ALMEIDA, MANISCALCO, NAPPIER SENT TO WHEELING
WILKES-BARRE, Pa. – The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins announced today that they have reassigned goaltender Tommy Nappier to their ECHL affiliate, the Wheeling Nailers. Additionally, the Pittsburgh Penguins reassigned forward Justin Almeida and defenseman Josh Maniscalco from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton to Wheeling.
Penguins have also released five players from their professional tryout agreements: forwards Matt Alfaro, Nick Hutchison and Patrick Watling, as well as defensemen Matt Foley and Adam Smith.
All five skaters who were released from their PTOs will report to Wheeling.
Nappier has played six games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton this season, going 1-4-0 with a 3.61 goals against average and .883 save percentage. Nappier’s lone win came during a relief appearance on Nov. 12, during which he denied 10 of 10 shots as the Penguins downed the Charlotte Checkers, 2-1.
The 23-year-old netminder from St. Louis, Missouri has also dressed in five games for the Nailers this season. In those five contests, Nappier amassed a 2-3-0 record, 3.53 goals against average and .838 save percentage. Over the course of the past two seasons, Nappier has a 4-8-0 record with Wheeling, a 2.90 goals against average and .890 save percentage.
This season with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Almeida has played in seven games and recorded one goal. His tally came on Dec. 12, 2021 vs. Springfield during a 6-0 Penguins victory. Through 27 career AHL games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, the 22-year-old has posted four goals and two assists for six points.
Almeida was selected by Pittsburgh in the fifth round (129th overall) of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. He is tied for the Nailers’ team lead with nine goals, despite playing in only six games. The Kitimat, British Columbia native also added three assists in his six games with Wheeling for 12 total points.
Maniscalco leads all Nailers defensemen with six goals, 10 assists, 16 points and a plus-19 rating. The 22-year-old blueliner also ranks second overall on the team with 65 shots on goal.
A native of Perkiomenville, Pennsylvania, Maniscalco appeared in eight games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton last season. He produced no points in those eight games during his first season as a pro and did not tack on any points in two games with the Penguins this season.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s next game will also be on the road on Friday, Jan. 7 against the Utica Comets. Game time between the Penguins and Comets is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. The Penguins don’t return home until a week later, Friday, Jan. 14, when they take on the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Puck drop for Penguins vs. Phantoms will be 7:05 p.m. at Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza.
Individual game tickets and season-ticket packages for the 2021-22 season are on sale now. Full-Season, 22- game, 12-game, Flexbook and Premium Seating plans are available by reaching out to the Penguins directly at (570) 208-7367.
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