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EARLY PENS LAPSES LEAD TO GRAND RAPIDS WIN

Penguins head coach Todd Richards is among the most prepared coaches in the AHL, writing out detailed game plans and spending extra hours in the office almost every day. He stresses the importance of being mentally and physically prepared to his players nearly as often.

Unfortunately, the Pens returned from a long layoff a bit lax, and it cost them.

Grand Rapids scored four times in the opening frame and went on to a 6-5 win against the Penguins Friday night at Wachovia Arena. It was the third consecutive win for the Griffins, and snapped the Pens’ modest winning streak at two games.

“It’s the layoff, it’s not playing a game for a week, and it’s not being focused and prepared,” Richards said of the defeat. “We came out and we weren’t focused or prepared as a group. I mean, our power play was good in the first. That was really the only shining spot in the first period, which kept us in the game.

“We got exactly what we deserved today.”

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton netted three goals on the man advantage in the opening period, with Tyler Kennedy, Micki DuPont and the newly re-assigned Patrick Thoresen doing the honors for the home team.

Unfortunately, all three of those goals came after the Penguins were put in early holes.

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SHOTS BY PERIOD
TEAM	1st	2nd	3rd	OT	Total
GRR	8	12	7	--	27
WBS	12	12	12	--	36

GOALS BY PERIOD
TEAM	1st	2nd	3rd	OT	Total
GRR	4	2	0	--	6
WBS	3	2	0	--	5

THREE STARS

1. Jeff Campbell - GRR

2. Patrick Thoresen - WBS

3. Matt Ellis - GRR

GOALTENDER STATS
TEAM	GOALIE	GA	SV	W-L
GRR	Liv	5	31	W
WBS	Penner	5	7	ND
WBS	Deslauriers	1	14	L

Jeff Campbell, who had just one goal in 19 games before Friday, scored just 24 seconds into the game, and Eric Himelfarb followed eight minutes later to give Grand Rapids a two-goal lead.

Kennedy got the Pens back in the game with his eighth tally of the year at 10:07, but Brendan Brooks broke in on the ensuing face-off and beat Andrew Penner just seven seconds after the Kennedy goal.

The Penguins struck twice on a five-on-three advantage to even the score at 3-3 with five minutes left in the first, but Campbell struck again before the clock reached 17 minutes to finish off the scoring.

“We’ve got guys standing around the net, checking with their eyes,” Richards said of the team’s play. “It was more of defensive lapses and going to sleep on plays, breakdowns in out own end that led to goals. First period, it was 4-3, we gave them all four goals.”

Daniel Carcillo pulled the Pens even again about seven and a half minutes into the second, but Grand Rapids was quick to retaliate again, as former Penguin Matt Hussey ripped a shot into the upper corner from the near dot. That led to a goaltending change by the Pens, as Jeff Drouin-Deslauriers replaced Penner less than half way through the game.

“[Penner] was OK. He certainly wasn’t pulled because five goals were scored on him. That wasn’t the case at all,” said Richards. “He wasn’t getting help in front of him. To play defense, it’s a group of five working in front of the goalie.”

Deslauriers allowed just one goal – that to Ryan Keller – but ended up picking up the loss after Wade Brookbank put home his first with the Penguins at 18:10 to finish off the night’s scoring.

Thoresen was a bright spot for the Penguins, picking up a goal and adding two assists in his first game with the club.

“You watch him play and he looks like a guy that has been playing in the NH,” Richards said. “He had impact for us on the offensive side. And on the defensive side he was reliable and dependable.”