PREVIEW: HAMMERS READY FOR FIRST CLASH WITH PENGUINS
Nov 14, 2026
It's a quick turnaround for both clubs, as the Hamilton Hammers (5-10-0-2) visit the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (7-5-2-0) Saturday night to continue their four-game road trip.
Both teams are looking to put Friday's results behind them. Hamilton was shut out 3-0 by Lehigh Valley, while the Penguins fell 4-3 in overtime to the Hershey Bears. With their two-game winning streak snapped less than 24 hours ago, the Hammers will look to rediscover their offensive rhythm against a Wilkes-Barre/Scranton squad that has won three of its last five games.
Puck drop is set for 6:05 p.m. EST at Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza, with live coverage available on AHLTV on FloHockey.
Here's what you need to know:
FIRST MEETING WITH THE PENGUINS
Saturday marks the first-ever matchup between the two clubs, wrapping up a stretch of five consecutive games against Atlantic Division opponents and three straight contests in the state of Pennsylvania for the Hammers.
Hamilton enters the matchup still looking to find its identity, but has shown some positive signs recently, winning two of its last three games and holding a 2-2-0-1 record in their last five road contests.
On the other side, the Penguins have put together a solid start to the season, sitting in the middle of the Atlantic Division standings. They've also been one of the league's more productive offensive teams, scoring 50 goals through 14 games, the sixth-highest total in the AHL. That's an average of 3.6 goals per game, compared to Hamilton's 2.6.
LOOKING FOR A RESPONSE
After scoring 14 goals over their previous three games, including back-to-back wins over Lehigh Valley and Hershey, Hamilton's offence was held in check in Friday's loss to the Phantoms. The Hammers managed just 15 shots on goal and were unable to solve Aleksei Kolosov, who turned aside every shot he faced.
Ignoring Friday's result, Hamilton's offence had been trending in the right direction. Pierre Engvall entered the weekend riding a three-game goal streak, collecting six points (three goals, three assists) during that span, while newcomer Robby Fabbri made an immediate impact with five points (one goal, four assists) through his first three games in a Hammers uniform.
Hamilton will look to get back on track Saturday, with Liam Foudy leading the team with 15 points (five goals, 10 assists) and Engvall close behind with 13 (five goals, eight assists).
PENGUINS BRING THE FIREPOWER
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton has received contributions throughout its lineup this season, with a different player scoring the game-winning goal in each of its first seven victories. Six Penguins have reached double digits in points, although Rutger McGroarty, one of those contributors, was recalled by the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday.
Hugh McGing another one of the scoring leaders, recently saw his six-game point streak come to an end after collecting nine points (two goals, seven assists) during that stretch.
Rookie defenceman Jake Livanavage has tallied 11 points (three goals, eight assists), while fellow first-year pro Daniel Russell had a five-game point streak from October 23 to November 7, collecting seven points (two goals, five assists) during that time.
Hamilton will need to limit the Penguins’ scoring chances and keep their top contributors from finding their rhythm.
MILESTONE WATCH
Hamilton blueliner Ethan Bear enters Saturday's matchup three points shy of 200 career professional points, sitting at 197.
LOOKING AHEAD
Hamilton will wrap up its four-game road trip Tuesday night in Cleveland against the Monsters before returning home to TD Coliseum. Catch all the action live on AHLTV on FloHockey.
The Hammers will host the Belleville Senators on November 20 for their inaugural Hockey Fights Cancer game in partnership with St. Joseph’s Healthcare Foundation. Specialty warm-up jerseys will be auctioned, with all proceeds supporting robotic-assisted cancer surgery and care at St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton. Tickets are available at HamiltonHammers.com, with game broadcast live on CABLE14 and AHLTV on FloHockey.