Rivalries strengthen team bond – Wilkes-Barre Citizens’ Voice

Sometimes the difference for a team can be the dynamic in the locker room, and so far this season, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins seem to have come together quickly both on and off the ice.

“It’s just a really tight group,” forward Corey Andonovski said. “I feel like this year especially, we have some momentum and some over the Christmas break.”

This tight-knit group was highlighted on the ice several times in the Dec. 21 game at Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza against the rival Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Penguins players, not necessarily known for their scrums, got into some of the post-whistle scrums in the second half of the game.

Rookie forward Tristan Broz, one of the team’s leading scorers, backed up teammate Joona Koppanen when he took a hit late in the second half. Defensive end Mac Hollowell, who leads all defensemen on the team in scoring, also stood up for his teammates and was ejected after a third-period scramble.

“I think that’s important. I mean, I think it just shows that we’re willing to stick up for each other and that we’re, you know, a real team,” Broz said. “And obviously, maybe it’s not how I would build my game, but I’m also not afraid to stick my nose in there if the other teams get out of line. You have to stick up for your teammates out there.”

Nor did Kirk MacDonald hide his fiery passion in his first season as Penguins head coach. He didn’t back down when Ghosts head coach Ian Laperriere started yelling at him in the third period. Both coaches were ejected and continued their on-ice shouting match in the hallway separating the team locker rooms, prompting a heavy increase in Mohegan Arena security on the floor of the event level as a deterrent to any further cases off the ice between teams. after the game.

“Hockey is an emotional game and, you know, it’s physical and (when) you play a team 12 times, things start to get squirrely sometimes,” MacDonald said. “It was (last Saturday), but it’s usually more fun when there’s some excitement in the game.

“People want to be upset, that’s fine. Just smile and move on.”

Starting in January, the Penguins have five more matchups with the Phantoms. They also have eight more meetings with their other in-state rival, the defending Calder Cup champion Hershey Bears.

If the past two weekends have proven anything, it’s that the Penguins are willing to stick up for each other, regardless of who’s on the ice at the time of the incident.

“I mean, it’s a great atmosphere in (our locker room). A great team, like I said, united,” Andonovski said. “So we’ll continue to do that when we get into games like this.”