Quick start propels Amerks past Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
Jeff Taffe says he’ll always be grateful for the opportunity he was given by the Pittsburgh Penguins organization the past two seasons.
The eighth-year winger says he was allowed to find his game and grow as a player while with the American Hockey League’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and in the NHL with Pittsburgh.
He had a strange way of showing his gratitude on Friday night, however.
Taffe set up the game’s first goal by Mike York, then scored the second only 65 seconds later as the Amerks vaulted to a 4-0 lead in the first 15 minutes, then held on for dear life to defeat Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 4-3.
“We’re lucky we were up 4-0,” Taffe said after the Amerks were outshot 44-17.
“The shots tell the story. We got a few breaks early and took advantage.”
Defensemen Clay Wilson and Jordan Henry also scored for the Amerks, who have won their fourth in a row. They’re an AHL-best 16-2-1.
But this wasn’t one of their best performances.
The Penguins scored three goals in the third period — by Alex Grant at 1:42, Mark Letestu at 15:36 and Luca Caputi with 24 seconds left — and at no point in the final 20 minutes did the Amerks ever demonstrate poise.
“We have to take this as a loss,” center Jamie Johnson said. “We clearly didn’t play our best game. They didn’t play their best. If we had played a good team, we would have lost. We just seemed to be really sloppy.”
Early in the game they were a precision-based machine. Taking advantage of 28 seconds of five-on-three power play, Taffe set up York for a goal at 3:20, then rocketed a slap shot past goalie John Curry — a good friend from their native Minnesota — 65 seconds later.
“It’s always much nicer to be on the winning end when you play against your old team,” Taffe said.
Taffe is fourth on the Amerks in scoring with 7 goals, 8 assists and 15 points in 15 games. He has also played five games with the parent Florida Panthers.
“I had a chance to watch what he could do for our team last year,” Penguins coach Todd Reirden said. “He was a great player for us. I’m happy for him.”
Reirden was also happy with the rally his team made. “But it’s tough when you’re playing the best team in the league and you go down early.”