So, when the WBS staff went over that information with Zonnon before Game 1 against Springfield, he already knew. The management of the penguins was impressed by Zonnon’s move.
“He’s deeply committed to doing all the little things,” Dubas said.
Doing his homework helped Zonnon get off to a hot start, as did a quiet confidence, which is important for young players trying to make an impact at the highest levels.
“Obviously, going in, I believed in my abilities. I wanted to believe in myself, and this is an experience for me, but I just want to help the team as much as possible,” said Zonnon in that same postgame interview. “I didn’t want to come in tonight just walking around. I just wanted to be the guy that was going to help the team as much as possible.”
Zonnon’s style of play played out the same thing. Zonnon, who is 6-2 and 190 pounds, described himself as a strong player, listing Los Angeles’ Adrian Kempe as a player he looks up to.
“I pride myself on playing a complete game, defensively, offensively, someone who can play in all situations,” said Zonnon. “I like to get in the dirty spots, win my battles. And be a complete player. That’s my goal.”
MacDonald said it’s not just that Zonnon competes at a high level, he thinks the game is at a high level.
“You do those two things, you usually have success,” MacDonald said.
And while there’s still a lot of work ahead of Zonnon as he works to reach his full potential, trying to sit back and enjoy the moment is important for the Quebec native, as the youngster says he can’t remember the last time he played.
“That was a big thing for me going in, just having fun, believing in myself, and I knew good things were going to happen,” he said.
WBS will have a chance to advance when they take on Game 4 against Springfield on Thursday, May 21. Game time is set for 7:05 PM at the MassMutual Center. Game 5, if necessary, will be played on Saturday, May 25 at 6:05 PM at Mohegan Arena.
Tickets for the playoff game can be purchased by calling the Penguins front office at (570) 208-7367 or at **wbspenguins.com**.
