Times Leader

First Posted:

Music blared in the Penguins locker room after Saturday’s game against Worcester. When that happens, it means one thing: a Penguins win.
Saturday’s 3-0 win snapped a five-game losing streak and could very well mark a turn-around point for the Penguins, who lost 11 of 12 coming in.
Why? Because the win was the result of a complete effort. The Penguins converted their Grade A scoring chances and forced Worcester goalie Harri Sateri to make difficult saves on others. They killed off all five Shark power plays and Brad Thiessen was flawless in net stopping all 30 shots he faced.
But early on there was a hint that the Penguins were clicking tonight. It came 40 seconds into the game when Beau Bennett attempted a wrap around that bounced off Sateri’s pads to Benn Ferriero at the corner of the net. Ferriero had a split second to react, and with lightning speed he collected the puck and tucked it in the net before Sateri could recover.
If that same play had happened during any of the previous 12 games, chances are Sateri would’ve made the save or Ferriero’s shot would’ve went wide.
And that’s not a knock against Ferriero, it’s just the kind of luck the Penguins had been dealing with before tonight.
The Penguins packed up immediately after the game and boarded the bus for Connecticut where they take on the Whale on Sunday. The bus will be carrying something more than a hockey team and it’s gear. It will be carrying the confidence that the Penguins will take with them after tonight’s convincing win.
– On a side note, Steve MacIntyre skated several shifts in all three periods tonight. It was the first time he’s done that in a while, and he looked better as he logged more ice time. While Mac didn’t register a point, his presence kept a Sharks team that is third in the league with 40 fighting majors well-behaved. That played a big role in the win. With the Sharks on their best behavior, the Penguins skilled guys could concentrate on their game and not have to worry about getting drilled. It’s policing at it’s finest.