Penguins dump IceCaps at Mile One

Alarming, no doubt, but not enough to send one scrambling to lean on the panic button.
However, what is disconcerting is the fact rookie goalie Charlie Lindgren, who had been lights out for much of his rookie season in the IceCaps’ crease, lost again and has now given up 12 goals in his past two starts.
The latest was a setback to the league-leading Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, who carried a 13-4-2 record into Mile One Saturday afternoon.
Lindgren, the soon-to-be 23-year-old from Minnesota, falls to 9-6 on the year. His goals against average climbs to 2.72 and save percentage dips to .917.
Still good numbers, but this recent little slide has to be concerning to a team that has leaned on its netminders.
And especially concerning given the fact Nikita Scherbak was hurt in the second period Saturday and did not return. Sherbak, who came into the game as the IceCaps’ leading point-getter, missed considerable time last season as a rookie.
St. John’s coach Sylvain Lefebvre said after the game there was no word on Scherbak’s status. The IceCaps played Saturday without another second-year forward, Michael McCarron, who sat with an undisclosed injury.
The IceCaps are amongst the AHL’s league leaders in goals allowed, and Saturday gave up three power play goals as the Penguins jumped out to a 3-0 lead.
Danny Kristo, a one-time Montreal draft pick, Kevin Porter, Dominick Simon, Jean-Sebastien Dea, Tim Erixon and Josh Archibald scored for the winners. Chris Terry, who was assigned to the IceCaps Thursday from Montreal where he made five starts, and rookie Daniel Audette replied in front of a crowd numbering 4,269.
Second-year pro Tristan Jarry stopped 31 of 33 shots in a first-star performance.
The Penguins led 1-0 after 20 minutes, and jumped out to a 2-0 lead just over five minutes into the second. Porter potted a goal during a five-on-three advantage after the IceCaps’ Jacob de la Rose had been fingered for goaltender interference, a questionable call that left Lefebvre incensed behind the IceCaps’ bench.
Simon netted another power play goal less than a minute after the Porter tally and that, for all intents and purposes, was that for the IceCaps.
Porter finished the night with a goal and two assists and veteran captain Tom Kostopoulos had three helpers. Sven Andrigetto collected two assists for the IceCaps.
The teams meet again 4 o’clock Sunday afternoon. The IceCaps’ close out their eight-game homestand next Friday and Saturday against the Springfield Thunderbirds.