FLEURY IMPRESSIVE IN FIRST GAME BACK

NORFOLK, VA - Marc-Andre Fleury took his first step back to the NHL on Wednesday night, stopping 30 shots as the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins posted a 3-1 win over the Norfolk Admirals on Wednesday night at the Scope Arena.

The win boosted the Penguins' record to 29-18-0-3 and moved the club one point ahead of the Hershey Bears for second place in the East Division. Norfolk fell to 17-29-2-4 with the loss, and sit in seventh place in the East.

Fleury, seeing his first game action since suffering a high ankel sprain on December 6 against the Calgary Flames, stopped the first 13 shots he faced in the game, and snuffed 16 Admirals attempts in the final 20 minutes. The victory was Fleury's first in the AHL since making 36 saves in a 3-2 win against the Rochester Americans on November 25, 2005.

Tim Brent opened the scoring for the Penguins midway through the first period, popping in his 11th goal of the season and his fourth in the past six games.

Dave Gove picked up his second shorthanded goal in as many games at the 11:40 mark of the second period. The goal was his third since being acquired from the Carolina Hurricanes two weeks ago, and his second game-winning tally with the team.

Paul Szczechura notched his eighth goal in 12 games with the Admirals to pull the home club within on goal after 40 minutes of play, but Tyler Kennedy's fifth with the AHL Penguins gave the visitors all the offense they would need to break a three-game losing streak against Norfolk.

Deryk Engelland picked up two assists for the Penguins, who will return home to take on the first place Philadelphia Phantoms on Friday night.