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On the ice, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins are fine offensively.

Sure, they only scored three goals in three games last weekend, but head coach Mike Sullivan saw something that reassured him there was no reason to panic.

“It wasn’t like we didn’t generate offense this past weekend. We did,” Sullivan said after Tuesday’s practice at the Mohegan Sun Arena. “Five-on-five we generated a fair amount of offense, we just didn’t score.

“If we’re generating scoring chances, sooner or later some of those will go in.”

The Penguins hope the goals start going in on Wednesday when they host the Syracuse Crunch in a mid-week game that gave them little time to dwell on the three straight losses last weekend.

Not thinking about the losses, or the lack of goals, may be the best remedy for the Penguins.

“We have to try not to think about it so much. Put it in the back of our minds and just play like we used to,” center Kevin Porter said. “The games before that we were scoring more goals, confident and patient with the puck. If we get back to that stuff we’ll start scoring.”

During Tuesday’s practice, Sullivan did some extensive work with the power play units – an area where the Penguins are currently mired in an 0 for 18 drought, and showed his players game film from earlier in the season when the goals came more often.

For Sullivan, the key to correcting the offense is having the right mindset.

“When we’re in the right frame of mind and play the right way, the offense takes care of itself,” he said. “For me, it’s a combination of the right frame of mind before you set foot on the ice and execution when you get out there.”

NOTEBOOK

– Wednesday’s game will be Porter’s 500th as a pro – AHL and NHL combined. It’s a milestone that Porter didn’t imagine when he turned pro seven years ago. “I was just excited to be playing pro hockey for a living,” he said. “Now that you’re a little bit older you think about it a little bit more.”

Sullivan, who played 804 games as a pro, including 709 in the NHL, said Porter’s upcoming milestone is a testament to his character. “Pro hockey’s hard. It’s very competitive and it’s hard to not only make it but to stay there,” Sullivan said. “That milestone is a testament to his character and the quality of player that he is.”

– Sestito is nearing the end of his 25-game PTO and while a decision to re-sign him is one for Pittsburgh’s front office to make, Sullivan did offer a few complimentary words for the rugged winger.

“Tommy’s done everything we asked him to do. He’s been a positive influence around our locker room and really dedicated himself to his fitness,” Sullivan said. “It’s unfortunate because he’s had a few injuries that set him back, but he hasn’t gotten discouraged and stayed with it.”

Sestito has a goal, two points and 16 penalty minutes in nine games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

– Sullivan said that captain Tom Kostopoulos and Sestito will remain out with injuries that aren’t of day-to-day variety but they shouldn’t be sidelined long-term either.

By Tom Venesky

[email protected]

Up next…

Syracuse Crunch (10-8-2-1, .548, 4th place in the North Division) at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (16-5-0-0, .762, 1st place in the Atlantic Division)

Tonight, 7:05 p.m. at the Mohegan Sun Arena

Listen live on 103.1FM-WILK

Players to watch:

Syracuse – Rookie Anthony DeAngelo leads the Crunch with 14 points.

Penguins – Conor Sheary has two of the last three Penguins goals over the weekend.

Reach Tom Venesky at 570-991-6395 or on Twitter @TLTomVenesky