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US Attorney rejects Ciavarella book claims

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Closing of South Main St. in downtown Wilkes-Barre extended

<p>After bringing back four defensemen from last year&#8217;s team earlier in the week, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins went to work on their forward corps on Thursday.</p><p>The Penguins announced they had re-signed forwards Ryan Scarfo and Renars Krastenbergs to AHL contracts for the 2019-20 season. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton had previously reached deals with blueliners Macoy Erkamps, Blake Siebenaler, Matt Abt and Jon Lizotte this week.</p><p>Scarfo, 25, appeared in 25 games for the Penguins last season after arriving in a December trade with Belleville along with Erkamps and Ben Sexton.</p><p>As a rookie in 2018-19, Scarfo collected a goal and six assists for seven points with the Penguins and has played 44 AHL games in total. Scarfo previously played four years at Union College, leading the team in goals and points as a senior.</p><p>Krastenbergs, 20, is looking to make his AHL debut this season after playing all of his rookie campaign with ECHL Wheeling. He finished third on the Nailers in scoring with 19 goals and 25 assists for 44 points in 62 games.</p><p>A native of Latvia, Krastenbergs has represented his country on the international stage and also played major junior hockey in Canada for Oshawa of the OHL.</p><p>Competition for roster spots at forward in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton&#8217;s training camp figures to be tight with the Penguins set to return several players on NHL contracts such as Anthony Angello, Sam Lafferty, Sam Miletic, Joseph Cramarossa, Thomas Di Pauli and Ryan Haggerty. Others, such as Jordy Bellerive and Jan Drozg joined the team at the end of last season.</p><p>The NHL free agency period opens July 1.</p><p><strong>Wilkes hockey coach moving on</strong></p><p>Brett Riley did an impressive job getting the Wilkes men&#8217;s hockey program off the ground, including leading a strong inaugural season on the ice for the Colonels in 2018-19.</p><p>And his work has already landed him a Division I job.</p><p>Riley announced Thursday he was stepping down at Wilkes to accept an assistant coaching job at Colgate.</p><p class="x_MsoNormal">&#8220;I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to build the Wilkes men&#8217;s ice hockey program from the ground up,&#8221; Riley said through the school. &#8220;I look forward to watching the tradition of excellence at Wilkes continue to grow on and off the ice.&#8221;</p><p class="x_MsoNormal">Riley had joined the Colonels for the 2017-18 school year to help get the program ready to begin play in the United Collegiate Hockey Conference last fall.</p><p class="x_MsoNormal">Despite fielding a roster heavy on freshmen, the Colonels ended up challenging for the conference title en route to a 16-8-2 record &#8212; 11-5-2 in league play &#8212; enough to host a first-round playoff game.</p><p class="x_MsoNormal">For his efforts, Riley earned UCHC Coach of the Year honors. Wilkes ranked 14th nationally in Division III in scoring and was particularly dangerous on the penalty kill, finishing third nationally in shorthanded goals.</p><p class="x_MsoNormal">Riley will serve under Colgate head coach Don Vaughan.</p><p class="x_MsoNormal">&#8220;His ability to recruit, develop and mentor quality student athletes will serve him well here at Colgate,&#8221; Vaughan said through Colgate. &#8220;He is committed to finding student-athletes of great character and is committed to helping those individuals reach their full potential. I could not be more excited to start working with Brett.&#8221;</p><p class="x_MsoNormal">Wilkes said it has begun a national search for Riley&#8217;s replacement.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Forward Ryan Scarfo re-signed with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Thursday after coming over in a December trade with Belleville. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/web1_pens-hogs3_faa.jpg</photo0><caption0>Forward Ryan Scarfo re-signed with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Thursday after coming over in a December trade with Belleville. </caption0><photoCredit0>Fred Adams file photo | For Times Leader </photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Derek Levarse</p><p>dlevarse@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div>

WBS Penguins re-sign 2 forwards; Wilkes men’s hockey coach moving on