Wilkes-Barre Watch: Pouliot shows good signs

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. — Last week, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins defenseman Derrick Pouliot was the beneficiary in a case of addition by subtraction.

When teammate and reigning AHL Player of the Week David Warsofsky was called up to Pittsburgh on Wednesday, Pouliot was immediately thrust into a more substantial role by Penguins coach Clark Donatelli.

“(Pouliot’s) been on the power play, so maybe he just gets a little more ice time,” Donatelli said Tuesday, right before the Penguins departed for their game in Toronto. “He’s going to be killing some penalties and picking up some of (Warsofsky’s) slack.

“I think the more he plays, the better he’s going to get, to where he’s a dominant player in this league.”



Pouliot, who turns 23 years old Monday, is finally showing flashes of that dominance at both ends of the ice.

Offensively, the former first-round pick has recorded eight points, including a highlight-reel goal against Hershey on Jan. 8, in his past seven games.



And even more encouraging (at least to Donatelli) has been Pouliot’s play in his own zone, where he is winning his one-on-one battles and engaging defenders more quickly.

Pouliot fell behind almost as soon as the season began. After starting the year in Pittsburgh, he suffered an injury in late October and found himself on long-term injured reserve.



He returned to the ice in mid-November and then yo-yo'd between the NHL and AHL. As a result, he found himself pointless at both levels when the calendar turned to 2017.

But things started to change with two helpers against Hartford on Jan. 3, and nothing delivered a bigger dose of confidence than the aforementioned goal against the rival Bears.

“It’s been good to string some (games) together and just try and stay with it,” Pouliot said. “It’s been kind of a crazy year, and I haven’t really been able to find my stride yet. Just to get that first one in and, to know you can still score I guess, it felt good.”

Now, with Warsofsky’s promotion, Pouliot is in great position to take an even greater leap forward.

He has the chance to show he can handle the responsibilities of a No. 1 defenseman, including roles on both special-teams units, and potentially play his way back to the NHL by season’s end.

“His skating is something that a lot of us wish we had,” fellow defenseman Cameron Gaunce said. “His ability with the puck, his poise, is something you can’t teach, and I feel like with Derrick it’s just a confidence thing. There’s a lot of people rooting for him, wanting him to do well. Myself in particular, I love to see him do well. I love to see him happy in his own game.”

So do the Penguins, who have won their past seven games and again taken firm control as the league’s top squad.

The team is already loaded on the blue line, with veterans Tim Erixon, Gaunce and Chad Ruhwedel setting a sturdy foundation. With Pouliot’s emergence, that depth will only grow stronger.

“From scoring to shutting the other team down, we’ve got it all (on defense),” Pouliot said. “I think our defense is a really big part of this team.”

MORE FROM WILKES-BARRE

• Jan. 11: at Toronto, 2-1 win
• Jan. 13: at Rochester, 3-2 win
• Jan. 14: at Syracuse, 3-1 win

Right wing Carter Rowney returned from an upper-body injury Friday and scored two goals in as many nights, helping the Penguins maintain their win streak.

Additionally, Jake Guentzel became the AHL’s first 20-goal scorer this season with his tally against the Marlies on Wednesday. He leads all rookies with 42 points.

Next: The Penguins complete their seven-game road trip this week, playing at Syracuse, Hershey and Lehigh Valley. They end the week by hosting the rival Bears on Saturday.

Goal of the week: Our WBS goal of the week goes to Guentzel for his 20th goal of the season Wednesday in Toronto.



Save of the week: Tristan Jarry went 2-0 this weekend, allowing three goals and posting a .948 save percentage, including this breakaway stop in Toronto.



BEYOND THE AHL

University of Maine forward Blaine Byron (sixth round in 2013) had one goal and two assists over the course of a home-and-home series against Connecticut.  The assistant captain is second on the Black Bears with 23 points.

TOP-PICK TRACKER

• Goaltender Filip Gustavsson (second round in 2016) returned to the lineup for Luleå HF of the Swedish Hockey League. He made 29 saves on 30 shots in a victory over Malmö.

• Forward Kasper Björkqvist (second round in 2016) was held pointless in three games with Providence College, but he did finish plus-1 in a victory over No. 12 Vermont.

• Forward Daniel Sprong (second round in 2015) played in three games with the Charlottetown Islanders and scored his first two goals of the season in an 8-3 victory over Moncton on Friday. Here are his goals:





WHEELING REPORT

The Nailers won two of their four games this week, including 5-2 thrashings of Kalamazoo and league-leading Toledo.

Christian Hilbrich delivered plenty of offensive firepower, scoring five times and adding four assists over those four games.

Next: Wheeling hits the road for a back-to-back, starting in Norfolk on Friday and finishing the following night in Reading.

Goal of the week: Hilbrich gets the nod again for our ECHL goal of the week for his second period goal on Sunday in Kalamazoo. Hilbrich's goal was his third of the game, earning him his first professional hat trick.


i