A mechanical issue at Mohegan Arena wiped out Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s preseason opener before the puck ever dropped Friday.
The Penguins were set to host Lehigh Valley, but the team announced about an hour before game time that the matchup had been canceled “due to a mechanical issue at the arena.” Fans who bought tickets “will receive more information from the Penguins in coming days” about what happens next.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton won’t get another preseason game at home. The club is slated to play at Hershey at 3 p.m.
Sunday and then at Lehigh Valley at 7 p.m. Tuesday.
The next game on the Mohegan Arena calendar is the 2026-27 season-opener against Springfield at 6:05 p.m. on Oct. 3. The Penguins saw the Thunderbirds in a winner-take-all Game 5 of the Atlantic Division Finals in the spring.
The Penguins reached the Eastern Conference Finals before falling to eventual Calder Cup champion Toronto.
Across the organization, Pittsburgh has started trimming its camp roster ahead of Wednesday’s season opener. On Friday, the parent club assigned five players from last season’s playoff run to the AHL: forwards Atley Calvert, Avery Hayes, Tanner Howe and Mikhail Ilyin, plus defenseman Phil Kemp, who was the team captain.
On the local scoreboard, Lake-Lehman rolled past Holy Redeemer, 9-0, in girls soccer Thursday behind five goals from Kinley Purdy. Ava Blazes added a hat trick, and Lexi Peiffer scored once. Sadie Werner finished with 10 saves for Holy Redeemer.
In field hockey, Wyoming Valley West handed Wyoming Seminary its first loss of the season with a 3-2 overtime win Thursday. Ava Mullery and Charlotte Yelen scored for the Spartans, while Erin Cavanaugh and Faylinn Fernandes scored for Wyoming Seminary.
Holy Redeemer also picked up a field hockey win Thursday, beating Tunkhannock 2-0 on Addie Brill’s two first-half goals. Hailey Pius and Aubrianna Rinus had the assists, and Emma Dickinson made five saves for Tunkhannock.
In girls volleyball, MMI Prep defeated Pittston Area in four sets, 3-1. Pittston Area took the opening set 25-21, but MMI Prep answered with wins of 25-20, 25-21 and 25-17. Alexa Fazio posted 12 kills and 14 service points, and Shreeya Parikh added 23 assists, 21 service points and 12 digs.
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Penguins Blue Line Suddenly Has A Roster Problem Before Opening Night
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For a team that values stability on defense, even a short-term setback can ripple through the rest of the roster picture. The Penguins are still in the early part of sorting out health and availability, and Graves status is now one of the cleaner examples of how quickly that process can change in the final stretch before the opener. [Read more 🡒]
Penguins Final Preseason Lineup Hints At A Bigger Opening Night Shift
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Ryan Graves and Justin Brazeau were both noted as injured, adding another wrinkle to a roster picture that already feels unsettled in a few spots. Graves, in particular, is viewed as unlikely to make the NHL roster this season, leaving Pittsburgh with one more question to sort through as the final preseason games narrow the field. [Read more 🡒]
Jason Robertson Just Became A Much Bigger Stars Concern
Nick Kypreos report that the Penguins could have Jason Robertson on their radar gives Pittsburgh another intriguing name to monitor as the club looks for ways to add high-end scoring. Robertson is coming off a one-year deal with Dallas, and with his future potentially headed toward free agency next July or an earlier trade if a new contract does not get done, he has quickly become one of the more interesting possible swing pieces on the market.
Pittsburghs recent pickup of his brother, Nick Robertson, only adds another layer to the situation and could make the Penguins a more natural landing spot if Jasons path changes. For a team always searching for offensive help, it is the kind of connection that can matter, but for now the bigger question is whether Dallas keeps the situation under control long enough to avoid letting it become a bigger problem. [Read more 🡒]