PENGUINS DROP 3-2 DECISION IN TORONTO
TORONTO, ON – Jiri Tlusty slipped a shot through David Brown’s pads for his first goal of the season, giving the Toronto Marlies a 3-2 win against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins Saturday evening at the Ricoh Coliseum. The loss snapped the Penguins winning streak at two games, giving the team a 10-7-0-1 record.
Tlusty’s tally gave Toronto (7-7-0-2, 16 points, fifth in North Division) a 3-1 lead with six minutes to play, and proved to be needed as Ben Lovejoy scored a shorthanded goal with 21 seconds to play, giving the game its final score.
David Brown made his first start in goal since opening night for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, stopping 23 of 26 shots.
Mark Bell snapped a scoreless tie midway through the game, netting his third goal of the season at 10:42 of the second period.
That score held until the 4:43 mark of the third period when Tim Stapleton extended the lead to 2-0 with his third goal of season. That goal, coupled with an assist on Bell’s goal, stretched Stapleton’s scoring streak to three games (2+4=6) dating back to November 19.
Toronto area native Luca Caputi snapped Justin Pogge’s shutout two minutes later, as the Penguins rookie scored on a power play giving him his second goal of the season, and first since October 22.
Tlusty gave the Marlies the two-goal cushion before Lovejoy slapped home his third of the season from the blueline while playing a man down.
The Penguins finish up their three-game road swing with a Sunday afternoon contest against the Lake Erie Monsters. Game time is 5:00pm at the Quicken Loans Arena.
NOTES: Penguins scratches were Jean-Phillipe Cote, Bill Thomas, Tim Wallace and Jean-Michel Daoust…The Penguins went 1 for 8 on the power play, while Toronto was held scoreless in six chances…Lovejoy set a new career best for goals in a season with his third of the year…The Penguins lead the AHL with seven shorthanded goals on the season.