UTICA, N.Y. (Interstat) — The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins will visit the Utica Comets on Friday in a minor league hockey game. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton enters with a 4-4 record, while Utica is 4-2. The game is scheduled for Utica, with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton as the visiting team and the Comets as the home team.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s most recent result was a 3-2 win over Hartford. Finn Harding, a defenseman, was among the most productive players in that game with one goal, two assists, five shots on goal and two penalty minutes. Taylor Gauthier made 25 saves on 27 shots in the win, and Hugh McGing added two assists and one shot on goal. Harding has recorded goals, assists, shots and penalty minutes in recent games. In the win over Hartford, he recorded one goal and two assists. He also had three shots on goal against Belleville, one shot and two penalty minutes at Cleveland, one shot and two penalty minutes at Hartford, one assist against Hartford and one shot against Springfield. The Penguins also have wins at Cleveland, at Providence and at Hartford this season. Their other results include losses to Belleville, Cleveland, Hartford and Springfield, including a 3-2 overtime loss to Springfield.

Utica’s most recent result was a 5-2 loss at Providence. Jack Malone scored one goal and recorded one shot on goal in that game. Gabe Klassen also scored and had three shots on goal, while Lenni Hämeenaho recorded one assist and one shot on goal. Malone is the player to watch for the Comets. Utica has also earned a 5-3 win at Rochester, a 4-2 win at Belleville, a 2-1 win over Rochester and a 2-1 win at Providence this season. The Comets’ other result was a 4-0 loss to Laval. Utica’s 4-2 record includes a recent scoring effort from Malone.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s upcoming schedule includes games at Hershey and Charlotte and home contests against Utica, Hamilton, Lehigh Valley, Milwaukee and Rochester. Utica’s upcoming slate includes home games against Hamilton, Syracuse, Rochester, Belleville, Syracuse and Hartford and road games at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and Cleveland. The teams are scheduled to meet again later in the season.

Interstat’s game simulator projects a final score of Utica 4, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 3. Interstat’s ELO system projects Wilkes-Barre/Scranton with a 54.7 percent probability to win. Utica has been installed as the pregame favorite with a spread of -0.5. The over/under for the game is 5.5.