually agreed to terminate his AHL contract. Josephs will be heading to Europe to continue his career, Donatelli said.</p><p>Josephs, 24, spent most of the season with Wheeling, recording 21 goals and 39 points in 32 games. In 11 contests with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Josephs had a goal and five points.</p><p>&#8220;He had an opportunity to go to Europe and we&#8217;re happy for him,&#8221; Donatelli said, adding it was tough to find playing time for Josephs at the AHL level this season. &#8220;For guys making the jump from Wheeling to here, it&#8217;s about the consistency of their play, the compete situation. He was in the process of going back and forth and he&#8217;s been at it quite a bit.&#8221;</p><p>&#8226; The team made two more moves on Tuesday, reassigning forward Cam Brown and defenseman Kevin Spinozzi to ECHL Wheeling.</p><p>Brown had four points in 11 games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and Spinozzi appeared in just five AHL games.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Center Jean-Sebastien Dea (9) and the Penguins enter Wednesday&#8217;s game in Hershey two points behind the Bears and four behind Lehigh Valley for the final playoff spot in the Atlantic Division. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/web1_TTL012019Penguins-Hershey_2.jpg</photo0><caption0>Center Jean-Sebastien Dea (9) and the Penguins enter Wednesday&#8217;s game in Hershey two points behind the Bears and four behind Lehigh Valley for the final playoff spot in the Atlantic Division. </caption0><photoCredit0>Bill Tarutis file photo | For Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/web1_TTL012019Penguins-Hershey_1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Forward Jarrett Burton (20) and the Penguins have struggled against rival Hershey this season, winning three times in nine games. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/web1_TTL012019Penguins-Hershey_1.jpg</photo1><caption1>Forward Jarrett Burton (20) and the Penguins have struggled against rival Hershey this season, winning three times in nine games. </caption1><photoCredit1>Bill Tarutis file photo | For Times Leader </photoCredit1></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>With 26 games left, the Penguins are four points out of a playoff spot</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Tom Venesky</p><p>tvenesky@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div>

WBS Penguins at a crucial point heading into Hershey