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WILKES-BARRE TOWNSHIP — If this is what the 2016-17 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins will look like, the rest of the AHL is going to be in trouble.

Granted it’s only one game, but during Saturday’s season opener the Penguins outshot, out-hit and most importantly, outplayed the Hartford Wolf Pack in every aspect.

Jake Guentzel registered a four-point night (goal, three assists), the power play connected twice, Tristan Jarry stopped 24 of 26 shots, six different players scored and Shavertown’s Patrick McGrath dropped the gloves twice in front of his hometown crowd en route to a 6-2 Penguins win.

“It was a good effort by all the guys,” head coach Clark Donatelli said. “Balanced scoring, the power play executed well and we got better as the game went on. I’m real happy with it.”

On a night, when the Penguins seemingly did everything right, Josh Archibald got them on the board within the first two minutes of the game when he beat Hartford goaltender MacKenzie Skapski with a backhander.

The Wolf Pack tied it up late in the period, but that was the only blemish for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, who outshot Hartford 11-6 in the opening frame.

For as well as the Penguins performed in the first period, they stepped it up even more in the second.

Carter Rowney finished off a perfectly executed power-play sequence when he sent a shot into the top corner to give the Penguins a 2-1 lead. Oskar Sundqvist provided a gritty goal midway through the frame on a play created by Stuart Percy, who spun around a Hartford defensemen and dished the puck down low.

Sundqvist picked up Percy’s pass and headed to the crease where he sent a shot into the net before taking a punishing hit.

Sundqvist’s goal made it 3-1, but his night almost came to an end on his next shift when he and a Hartford player collided awkwardly into the boards. Sundqvist immediately went down and had to be helped off the ice but returned in the third period.

On the ensuing faceoff, Guentzel brought a spark right back to the Penguins in a big way. The Wolf Pack won the draw and Gunetzel intercepted a pass in open ice and raced into the Hartford end on a breakaway with two defenders on his heels.

As Guentzel was tripped from behind, he sent a shot into the wide side of the net to give the Penguins a 4-1 lead to close out the period.

“Any given night any line can get hot,” Donatelli said. “It’s always a good thing when you get balanced scoring like we had.”

The goals kept coming for the Penguins in the third period. A Jean-Sebastien Dea tip made it 5-1, and a David Warsfosky shot from the top gave the Penguins their second power play goal and a 6-1 lead.

“It was a good team win to start the season. It gives us momentum,” Guentzel said. “Our game plan is to get to teams early. If we do that it takes over the game.”

NOTES

– D Reid McNeill, D Ethan Prow, C Jarrett Burton, C Adam Krause, D Barry Goers and RW Reid Gardiner were scratched for the Penguins.

– As expected, Tom Kostopoulos wore the C and Steve Oleksy and Carter Rowney each served as alternate captains on Saturday.

– After absorbing a hit from Tanner Glass along the boards in the second period, Sundqvist left the game but returned for a few shifts in the third period before Donatelli sat him on the bench.

“He’ll be fine,” Donatelli said. “He had a few shifts and then we got him off the ice. He’s going to be day-to-day.”

– McGrath fought twice during Saturday’s game, leaving him with eight more bouts until an automatic suspension kicks in. He’s aware of the new rule.

“A little shotgun start there. I’ll slow it down,” McGrath said. “You definitely have to be mindful (of the rule). We’ll be all right going forward.”

Penguins’ Jake Guentzel, right, Steve Oleksy, and Hartford’s Chris Summers and Marek Hrivik converge on the puck in the Penguins’ season opener.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/web1_Penguins-Hartford_2.jpg.optimal.jpgPenguins’ Jake Guentzel, right, Steve Oleksy, and Hartford’s Chris Summers and Marek Hrivik converge on the puck in the Penguins’ season opener. Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins right wing Tom Kostopoulos, left, battles for the puck against Hartford defenseman Ryan Graves.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/web1_Penguins-Hartford_3.jpg.optimal.jpgWilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins right wing Tom Kostopoulos, left, battles for the puck against Hartford defenseman Ryan Graves. Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader

Penguins defenseman Stuart Percy, right, beats Hartford right wing Michael Joly and teammate Tom Kostopoulos to the puck.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/web1_Penguins-Hartford_4.jpg.optimal.jpgPenguins defenseman Stuart Percy, right, beats Hartford right wing Michael Joly and teammate Tom Kostopoulos to the puck. Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader

Penguins right wing Patrick McGrath, right, puts the hit on Hartford defenseman Tommy Hughes.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/web1_Penguins-Hartford_5.jpg.optimal.jpgPenguins right wing Patrick McGrath, right, puts the hit on Hartford defenseman Tommy Hughes. Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins right wing Josh Archibald celebrates scoring the first goal of the game against Hartford at Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre Township on Saturday night.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/web1_Penguins-Hartford_1.jpg.optimal.jpgWilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins right wing Josh Archibald celebrates scoring the first goal of the game against Hartford at Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre Township on Saturday night. Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader
WBS dominates Wolf Pack, 6-2

By Tom Venesky

[email protected]

Penguins 6, Hartford 2

Hartford`1`0`1`—`2

Penguins`1`3`2`—`6

First Period

Scoring – 1. WBS, Josh Archibald 1 (Wilson, Sundqvist) 1:48. 2. HFD, Nicklas Jensen 1 (Hrivik, Bodie) 15:17. Penalties – HFD, Brown (fighting) 12:58; WBS, McGrath (fighting) 12:58; WBS, Erixon (cross-checking) 13:09.

Second Period

Scoring – 3. WBS, Carter Rowney 1 (Warsofsky, Guentzel) power play 5:51. 4. WBS, Oskar Sundqvist 1 (Percy, Kostopoulos) 13:49. 5. WBS, Jake Guentzel 1 (unassisted) 16:38. Penalties – HFD, Summers (interference) 4:44; WBS, Sundqvist (tripping) 6:10; WBS, Wilson (hooking) 8:39.

Third Period

Scoring – 6. WBS, Jean-Sebastien Dea 1 (Erixon, Guentzel) 5:11. 7. WBS, David Warsofsky 1 (Guentzel, Rowney) power play 9:15. 8. HFD, Matt Carey 1 (Fogarty) 18:35. Penalties – HFD, Glass (fighting) 6:54; WBS, McGrath (roughing, fighting, game misconduct) 6:54; HFD, Graves (tripping) 7:40; WBS, Porter (holding) 9:49; WBS, Gaunce (holding) 12:03.

Shots on goal

Hartford – 6-9-11-26

Penguins – 11-15-9-35

Power-play Opportunities

Hartford – 0 of 6

Penguins – 2 of 2

Goaltenders

Hartford – Mackenzie Skapski 0-1-0 (29 saves – 35 shots)

Penguins – Tristan Jarry 1-0-0 (24-26)

Starters

Hartford – G Mackenzie Skapski, D Tommy Hughes, D Chris Summers, LW Tanner Glass, C Marek Hrivik, RW Nicklas Jensen

Penguins – G Tristan Jarry, D Chad Ruhwedel, D Cameron Gaunce, LW Jake Guentzel, C Carter Rowney, RW Tom Kostopoulos

Three Stars

1. WBS, Jake Guentzel (goal, three assists) 2. WBS, Carter Rowney (goal, assist) 3. WBS, Oskar Sundqvist (goal, assist)

Referees – David Banfield, Guillaume Labonte. Linesmen – Matt McNulty, Luke Murray

Attendance – 6,159

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