The AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins lost their first two games of the 2026-27 season before quickly putting those losses behind them this weekend.
They earned their first win on Saturday, crushing the Hartford Wolf Pack 7-1, and it was the Bill Zonnon show. Zonnon scored twice in the second period and added an assist in the win.
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He made that first goal happen, leading the rush early in the second period before collecting the puck behind the net and stuffing it home.
Zonnon’s second goal came from the net-front when he banged home a rebound off a pass from Mikhail Ilyin along the left well.
Atley Calvert, Avery Hayes, Tanner Howe, Mikhail Ilyin, and Owen Pickering also scored in the win.
The fun continued on Sunday with a 6-2 win for WBS over the Providence Bruins. Zonnon notched his third goal of the season less than a minute into the middle frame. He came streaking down the left side and fired an absolute laser past the Bruins goaltender.
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Zonnon has three goals and five points in four games.
Phil Kemp, Tristan Broz, Oliver Okuliar, and Rutger McGroarty (two goals) also scored for WBS in this game.
Speaking of McGroarty, he was fantastic in this game, adding two assists to his two goals. He saw the ice extremely well, and forechecked his butt off. His second goal was a thing of beauty: he took a lead pass on the left side and made a gorgeous forehand-to-backhand move before elevating the puck to the top shelf of the net.
McGroarty may not be with the NHL club right now, but there will come a time when he is needed this season. When that happens, he’ll do everything he can to make sure he never goes back down to the AHL.
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WBS is now 2-1-1-0 and will play the Cleveland Monsters in their next two games this Friday and Saturday.
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