WB_VOICE/PAGES [B02] | 01/25/20
16:45 | PICCOTTITY
PENGUINS WEEKLY
B2 THE CITIZENS' VOICE
SUNDAY, JANUARY 26, 2020
WHEELING REPORT
DRESS FOR SUCCESS
The Nailers dropped their final two games before the ECHL all-star break by scores of 5-4 and 4-1 to Kalamazoo and Indy, respectively. Justin Almeida, Cam Brown, Renars Krastenbergs and Nick Minerva all scored against the Wings. Brown represented the team at the league’s midseason showcase event, which also featured four players from the U.S. women’s national team. Annie Pankowski, Dani Cameranesi, Gigi Marvin and Kali Flanagan all suited up in the allstar tournament similar to that of the AHL. Flanagan is the fiancee of Wilkes-Barre/ Scranton-contracted forward Brandon Hawkins. Wheeling was slated to be back on the ice twice this weekend, starting a six-game homestand with a pair against the Cincinnati Cyclones. Record: 17-18-4-0, 38 points, fifth in Central Division
For hockey players, the equipment they use is just as important as the skills they possess. This week, Wilkes-Barre/ Scranton Penguins forward Kevin Roy talked about the gear he uses on the ice.
ROY
Skates
AROUND THE AHL ■ Move over, Reid Boucher: Utica teammate Justin Bailey is gunning for your team scoring lead. Bailey had a week-plus to remember, recording hat tricks in three of four games to bump his goal total to 22. Not surprisingly, Bailey — who has 13 points in his last seven games — was named the league’s most recent Player of the Week. ■ With the all-star break marking the unofficial halfway point of the season, the Central Division playoff race is setting up to be an absolute battle royal. Six teams battling for two spots were separated by only six points total through Thursday. Texas and Chicago were the leaders, but Grand Rapids is coming with points in seven straight games. ■ If you were ready to count out Lehigh Valley in the Atlantic race, don’t. The Phantoms are rolling with points in six straight games — including five wins. Along the way, they’ve shut out Cleveland, Laval and Rochester.
QUOTE UNQUOTE “I got injured and, after that, it was really hard and I lost my confidence. While it wasn’t like nice to hear that I’m going to Wheeling, it was a really good thing and I was able to find my confidence and my game. I faced a lot of shots and got a couple wins. In the end, it was a really good thing. Now, it feels good to be back here.” — Penguins goaltender Emil Larmi, to broadcaster Nick Hart, on his stint in the ECHL
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SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Fans watch the Penguins play Charlotte at Mohegan Sun Arena on Jan. 8. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s average attendance is down from last season, but has been on an upswing in recent weeks.
MUSIC TO THEIR EARS
Concerts next step as team tries to keep attendance up BY TYLER PIccOTTI STAFF WRITER
A little over a week ago, Penguins CEO Jeff Barrett and Vice President of Business Development Jon Stephenson went on a field trip of sorts. Their destination? Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa — the home of the AHL’s Wild — for an Andy Grammer concert. But they weren’t there to hear “Good To Be Alive,” “Fresh Eyes” or any of the 36-year-old’s other hit songs. They were doing their homework. With Wilkes-Barre/Scranton set to host its first postgame concert series on Friday and Saturday, featuring tribute bands A Proud Monkey and No Quarter, they wanted to see how the Wild organized a similar event on a much larger scale. “The concerts are something that we’re excited about,” Stephenson said Monday in a phone interview. “This is kind of a starting block to our bigger picture of things to come. We’re looking at booking a national act toward the end of this year, which will lead into next year. If you’re a season ticket holder, it adds value.” And if you’re not a season ticket holder — or even a hockey fan, for that matter — it’s a way for Stephenson and the team at Coal Street to entice you to attend more games at Mohegan Sun Arena. Either way, the Penguins are hopeful this weekend’s concerts help keep attendance numbers going in the right direction and are the start of something big. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton started very slow this season, averaging only 4,252 in paid attendance through its first 12 home games. That was a decline of roughly 23% compared to the total 38-game average of 2018-19. In other words, the Penguins were on pace for the largest single-season attendance drop in team history. However, a few notable promotions like the team’s annual Teddy Bear Toss in December and the McDonald’s FANTastic deal on Jan. 11 have led to some of the biggest game crowds. The paid average has risen to almost 4,800 through Thursday, and the team is hopeful it can make up more ground to rival last season’s totals. Stephenson said attendance tradi-
Brand: Bauer Do you so anything special with your blade hollow? Not really. I don’t even know what my cut is, so I just go out there and skate. Preferred fit: I like them as small as possible; you don’t waste any space, and they just respond better to your movements. Do they have any other special features, such as shot blockers? No, just a special tongue. I like to tuck it inside, so it’s a smaller one.
Sticks Brand: CCM Flex rating: 75 — I’m a smaller guy, so it’s just better to get off shots quicker. I use the bend of the stick instead of the whole weight of the body. Curve: I have my own; it’s just a kind of heel curve that comes in at the toe. How many do you like to keep ready? I’m not really picky. I just have one that I kind of stick to until it’s broken or a little too whippy. I’ll get two or three ready just to have them. Do you do anything special in terms of maintenance? I actually like to switch out tape jobs. Sometimes, I go white. Most times I go black, but it just depends on the day.
Apparel If you’re getting dressed for a game, do you have any special routine or pattern you need to follow? I usually just get dressed on my left side. That’s what I’ve always done growing up, I’ve just kind of stuck with it. What numbers did you wear growing up? I wore a lot of No. 15, No. 9. I’m not really picky with that, either. Especially in pro, you just kind of take what’s there.
SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Fans, as well as members of the Wyoming Area football team, watch the Penguins take on Hershey on Jan. 10 at Mohegan Sun Arena. tionally rises by roughly 1,200 fans per game after Jan. 1 because the onslaught of fall and winter holidays dies down. This year, the Penguins’ early schedule has also featured a number of back-to-back games and long homestands that haven’t done any favors for ticket sales. “I try to do an optimal sales schedule,” Stephenson said. “I have to work with guidelines submitted by the league, and then you have to mix in the arena and what they’re booking. In a perfect world, I’d love to just have a one-off (game) on a Friday. We try to spread them out. “We always play the Saturday after Thanksgiving; it’s usually one of our biggest games. This year, we brought back the Wednesday night game before it, and it just diluted the attendance for both. Then later on, we also found out they moved the start of hunting season to Saturday.” All things considered, the Penguins are in a good position given the prolonged lease negotiations that occurred last year between the Luzerne County Convention Center Authority and Pittsburgh to keep the team at the arena. Stephenson said
the late timing put them 2 to 3% behind on ticket renewals, but new sales allowed them to make up for it. The team has still placed a heavy emphasis on season tickets and group sales, although Stephenson said more fans are buying walkup tickets this season by using their cell phone or computer for convenience. The upcoming concerts have been well-received, and fans can still purchase $50 VIP packages that include special lounge access, all-you-can-eat food options and a discounted bar. Postgame music has become a popular trend throughout hockey; the Milwaukee Admirals are slated to have REO Speedwagon perform in March, and the NHL’s Arizona Coyotes welcomed the Gin Blossoms back in October. So, it’s no surprise the Penguins would want to capitalize on that. As for whether they help the team match last season’s attendance average, it won’t take long to find out. “That’s our goal,” Stephenson said. “If we catch it, I don’t know. Our final Saturdays and Sundays should help.” contact the writer: tpiccotti@citizensvoice.com; 570-821-2089; @CVPiccotti on Twitter
What is your favorite jersey other than your own? I grew up in Montreal, and I always thought the Canadiens jerseys were just classic, one of the Original Six teams, so it’s just a classic look. Was there any specific player whose jersey you’d wear? I liked (Alexei) Kovalev. He was kind of the hero there. If the team is going on a road trip, is there anything you like to have with you besides hockey equipment for the trip? Headphones, listen to music on the plane or the bus I think is huge. Maybe a good book, something like to pass time, but that’s pretty much it.
Terms to know Blade hollow: a measurement of the circle cut into the bottom of a skate blade by the grinding wheel of a sharpening machine. Flex rating: the amount of force (in pounds) required to bend the stick shaft one inch. In other words, a measure of the stick’s flexibility — with a lower number representing a more flexible stick. — Tyler PiccoTTi
PENGUINS SCHEDULE FRIDAY LEHIGH VALLEY, 7:05
SATURDAY BRIDGEPORT, 7:05
FEB. 5 BINGHAMTON, 7:05
FEB. 7 HERSHEY, 7:05
FEB. 8 LEHIGH VALLEY, 7:05
FEB. 12 at Hartford, 7
FEB. 14 at Providence, 7:05