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
ONLINE
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Visit CV Penguins Insider Blog at accessnepa.com for more analysis.
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
WB_VOICE/PAGES [B01] | 01/31/20
23:04 | CONNORSSTE
tHE CItIzEns’ VOICE
Sports SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2020
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
Reid won’t silence critics until he wins a Super Bowl BY ROB MAADDI ASSOCIATED PRESS
MIAMI — Andy Reid has won more games than any coach without a Super Bowl title, so people question whether he can win the big one. The knock against Reid throughout his 21-year coaching career has been his inability to win a championship. He was 1-4 in conference title games during 14 seasons in Philadelphia, and ED ZURGA / ASSOCIATED PRESS the Eagles lost to the Patriots Chiefs head coach Andy Reid holds the Lamar Hunt in the Super Bowl after the Trophy after winning the AFC Championship last month. 2004 season.
Reid lost another conference title game at home last year with Kansas City. But the Chiefs returned to the AFC championship this season and advanced to face the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday. His players have talked all week about how badly they want to win this game to give Reid his first ring as head coach — he got one as an assistant with Green Bay 22 years ago — and solidify his Hall of Fame credentials. Reid won’t silence critics who say he’s a poor game-day
coach until he finally wins one. But his current players and former players say it’s more their fault than his. “I never went into a game feeling unprepared,” said former Eagles left tackle Tra Thomas, who played 10 seasons under Reid from 19992008. “After that, it’s all about execution.” Reid might already have won his Super Bowl if the offense executed better against New England 15 years ago. Donovan McNabb threw three interceptions, got sacked four times and the
team had four turnovers. Yet, the Eagles only lost 24-21. Reid developed a reputation for poor clock management during his time in Philadelphia. That was evident against the Patriots. Tied 7-7 with 1:03 left in the first half, Reid let the offense run out the clock after getting the ball at the Philly 19-yard line. Then, trailing by 10 in the fourth quarter with just under six minutes left, the Eagles showed no urgency on offense and even huddled up for a few plays. Please see REID, Page B7
PENN STATE
WVC BOYS BASKETBALL
STILL ROLLING Sem tops Hawkeyes to stay unbeaten in division
FRANK C. LAURI / CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER
Wyoming Seminary’s Ethan Meuser (33) is fouled by Hanover Area’s Matt Barber (2) on Friday night. BY STEVE BENNETT STAFF WRITER
KINGSTON — As much as Hanover Area coach Chris Gray hoped it would, slow and steady was not going to win the race between the Hawks and Wyoming Seminary — especially not when Wyoming Seminary vacated its zone defense and went man to man. Once that happened, Seminary was able to speed things up a bit, turning a five-point halftime lead into a 55-35 victory Friday night at Wyoming Seminary. The win
kept the Blue Knights undefeated in Division 2 at 11-0, and they improved their overall record to 17-2. Hanover Area is now 6-5 and 8-11. The Hawkeyes came out and were deliberate on offense, holding the ball while looking for the perfect shot. As Seminary continued to sit in the zone, the Hawks looked to get the ball inside as much as possible, and did a good enough job with the set that the score was tied at 11 to end the first quarter. “That was one of the things we
focused on,” Gray said. “I remember (Seminary coach Pete Moses) doing that against Meyers when he was at Wyoming Area. I don’t remember anybody doing it to him. He didn’t like the pace and he came right out of the zone.” Moses, who believed his team needed to score 55 points to have a chance at winning the game, had a few issues working against him once he left the zone. Big man Ethan Meuser had two fouls, and Moses was trying to prevent him from getting his third.
At the same time, Seminary’s Todd Phillips stationed himself at the foul line when the Blue Knights had the ball and, on occasion, popped out behind the arc. And on a night when Seminary wasn’t shooting the ball particularly well, Phillips picked up the slack, scoring 10 of his 12 points in the first half. “If they held the ball like that, it wasn’t going to be the kind of game we wanted to play.” Moses said. Please see SEM, Page B3
AHL
Penguins win 5th straight BY TYLER PICCOTTI STAFF WRITER
WILKES-BARRE TWP. — When the Phantoms are in town and you need a goal, who you gonna call? For the Penguins, it’s Jake Lucchini. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s resident ghostbuster continued to haunt rival Lehigh Valley, scoring twice in a 4-1 win at Mohegan Sun Arena. The Penguins now have wins in five straight
games and points in six. Lucchini has scored 12 goals since turning pro near the end of last season, and half of them have come against the Phantoms. Both of his two-goal games have also been against the Philadelphia Flyers affiliate. “I don’t know,” Lucchini said when asked if there was anything behind his success against the Phantoms. “I guess I could just say they’re big games. “It always feels good to score. I
think that our line’s been playing well. Playing with (Jordy Bellerive) and (Jamie Devane) is really good. They’re guys that move the puck well.” The Penguins — playing with one of their deepest lineups at home in some time, even without Andrew Agozzino and Anthony Angello — staked SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER themselves to a two-goal lead in the first 7:20. Phantoms’ Morgan Frost, left, and Penguins’ Please see PENS, Page B2
Niclas Almari battle for possession Friday night.
Longtime assistant going to Giants BY DONNIE COLLINS STAFF WRITER
The offseason of transition for Penn State’s coaching staff continued Friday, with perhaps the most surprising move yet. Sean Spencer, who served as the Nittany Lions defensive line coach during all six years of head coach James Franklin’s tenure, has been hired as defensive line coach by the New York Giants. One of the program’s aces o n t h e SPENCER recruiting trail, Spencer guided a defensive front that paved the way for 45 sacks in 2019, the seventh-best total in the nation. Under Spencer, Penn State had more than 40 sacks in each of the last five seasons, a program record. Franklin has already had to make several coaching moves this offseason as he prepares to make another critical one. Offensive coordinator Ricky Rahne, another of the original Franklin assistants who came to Happy Valley from Vanderbilt in January 2014, left Penn State to become the head coach at Old Dominion. Penn State also lost receivers coach Gerad Parker, who is now offensive coordinator at West Virginia, and didn’t renew offensive line coach Matt Limegrover’s contract. They were replaced on the staff by former Minnesota offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca, and two up-andcoming younger assistants, ex-Boston College offensive line coach Phil Trautwein and former Miami (Fla.) receivers coach Taylor Stubblefield. Replacing the production and personality of Spencer, a stalwart among the offensive linemen who affectionately called him “Coach Chaos,” will be a challenge. In 2015, he helped former walk-on Carl Nassib become one of the most dominant pass rushers in Penn State history when he set the program record for sacks in a single season, with 15½. Since 2014, four defensive linemen who played for Spencer at Penn State — Anthony Zettel, Carl Nassib, Austin Johnson and Shareef Miller — were selected in the NFL Draft, and two more, end Yetur Gross-Matos and tackle Robert Windsor, are likely to be among those selected in the 2020 draft. Another Spencer protege, Kevin Givens, will play for the San Francisco 49ers along with Zettel on Sunday night in Super Bowl LIV. Contact the writer: dcollins@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9125; @PennStateTT on Twitter
WB_VOICE/PAGES [B02] | 01/31/20
sports
B2 THE CITIZENS' VOICE
local sports
HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING District 2 Team Championships at Pittston Area Del. Valley vs. Hazleton Area, 1:30 p.m. Tunkhannock vs. Lacka. Trail, 1:30 p.m. HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS BASKETBALL Wyoming Seminary at Wallenpaupack, 1 p.m. MMI Prep at Salem Christian, 1 p.m. Blue Ridge at Northwest, 7:15 p.m. HIGH SCHOOL BOYS BASKETBALL MMI Prep at Salem Christian, 2:45 p.m. MEN’S BASKETBALL Eastern at Wilkes, 2 p.m. King’s at DeSales, 3 p.m. Misericordia at FDU-Florham, 3 p.m. WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Eastern at Wilkes, noon Misericordia at FDU-Florham, 1 p.m. King’s at DeSales, 1 p.m. COLLEGE SWIMMING King’s vs. Wilkes, 1 p.m. at CYC Misericordia at Messiah, 1 p.m. COLLEGE MEN’S HOCKEY Chatham at King’s (Revolution), 3:30 p.m. Stevenson at Wilkes (SportsPlex), 4 p.m. COLLEGE WOMEN’S HOCKEY Chatham at Wilkes (Mohegan Sun Arena), 1:30 p.m. Lebanon Valley at King’s (Revolution), 7 p.m. COLLEGE MEN’S VOLLEYBALL Elizabethtown at Misericordia, noon AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE Bridgeport at WBS Penguins, 7 p.m.
Upcoming WEDNESDAY AHL: Binghamton at WBS Penguins, 7:05 p.m. FRIDAY AHL: Hershey at WBS Penguins, 7:05 p.m.
sports on tv today College Basketball (Men) 11 a.m. Xavier at Seton Hall (Fox) Noon Georgia Tech at Notre Dame (ROOT/YES) Indiana at Ohio St. (ESPN) Mississippi at LSU (ESPN 2) Creighton at Villanova (FS1) Bryant at St. Francis (CBSSN) 1 p.m. Connecticut at Memphis (CBS) Michigan St. at Wisconsin (Fox) Texas A&M at Georgia (SECN) 2 p.m. Boston University at Bucknell (WQMY) DePaul at Marquette (ROOT/YES) Louisville at N. Carolina St. (ESPN) Kansas St. at W. Virginia (ESPN 2) Drexel at Delaware (CSN) Providence at Butler (FS1) Tennessee at Mississippi St. (ESPNU) Colgate at Holy Cross (CBSSN) 3 p.m. Oklahoma St. at Oklahoma (ABC) 3:30 p.m. Missouri at S. Carolina (SECN) 4 p.m. Florida St. at Va. Tech (ROOT/YES) Texas Tech at Kansas (ESPN) TCU at Baylor (ESPN 2) Central Florida at S. Florida (ESPNU) Miami (OH) at Northern Illinois (CBSSN) 4:30 p.m. Fordham at Dayton (NBCSN) Rutgers vs. Michigan (BTN) 6 p.m. Kentucky at Auburn (ESPN) Houston at Cincinnati (ESPN 2) Arkansas at Alabama (SECN) Wichita St. at Tulsa (ESPNU) East Carolina at Temple (CBSSN) 6:30 p.m. St. Louis at St. Joseph’s (NBCSN) 7 p.m. Penn St. at Nebraska (BTN) 8 p.m. Duke at Syracuse (ESPN) Bradley at Loyola (ESPN 2) Tulane at SMU (ESPNU) Massachusetts at Davidson (CBSSN) 8:30 p.m. Florida at Vanderbilt (SECN) 9 p.m. Purdue at Northwestern (BTN) 10 p.m. St. Mary’s at BYU (ESPN 2) Nevada at Boise St. (ESPNU) Utah St. at San Diego St. (CBSSN) 10:30 p.m. Colorado at USC (FS1) Bowling 4:30 p.m. PBA Jonesboro Open (FS1) Boxing 10 p.m. Ramirez vs. Postol (ESPN) Golf 4:30 a.m. European Tour. Saudi International, third round (GOLF) 9 a.m. Champions Tour. Morocco Champions, third round (GOLF) 1 p.m. PGA. Waste Management Phoenix Open, third round (GOLF) 3 p.m. PGA. Waste Management Phoenix Open, third round (CBS) Hockey 3:30 p.m. WHL. Red Deer at Calgary (NHLN) 7 p.m. NHL. Avalanche at Flyers (TCN) NHL. Blues at Jets (NHLN) NBA 8 p.m. Nets at Wizards (YES) 8:30 p.m. 76ers at Celtics (ABC) Soccer 7:25 a.m. PL. Leicester City vs. Chelsea (NBCSN) 9:30 a.m. Bundesliga. Mainz 05 vs. Bayern Munich (FS1) 9:55 a.m. PL. Liverpool vs. Southampton (NBCSN) 12:30 p.m. PL. Manchester United vs. Wolves (NBC) U.S. vs. Costa Rica (ESPNWS) College Wrestling 1 p.m. Rutgers vs. Michigan (BTN)
23:08 | PICCOTTITY
america’s line NFL Favorite Points Underdog Open Current O/U Sunday Super Bowl LIV Miami Gardens, FL Chiefs 1 1 (54.5) 49ers Money Line: Chiefs -$125 vs. 49ers +$105. 1st half line: Chiefs pick’em. 1st half total: Over/under 27.0. 1st quarter line: Chiefs -.5. 1st quarter total: Over/under 10.0. 2nd quarter line: Chiefs -.5. 2nd quarter total: Over/under 16.5. 3rd quarter line: Chiefs -.5. 3rd quarter total: Over/under 10.5. 4th quarter line: Chiefs -.5. 4th quarter total: Over/under 14.5. Total Chiefs points: Over/under 27.5. Total 49ers points: Over/under 26.5. Total Chiefs 1st half points: Over/under 13.5. Total 49ers 1st half points: Over/under 13.5. Longest TD: Over/under 44.5 yards. Shortest TD: Over/under 1.5 yards. Total FGs: Over/under 3.5. Total sacks: Over/under 4.5. Total punts: Over/under 7.5. Total passing yards for Patrick Mahomes: Over/under 302.5. Total passing yards for Jimmy Garappolo: Over/under 238.5. Total rushing yards for Patrick Mahomes: Over/under 30.5. Total rushing yards for Jimmy Garappolo: Over/under 5.5. Total pass completions for Patrick Mahomes: Over/under 24.5. Total pass completions for Jimmy Garappolo: Over/under 19.5. Longest pass completion for Patrick Mahomes: Over/under 43.5. Longest pass completion for Jimmy Garappolo: Over/under 34.5. Total pass attempts for Patrick Mahomes: Over/under 34.5. Total pass attempts for Jimmy Garappolo: Over/under 28.5. Total rushing yards for Raheem Mostert: Over/under 76.5. Total rush attempts for Raheem Mostert: Over/under 16.5. Total rushing yards for Damien Williams: Over/under 52.5. Total rush attempts for Damien Williams: Over/under 13.5. Total receiving yards for Travis Kelce: Over/under 76.5. Total receptions for Travis Kelce: Over/under 6.5. Total receiving yards for Tyreek Hill: Over/under 74.5. Total receptions for Tyreek Hill: Over/under 5.5. Total receiving yards for George Kittle: Over/under 73.5. Total receptions for George Kittle: Over/under 5.5. Total receiving yards for Deebo Samuel: Over/under 54.5. Total receptions for Deebo Samuel: Over/under 4.5. Total receiving yards for Sammy Watkins: Over/under 49.5. Total receptions for Sammy Watkins: Over/under 3.5. Total receiving yards for Emmanuel Sanders: Over/under 42.5. Total receptions for Emmanuel Sanders: Over/under 2.5. Total TDs (both teams): Over/under 6.5. How many players will attempt a pass: Over/under 2.5. Safety scored: No -$1600 vs. yes +$800. Successful 2-point conversion: No -$450 vs. yes +$350. Special team or defensive TD scored: No -$280 vs. yes +$240. Game goes into overtime: No -$2500 vs. yes +$800. Total length of the National Anthem: Over/under 2 minutes 1 second. Will any player take a knee during the National Anthem: No -$1200 vs. yes +$600. Will any scoring drive take less time than the National Anthem: Yes -$200 vs. no +$160. How many commercials will run during the game: Over/under 93.5. Cross-sport Props Patrick Mahomes TD passes -$125 vs. Arsenal/Burnley total goals +$105 LeBronJames/Anthony Davis total points -$110 vs. Deebo Samuel receiving yards -$110 Zion Williamson points -$110 vs. Raheem Mostert rush attempts -$110 Russell Westbrook points vs. Total 49ers points
-$110 -$110
Alex Ovechkin shots on goal vs. Richard Sherman tackles
-$110 -$110
Raheem Mostert receptions vs. Cristiano Ronaldo goals
-$140 +$120
Tyreek Hill rush attempts vs. Lionel Messi goals
-$125 +$105
Manchester City goals vs. Total 49ers sacks
-$110 -$110
Vegas Golden Knights goals vs. Players with a pass attempt
-$110 -$110
Penguins/Capitals total goals -$110 vs. Travis Kelce pass receptions -$110 Patrick Mahomes rush attempts -$110 vs. Justin Thomas total birdies -$110 Odds to win the MVP Patrick Mahomes even Jimmy Garappolo 5/2 Raheem Mostert 6/1 Travis Kelce 15/1 George Kittle 15/1 Deebo Samuel 20/1 Tyreek Hill 25/1 Damien Williams 30/1 Emmanuel Sanders 35/1 Sammy Watkins 35/1 Nick Bosa 40/1 Tyrann Mathieu 50/1 Kendrick Bourne 75/1 Player to score first TD Raheem Mostert 7/1 Tyreek Hill 7/1 Travis Kelce 7/1 Damien Williams 7/1 George Kittle 10/1 Deebo Samuel 12/1 Emmanuel Sanders 12/1 Sammy Watkins 15/1 Patrick Mahomes 20/1 Kendrick Bourne 20/1 Jimmy Garappolo 50/1 Player to score 2 or more TDs Damien Williams 7/2 Raheem Mostert 9/2 Tyreek Hill 9/2 Travis Kelce 9/2 George Kittle 8/1 Deebo Samuel 12/1 Emmanuel Sanders 12/1 Sammy Watkins 20/1 Kendrick Bourne 20/1 Patrick Mahomes 50/1 Jimmy Garappolo 100/1 Player to score 3 or more TDs Damien Williams 15/1 Raheem Mostert 20/1 Tyreek Hill 20/1 Travis Kelce 20/1 George Kittle 30/1 Deebo Samuel 50/1 Emmanuel Sanders 50/1 Sammy Watkins 80/1 Kendrick Bourne 100/1 Patrick Mahomes 125/1 Jimmy Garappolo 125/1 NFL Winning Margin Proposition Chiefs Winning Margin 49ers 7/2 1-6 points 7/2 11/5 7-12 points 6/1 8/1 13-18 points 8/1 12/1 19-24 points 15/1 20/1 25-30 points 25/1 35/1 31-36 points 40/1 50/1 37-42 points 50/1 70/1 43 or more points 80/1
First scoring play Chiefs touchdown 2/1 49ers touchdown 2/1 Chiefs field goal 5/2 49ers field goal 4/1 Chiefs safety 50/1 49ers safety 50/1 Double Result Chiefs lead at halftime & win 3/2 49ers lead at halftime & win 3/2 Chiefs lead at halftime & 49ers win 6/1 49ers lead at halftime & Chiefs win 6/1 Tied at halftime & Chiefs win 15/1 Tied at halftime & 49ers win 18/1 Exact number of TDs (both teams) 0 80/1 1 40/1 2 20/1 3 8/1 4 6/1 5 4/1 6 5/1 7 4/1 8 6/1 9 10/1 10 or more 8/1 Total Kansas City TDs 0 15/1 1 7/1 2 9/2 3 4/1 4 9/2 5 or more 7/2 Total 49ers TDs 0 15/1 1 6/1 2 4/1 3 4/1 4 9/2 5 or more 7/2 Highest scoring quarter 3/2 2nd quarter 4th quarter 2/1 3rd quarter 9/2 1st quarter 5/1 NBA Favorite Points CLIPPERS 12.5 ( NL ) Heat 1.5 (206.5) PACERS 10.5 (213.5) WIZARDS 1 (239.5) CAVALIERS 1.5 (223.5) CELTICS 4 (218.5) MAVERICKS 5.5 ( NL ) SPURS 9.5 ( NL ) Jazz 4.5 ( NL ) Lakers 3.5 ( NL )
Underdog T’Wolves MAGIC Knicks Nets Warriors 76ers Hawks Hornets BLAZERS KINGS
College Basketball Favorite Points Underdog SETON HALL 9 Xavier VILLANOVA 6 Creighton NOTRE DAME 7 Georgia Tech W Kentucky 2 FLORIDA INT’L LSU 11 Mississippi OHIO ST 6.5 Indiana BALL ST 8 Ohio U Michigan St 3 WISCONSIN GEORGIA 6.5 Texas A&M MEMPHIS 4.5 Connecticut Umkc 17 CHICAGO ST GEORGIA ST 14.5 Troy TEXAS 3 Iowa St W VIRGINIA 12 Kansas St Louisville 3.5 NC STATE MISSISSIPPI ST 6 Tennessee Toledo 4 E MICHIGAN CHATTANOOGA 3.5 W Carolina EVANSVILLE NL Northern Iowa TOWSON 1.5 Charleston DELAWARE 5.5 Drexel W MICHIGAN PK C Michigan BUTLER 9.5 Providence MARQUETTE NL DePaul N Texas 8.5 RICE MOREHEAD ST 4 Tenn-Martin Charlotte 4.5 SOUTHERN MISS Illinois-Chi 1.5 CLEVELAND ST ARK-L ROCK 8 Appalachian St UT-ARLINGTON 13 UL-Monroe OKLAHOMA 6.5 Oklahoma St S CAROLINA 4.5 Missouri Gonzaga NL SAN FRANCISCO ST. BONA 6 George Mason JAMES MADISON4.5 NC-Wilmington NO ARIZONA 11 Idaho USF 2 Ucf GA SOUTHERN 4 S Alabama E KENTUCKY 6.5 SE Missouri St Oregon St 4 CALIFORNIA E TENNESSEE ST 1.5 NC-Greensboro UTSA 9 Middle Tenn St FLA ATLANTIC 1 Marshall COLORADO ST 5 Unlv MISSOURI ST 1.5 Indiana St NO ILLINOIS 4.5 Miami-Ohio KANSAS 9 Texas Tech Florida St 2.5 VIRGINIA TECH BAYLOR 12 Tcu Northeastern 8.5 ELON WILLIAM & MARYNL Hofstra s-SEATTLE PK Cal-Baptist AUSTIN PEAY 8.5 E Illinois MERCER 11.5 Citadel DAYTON 23.5 Fordham m-Michigan PK Rutgers ARKANSAS ST 2.5 Coastal Caro Belmont 7 JACK’VILLE ST FRESNO ST 7.5 New Mexico SAN JOSE ST 3.5 Wyoming LOUISIANA TECH 10.5 Old Dominion TEXAS ST 11 UL-Lafayette Pepperdine 1.5 LOY-M’MOUNT N CAROLINA NL Boston College RICHMOND 12 George Wash AUBURN 2.5 Kentucky TEMPLE 10 E Carolina TULSA PK Wichita St CINCINNATI 3 Houston DRAKE 6 So Illinois ALABAMA NL Arkansas YOUNGSTOWN ST 9 Iupui PRINCETON NL Harvard Oregon 2 STANFORD Saint Louis 6.5 ST. JOSEPH’S Penn St 8 NEBRASKA N Dakota St 4 IPFW YALE NL Cornell Cal-Santa Barb 3.5 LONG BEACH ST WOFFORD 13 Samford VALPARAISO 7.5 Illinois St DAVIDSON 10 Massachusetts S Dakota St 9.5 W ILLINOIS ORAL ROBERTS 15 Denver LOYOLA-CHICAGO5.5 Bradley UT-RIO GRANDE 1 CS-Bakersfield MURRAY ST 19 SIU-Edw’ville Arizona 9.5WASHINGTON ST SMU 13 Tulane CAL-DAVIS 8.5 Cal-Poly SLO Duke 6.5 SYRACUSE Clemson 1.5 WAKE FOREST Florida 11 VANDERBILT Tennessee St 4.5TENNESSEE TECH Purdue 5 NORTHWESTERN NO COLORADO 12 Weber St NEW MEXICO ST 10.5 Grand Canyon UTEP 5 Uab MONTANA 6.5 Montana St SOUTHERN UTAH 12 Idaho St PACIFIC 10 San Diego Santa Clara 4.5 PORTLAND CAL-IRVINE 12 CS-Fullerton SAN DIEGO ST 7.5 Utah St BOISE ST 4.5 Nevada BYU 5 St. Mary’s-CA SACRAMENTO ST 1.5 E Washington Colorado 1 USC WASHINGTON 5.5 Arizona St HAWAII NL CS-Northridge s- ShoWare Center, Kent, WA. m- Madison Square Garden. NHL Favorite Points Underdog ISLANDERS-$140/+$120 (5.5) Canucks SABRES -$110/-$110 (5.5) B Jackets CANADIENS-$110/-$110 (6.5) Panthers Blues -$135/+$115 (6.0) JETS MAPLE LEAFS-$300/+$240 (6.5)Senators Rangers -$145/+$125 (6.0) R WINGS Avalanche -$120/even (6.0) FLYERS Stars -$150/+$130 (5.5) DEVILS PREDATORS-$125/+$105 (6.5) Vegas Bruins -$145/+$125 (6.0) WILD COYOTES -$150/+$130 (6.0) B’hawks FLAMES -$155/+$135 (6.5) Oilers KINGS -$125/+$105 (5.5) Ducks Lightning -$165/+$145 (6.0) SHARKS TENNIS Australian Open Final Sunday N. Djokovic -$400 vs. D. Theim
+$320
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2020
Valley West grad Pieczynski takes over at George Mason By matt BUfano Staff Writer
Former Valley West standout Greg Pieczynski had such a good time playing golf at Penn State that he’s always wanted to return to the college game as a coach. “I was fortunate enough to have a lot of individual success, but also team success,” Pieczynski said. “We still have the best single-year finish at Penn State. All the guys on my team are still brothers to me to this day.” Pieczynski’s Nittany Lions in 2004 shocked the men’s golf world by earning a trip to the NCAA Tournament — not bad for a 19th-seeded team that finished second at the East Regional. Pieczynski is now hoping for similarly triumphant moments at George Mason. After one season as assistant coach at George Washington, Pieczynski was announced Friday as head coach of Division I George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. Athletic director Brad Edwards, who played nine seasons in the NFL and had two interceptions in the Washington Redskins’ 37-24 win against Buffalo in Super Bowl XXVI, announced Pieczynski’s hiring in a press release. “I knew based on my resume and if I just had an interview, that I would have a
GreG piecZynsKi Head golf coach for George Mason
Golf good shot at getting the job,” Pieczynski said in a telephone interview. “I hit it off with the athletic director, Brad Edwards. ... He really appreciated my college career at a big-time program, as well as my experience playing professionally.” Pieczynski played professionally for several years, highlighted by his victory at the 2008 Philadelphia Open. He continued working in the industry at Weston Golf Club in Massachusetts, then relocating to Manor Country Club in Maryland. Thanks to a conversation he had while catching up with a friend who knew George Washington’s coach, Pieczynski broke into the college coaching scene last year. “I always wanted to get into college coaching, but it’s very difficult unless most people get in through their alma mater,” Pieczynski said. “I was like, ‘Yeah, I’d be interested.’ The end of August, they hired me as assistant coach. I can’t believe within six months the George Mason coach —
right down the road also in the Atlantic 10 — resigned.” Pieczynski, whose parents Ron and Jean live in Kingston, was having dinner in Florida with a bunch of golf friends from Northeastern Pennsylvania, when he was offered the George Mason job. “It was great to celebrate with those guys when I got the call,” he said. While George Washington finished third in last year’s Atlantic 10 Championship, Pieczynski takes over a George Mason team that finished eighth out of 11 teams. Pieczynski said he is excited to help recognize and then develop players, affecting change at an important time in their lives that he hopes will be as joyous to them as it was when he was in State College. “It’s a fusion of social, academic and athletic paths that is a really unique time in your lives, and you (the coach) have an influence on that,” he said. “You get to be able to recruit a player when they’re a junior and then you get to develop that player for four or five years when they’re here. And then after they’ve graduated, you get to keep them connected as an alumni. It’s really a full circle kind of situation.” contact the writer: mbufano@citizensvoice.com; 570-821-2060; @CVBufano on twitter
SeaN MCKeaG / Staff PHOtOGraPHer
Penguins’ Adam Johnson (47) keeps the puck from Phantoms’ Andy Welinski.
pens: WBS beats Lehigh Valley frOM PaGe B1
Lucchini went first by shaking off a loose stick from a Phantoms defender and getting just enough on his shot for it to leak past Jean-Francois Berube. Less than a minute later, Jan Drozg controlled a rebound below the red line and banked the puck off Berube from behind and in. Andy Andreoff answered for the Phantoms (18-22-1-5), who otherwise lacked offensive punch the rest of the game. They’ve won only four of their 24 contests away from PPL Center and are in danger of falling very much out of the Atlantic Division playoff race in seventh place. Their power play, one of the league’s worst, failed on three attempts. Lucchini gave WilkesBarre/Scranton (23-16-3-4) all
the insurance it would need in the second, as David Warsofsky made a slick play to wheel into the slot and dish to the 24-year-old near the right faceoff circle. The Michigan Tech product scored the Penguins’ first goal of 2019-20, but has been on an extended cold spell since November. Entering Friday’s game, he had scored only once over his last 33 contests. “He’s played well for us without scoring,” head coach Mike Vellucci said, also echoing Lucchini about the overall performance of the fourth line. “He’s relied on for the penalty kill. But, yeah, obviously that was a big goal for the first one.” Casey DeSmith didn’t need to make a ton of huge saves, but calmly turned aside 29 shots for his 15th
win. Sam Lafferty added a goal early in the third period that prompted Phantoms coach Scott Gordon to replace Berube with young netminder Felix Sandstrom. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton temporarily moved into fourth place in the Atlantic and has a chance to bolster its status even more tonight with the lea gue-worst Bridgeport Sound Tigers coming to Northeast Pennsylvania. “I thought, tonight, we played well for 60 minutes and did a lot of good things,” Vellucci said. “We had fallen a little bit behind in the playoff race, but now putting a run together, we’re getting right back into it.” contact the writer: tpiccotti@citizensvoice.com; 570-821-2089; @CVPiccotti on twitter
penGUins Game report Penguins 4, Lehigh Valley 1 Lehigh Valley 100—1 Penguins 211—4 First period: Scoring - 1, WBS, Lucchini (Bellerive), 6:34; 2, WBS, Drozg (Blandisi, Joseph), 7:20; 3, LV, Andreoff (Criscuolo), 12:17. Penalties - WBS, Lafferty, high-sticking 7:21; LV, Wotherspoon, tripping 9:55; WBS, Czuczman, cross-checking 15:43. Second period: Scoring - 4, WBS, Lucchini (Warsofsky, Devane), 7:34. Penalties - None. Third period: Scoring - 5, WBS, Lafferty (Lizotte, Cassels), 0:53. Penalties WBS, Almari, tripping 10:50; LV, Frost, tripping 18:58. Shots on goal: LV 11 10 9 - 30; WBS 9 16 9 - 34. Goaltenders: LV, Berube (23 saves on 27 shots) and Sandstrom (7 saves on 7 shots); WBS, DeSmith (29 saves on 30 shots). Power-play opportunities: LV 0 for 3; WBS 0 for 2. Referees: Jim Curtin and Sean McFarlane. Linesmen: Ben O’Quinn and Patrick Dapuzzo. Attendance: 6,201.
three stars 1. Penguins f Jake Lucchini, two goals 2. Penguins G Casey DeSmith, 29 saves
3. Penguins f Jan Drozg, goal
■ earlier in the day, the aHL announced the 2021 all-Star Classic will be Jan. penguins lineup 31 and feb. 1 at Place Forwards: Sam MileticBell, the home of the Laval Cole Cassels-Sam Lafferty rocket. adam Johnson-Chase Berg■ the state champion Valer-Kevin roy ley West field hockey team thomas Di Pauli-Joseph was honored on the ice durBlandisi-Jan Drozg ing the first intermission Jamie Devane-Jordy Belwith a video montage on the lerive-Jake Lucchini main scoreboard. Defensemen: Pierre-Olivier ■ friday was the debut Joseph-Jon Lizotte of the Penguins’ postgame David Warsofsky-Zach trot- concert series, with Dave man Matthews Band tribute Niclas almari-Kevin Czucz- group a Proud Monkey perman forming. No Quarter will be Goaltenders: Casey Dethe featured act tonight. Smith-emil Larmi
Game notes ■ Wilkes-Barre/Scranton recalled forward Brandon Hawkins from Wheeling on friday.
Up next
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton hosts another division opponent, the Bridgeport Sound tigers, tonight at 7:05 p.m. — Tyler PiccoTTi
WB_VOICE/PAGES [B01] | 02/07/20
23:03 | CONNORSSTE
tHE CItIzEns’ VOICE
Sports SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2020
WVC BOYS BASKETBALL
Tonight’s games could help settle 5-way tie Four teams might still be locked for division lead. BY STEVE BENNETT STAFF WRITER
The final day of the boys basketball regular season will be the most exciting one, as five teams in Division 1 of the Wyoming Valley Conference are currently tied for first place. Crestwood, Dallas, Pittston Area, Wilkes-Barre Area and Hazleton Area all have 9-4 conference records. One team will automatical-
ly be eliminated from division championship contention tonight with Crestwood playing at Hazleton Area. Other games in Division 1 today that have divisional implications include Pittston Area at Nanticoke Area, Dallas at Valley West and Wilkes-Barre Area at Berwick. There could be a fourteam tie for first place in the division when all games are concluded tonight. In the event of a fourteam tie, games will be played Monday and Wednesday at sites and
times to be announced. Depending on gym availability, there could be a doubleheader held at the same venue, or it could be at two sites. T he for mula used to deter mine which teams will meet on Monday night is based on head-to-head matchups during the regular season. The second criterion is putting the names of the four schools in a hat and drawing them. If there is a three-way tie, head-tohead will be the first criterion, then drawing from a hat will be second.
“We are not going to use the power rankings. We don’t think that would be fair with who plays who and who doesn’t play who,” said District 2 chairman Frank Majikes, who is also the commissioner for the WVC boys basketball conference. In the head-to-heads, Crestwood split with Dallas, split with Wilkes-Barre Area and split with Pittston Area. Crestwood lost the f i r st m e e t i n g at h om e FRANK C. LAURI / CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER against Hazleton Area on Jan. 21. Hazleton Area’s Andrew Vayda (3) goes up for a shot Please see TIE, Page B3
between two Wilkes-Barre Area defenders Thursday.
MLB
ICE HOCKEY
Spring set to begin in midst of scandal BY RONALD BLUM ASSOCIATED PRESS
RISING STAR
Laflin’s Kelley an elite player in youth girls league FRANK C. LAURI / CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER
Brooke Kelley, who is a center for the Mid-Hudson Polar Bears, works out at the Revolution Ice Centre in Pittston.
The 15-year-old has scored more than 70 goals this season. BY TYLER PICCOTTI STAFF WRITER
When Jeremy Jacobus decided to start a girls ice hockey program in Newburgh, New York, one of the initial challenges was recruiting enough players to field a sizable team. What he knew immediately was
that Laflin native Brooke Kelley would be the focal point. “Brooke is probably top 10 nationally,” Jacobus said. “She has everything you look for in a player. She’s not someone that can go unnoticed. You know right away when she’s on the ice.” After developing her skills with local programs like the WilkesBarre/Scranton Junior Penguins and Knights, the 15-year-old Kelley now stars for Jacobus’ Mid-Hudson
Polar Bears. A center, she has scored more than 70 goals this season. The Polar Bears are a 16-andunder travel team in the MidAtlantic Women’s Hockey Association, which features squads from multiple states in the region. Kelley, according to Jacobus, is easily the league’s best player. Likewise, she’s one of the area’s most promising young talents in the sport. “She’s been a leader on the team, and I think it drives the oth-
er girls, as well,” Jacobus added. “I’m truly impressed with what she achieves all the time.” Brooke, the daughter of Dave and Wendy Kelley, played football, lacrosse and baseball growing up, but truly fell in love with hockey when she started at the age of 6. As she continued to rise to different playing levels, however, one thing was always constant: playing on a team with and against boys. Please see KELLEY, Page B3
AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE
Copley, Hershey shut out Penguins BY TYLER PICCOTTI STAFF WRITER
WILKES-BARRE TWP. — Pheonix Copley’s first test was a doozy: a breakaway by Kevin Roy, coupled with a follow-up chance by trailer Joseph Blandisi. He calmly stopped both, and it was the first sign the Hershey goaltender was locked in again at Mohegan Sun Arena. Copley made 31 saves, and the Bears snapped the Penguins’ point streak with a 3-0 win on Friday. The win was the netminder’s fourth against Wilkes-Barre/
Scranton this season, and he has allowed only four goals total in five starts. “I thought (Copley) played good,” Penguins head coach Mike Vellucci said. “I thought we made it easy on him the first and the third, but the second we had a lot of scoring chances on him.” Wilkes-Barre/Scranton had 12 shots in the opening period, but none were particularly dangerous until Roy’s breakaway with about three minutes left. Hershey, meanwhile, took advantage of an early
power play at 2:28. Veteran Matt Moulson, another Penguins nemesis this season, scored for the fifth time against them when a rebound popped loose next to Casey DeSmith and he had nearly the entire net to shoot in. For a team like WilkesBar re/Scranton that doesn’t like to play a runand-gun style against opponents, it turned out to be a crucial moment even though the Penguins were successful on four other kills. Please see WBS, Page B3
DAVE SCHERBENCO / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Penguins’ Myles Powell tries to chip the puck in past Hershey goalie Pheonix Copley on Friday night.
ORLANDO, Fla. — Baseball returns to the field next week when pitchers, catchers and cheaters report to spring training. Fans await the annual sunny scenes of favorites stretching on bright green grass in Florida and Arizona. This year the players bring along dark clouds of scandal — the 2017 World Series champion Houston Astros have been tainted by their sign-stealing scam and the 2018 champion Boston Red Sox have been accused of similar subversion. Teams hope once workouts start, the stain will fade. “I think those stories lines will weave in and out, but that spring training is that juncture for individual fan bases to be optimistic about what the season ahead holds and it shifts back to that,” Toronto Blue Jays President Mark Shapiro said. “There’s a natural kind of rhythm to spring training that diverts to the positive stories.” But first, confessions? Some regard baseball’s blemish from sign stealing as vivid as the acne on the backs of steroids-swelled sluggers of the 1990s and early 2000s. None of the current members of the Astros have publicly expressed contrition for breaking prohibitions against using a video camera to swipe signs from opposing catchers in 2017 and 2018. Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said spring training might be the appropriate time for a group mea culpa because fessing up individually during the offseason “could be sort of a treacherous road to go down.” Former Astros pitcher Mike Fiers, now with Oakland, sparked the scandal in November when he went public in an interview with The Athletic. He took down 10% of major league managers and became for some an MVP — Most Virtuous Player. Houston manager AJ Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow were suspended for the season by Major League Baseball on Jan. 13, and the pair were fired by the Astros later that day. Manfred’s conclusions led to the departures of Boston manager Alex Cora, the Astros’ bench coach in 2017, and new New York Mets manager Carlos Beltran, Houston’s senior player during the title run. Please see SPRING, Page B4
WB_VOICE/PAGES [B03] | 02/07/20
23:07 | CONNORSSTE
LOCAL SPORTS
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2020
THE CITIZENS' VOICE B3
Tigers ousted from state tournament Staff RepoRt
DaVe SCHeRBeNCo / Staff pHotoGRapHeR
Penguins’ Casey DeSmith traps the puck as Hershey’s Kasper Bjorkqvist presses Friday night.
WBS: Penguins drop home game to Hershey fRoM paGe B1
“It stinks to give up that first goal when we’re not a team that scores a lot,” Vellucci said. “If you give up one, that means we’ve got to score two. Obviously, not good enough. We’re not getting anything (offensively).” While Wilkes-Barre/ Scranton did have more chances in the second, Copley’s rebound control ensured that second and third whacks at the puck didn’t materialize. Then when the Penguins turned over a rush up the ice, Liam
O’Brien went the other direction and gave Garrett Pilon plenty of time to pick his spot and shoot past DeSmith. The Penguins (24-17-3-5) had little chance to rally in what turned into a testy third period. A little past the midway point of the frame, Chase Berger laid a hit on Alex Alexeyev that sent the Bears defender tumbling into the air and to the ice. As the Hershey trainer came out to look at him, a scr um ensued against the boards.
The Bears received a p owe r p l ay f ro m t h e sequence and subsequently went ahead two men after a roughing penalty by Joseph Blandisi. Another hit that sent Jon Lizotte awkwardly into the boards started a second commotion near the benches. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton had one final power play and pulled DeSmith with 2:55 left, but O’Brien softly hit the empty net to end the threat. DeSmith’s win streak was snapped at five, and the
Penguins will look to rebound following their first regulation loss in nine games. “Some of those games we won (on the streak), we didn’t play great but we won them,” Vellucci said. “You’ve just got to find a way to win every game. We’re a young team, but we’ve got a lot of veterans right now. So, find a way to win.” Contact the writer: tpiccotti@citizensvoice.com; 570-821-2089; @CVpiccotti on twitter
PENGUINS GAME REPORT Hershey 3, penguins 0 Hershey 111—3 Penguins 000—0 First period: Scoring - 1, Her, Moulson (Djoos, Nardella), 2:28 (PP). Penalties - WBS, Drozg, hooking 1:36; WBS, Joseph, interference 11:58; Her, Moulson, hooking 18:26. Second period: Scoring - 2, Her, Pilon (O’Brien, Jonsson-Fjallby), 4:32. Penalties - WBS, Devane, interference 16:04. Third period: Scoring - 3, Her, O’Brien (Nardella), 18:42 (SH). Penalties - Her, Nardella, tripping 0:37; Her, O’Brien, roughing 11:14; WBS, Berger, elbowing 11:14; WBS, Trotman, roughing 11:14; WBS, Blandisi, roughing 11:53; Her, Williams, holding the stick 17:05. Shots on goal: Her 13 9 9 - 31; WBS 12 14 5 - 31. Goaltenders: Her, Copley (31 saves on 31 shots); WBS, DeSmith (28 saves on 30 shots). Power-play opportunities: Her 1 for 5; WBS 0 for 3. Referees: Mitch Dunning and Chris Waterstradt. Linesmen: Ryan Knapp
and Jud Ritter. Attendance: 4,868.
Three stars 1. Hershey G pheonix Copley, 31 saves 2. Hershey f Matt Moulson, goal 3. Hershey f Garrett pilon, goal
Penguins lineup Forwards: Sam MileticCole Cassels-adam Johnson thomas Di pauli-Joseph Blandisi-Kevin Roy Jake Lucchini-Chase Berger-Jan Drozg Jamie Devane-Myles powell-Christopher Brown
Defensemen: pierre-olivier Joseph-Jon Lizotte Niclas almari-Kevin Czuczman David Warsofsky-Zach trotman Goaltenders: Casey DeSmith-Zach trotman
Pens notes ■ Wilkes-Barre/Scranton recalled Myles powell from Wheeling earlier in the day before slotting him in on the fourth line for Brandon Hawkins. the 25-year-old has 20 points in 19 games with the Nailers this season and friday marked just his 12th aHL start.
■ the penguins lineup may get another shakeup in the coming days after reports surfaced friday that pittsburgh defenseman John Marino suffered a broken cheekbone and will require surgery. Zach trotman would be the likeliest candidate for a call-up if necessary based on past transactions.
Up next Wilkes-Barre/Scranton closes out its five-game homestand tonight at 7:05 p.m. against the Lehigh Valley phantoms. — Tyler PiccoTTi
KELLEY: Making mark in hockey world fRoM paGe B1
Playing for a team in Newburgh, about an hour and 40 minutes of driving each way, requires a bigtime commitment for Brooke and her family — the team practices twice a week and often travels throughout a weekend, she said. But, the experience of playing in a highlevel girls league could prove invaluable as she looks ahead to her playing future. “Hockey has definitely taught me toughness and competitiveness,” she said. “Especially because ... I was basically a guy out there, so I had to toughen up and be one of the guys. “The league is definitely competitive. There are some tough teams we face.” Kelley is enrolled in cyberschool, which she said is great because she can essentially wrap her schedule around her hockey commitments. Ironically, Kelley started off as a defender. That is, until her coaches realized she would be better served as an attacker. In ter ms of how her game has continued to
fRaNK C. LaURI / CoNtRIBUtING pHotoGRapHeR
Fifteen-year-old Brooke Kelley plays for the MidHudson Polar Bears in New York. evolve, Kelley cited her stickhandling as something that has greatly improved. In addition to playing for Mid-Hudson, she also does skills training with Sasha Sherry, a former star at Princeton and member of the U.S. women’s national team. Stickhandling is one of the key things they’ve focused on during their lessons. Playing for the WBS Knights was a tur ning point, she said, as it required her to step up her game to the level of competition.
“I’ve been surprised at how many I’m actually putting into the net,” said Kelley, who, according to t h e M AW H A s t at l o g , scored all four of her team’s goals in a game ag ainst the Montclair Blues on Feb. 1. “But, it really has been all the hard work that I’ve been putting into it. I’m really happy.” Jacobus said Kelley has several prep schools looking at her already and the sky is the limit in terms of her potential.
Kelley hopes to play for a major Division I program and named Boston College and Penn State as two of her dream schools. As a whole, girls and women’s hockey has grown in popularity in recent years thanks to exposure at the NHL allstar event and the success of the U.S. in international play and the Olympics. But while the addition of women’s prog r a m s a t Wi l ke s a n d King’s in recent years has b e e n a n o t a b l e s t e p, there’s still plenty of room for the spor t to grow in the area at the youth level. Kelley is hopeful she can inspire more young girls to give ice hockey a try and experience the same level of fun and enjoyment it has brought her. “It’s definitely a growing sport right now for girls,” she said, “so I do hope that, around here, it brings a lot more to the rink. I hope there are plenty of girls teams around here.” Contact the writer: tpiccotti@citizensvoice.com; 570-821-2089; @CVpiccotti on twitter
Though Tunkhannock wrestling’s team season ended, the Tigers could at least leave everything out on the mat. That wasn’t quite the case in Thursday’s first-round loss to Brookville, when forfeits kept a number of Tigers from gaining useful reps on the state stage. But nearly a full lineup got on the mat for Tunkhannock on Friday morning, when the District 2 champions fell to Corry, 46-20, and were eliminated from the PIAA Team Wrestling Championships in Hershey. “It’s tremendous experience for these kids,” Tunkhannock coach Gary Siegel said in a phone interview. “I can see how coaches want to get their teams down here.” Tunkhannock’s opening match in the Class 2A tournament got out of hand to the point that Brookville clinched the win early. So, the Raiders forfeited the remaining four weight classes; Siegel said he was told the decision was made to avoid injuries or unsportsmanlike conduct penalties. The Tigers could have seen the same situation play out in their first-round consolation match. Both matches started at 152 pounds. Corry, District 10’s runnerup, won the first eight bouts to take a commanding 37-0 lead before Tunkhannock’s strong lower weights could make an impact. But the Beavers wrestled all the way through the match, which allowed all four Tigers who’d won by forfeit the day before actually compete on the Giant Center’s floor. Among them, David Evans (126 pounds) scored a tech fall, while Ethan Munley (138) and Gavin D’Amato (145) pinned their opponents. Owen Woods (113) also picked up a decision earlier to help the Tigers hold an edge over the final six weight classes. “On paper, we think we had it at about a two-point underdog, but it didn’t turn out that way,” Siegel said. “But the kids still gave the great effort we were looking for. Just some matches didn’t go the way we wanted.”
WRESTLING The Tigers shift their focus to the individual postseason but only after they outlasted the rest of the Wyoming Valley Conference’s teams. They went a perfect 3-0 in Divsion 2 play and outscored three opponents 168-52 on the way to the District 2 team championship. It was a first for all members of the team, which had last won district duals gold in 2016. “The guys really performed and wanted to win that district team title. That’s what I’m gong to take away,” Siegel said. “They worked and they brought that one home.” Delaware Valley, District 2’s champion in Class 3A, stayed alive in its own first-round consolation match against Father Judge, 42-22. But the Warriors lost to Canon McMillan next, 42-21. Elsewhere in the Class 2A tournament, Tunkhannock’s first-round opponent, Brookville, lost in the quarterfinals to Southern Columbia, 47-18, but made it to today’s third round of consolations after a 32-31 victory over Montoursville. The Raiders are two more wins from the third-place match. Corry wasn’t as lucky, falling in its next match Friday afternoon to Burrell, 38-23. The Class 2A tournament’s semifinals pit D5 champion Chestnut Ridge against D4 champion Southern Columbia, and D11 champion Saucon Valley versus D10 champion Reynolds. Reynolds, a threetime defending champion, defeated Southern Columbia in each of the last two PIAA championship matches. Eric Shultz, a Citizens’ Voice staff writer, contributed to this report. 152: Nick Lapinski (COR) maj. dec. Alex Pierce, 11-2. 160: Dylan Gourley (COR) pinned Sean Meader, 2:21. 170: Austin Sacchetti (COR) dec. Luke Carpenter, 7-4. 182: Matt Petrilla (COR) pinned Tyrese Konen, 1:43. 195: Hayden Linkerhof (COR) pinned Frankie Scranta. 220: Shawn Proctor (COR) dec. Nick Marabell, 8-2. 285: Xavier Reyda (COR) dec. Jhamal Zacharias, 5-0. 106: Lucas Munsee (COR) won by forfeit. 113: Owen Woods (TUN) dec. Kayden Reyda, 4-0. 120: Damion Kinney (COR) won by forfeit. 126: David Evans (TUN) tech fall Derek Hurd, 17-2 (2:44). 132: Lucas Peterson (COR) dec. Matt Rosentel, 4-2. 138: Ethan Munley (TUN) pinned Chris Almeda, 0:50. 145: Gavin D’Amato (TUN) pinned Hunter Savitz, 2:56.
Snow postpones Friday’s games Staff RepoRt
Friday’s inclement weather postponedalleightWyomingValley Conference girls basketball gamesthatwereontheschedule. Four games were rescheduled for today: Hazleton Area at Crestwood at 3 p.m., Pittston Area at Nanticoke Area at 3:30, Valley West at Dallas at 7:15, and Berwick at Wilkes-Barre Area also at 7:15. Two nonleague games — Columbia Montour Vo-Tech at MMI Prep and Hanover Area at West Scranton, both at noon — will be played today, as well.
GIRLS HOOPS The games of most consequence involve Hazleton Area and Dallas, given the teams are tied for the WVC Division 1 lead. If both teams win, there will a playoff scheduled Tuesday, according to District 2 athletic committee chairman Frank Majikes. Four games were rescheduled for Monday: Lake-Lehman at Hanover Area, Wyoming Area at MMI Prep, Wyoming Seminary at Holy Redeemer, Northwest at Tunkhannock.
TIE: Division 1 crowded fRoM paGe B1
Dallas split with Crestwood, split with WilkesBar re Area, split with Pittston Area and split with Hazleton Area. Hazleton Area split with Pittston Area, split with Dallas, has a win in hand over Crestwood and was swept by Wilkes-Barre Area. Wilkes-Barre Area swept Hazleton Area, was swept by Pittston Area, and split with Crestwood and Dallas. Pittston Area split with Dallas, Crestwood and Hazleton Area and swept Wilkes-Barre Area. If that’s not enough, Division 2 also features a game with championship implications, but is not as complicated as Division 1. Holy Redeemer will play at Wyoming Seminary tonight. Seminary holds a one-game lead over the Royals thanks
to a 65-58 win at Redeemer on Jan. 21. A Wyoming Seminary win would give it the division title. If Holy Redeemer wins, the two teams will have to meet next week to decide the division championship. The Division 1 girls regular season championship is also up in the air. Hazleton Area and Dallas are tied for the top spot with each having one game to play. Hazleton Area is at Crestwood today, and Dallas will host Valley West. If both teams win, they will finish the regular season tied for first place. In that case, Majikes said a onegame playoff between the Cougars and Mountaineers will take place on Tuesday at a s it e a n d t i m e t o b e announced. Contact the writer: sbennett@citizensvoice.com; 570-821-2062; @CVSteveBennett on twitter
WB_VOICE/PAGES [A01] | 03/04/20
voice
the citizens’
22:44 | DULSKYAPRI
Gin Blossoms show part of Mountainfest at Montage. Inside
FDA: Pacemakers, other devices could be hacked. B7
THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2020
NEWSSTAND 50¢
Lanternfly eggs must be destroyed, officials say
sOLD Out
Local farmers plan to keep watch as the growing season nears. BY ERIC MARK STAff WriTEr
JAmES HAlpiN / STAff pHoTo
The hand sanitizer shelf at the Rite Aid on Public Square in Wilkes-Barre was empty on Wednesday morning.
Coronavirus fears boost hand sanitizer sales across NEPA BY JAMES HALPIN STAff WriTEr
Fears about the coronavirus making its way to Pennsylvania have prompted a run on hand sanitizer, leaving store shelves bare across the Wyoming Valley while price gougers are operating a booming online business. From the Back Mountain to Mountain Top, stores are sold MORE out of alcoholINSIDE based hand Slowdown sanitizers, of virus in which the CenChina shows ters for Disoutbreak can ease Control be controlled, and Prevenexperts say. t i o n re c o m Page A6 mends using in conjunction with proper handwashing to help prevent the spread of the outbreak that has so far killed 11 people in the United States. “When it first happened, we ordered as many as we could because we knew what was going to happen,” said Joe Yuscavage,
DIY SANITIZER NOT RECOMMENDED
mArk morAN / STAff pHoTogrApHEr
Two bottles of Purell hand sanitizer are seen at Harrold's Pharmacy in Wilkes-Barre on Wednesday. owner of Triangle Pharmacy in Fairview Twp. “We got a nice supply in, and they were gone within a week. ... Now, we can’t get them anywhere — and I mean anywhere.” National chains are also af fected by the nationwide shortage. Rite Aid spokesman Christopher Savarese said the
chain has seen an increase in purchases of products such as w i p e s a n d s a n i t i z e r, a n d described the shortage of sanitizer as “an industry issue.” “We’re seeing purchases of masks and hand sanitizer,” Savarese said.
With inexpensive hand sanitizers impossible to come by, some national news organizations began sharing do-it-yourself recipes using a 2-1 ratio of rubbing alcohol to aloe vera gel. However, geisinger Health System spokesman matt mattei said homemade sanitizer is not recommended as part of CDC guidelines and best practices. “frequent, thorough handwashing, especially after coughing or visiting public areas, is the most highly recommended method of cleaning your hands,” mattei said. “Alcohol-based sanitizers and wipes are good options for hand hygiene as long as they contain at least 60% alcohol, but if these products are unavailable, handwashing should be the primary practice for maintaining hand hygiene.”
Scrape the eggs. Squash the bugs. Report everything. That’s what you should do if you see a spotted lanternfly or a mass of lanternfly eggs, according to the state Department of Agriculture. Spotted lanternflies — an invasive pest native to Asia that feasts on the sap of fruit trees and excretes a sticky mess on leaves and branches — are spreading across eastern Pennsylvania. This week, Luzerne County was added to a state quarantine list as a precaution after lanternflies were reported in the county. That means owners of businesses that transport produce or goods within or outside the quarantined zone must obtain a lanternfly permit after taking a free online training course. Those in charge of local farms and orchards say they have not seen lanternflies yet, but plan to keep watch as the growing season nears. “I don’t know what effect it will have on our crops,” said Greg Heller, owner of Heller Orchards, in Wapwallopen. Heller, who grows and sells apples, peaches and pears, said he was surprised to learn that lanterflies had been spotted in Luzerne County. He knew it was coming someday, though, he said. “The Department of Agriculture was around looking for it last fall,” Heller said. Please see LANTERNFLY, Page A9
Please see VIRUS, Page A9
Penguins plan to remove 3 sections of seats at arena The change is only for Penguins games. BY TYLER PICCOTTI STAff WriTEr
Mohegan Sun Arena will have a new look for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins games next season. The Penguins are eliminating three sections — 122, 124 and 126 THE CiTizENS’ voiCE filE — in the lower bowl, to make Fans attend a Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins game at room for standing room only Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre Twp. in January. The group hospitality areas for postPenguins are eliminating three sections of seats — 122, 124 game concerts and other promotions. Team representatives conand 126 — in the lower bowl next season.
tacted season-ticket holders in those sections by phone Wednesday and also sent letters to alert them of the change, Penguins Vice President of Business Development Jon Stephenson said. Stephenson estimated that around 150 accounts are affected by the new layout. The change is only for Penguins games. The seating sections are retractable and can be reassembled as needed for other events at the arena. Please see ARENA, Page A9
EmEliE SWACkHAmEr, pENN STATE UNivErSiTy, BUgWooD.org
A mass of spotted lanternfly eggs that have hatched are seen on a tree.
Sanders refocusing his campaign after Biden’s super Tuesday Elizabeth Warren said she is reassessing her future in the race. BY STEVE PEOPLES, WILL WEISSERT AND BILL BARROW ASSoCiATED prESS
WASHINGTON — His frontrunner status slipping, Bernie Sanders refocused his Democratic presidential campaign on surging rival Joe Biden on Wednesday as the Vermont senator’s allies grappled with
MORE INSIDE Dem voters have doubts about a female nominee. Page A6 the fallout from a Super Tuesday stumble that raised internal concerns about the direction of his White House bid. Sanders targeted Biden’s record on trade, Social Security and fundraising just hours after billionaire Mike Bloomberg suspended his campaign and Elizabeth Warren con-
firmed she was privately reassessing her future in the race. The dramatic shifts signaled that the Democrats’ oncecrowded nomination fight had effectively come down to a two-man race for the right to face President Donald Trump in November. Sanders declared himself “neck and neck” with Biden as he faced reporters in his home state, Vermont, one of just four states he captured on the most consequential day of voting in the party’s 2020 primary season.Bidenwon10states,assem-
blingvictoriesthattranscended geography, race and class. “What this campaign, I think, is increasingly about is, which side are you on?” Sanders said. The progressive candidate lobbed familiar attacks against the former vice president’s record but ignored supporters’ calls to be more aggressive and insisted his campaign would avoid any mATT roUrkE / ASSoCiATED prESS “Trump-type effort” that Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, included personal criticism. Please see ELECTION, Page A9
trump visit
BREAking nEWS, viDEOS, BlOgS AnD mORE AT ciTizEnSvOicE.cOm © 2020 The Citizens’ Voice
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I-Vt., accompanied by his wife Jane O’Meara Sanders and family, speaks Tuesday in Essex Junction, Vt.
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WB_VOICE/PAGES [A09] | 03/04/20
Obituaries / NeWs
THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2020
Constance ‘Connie’ Lahart
Vasiliy Andrashko
March 3, 2020
Saturday in St. Joseph Marello Parish, 237 William St., Pittston. Interment will be at the convenience of the family in St. Casimir’s Cemetery.
Joseph Dominick Petroski Sr., 83, of Sweet Valley, died Tuesday, March 3, 2020, at ManorCare Health Services, Kingston. Services will be at 6:30 p.m.
Ralph Boguszewski March 2, 2020
Ralph Boguszewski of Hanover Twp. passed away Monday, March 2, 2020, in Wilkes-Barre General Hospital. Born Dec. 31, 1928, in Hanover Green, he was the son of the late Adolph and Leona Boguszewski. Ralph was a graduate of Hanover High School and
THE CITIZENS' VOICE A9
Joseph Dominick Petroski Sr.
February 27, 2020
Constance “Connie” Lahart, 90, of Wyoming, died Thursday, Feb. 27, 2020, in Wilkes-Barre General Hospital. Mass will be at 9:30 a.m.
22:27 | DULSKYAPRI
Thursday from Curtis L. Swanson Funeral Home Inc., Pikes Creek. Visitation is from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday prior to service.
February 27, 2020
Vasiliy Andrashko 90, of Edwardsville, died Thursday, Feb. 27, 2020, at home. The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Friday in Russian Ukraine Baptist Church,
Passion Moore February 24, 2020
Passion Moore, 26, of March 13, in the solarium at Robert Boguszewski; sister, Phyllis Sheard; and numer- White Haven, died Monday, White Haven Center, 827 Oley Feb. 24, 2020. Valley Road, White Haven, ous nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be with a visitation from 2 until Private services at the request of family will be conducted at 2:30 p.m. Friday, 2:30 p.m. held Friday at Charles V. Sherbin Funeral Home, Hanover Twp., with interment in Hanover Green March 3, 2020 Cemetery. The Rev. Brian D. Medley, his loving family. 63, of Wilkes-Barre, passed Arrangements are pendaway Tuesday, March 3, ing from Kniffen O’Malley 2020, in Wilkes-Barre Gener- Leffler Funeral & Cremation February 27, 2020 al Hospital, surrounded by Services. kes-Barre General Hospi- t h e B u t l e r C h a p e l o f tal. Krapf and Hughes FunerA memorial service will al Home Inc., 530 W. Butler be held at 11 a.m. Friday at Drive, Drums. March 2, 2020 received his bachelor’s degree from Ithica College. He was employed as a music teacher in Fort Lee, N.J., until retiring. He was preceded in death by his brother, Donald; brother-in-law, Joseph Sheard; and sister-in-laws, Rita and Helen Boguszewski. Surviving are his brother,
The Rev. Brian D. Medley
Lewis E. ‘Louie’ DeBellis Lewis E. “Louie” DeBell i s, 8 4 , o f L a ke Ro a d , Mountain Top, died Thursday, Feb. 27, 2020, in Wil-
March 4, 2020
Giavanna Rose Scazafa- Geisinger Medical Center, bo, 20, of Wilkes-Barre, Danville. passed away unexpectedly Arrangements are pendMonday, March 2, 2020, in ing and will be announced
Theodore “Ted” Hurchick, The funeral is at 9 a.m. Sat- St. Ann’s Basilica. 78, of Taylor, died Wednes- urday from Thomas P. KearFriends may call from 4 to Obituary photos day, March 4, 2020, at Scran- ney Funeral Home. 7 p.m. Friday at the funeral Photos should be submitted ton Health Care Center. Mass will be at 10 a.m. in home. by email. If a photo needs to
What you can do Lanternfly eggs are expected to hatch in late April or May. Anyone who sees a lanternfly egg mass should report it immediately, according to Shannon Powers, spokeswoman for the state Department of Agriculture. Reports can be made either by calling the toll-free lanternfly hotline at 888-4223359, or online at https:// extension.psu.edu/have-youseen-a-spotted-lanternfly. A team of specialists will investigate all reported lanternfly sightings within a few days, Powers said. Also, it is important to destroy all egg masses, from
ONliNe eXtra
be scanned in the newsroom, please call 570-821-2100. all photos will be published
From Page a1
Check out lanternfly facts, a checklist for residents and more at citizensvoice.com. which dozens of lanternflies can hatch, she said. Egg masses look like a smear of mud or “dried, smashed bubblegum on the sidewalk” and can be found anywhere outside in an infested area, according to Powers. To destroy an egg mass, scrape off the surface layer and squash the eggs underneath, she said. “Scrape off the surface with anything you have handy, even a credit card,” Powers said. rICHarD garDNer, BUgWooD.org Lanternflies can impact The State Department of Agriculture advises to destroy the quality of life for resi- the spotted lanternfly egg mass and report it immediately. dents of heavily infested obtain a lanternfly permit ing to the department. areas, she said. may find information on The state spotted lanternGetting a permit the website of the Penn fly quarantine list includes A spotted lanternfly per- State Extension at https:// 26 counties. Lanternflies mit is required “for those extension.psu.edu/spotted- were first spotted in the working within the quaran- lanternfly-permit-training. United States in 2014, in T h e o n l i n e t r a i n i n g Berks County. They spread tine, who move vehicles, products or other convey- course required to obtain quickly throughout southances within or out of the the permit is free of charge. eastern Pennsylvania and quarantine,” according to States in the quarantine into neighboring states. the state Department of zone have reciprocal agree- Contact the writer: ments that honor permit emark@citizensvoice.com Agriculture. Anyone who needs to from other states, accord- 570-821-2117
eleCtiON: Warren’s future in race uncertain From Page a1
“I like Joe. I think he’s a decent human being,” Sanders said. “Joe and I have a very different vision for the future of this country.” Biden told reporters he would unify the country and, without naming Sanders, knocked the senator’s frequent contention that he is beholden to an elite party establishment. “The establishment are all those hard-working people” who voted on Tuesday, Biden told reporters in West Hollywood, California. Elected officials and leading donors rallied around Biden after his Super Tuesday romp. Top Democrats have long been skeptical of the 77-year-old lifelong politician’s political strength but raced to unite behind him to blunt Sanders’ rise. After suspending his campaign, Bloomberg became
March 4, 2020
Erla M. Seward Post, 93, of Talcott Hill Road, S h i c k s h i n n y, p a s s e d away Wednesday, March 4, 2020, in Geisinger M e d i c a l C e n t e r, D a n ville. Funeral arrangements will be announced from C l a rke P i at t F u n e r a l Home Inc., 6 Sunset Lake Road, Hunlock Creek.
marCIo JoSe SaNCHez / aSSoCIaTeD PreSS
Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden speaks Wednesday in Los Angeles. the fourth failed Democratic presidential contender this week to endorse Biden. Like the growing chorus of Democratic officials, Bloomberg called Biden the best chance to defeat Trump in the general election. War ren’s future was uncertain. Sanders confirmed that he spoke to his progressive
for a service on March 20 from Daniel J. Hughes Funeral & Cremation Service, Wilkes-Barre. as thumbnails unless a large photo is specified when the obituary is submitted.
areNa: Team offered seat holders options for next season
laNterNfly: County on state quarantine list The Lands at Hillside Farms, a nonprofit educational farm in the Back Mountain, is bracing for lanternflies, said executive director Chet Mozloom. “Sure we are on the lookout but we have not seen them here,” Mozloom said. There are some fruit trees at Hillside, but not nearly as many as would be found at an orchard, according to Mozloom. “Our main crop is grass,” he said. “So far we are safe.”
Erla M. Seward Post
Giavanna Rose Scazafabo
Theodore ‘Ted’ Hurchick
From Page a1
Hillside Street, WilkesBarre. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. until time of service. Interment in Maple Hill Cemetery.
ally earlier in the day, though it was unclear whether she would endorse him — or anyone else — should she leave the race. Warren didn’t win a single state on Super Tuesday and finished in third place in her home state of Massachusetts. A resurgent Biden, meanwhile, was poised to finish
Super Tuesday with more delegates than Sanders — a stunning shift. Sanders’ team had hoped he would finish the night more than 100 delegates ahead of his next closest competitor. He’ll likely finish dozens of delegates behind once all the votes are counted. Biden’s allies sought to quickly capitalize on his success and take on Sanders. Biden campaign co-chairman, Rep. Cedric Richmond, blasted Sanders for suggesting that the Democratic establishment was colluding against him. Richmond said Biden is earning his votes. “I just did not know that African Americans in the South were considered part of the establishment,” the Louisiana Democrat said, noting that Biden’s overwhelming support among black voters gave him wide delegate gains in Alabama, North Carolina and Virginia, among other states.
son, Dave Matthews Band and Led Zeppelin tribute groups played a postgame set on back-to-back nights. The Penguins removed seats in the same area to make room for the stage and accommodate fans that purchased VIP packages, which included food and drink and a special viewing space for the game. Stephenson said the team is planning to host a wellknown act for opening night in the fall, but no specific plans are in place yet. “We’re working on it,” he said. “We want the hockey fan to enjoy the game, but also have people that aren’t necessarily hockey fans enjoy the experience.” The plan marks the latest example in a series of changes at the Wilkes-Barre Twp. facility since a new lease agreement to keep the American Hockey League franchise in Northeast Pennsylvania was announced last summer. For this season, a new lighting system and ribbon board were added to enhance the viewing experience for fans. Additionally, the team renovated its locker room area on the event level, adding a lounge area for players and coaches.
“We’ve had a growing demand for group hospitality areas, and it’s a trend across the sport,” Stephenson said. “By removing these seats, it would allow us to meet that demand for groups and businesses.” Stephenson added that the team consulted a fan advisory board regarding the proposed change, and reception to the idea was generally positive. The team offered ticket holders with two options for their seats next season. They may relocate to the Club seating sections and lock in their current payment level for one season, or they may move to any other available location with an equal price point and lock in at their payment level for three seasons. “We realize that you, along with many other longtime Season Ticket Members, have called these seats ‘home’ over the years,” the letter reads, “and that moving your seat location may cause some disarray.” In addition to being able to better accommodate groups and businesses, one of the significant reasons for the change is the Penguins’ plan to feature an expanded con- Contact the writer: cert series in correlation tpiccotti@citizensvoice.com; with games. Earlier this sea- 570-821-2089; @CVPiccotti
COurt NOtes PROPERTY TRANSACTIONS ■ meghan Soley et al. to Yuderka arias Vargas, $129,000; Hazleton. ■ george Peterson et al. to Kelly r. Sones, $182,000; Fairview Twp. ■ Leon T. Kolanowski eta l. to Changzheng Lin, $129,900; Kingston. ■ Bolek Construction LLC to martin David Peary et al., $392,000; rice Twp. ■ merlyn’s Quest LLC to goldenrod LLC, $2,600,000; Wilkes-Barre Twp. ■ Wells Fargo Bank to Shree mahant Swami Krupa real estate LLC, $300,000; Wyoming avenue, exeter. ■ allen Bailiff to Limited X Properties LLC, $150,000; east Diamond avenue, Hazleton. ■ Shreeji Bapa real estate LLC to Shri Hari real estate LLC, $44,000; Fairview Twp. ■ United Charities of Hazleton et al. to Carlos a. Nunez, $85,500, West Hazleton. ■ alfred William Schroeder Jr. et al. to Daniel Pipitone et al.,
$118,720; West Pittston. ■ Joseph r. Doran et al. to ryan C. Cooper, $166,000; Butler Twp. MORTgAgES ■ alma D. Torres from mortgage electronic registration Systems Inc. et al., $142,373; mountain Street, Swoyersville. ■ angelina Fuentes from Community Bank, $74,500; Hazleton. ■ Jay Baez montero from Community Bank, $79,540; east Spruce Street, West Hazleton. ■ miguel angel martinez from Community Bank, $73,720; Barney Street, Wilkes-Barre. ■ Lillian L. olejnik et al. from PNC Bank, $80,000; Lackawanna avenue, Swoyersville. ■ Thomas C. Hart et al. from mortgage electronic registration Systems Inc. et al., $246,905; garbutt avenue, Dallas Twp. ■ John malarkey et al. from mortgage electronic registration Systems Inc. et al., $120,065; North main Street, Plains Twp.
Virus: Many consumers turning to online retailers for sanitizers From Page a1
“It’s been a heavy cold and flu season, even before the coronavirus. We’re doing our best to manage inventory.” Walgreens spokeswoman Alex Brown also confirmed
the chain has experienced increased demand for products such as face masks and hand sanitizers. “We’re continually and closely monitoring the situation, and continue to work with our supplier partners to
best meet the needs of our customers,” she said. With local store shelves running bare, many consumers appeared to have turned to online retailers such as Amazon and Walmart for sanitizer. Both retailers were
sold out of hand sanitizers as of Wednesday morning — although some third-party sellers were offering twopacks of Purell on Amazon for $58.88 or more. One especially enterprising individual had listed a two-
pack of the sanitizer for $250. Yuscavage said he believes the shortage is the result of such opportunists trying to make quick money rather than panic buying by people concerned about getting sick. “This happens all the
time,” Yuscavage said. “They just take advantage of the situation. They buy everything out and then they sell it for a thousand percent markup.” Contact the writer: jhalpin@citizensvoice.com 570-821-2058
WB_VOICE/PAGES [B02] | 03/07/20
PENGUINS WEEKLY
B2 THE CITIZENS' VOICE
WHEELING REPORT Through Thursday, the Nailers had dropped the first two games of a rare midweek three-in-three stretch. They fell, 3-2, to Fort Wayne, and more importantly, 6-2 to Indy in a game crucial to the playoff race. The Fuel widened their gap on fourth place in the Central Division with the win. Nick Saracino had both of Wheeling’s goals. The Nailers made a trade Tuesday, sending defenseman Aaron Titcomb to Reading in exchange for blueliner Jeremy Beaudry. The latter won the ECHL’s community service award in 2018 and has 87 points in 177 career league games. Wheeling also signed forward Carlos Fornais, 25, who recorded 42 points his senior year at New England College. Record: 24-28-5-0, 53 points, fifth in Central
AROUND THE AHL ■ The Springfield Thunderbirds announced Friday they signed a five-year agreement to be the AHL affiliate of the current Stanley Cup champions, the St. Louis Blues. “Springfield is a strong franchise in a city with a rich hockey history,” said Blues General Manager Doug Armstrong. “Our partnership will allow us to continue to develop our players and further strengthen our franchise as a whole.” The Thunderbirds had been paired with the Florida Panthers since beginning play in 2016. ■ The best playoff race in the league is, by far, the Central Division’s, which had its third- through sixth-place teams within two points of one another through Thursday. San Antonio is in the middle of a surge with wins in seven of 10. However, the reality is none of the teams in the race are comparable to leaders Milwaukee and Iowa, who have both pulled more than 18 points ahead of that pack.
ATLANTIC OUTLOOK Here’s a look at which teams from the Atlantic Division most helped or hurt their cause in pursuit of a playoff berth through Thursday: Stock Up Charlotte Checkers They went into Hershey last Sunday with new goaltender Keith Kinkaid and walloped the Bears. Morgan Geekie stepped up with a hat trick, as they maintained their gap on fifth place. Stock Down Springfield Thunderbirds They were blown out at home by last-place Bridgeport and also fell to Providence. Six points behind Charlotte, they’re now basically in the same do-or-die boat as the Penguins.
ONLINE
Follow @CVPiccotti on Twitter for updates.
Visit CV Penguins Insider Blog at accessnepa.com for more analysis.
22:30 | BARESSJOE
SUNDAY, MARCH 8, 2020
‘PERCENTAGE GAME’
Boychuk the latest example of the inevitability of skate injuries BY TYLER PICCoTTI STAFF WRITER
Skate injuries aren’t uncommon throughout hockey, but their often gruesome effects make them among the most sobering. The one suffered by New York Islanders defenseman Johnny Boychuk, a former Stanley Cup champion who has played more than 700 games in his productive NHL career, is no exception. During a game against Montreal on Tuesday, Boychuk was battling for net position when Canadiens forward Artturi Lehkonen tripped. His right leg rose into the air during the fall, putting his skate blade on a collision course with Boychuk’s face. The resulting cut required 90 stitches from a plastic surgeon, and Boychuk is extrememly lucky he didn’t suffer any long-term damage to his vision. The blade cut his eyelid instead of his actual eye. “It’s a little cringeworthy, I think is the word,” Penguins defenseman Zach Trotman said Thursday. “It’s something that does creep in your head a little bit when you’re on ice, you know, because it happens a lot or at least it comes close to happening a lot. You never want to see it happen, obviously. It’s a dangerous thing.” Boychuk is far from an anomaly. The Islanders have now had three players suffer skate injuries this season. Forward Casey Cizikas received a cut to his leg in February, and forward Cal Clutterbuck needed wrist surgery after getting tangled up with Boston Bruins star Patrice Bergeron in December. Detroit Red Wings forward Brendan Perlini suffered a severe gash to his nose, and Toronto Maple Leafs forward Ilya Mikheyev had wrist surgery, similar to Clutterbuck. In December, goaltender Tucker Tynan of the Ontario Hockey League’s Niagara IceDogs had his leg slashed, and the remainder of their game against the London Knights was postponed. Trotman was much more fortunate on Feb. 1. He was cut across his upper lip by the skate of a
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Islanders’ Johnny Boychuk, right, needed 90 stitches after being cut by the skate of Canadiens’ Artturi Lehkonen. His situation is among a number of high-profile skate injuries this season. B r i d g e p o r t p l aye r a n d o n ly missed a few shifts to get stitched up before returning to the ice. He shared a photo of the aftermath on his Twitter and Instagram accounts later that night. While it would seem there are more high-profile cases of such injuries than usual, Trotman said it’s purely coincidental. He has played professionally since 2012, and said his injury was the first of its kind he had suffered in his career. “It’s like getting struck by lightning,” he said. “It’s a percentage game, and eventually in a game like this where it’s rough, skates go flying once in a while, it’s just going to happen.” Given their unpredictability, trying to prevent skate injuries isn’t an easy proposition. Reporter Frank Seravalli of TSN reported last week that NHL general managers watched a presentation about Kevlar-reinforced
underg ar ments during their annual meetings in Florida. Kevlar is a synthetic fiber known for its use in ballistic body armor. The hope would be that such materials could protect against injuries similar to Clutterbuck’s and Mikheyev’s. Kevlar socks have already been around for years, and Trotman said he has tried them before. However, he said he is unsure about how effective they and similar products would actually be. “I was wearing Kevlar socks, and I blocked a shot and it went through my sock and split my leg open,” Trotman said. “So, it’s one of those things that I don’t really know how much it actually does. You know, if it helps, then obviously it’s something worth looking into. But, if you get stepped on by a skate in the wrong spot, it’s going to go where it wants to go.” To that effect, Boychuk was wearing a visor over the top half
Bloody fight causes delay, but Pens roll BY TYLER PICCoTTI STAFF WRITER
WILKES-BARRE TWP. — Pools of red, followed by waves of green. After a bloody fight 11 seconds into the game caused a lengthy delay, the WilkesBarre/Scranton Penguins rolled to a 5-2 win over Bridgeport in their custom St. Patrick’s Day jerseys. The victory snapped a five-game losing streak and allowed them to make up ground on both Springfield and Charlotte in the Atlantic Division playoff chase. Jordy Bellerive and Zach Trotman each had a goal and an assist in the second period, as the Penguins strung together three scores in the frame to ensure their early lead would stick. Before the teams could even get their skating legs, the game was stopped following a lengthy scrap between Jamie Devane and former Penguins forward Cedric Lacroix in the far attacking zone. The Penguins big man connected on a number of haymakers as the bout went on, causing Lacroix to bleed significantly. He would not return the rest of the night.
With two large patches of blood on the ice near the fight and another smaller spot in the neutral zone needing extensive cleanup, the teams were sent to their dressing rooms for the zamboni machines to replenish the ice. The period finally resumed at 7:36 p.m., and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (28-25-3-5) was on its way. Kevin Roy opened the scoring at 5:50, redirecting a puck thrown toward the slot area by David Warsofsky past Sound Tigers goaltender Jakub Skarek. In the second, the Penguins power play rebounded from a failed two-man advantage with a pair of goals. First, Bellerive netted his third in as many nights by deflecting Tortman’s shot from the point. Then, Jan Drozg made a nifty move and drove toward the slot. His first shot was stopped, but he whacked his own rebound past Skarek at 10:49. Bridgeport (21-33-5-2), which has been the league’s worst offensive team by far throughout the season, had only one minor push as Oliver Wahlstrom scored a power-play goal in the second period. Seth Helgeson added an unassisted tally in the third period.
Trotman, after momentarily leaving the game following a hit to the face, gave WilkesBarre/Scranton an extra dose of insurance with his rocket from the point. Chase Berger had the feel-good moment of the night, finally getting his first goal of the season with Bridgeport’s net empty late in the third. Dustin Tokarski didn’t face many huge tests, but gave a solid performance the Penguins needed with 20 saves and picked up his eighth win of the season. A retur n to home ice appeared to be just what Wilkes-Barre/Scranton needed. The Penguins had allowed 15 goals over their prior three games, all on the road, and played a relatively clean defensive game against a Bridgeport team lacking in firepower. The Penguins temporarily moved into fifth place in the division with Springfield’s loss and now sits five points behind Charlotte for the final spot. The Checkers lost to Utica in overtime.
Contact the writer: tpiccotti@citizensvoice.com; 570-821-2089; @CVPiccotti on Twitter
of his f ace when his injury occurred. The quick action of team trainers, doctors and even equipment managers is sometimes critical to prevent a tragic outcome, and that goes beyond skate injuries. Members of both the St. Louis Blues and Anaheim Ducks instantly jumped into action when Jay Bouwmeester went into cardiac arrest during a game in February. It very well may have saved his life. When it comes to injuries like Boychuk’s, however, Trotman said players only have one realistic way of preparing themselves for the potential danger. “Ignore it; just put it out of your mind,” he said. “It’s like blocking a shot or anything like that. If you’ve gotta go do it, you go do it and you’ve just got to deal with the consequences later.” Contact the writer: tpiccotti@citizensvoice.com; 570-821-2089; @CVPiccotti on Twitter
GAME REPoRT
Penguins 5, Bridgeport 2 Bridgeport 011—2 Penguins 131—5 First period: Scoring - 1, WBS, Roy (Warsofsky, Scarfo), 5:50. Penalties - Bri, Lacroix, fighting 0:11; WBS, Devane, fighting 0:11; WBS, Varone, tripping 1:09; Bri, Bardreau, tripping 11:24. Second period: Scoring - 2, WBS, Bellerive (Trotman), 6:49 (PP); 3, WBS, Drozg (Miletic, Bellerive), 10:49 (PP); 4, Bri, Wahlstrom (Broadhurst, Holmstrom), 12:03 (PP); 5, WBS, Trotman (Varone, Johnson), 15:34. Penalties - Bri, Pierog, slashing 3:39; Bri, Kubiak, slashing 3:59; Bri, Schmaltz, tripping 6:46; Bri, Broadhurst, roughing 9:17; WBS, Nyberg, holding 11:54; WBS, Devane, interference 12:20. Third period: Scoring - 6, Bri, Helgeson, 14:50; 7, WBS, Berger (Joseph), 18:52 (EN). Penalties Bri, Pierog, interference 1:42; Bri, Bellows, hooking 3:12; WBS, Knott, hooking 9:23; Bri, Bellows, hooking 16:47. Shots on goal: Bri 7 10; WBS 12 10. Goaltenders: Bri, Skarek (28 saves on 32 shots); WBS, Tokarski (20 saves on 22 shots). Power-play opportunities: Bri 1 for 4; WBS 2 for 8. Referees: Michael Markovic and Jesse Gour. Linesmen: Bob Goodman and J.P. Waleski. Attendance: 8,098.
Three stars 1. Penguins D Zach Trotman, goal and assist 2. Penguins F Jordy Bellerive, goal and assist 3. Penguins F Jan Drozg, goal
Scarfo-Jamie Devane Justin Almeida-Chase Berger-Graham Knott Defensemen: Pierre-Olivier Joseph-Jon Lizotte Kevin Czuczman-David Warsofsky John Nyberg-Zach Trotman Goaltenders: Dustin Tokarski-Casey DeSmith
Game notes ■ Forward Justin Almeida was reassigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Saturday. The rookie began the season in the AHL, but has spent most of it with Wheeling. He has recorded 16 points in 37 games for the Nailers. Almeida checked into the lineup for Christopher Brown. ■ In addition to the delay following the opening fight, the game was also stopped for a short break in the second period to repair a pane of glass. ■ This was the final matchup of the season between the two teams; they split the series with three wins apiece.
Up next
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton completes its three-inForwards: Sam Miletic- three weekend today at Phil Varone-Jan Drozg 3:05 p.m. against the Adam Johnson-Cole Binghamton Devils at Cassels-Kevin Roy Mohegan Sun Arena. Jordy Bellerive-Ryan — Tyler PiccoTTi
Penguins lineup
PENGUINS SCHEDULE WEDNESDAY at Lehigh Valley, 7:05
FRIDAY at Lehigh Valley, 7:05
SATURDAY at Hershey, 7
MARCH 18 CLEVELAND, 7:05
MARCH 20 CLEVELAND, 7:05
MARCH 21 HERSHEY, 7:05
MARCH 27 at Binghamton, 7:05
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Sports MONDAY, MAY 18, 2020
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LOCAL GOLF
Everyone playing nice with courses open Golfers continue to book tee times, adhere to rules. BY ERIC SHULTZ Staff Writer
Two weeks since the reopening of golf courses around the state, it doesn’t appear that local golfers are teeing off much on the safety restrictions put in place during the coronavirus pandemic. Dave Scherbenco / Staff PhotograPher Instead, business has A golfer follows through on a swing on Saturday at picked up and clubs around Wilkes-Barre Municipal. the area have remained filled
with golfers happy to get back to enjoying a round for a few hours. Several courses have seen similar positive reactions from their membership ever since Pennsylvania loosened restrictions and allowed golfing to resume on May 1. “People have been very happy coming out, finally getting out to play,” John Spencer, owner at Lehman Golf Club, said. “The weather was so nice in March and April and they weren’t able to play. I think they were chomping at the bit.”
“I think in Pennsylvania it’s a relatively short golf season compared to other places around the country,” Jeff Heath, assistant golf professional at Huntsville Golf Club in Dallas, said. “A lot of people are excited to use the nice days we have around.” Golfers returned to their favorite courses with some different guidelines in place to promote the safety of everyone. Tee times were spaced out to 15 minutes or more, and cart occupancy is restricted.
At Lehman, flag sticks stay in, while golfers sign in at a side window rather than stepping in the clubhouse. If there was any tough adjustment, it was the changes to riding in carts. Initially, only single-occupancy carts were available — sometimes an issue for both sides of the transaction. “When it’s one in a cart, it costs the golf course (extra gas),” John Kebles, pro shop manager at Wilkes-Barre Municipal, said. Please see GOLF, Page A13
AHL
NASCAR
OH, HAPPY DAY
TYLER PICCOTTI Commentary
For Pens, journey bigger than destination
Harvick wins at Darlington as live racing returns
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brynn anDerSon / aSSociateD PreSS
Kevin Harvick does a burnout after winning Sunday’s NASCAR Cup race at Darlington Raceway.
No fans attended; drivers, crew members wore face coverings. BY JENNA FRYER aSSociateD PreSS
DARLINGTON, S.C. — This was a 400-mile drive unlike any other in modern day NASCAR. The grandstands were completely empty. There wasn’t a single tailgate inside the track. Everyone wore face coverings — some with the team logos, others opting for plain disposable medical masks. It was nothing close to the corporate sponsorship, pomp and patriotic traveling circus that symbolizes NASCAR.
But when the engines fired at Darlington Raceway following a 10-week layoff during the coronavirus pandemic, it turned into a regular old race. Kevin Harvick beat Alex Bowman to win NASCAR’s first race back, a spectacle closely watched to see if the largest motorsports series in the United States could successfully return to the track. “I just want to thank everybody from NASCAR and all the teams for letting us do what we do,” Harvick said. “I didn’t think it was going to be that different, then we won and it’s dead silent out here. We miss the fans.” It was a crucial gamble for NASCAR, which had to get back to the
track to stave off financial ruin. With races on hold, no money was coming into the sport whatsoever and the NASCAR business model can not sustain the lack of revenue. NASCAR developed a health plan approved by officials in both South Carolina and North Carolina and scheduled seven races over the next 11 days at two tracks. As other states began to open, the series tacked more races to fill the calendar with 20 events across seven Southern states between now and June 21. There will be no spectators at least through that date. This first event was called the “The Real Heroes 400” and dedicated to health care workers fighting the coronavirus pandemic. The
names of health care workers across the country were substituted for the drivers’ name above the door on each of the 40 cars. Harvick’s car honored Dr. Joshua Hughes, an emergency medicine physician in the Charlotte area. “Josh is one of my really good friends, I spend a lot of time talking to him through this pandemic and really have heard how those doctors are affected with everything they have going on with their personal life and whether they’re sick, not sick, how they should treat people,” Harvick said. “I’m just really honored and really thankful for all Please see RACE, Page A12
rying to put the canceled American Hockey League season in perspective, I think of a tongue slip I had back in the fall. While asking Penguins head coach Mike Vellucci a question about Pittsburgh’s performance at the annual rookie tournament, I mentioned the games ultimately “don’t count” — meaning standings points aren’t on the line. Without hesitation, he corrected me that they absolutely do. No points are awarded, sure, but Inside best moments everything prospects of 2019-20. learn about Page A13 themselves and the style of game they’re trying to master has bearing on the entire organization for this year and years to come. Eight months or so later, his words ring prophetic. You might think the 201920 AHL season, which officially ended last Monday because of the coronavirus pandemic, is somehow less important because there was no endgame. We’ll never know what teams would have been battling for the Calder Cup into the summer and, for our purposes, if Wilkes-Barre/Scranton could have fought back for an opportunity. Seven points behind the cutoff when the season was shut down on March 12, it seemed very unlikely. Please see PICCOTTI, Page A13
GOLF
McIlroy delivers winner as sport back on TV He, partner Johnson help raise money for virus relief. BY DOUG FERGUSON aSSociateD PreSS
Rory McIlroy delivered the money shot Sunday as live golf returned to television for a Skins g ame that revealed plenty of rust and raised more than $5 million for COVID-19 relief funds. McIlroy and Dustin Johnson, who had not won a skin since the sixth hole, had a chance to win the final six skins worth $1.1 million on the final hole at Seminole in the TaylorMade Driving Relief exhibition. Both
MCILROY
JOHNSON
missed and they returned to the par-3 17th for a closest-tothe-pin contest. From a forward tee at 120 yards, Matthew Wolff was 18 feet below the hole. His partner, Rickie Fowler, missed the green. Johnson found a bunker. Down to the last shot, McIlroy barely stayed on the shelf left of the pin, measured at 13 feet. “Air five,” McIlroy said,
alluding to the social distancing in place at Juno Beach, Florida. The final carryover gave McIlroy and Johnson $1.85 million for the American Nurses Foundation. Fowler, who made seven birdies, and Wolff made $1.15 million for the CDC Foundation. “I’m proud to be part of an event to entertain people at home on a Sunday afternoon and to raise money for people who need it,” McIlroy said as he played the 18th hole. Wolff, the 21-year-old Californian with big game and plenty of swagger, earned $450,000 toward relief funds by having the longest drives on two par 5s — 356 yards on
No. 2 and 368 yards on No. 14. Fowler’s seven birdies were worth $270,000 in a separate fund from Farmers Insurance, while McIlroy made four birdies in regulation worth $175,000 and Wolff had three birdies for $135,000. Johnson, who showed the most rust, had two birdies for $75,000. P G A To u r C h a r i t i e s allowed for online donations during the telecast, raising more than $1 million. The donations will continue until Tuesday. When the exhibition ended, more than $5.5 million had been pledged, starting with the $3 million guarantee from UnitedHeath Group.
Players carried their own bags. Television had a skeleton crew on the grounds — the play-by-play and analysts were 200 miles away in St. Augustine, Florida, while host Mike Tirico was at his home office in Michigan. The match went over four hours, primarily because players were at times held in place to give the six TV cameras time to get in position on the next hole. Mark Russell, the PGA Tour’s vice president of of rules and competition, was the only one to handle the flagstick. Bunkers didn’t need to be raked because they were the only match on the course, which closed for
the summer last week. “It was an awesome day,” McIlroy said. “It was nice to get back on the golf course and get back to some sort of normalcy.” The players wore microphones, though the banter was limited and ended early. Most of it came from McIlroy, who had to make a short par putt on the second hole for a push. He rolled it in and said to Wolff, “I think you forget I’ve won two FedEx Cups that total $25 million. That doesn’t faze me, youngster.” Fowler played the best golf and staked his side to the lead with four birdies in a Please see RETURN, Page A12
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MONDAY, MAY 18, 2020
THE CITIZENS' VOICE A13
Late heroics the norm for Pens Johnson’s winner, 5-goal rally among top highlights.
AHl
By tyler Piccotti STaFF WriTer
With the 2019-20 American Hockey League season over and the next one very much in question, it’s important to remember the good times from the past eight months. Although they were out of the playof f picture by March, the Wilkes-Barre/ Scranton Penguins had plenty of emotional victories and spectacular goals as they embarked under new head coach Mike Vellucci. Here are five examples to go back and watch again on AHLTV’s summer extension or seek out in postgame highlights:
the debut What better way to start the season than a rivalry game in Chocolatetown? The Oct. 5 opener in Hershey was significant for a couple reasons. It was the first official game of Vellucci’s helm, and the Penguins had their deepest lineup all season on the ice. So, expectations were high. Not to mention, the Bears dominated the season series a year prior, so WilkesBarre/Scranton had a little extra to prove. The game didn’t disappoint. Stefan Noesen announced his arrival with authority by scoring two goals, and Anthony Angello scored coming out of the penalty box for insurance in the t h i rd . H oweve r, C a s e y DeSmith had to shut the door on a furious Bears rally in the closing minutes to seal a 4-3 win.
The CiTizenS’ VoiCe File
Cole Cassels had one of the best statistical games of the season, recording five points on Jan. 24.
the comeback
remember me?
Sure, they didn’t win the game. So what? If there is one moment that defines the play-for-each-other mentality Vellucci saw in his team, it came Nov. 29 in Allentown. With Emil Larmi making his first start in over a month, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms pounced on the rookie goaltender and took a 5-0 lead in the first 21 minutes. Vellucci could have easily pulled the plug on Larmi, but he didn’t and the entire team regrouped. Jamie Devane scored in the final minute of the second period to give the Penguins a flicker of hope. Then in the third, Wilkes-Barre/ Scranton scored four times in a span of nine minutes — including Adam Johnson’s equalizer with the goalie pulled — to improbably even the game at 5. Although the Phantoms won on an overtime goal by T.J. Brennan, who otherwise had a miserable season as a regular healthy scratch, the Penguins proved that night they were a resilient group.
As an added bonus, this one spans two nights. Vellucci’s return to Charlotte, the team he led to the Calder Cup in 2019, was less about reminiscing and more about helping his new club earn a pair of statement victories. They did. First on Jan. 24, the Penguins took a 3-0 lead, squandered it, and eventually pushed back hard enough for a 5-4 win. Midseason acquisition Cole Cassels factored in every goal (2G-3A), and DeSmith made 36 saves. A day later, Jordy Bellerive scored twice in rapid succession in the second period and Thomas Di Pauli scored the go-ahead goal with 1:27 left as the Penguins won, 4-2, and left Charlotte with four crucial points. Those games were sandwiched in the middle of a five-game win streak for the Penguins, marking maybe the last time a playoff push felt possible.
Johnson’s winner
But with the Penguins on the road in Hartford on Feb. 22, Johnson was undaunted. Deking right to his backhand, the third-year Penguin beat goaltender Adam Huska five-hole to give WilkesBarre/Scranton a walkoff 4-3 win at XL Center. Regulation was pretty fun, as well, with Hartford erasing three separate one-goal deficits to force the extra period. Hartford was one of the surprise teams in the league, spending the first half atop the Atlantic Division thanks to rookie goaltender Igor Shesterkin. Even after he left for New York, the Wolf Pack remained a playoff team. However, the Penguins always found a way to play them tough.
Home cooking A game at Mohegan Sun Arena has to be on this list, so why not end with the Penguins’ final home win of the season on March 7? Wilkes-Barre/Scranton scored twice on the power play, and the snakebitten Chase Berger finally tallied a goal with an empty-netter in the final two minutes. Dustin Tokarski, who had a number of solid games during an up-and-down season, made 20 saves and the Penguins won, 5-2. With the way the Penguins’ offense struggled through February and into March, a five-goal night was a rarity. And, it was the last time Penguins fans had the chance to salute the team in person. contact the writer:
Penalty shots are dramat- tpiccotti@citizensvoice.com; ic by nature. One in over- 570-821-2089; @CVpiccotti on Twitter time even more so.
DaVe SCherBenCo / STaFF phoTographer
Joseph Ladd, of Mountain Top, hits a ball on Saturday at Wilkes-Barre Municipal.
Golf: Courses keep standards of service From page a11
“One of the scenarios I didn’t think about,” Shane Bradley, the general manager at Fox HIll Country Club, said, “was we have a number of players who were under the age of 16 who couldn’t drive one.” That item was quickly ironed out, however, when an updated guidance allowed multiple occupants in a cart if they’re from the same residence. Besides that, Bradley said, the only issue he’s seen is an overloaded server trying to keep up with everyone trying to schedule tee times online. It’s all been smooth sailing once they reach the fairway. “The feedback from the members is that the pace of play is phenomenal,” Bradley said, noting that rounds are clocking in at around three-and-a-half hours and that groups aren’t catching up to each other often. “It’s just like going out in your yard and working,” Kebles said. “As far as social distancing, if you ever played the game of golf, nobody hits the ball next to the other guy. Social distanc-
ing isn’t even an issue.” With golfing going steady, clubs’ next order of business is getting creative with adding to the experience. Heath said Huntsville prides itself on being a “fullservice club” by taking bags out of cars and cleaning clubs, among other services. It’s had to scale back in some areas but is still “trying to find ways to continue providing great service in a safe way.” At Wilkes-Barre Municipal, Kebles said to-go hot dogs are now being prepped for golfers to take out with them. Fox Hill is brainstorming its own ways to do the best it can during its tournament season, because those events are scheduled to go on as planned. “It’s obviously going to be restricted sizes of the field and modifications of what is included in the event,” Bradley said. “If we can continue to meet those requirements, we’ll find a way to get it done.” contact the writer: eshultz@citizensvoice.com; 570-821-2054; @CVericShultz on Twitter
PA coaches select all-academic teams STaFF reporT
The CiTizenS’ VoiCe File
AHL rookie defensemen Pierre-Olivier Joseph, left, and Niclas Almari are two of the young players that benefitted from a lot of playing time for the Penguins this season.
Piccotti: Growing pains will help in future From page a11
But if you focus too much on the ambiguous ending, you’ll miss the entire point of what transpired over the prior 63 games and how it helped each character evolve. “Of course, you never want the season to end abruptly like that,” Vellucci said last week in a phone interview. “Looking back, though, the younger guys all got unbelievable experience. From a development standpoint, they got lots of ice time, quality minutes, time on specialty teams, all those things. I think this year was about our guys learning to deal with adversity. We were continually finding ways to win games and stay relevant. “One thing I’ve learned from the last several years of coaching younger players is maybe they didn’t really figure it out that first year, but they come back stronger and better.” Vellucci is bluntly honest; it’s one of the qualities his players have said they respect most. If you aren’t meeting his standards, he’ll let you know about it. If you do something well, he’ll make sure it doesn’t go unnoticed. So when he took the reins of the team last
summer and said he wanted to win and compete for championships, it wasn’t a tactic to fire up players or the fan base. That was a real possibility with the team that took the ice in Hershey on Oct. 5. Then from that point on, it felt like Wilkes-Barre/ Scranton couldn’t catch a break. Injuries came at inopportune times, with rookie goaltender Emil Larmi sidelined before he could even cement a routine and veteran defensemen Zach Trotman and David Warsofsky among those missing plenty of games. Call-ups to depleted Pittsburgh were nonstop. Sam Lafferty left after one game and, save for two cameos, never returned. Joseph Blandisi went back and forth more than the swinging pirate ship at Knoebels before he was eventually traded. Stefan Noesen and Andrew Agozzino, who would anchor any AHL team, were promoted and lost to the waiver wire. The most telling observation of all? Twelve of the 20 who dressed on opening night were either out of the organization or not in the lineup in the Penguins’ final game on March 11. So with all that turnover, the team’s young players
had no choice but to step up and take their lumps. The obvious beneficiary is rookie Pierre-Olivier Joseph, who overcame mononucleosis to become one of the team’s top two blueliners and a fan favorite. Vellucci said he and assistant coach J.D. Forrest are using Pittsburgh stalwart Brian Dumoulin as a template for the 20-year-old. However, he pointed out a number of others who made strides. Sam Miletic showed flashes of greatness on the top line and power play when the Penguins had maximum horsepower, and he was rewarded with an all-star appearance. Forward Jan Drozg has plenty of areas to improve, but his offensive skill was undeniable at times. The team already brought back “everydayer” Chase Berger for next season. And who scored more clutch goals during the second half than Jordy Bellerive? It took a while for them to get to that point — Bellerive, for example, was a healthy scratch Game 1 — but they truly did help the team win in a variety of ways. If a 1-0 shootout victory on Nov. 13 was one extreme, a 5-4 slugfest against defending champion Charlotte on Jan. 24
was the other. And that resiliency and mental toughness they developed are what will resonate more than the team’s pedestrian 29-26-3-5 record given the uncertainty of next season. It’s not clear when society will return to any sense of normalcy because of the pandemic, let alone when the AHL will drop the puck on 2020-21 and what it will look like. Make no mistake, though. What the young Penguins did learn about themselves this season will help them get through an unusual summer and what lies on the other side. “There were a lot of things I wanted to do different,” Vellucci said. “Our practices, we don’t go as long, but we go with high intensity and we’re in the weight room and just creating that team culture. I wanted to establish good practice habits. “Everybody’s in the same boat (regarding the coronavirus). You’ve just got to deal with it. You can just prepare yourself for whatever comes next.” TYLER PICCOTTI covers the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton penguins for Times-Shamrock newspapers. Contact him at 570-821-2089 and follow him @CVpiccotti on Twitter.
Wrestlers not only excelled on the mat this season, but also in the classroom during this school year. Five Wyoming Valley Conference wrestlers earned Pennsylvania Wrestling Coaches Association All-Academic honors, with three making the first team and two getting honorable mentions. Hanover Area senior Joe Rowley (4.0), Wilkes-Barre Area junior Warren Faust (4.0) and Tunkhannock junior Lucas Carpenter (3.9) made the first team, while Hanover Area junior Hunter Karpovich (3.21) and Berwick senior Nick Yule (3.0) earned honorable mention.
District 2 All-Academic teams The District 2 Wrestling Coaches’ Association also released its All-Academic Teams. The teams include wrestlers who ear ned a record of at least .500 and a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Here’s who made the squads: FIRST TEAM
Wrestler Garrett Walsh Marc Dunckle Joe Rowley Charles Everdale Jake Marnell Cameron Butka Trey Zabroski Warren Faust Mason Zajac Michael Bluhm Hutch Lynott Sal Schiavone Jordan Williams Jorven Rodriguez Drew Howell Jacob Leonori Deegan Ross Ethan Lee Max Bluhm Zachary Jacaruso M J Turi Edonel Rodriguez Gavin Brazanskas Cadden Kucek Lucas Carpenter Zach Stuart Aiden Kologe
School GPA West Scranton 4.0 Lackawanna Trail 4.0 Hanover Area 4.0 Hazleton Area 4.0 Hazleton Area 4.0 West Scranton 4.0 Crestwood 4.0 WB Area 4.0 Lackawanna Trail 4.0 Lackawanna Trail 4.0 Abington Heights 4.0 Abington Heights 4.0 Blue Ridge 4.0 Hazleton Area 4.0 Honesdale 4.0 Scranton 4.0 Lackawanna Trail 4.0 Lackawanna Trail 4.0 Lackawanna Trail 4.0 Delaware Valley 4.0 West Scranton 4.0 Hazleton Area 4.0 Delaware Valley 3.9 Valley West 3.9 Tunkhannock 3.9 Lake-Lehman 3.9 West Scranton 3.9
WreStliNG Luke Sirianni Justin Sterling Nathan Ofalt Jimmy Spindler Larissa Taylor
Abington Heights Crestwood Mountain View Pittston Area Montrose
3.9 3.8 3.8 3.8 3.8
SECOND TEAM
Wrestler Nicholas Harder Randy Bonitz Travis Norman Ethan Munley Jack McAllister Carl Johnson Bryce Molinaro Nick Marabell Todd Snyder Mason Konigus Zack Wilken JJ White A.J. Gorto Joe Casella James Brown Austin Fashouer Christopher Ross Seth Ross Jaden Colwell Joe Rivas Taylor Bolesta Brandon Grogan Joel Tricoche Garrett Swank Sam Kier Beck Hutchinson Jeremy Buzak
School GPA Montrose 3.7 West Scranton 3.7 Delaware Valley 3.7 Tunkhannock 3.7 Western Wayne 3.7 WB Area 3.7 Hazleton Area 3.7 Tunkhannock 3.7 Elk Lake 3.7 Lake-Lehman 3.7 Honesdale 3.7 Valley View 3.6 Pittston Area 3.6 Delaware Valley 3.6 Abington Heights 3.6 West Scranton 3.6 Delaware Valley 3.6 Lackawanna Trail 3.6 Wallenpaupack 3.6 Valley West 3.6 Dallas 3.5 Abington Heights 3.5 West Scranton 3.5 Crestwood 3.5 Wallenpaupack 3.5 Hazleton Area 3.5 Crestwood 3.5
HONORABLE MENTION
Wrestler School GPA Machias Magill Delaware Valley 3.4 Preston Machado Delaware Valley 3.4 Andrew Rosevear Montrose 3.4 Dave Evans Tunkhannock 3.3 Jordan Miale Crestwood 3.3 Connor Crescimanno Delaware Valley 3.3 Hunter Karpovich Hanover Area 3.3 C.J. DeMark Pittston Area 3.3 Dante Matarella Hazleton Area 3.3 Johnny Corra Hazleton Area 3.3 Jaden Swainbank Valley West 3.3 Frankie Scranta Tunkhannock 3.3 Aidan Frields Hanover Area 3.3 James Bixby Montrose 3.3 Ty Wilmot Abington Heights 3.2 Jody VanDunk Wallenpaupack 3.2 Raphael Carvalho West Scranton 3.2 Kody Cresswell Lackawanna Trail 3.2 Trystan English Berwick 3.2 Kameron Sheffer Blue Ridge 3.2 Evan Miller Montrose 3.2 Derrick DeMann Montrose 3.2 Jason Henderson Delaware Valley 3.1 Zachary Consla Blue Ridge 3.1 Nicholas Warrington Wallenpaupack 3.1 Brandon Soules Montrose 3.1 Nicholas Yule Berwick 3.0 Noah Atkins Elk Lake 3.0 Nick Zaboski Lake-Lehman 3.0 Matthew Leslie Western Wayne 3.0 Noah Taylor WB Area 3.0 Pete West Honesdale 3.0 Cole Kroptavich Abington Heights 3.0 Owen Woods Tunkhannock 3.0
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