DEFENSEMAN CAFFARO REASSIGNED TO WHEELING NAILERS

The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins have reassigned defenseman Lane Caffaro to the Wheeling Nailers (ECHL), it was announced on Monday.

Caffaro, 25, has appeared in 21 games with the Penguins this season, and has recorded five points (1+4) along with 38 penalty minutes. He scored his first AHL goal on December 28, 2009 against the Adirondack Phantoms. He also has two assists in eight games with the Nailers.

Caffaro spent four seasons suiting up for Union College, where he posted 79 points (23+56) and 227 penalty minutes in 135 games. The 6-1, 190 pound blueliner from Slave Lake, Alberta led Union defensemen with 22 points last season, and earned All-ECAC First Team honors. Caffaro was also named to the All-ECAC second team in 2007-08 after recording 16 points (3+13) in 33 games with the Dutchmen.

Caffaro was signed by Wilkes-Barre/Scranton as a free agent on June 16, 2009.

PENGUINS RE-ASSIGN FORWARD MARK LETESTU

The Pittsburgh Penguins have re-assigned forward Mark Letestu to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League, it was announced by executive vice president and general manager Ray Shero.

Letestu recorded his first career NHL goal (and point) in Pittsburgh’s 5-4 victory over Buffalo Feb. 1. Letestu, who made his NHL debut Nov. 14 against Boston, has appeared in seven games this season for Pittsburg

BEARS PLAY COMEBACK, DEFEAT PENGUINS 5-4

A dominating performance over the first half of the game was wiped out by a hat trick from Mathieu Perreault, as the Hershey Bears came back to defeat the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 5-4 on Sunday afternoon at Giant Center in a weather-related makeup game.

The Penguins took a 1-0 lead 13:01 into the game, as rookie forward Eric Tangradi left the puck behind the net for Joe Vitale. Vitale then cut in front of the net and backhanded a shot through the pads of Bears netminder Semyon Varlamov. Nick Johnson would add to the lead with a similar move, as his backhander went waist-high past Varlamov’s blocker hand. The visitors would take the 2-0 lead to the dressing room and post 17 shots to the Bears’ 4, who entered this contest trailing at the end of the first period just eight times in 49 games. Greg Amadio tried to spark the crowd by dropping the mitts with Wade Brookbank but the Penguins’ winger earned the takedown.

On the shift after Brookbank was freed from the penalty box, he stationed himself at the left goal post as Zach Sill sent a low backhander on goal from the slot. The puck bounced in off of Brookbank’s stick and earned him his third goal of the season, and gave the Penguins a seemingly comfortable 3-0 advantage.

Just past the halfway point of the second, Perreault fired a shot through a screen from the left circle and past Penguins goaltender Brad Thiessen to get the Bears on the board. Perreault scored again on the Bears’ first power play to cut the lead to 3-2 with 7:00 remaining in the second, and the hero of the Bears’ last game, Andrew Joudrey, would finish a passing play from Oskar Osala to complete the tying comeback. Perreault then completed his hat trick at 10:46 of the third to give Hershey its first lead of the night.

But after a delay, the Penguins responded by winning the faceoff, getting the puck deep into the right corner, and onto the stick of Nick Johnson. He and Chris Conner would power toward the top of Varlamov’s crease, and a shot deflected upstairs off the stick of Conner to tie the score.

The Bears would earn a late-period power play which the Penguins killed off, but with just 1:04 left in regulation, Perreault fed the puck to captain Bryan Helmer at the center point. His slapper rose over the glove of Thiessen and into the net, giving the Bears their seventh win in eight games against the Penguins.

Thiessen was tagged with the loss and fell to 2-8-0, making 28 stops on 33 shots. Varlamov improved to 2-0-0 on his conditioning assignment, turning aside 26 of 30.

The Penguins finished the afternoon 0-for-4 on the power play, while the Bears tallied twice on five opportunities.

Next up for the Penguins is a trip to the Tidewater to face the Norfolk Admirals. Faceoff is set for Wednesday, February 10th at 7:15 pm at the Norfolk Scope. The team returns home to take on the Binghamton Senators on Friday, February 12th at 7:05 pm. It is the second $1 hot dog and $1 beer night. From 6:00-7:30, hot dogs are just $1 as are select draft beers for those over the age of 21. The special is good only while the supply lasts.

NOTES: The Penguins have lost six consecutive games to the Bears, and are 1-7-0-0 in the 12-game season series… RW Nick Johnson has six points (2G, 4A) in four consecutive games… LW Luca Caputi’s seven-game point streak was snapped… The Penguins are 9-15-1-1 when allowing a power play goal.

Penguins Recall Forwards Dustin Jeffrey and Nick Johnson

The Pittsburgh Penguins have recalled forwards Dustin Jeffrey and Nick Johnson from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League, it was announced by executive vice president and general manager Ray Shero.

Jeffrey, 21, is Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s leading scorer, and ranks fifth in the entire AHL with 43 points on 13 goals and 30 assists in 39 games. He also paces WBS in plus-minus (plus-12), shorthanded goals (3) and shots (125). Jeffrey started for the Canadian AHL All-Star team and recorded one goal and three points.

Jeffrey, who was drafted by the Penguins in the sixth round (171st overall) in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, made his NHL debut with Pittsburgh last season. He appeared in 14 games with the Penguins, notching one goal and three points. The Sarnia, Ontario native spent the majority of the year with WBS, recording 37 points (11G-26A) in 63 games. He placed second on the club with 10 postseason points (5G-5A) in 12 playoff contests.

Jeffrey (6-foot-1, 205 pounds) played four seasons in the Ontario Hockey League with Mississauga and Sault Ste. Marie, totaling 252 points (100G-152A) in 246 games. He finished his final OHL season with 97 points (38G-59A) in 56 games with Sault Ste. Marie.

Johnson, 24, is looking to make his National Hockey League debut. He is in his second full season with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and ranks fifth on the club with 22 points (7G-22A) in 26 contests.

Johnson (6-foot-2, 202 pounds) played 56 games with WBS last year and posted 14 goals, 31 points and a plus-14 rating. The Calgary, Alberta native tied for second on the club with 10 points (4G-6A) in 12 playoff games.

Johnson, a third-round selection (67th overall) in the 2004 Draft by Pittsburgh, played four collegiate seasons at Dartmouth. He finished his college career with 125 points (57G-68A) in 133 games. Johnson was named First Team All-ECAC (Eastern College Athletic Conference) and First Team All-Ivy League as a senior after scoring 10 goals and 35 points in 32 games.

SWEPT AWAY! WHEELING BEATS SOUTH CAROLINA 4 STRAIGHT

The Wheeling Nailers completed an amazing four game series sweep of the ECHL's top team, the South Carolina Stingrays, with a 5-3 Sunday evening win at WesBanco Arena. Leading for the Nailers was Andrew Lord with a goal, 2 assists and a fight. Lord was tops for the Nailers in the four game series sweep as well with 3 goals and 3 assists. Aaron Clarke and T.J. Fox both have 2 goals and 2 assists over the four game win streak.

The Nailers are 12-3-1 in their last 16 games and have moved into a 4th place in the American Conference tied with Kalamazoo with 53 points. Wheeling also is tied for 2nd place in the North and just 2 points behind the division leading Cincinnati Cyclones heading into the Wednesday night showdown in southwest Ohio where the Nailers have an opportunity to move into the division lead for the first time this season.

Heading into the four game series, the South Carolina Stingrays were one of the league’s hottest teams with the ECHL’s best record as well as a five game win streak. But that came to an end when they ran into the Nailers last Sunday. And Wheeling kept the heat on all week long with another win at South Carolina last Tuesday followed by back to back wins at WesBanco Arena on Saturday and Sunday. It was a thrilling result over the four game series that very few people would have even dreamed to predict.

Wheeling came away with a 1-0 lead after exciting back and forth action in the first period. T.J. Fox beat Parker Van Buskirk stickhand side that gave the Nailers a 1-0 lead late in the first. It was his 17th of the year and his second of the weekend. Jordan Fox and Dan Henningson were rewarded with assists.

Michael Dubuc blasted it over the right shoulder of Adam Berkhoel and tied it 1-1 33 seconds into the second.

Colin Power deflected it in for his 3rd of the season on a drive from the left wing after Joey Haddad chipped a drive from Andrew Lord and gave the Nailers a 2-1 lead at 6:22 in the second.

Wheeling shot from all angles and Andrew Lord picked up a rebound and poked in a backhander past a scrambling Van Buskirk that gave the Nailers a 3-1 lead after two. Lord has a six-game point streak with 3 goals and 3 assists. Dan Henningson smartly shot it intentionally wide off the end-boards to connect with Lord on the right-wing circle while keeping the Stingrays netminder moving and scrambling.

The Nailers killed off back to back power plays to begin the third thwarting South Carolina’s opportunities to close the 3-1 gap.

Joey Haddad scored his first goal since returning to the Nailers as he followed Lord's shot, picked up the rebound and fired it home to give the Nailers a 3 goal lead 4-1 with 8:33 left in the third.

With 3:20 left in the third Thomas Beauregard got his own rebound and knocked it in on the backhand for his 27th of the year stretching the Nailers' lead to 5-1 assisted by Aaron Clarke.

South Carolina scored a couple goals late in the game. Dain Prewitt's goal at 16:57 made it 5-2 and Scott Bartlett's goal at 19:05 provided the final score of 5-3.

The Wheeling Nailers improve to 25-18-3 with 53 points and are now tied with the Kalamazoo Wings for 4th in the American Conference. The Nailers began the season with a slow 2-7-1 start but have gone 23-11-2 since then to vault their way up the standings one team at a time.

Wheeling finished the regular season 4-2-0 against South Carolina. The Nailers were outshot by South Carolina 36-37.The Stingrays have a 5 game winless streak and fall to 30-12-8 but remain in 1st in the conference with 68 points.

The Nailers won 3-2 and 3-1 at South Carolina last Sunday and Tuesday. Wheeling beat the Stingrays 4-3 in overtime Saturday night in Wheeling and then finished the sweep with the 5-3 win in the finale.

The Nailers hit the road for a pair of games next week at North Division leading Cincinnati on Wednesday night and at rival Elmira on Friday night. A Nailers win Wednesday could push Wheeling into a tie for the division lead and possibly also into a tie for 2nd place in the conference.

The Nailers return home on Saturday, February 6th against the Kalamazoo Wings on SnowBird Bobblehead giveaway for the first 1000 kids age 14 and younger courtesy of WTOV

There are still openings available for the Nailers inaugural Education Field Trip Day on Tuesday, February 9th when the Nailers play the Johnstown Chiefs with a special morning start time. Tickets are free for all students and teachers when the Nailers play the Johnstown Chiefs at 11:00am. All the kids will be receiving an educational book and will quizzed on the material they learn at the game when they return to the classroom. It's going to be a really fun time for the kids so get your school signed up for the special event with the Nailers by calling 304-234-GOAL.