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PENGUINS FALL IN GAME FOUR TO BRUINS, 4-2

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WILKES-BARRE, Pa. – The Providence Bruins defeated the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, 4-2, in Game Four of the Atlantic Division Semifinal on Friday night at Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza.  The win allowed the Bruins to remain alive in the 2017 Calder Cup Playoffs, and forced a decisive Game Five on Sunday afternoon in Wilkes-Barre.

The Bruins jumped out to a 4-0 lead that the Penguins eventually cut in half with a third period surge, but the comeback bid by the home team fell short against a Providence squad that was facing elimination.

Wayne Simpson buried his first goal of the playoffs just 1:15 into the game, and Colton Hargrove extended the lead eight minutes later with a power play goal.

Providence tacked on another goal with just 44.4 seconds remaining in the opening frame. Jake DeBrusk uncorked a short-side snipe on a three-on-one rush after taking a feed from Austin Czarnik.

DeBrusk added his second of the game by tipping in a slap shot from Bruins captain Tommy Cross at 14:09 of the second period.

The Penguins got on the board as Dominik Simon picked the pocket of Bruins defenseman Alex Grant and then flipped the puck over to Teddy Blueger, who wired a one-timer to the top corner with under three minutes left before the second intermission.

Simon earned another assist by helping to set up an Ethan Prow goal, making it 4-2 at 9:10 of the third period.

Penguins goalie Casey DeSmith posted 38 saves on the night, including a whopping 20 stops in the second period. Those 20 saves tied Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s franchise playoff record for saves in one period, set five years ago by Brad Thiessen against the St. John’s IceCaps.

Zane McIntyre halted 27 shots for his second win of this postseason.

The final game in the best-of-five series is Sunday, Apr. 30, at Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza. Puck drop for Game Five of the Atlantic Division Semifinal is scheduled for 3:05 p.m. Individual tickets for Sunday afternoon’s game are available at the Mohegan Sun Arena box office, online at TicketMaster.com, or by calling 570-208-7367.

Penguins postseason ticket packages, which include tickets to every home contest during the 2017 Calder Cup Playoffs, are on sale now.  With the purchase of a postseason ticket package, fans will receive a $6 food/merchandise voucher for every home game in the playoffs, as well as their same seat guaranteed. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton fans can secure their seats for every home game on the Cup run by contacting the Penguins directly at (570) 208-7367.

PENGUINS POWER PAST PROVIDENCE

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WILKES-BARRE, Pa. – The Wilkes-Barre-Scranton Penguins defeated the Providence Bruins, 2-1, at Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza to take a 2-1 series lead in the Atlantic Division Semifinal.

Special teams were the name of the game on Thursday night, as the two teams combined for three power play goals, but it was the two tallies by Penguins defensemen that gave Wilkes-Barre/Scranton the edge.

The Penguins came out jumping to begin their first home game of the 2017 Calder Cup Playoffs, out-shooting the Bruins, 13-5, in the opening frame. However, all of the Penguins’ pressure yielded no results. In fact, the game was still deadlocked in a scoreless tie until 16.2 seconds were left in the second period.

As time was dwindling down late in the middle stanza, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s Tim Erixon sniped a top-shelf, power play goal, giving the Penguins a 1-0 lead heading into the second intermission.

David Warsofsky doubled that lead for the Penguins with another man advantage marker early in the next period. After a quick face-off win by Kevin Porter, Warsofsky fired a shot through traffic that fooled Zane McIntyre 1:32 into the third. By combining on that goal, Warsofsky and Porter pulled into a tie for the Calder Cup Playoffs overall lead in points with six.

Providence answered back with a power play goal of its own with 6:35 remaining in regulation. Jordan Szwarz made it a one-goal game when he corralled some loose change in the slot and slid it into the back of the Penguins’ net.

With their goalie pulled in favor of an extra attacker, the Bruins sent a flurry of shots the Penguins’ way only for them to be blocked by sprawling defenders or turned aside by Casey DeSmith. Time ran out on Providence’s comeback bid as the Penguins pulled within one win of advancing to the Atlantic Division Final.

DeSmith denied 32 shots in the win for the Penguins. McIntyre recorded 30 saves in the loss for the Bruins.

The next game in the best-of-five series is tomorrow, Friday, Apr. 28, at Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza. Puck drop for Game 4 of the Atlantic Division Semifinal is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.  Individual tickets for Friday night’s game are available at the Mohegan Sun Arena box office, online at TicketMaster.com, or by calling 570-208-7367.

Penguins postseason ticket packages, which include tickets to every home contest during the 2017 Calder Cup Playoffs, are on sale now.  With the purchase of a postseason ticket package, fans will receive a $6 food/merchandise voucher for every home game in the playoffs, as well as their same seat guaranteed. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton fans can secure their seats for every home game on the Cup run by contacting the Penguins directly at (570) 208-7367.

PENGUINS WIN THRILLER IN OT ON POULIOT GOAL

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Derrick Pouliot’s goal at 7:49 of overtime was the difference, as the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins won a thriller, 6-5, over the Providence Bruins on Sunday afternoon at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center.

Pouliot picked up a loose puck and skated through the neutral zone, banking a shot off of the back of goaltender Zane McIntyre to even the best-of-five series 1-1.  Game Three is scheduled for Thursday night back in Wilkes-Barre.

The Penguins at one point held a 3-0 lead, only to see the Bruins chip away and finally take a late one-goal advantage.  But an extra attacker goal from Josh Archibald forced overtime and Pouliot’s fantastic individual effort gave Wilkes-Barre/Scranton the split on the road.

The Penguins controlled much of the play in the early going, outshooting the Bruins 18-9 in the first period, but couldn’t beat netminder Zane McIntyre during the opening frame.

That changed quickly in an offense-filled second period.

Chris Casto’s errant clear found it’s way into the stands, giving Wilkes-Barre/Scranton a power play just 20 seconds into the middle period.  Warsofsky made sure the opportunity wasn’t wasted with a blast from the point which opened the scoring for the Pens.

The former Bruins defenseman made it a 2-0 contest just 23 seconds later with another shot from the near boards.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton captain Tom Kostopoulos was sprung from the penalty box after an interference call and corralled a Penguins clear in the Providence zone.  He then fed Tom Sestito at the far post, and Sestito deposited the puck in the net to make it a 3-0 game.

Chris Porter got the Bruins on the board 14 seconds after Sestito’s goal, as the teams played four-on-four hockey after offsetting roughing minors to Sestito and Tyler Randell were handed out.

Porter picked up his second of the night at 17:11, banging in a loose puck from a scrum in front of the Pens’ net.  And Tommy Cross, recently reassigned from the Boston Bruins, went top shelf from the right face-off circle with 1:46 left in the period.

The Penguins went back in front when Josh Archibald picked up his first of the playoffs at 3:58 of the third period.  But Danton Heinen notched his second of the series as a Tom Sestito hooking penalty was about to expire at 7:38 to tie the game, before Peter Mueller picked up a loose puck in a scrum and beat DeSmith at 12:48.

With time running down, the Pens pulled DeSmith for the extra attacker, and the move paid off as Archibald’s shot deflected off a skate and into the Bruins net with 1:03 left in regulation to force overtime.

DeSmith stopped 28 shots to pick up the victory for the Penguins, while McIntyre made 38 saves in the loss.

The best-of-five series now moves to Wilkes-Barre where the Penguins will play host to the Bruins in Game Three on Thursday night at 7:05pm.  Individual tickets for Thursday night’s game are available at the Mohegan Sun Arena box office, online at TicketMaster.com, or by calling 570-208-7367.

PENGUINS LOSE GAME 1 IN PROVIDENCE, 2-1

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PROVIDENCE, R.I. – In the first game of their Atlantic Division Semifinal series, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins dropped a 2-1 decision to the Providence Bruins at Dunkin’ Donuts Center on Friday night.

The Penguins surrendered two power play goals to the Bruins and saw their last-minute comeback thwarted by video review as Providence took a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five series

Jake DeBrusk got Providence on the board first by knifing in a rebound during the Bruins’ first power play of the game. DeBrusk’s mad advantage marker came at 12:21 of the first period.

Just as a Penguins power play expired midway through the second period, Jean-Sébastien Dea and Derrick Pouliot ended up with a great two-on-one opportunity from between the hashmarks, only to be denied by Zane Mclntyre. Dea made the most of his next opportunity though, redirecting a shot from David Warsofsky into the Bruins’ net at 16:34 of the middle frame.

Providence regained the lead with another power play goal with Danton Heinen doing the honors this time. The Bruins’ go-ahead goal arrived 6:12 into the third period.

With the goalie pulled and an extra attacker on, the Penguins thought they had tied the score yet again in a wild goal-line scramble. After review, the goal was waved off, and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton was never able to conjure that tying goal before the end of regulation.

Casey DeSmith finished the game having made 31 saves. McIntyre posted 30 stops for the win.

Game 2 of the Penguins’ Atlantic Division Semifinal series with the Bruins is on Sunday, Apr. 23 at Dunkin’ Donuts Center. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton will return to Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza for its first home game of the postseason on Thursday, Apr. 27.

Individual game tickets for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton home playoff games are on sale now and can be purchased at the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza box office, through all Ticketmaster outlets, or by contacting the Penguins directly at (570) 208-7367.

Penguins postseason ticket packages, which include tickets to every home contest during the 2017 Calder Cup Playoffs, are on sale now.  With the purchase of a postseason ticket package, fans will receive a $6 food/merchandise voucher for every home game in the playoffs, as well as their same seat guaranteed. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton fans can secure their seats for every home game on the Cup run by contacting the Penguins directly at (570) 208-7367.

PENGUINS COME BACK, DEFEAT SOUND TIGERS IN SEASON FINALE, 5-4

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WILKES-BARRE, Pa – The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins concluded their regular season in dramatic fashion by pulling off a 5-4 comeback victory over the Bridgeport Sound Tigers on Saturday night at Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza.

The Penguins (51-20-3-2) erased a two-goal deficit in the third period by scoring three unanswered goals. Adam Krause factored in on all three of those goals, including the shorthanded game-winner with only 3:25 left in regulation.

The Sound Tigers opened the scoring on the first power play of the game for either side. Ryan Pulock blasted a heavy slap shot off the post and at 13:08 of the first period.

Bridgeport’s lead disappeared less than three minutes later when Wilkes-Barre/Scranton answered with a man advantage marker of its own. Teddy Blueger’s shot snuck through a screen set by Garrett Wilson and past Eamon McAdam 4:10 left to play in the opening frame. But the Sound Tigers came right back with another power play goal, this time with Carter Verhaeghe doing the honors as 49 seconds were left in the first period.

Bridgeport extended their lead to 3-1 midway through the second period when Travis St. Denis tapped one in on the back door.

A pivotal point in the game came shortly thereafter, when Penguins goalie Sean Maguire stoned Josh Ho-Sang on a penalty shot, preventing the Sound Tigers from taking a three-goal lead. Thirty-eight seconds before the conclusion of the middle stanza, Jean-Sébastien Dea delivered another power play goal for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton to cut Bridgeport’s lead down to 3-2.

Verhaeghe struck again 6:40 into the third period, extending Bridgeport’s advantage on the scoreboard back to two goals.

From there, it was all Penguins.

Less than two minutes after Bridgeport scored, Jarrett Burton cashed in some loose change amidst a net-front scramble, making it 4-3. Krause tied the game just 1:16 later using his speed to go end-to-end and beat McAdam on a slick move.

Krause scored his second on the night after breaking away from Bridgeport defenders while on the penalty kill and netting a shorthanded goal with 3:25 left in regulation.

Maguire turned aside 22 shots in his first AHL start to earn his first AHL win. McAdam stopped 25 shots in the loss for the Sound Tigers.

The Penguins kick off the Calder Cup Playoffs next Friday, Apr. 21, at Dunkin’ Donuts Center against the Providence Bruins. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton will return for its first home game of the postseason on Thursday, Apr. 27.

Individual game tickets for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton home playoff games go on sale this coming Monday, Apr. 17 at 10:00 a.m. and can be purchased at the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza box office, through all Ticketmaster outlets, or by contacting the Penguins directly at (570) 208-7367.

Penguins postseason ticket packages, which include tickets to every home contest during the 2017 Calder Cup Playoffs, are on sale now.  With the purchase of a postseason ticket package, fans will receive a $6 food/merchandise voucher for every home game in the playoffs, as well as their same seat guaranteed. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton fans can secure their seats for every home game on the Cup run by contacting the Penguins directly at (570) 208-7367.

PENGUINS LOSE TO BEARS, 2-1

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WILKES-BARRE, Pa – In their final meeting of a 12-game season series, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins fell, 2-1, to the Hershey Bears on Friday night at Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza.

Casey DeSmith made 19 saves while manning the crease for the Penguins (50-20-3-2) and was handed his first regulation loss since Feb. 18.

After a quiet first period, Hershey broke the scoreless tie at 3:31 of the middle frame with a tally from Jakub Vrána. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton responded to the go-ahead goal with mounds of pressure, outshooting Hershey in the period by a 12-6 margin at one point. However, the Penguins still went into the second intermission facing a 1-0 deficit.

Tim Erixon scored a power play goal on the Penguins’ lone man advantage opportunity of the contest to tie the game. Erixon took a one-timer on a swift pass from Teddy Blueger, and his rocket snuck through Pheonix Copley’s pads at 10:33 of the third period.

The Bears came roaring back and jumped back on top just 27 seconds later when defenseman Christian Djoos wristed a shot past DeSmith for his 13th goal of the year.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton got DeSmith to the bench in exchange for an extra attacker with 90 seconds left in regulation, but couldn’t solve Copley again. The Hershey netminder turned away 22 shots on the night for the win.

The Penguins’ special teams were perfect on limited opportunities, as their power play went one-for-one, and the penalty kill snuffed a pair of Bears opportunities.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton completes its regular season tomorrow night, Saturday, Apr. 15, when the Penguins host the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. Puck drop between the Penguins and Sound Tigers is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

Individual game tickets for Saturday’s game are available at the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza box office, online at TicketMaster.com, or by calling 800-745-3000.

Penguins ticket packages, including packages for the 2017 Calder Cup Playoffs, are available directly through the Penguins offices by calling (570) 208-7367.

PENGUINS FALL IN SHOOTOUT TO PHANTOMS, 2-1

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WILKES-BARRE, Pa – The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins dropped a 2-1 shootout decision to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on Wednesday night at Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza.

The first-place Penguins (50-19-3-2) traversed two scoreless periods before picking up a point in the finale of a 12-game season series with the Phantoms.

The opening frame kicked off with flair when Garrett Wilson and Samuel Morin dropped the gloves just 38 seconds into the contest. That energy from that fight sustained the two teams through the first period, but neither squad could muster a goal before the first intermission. Similarly, the second period drew to a close with the Penguins and Phantoms tied, 0-0.

After 45 minutes of game time, the Penguins were finally able to get one past Phantoms goalie Alex Lyon. Teddy Blueger’s shot bounced off Lyon right to Dominik Simon, who buried it 5:10 into the third period of play for his 15th goal of the season.

The Phantoms answered back with a strike from Taylor Leier at 13:11 of the third. Not only did Leier’s tally tie the game, 1-1, it was the first goal Lehigh Valley scored against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in 268:49, dating back to Mar. 18.

The game went to a shootout after a physical three-on-three overtime. Corban Knight scored the shootout’s lone goal and clinched the Phantoms a spot in the Calder Cup Playoffs.

DeSmith stopped 33 shots in the loss for the Penguins. Lyon also turned away 33 shots in the win for the Phantoms after taking over for Anthony Stolarz, who was ushered off the ice just 1:32 into the first period. Stolarz recorded one save on one shot faced.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s next game is Friday, Apr. 14, when they face-off against the Hershey Bears at Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza. Puck drop between the Penguins and Bears is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

Individual game tickets for Wednesday’s game and all Penguins home games are available at the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza box office, online at TicketMaster.com, or by calling 800-745-3000.

Penguins ticket packages, including packages for the 2017 Calder Cup Playoffs, are available directly through the Penguins offices by calling (570) 208-7367.

PENGUINS CLINCH ATLANTIC DIVISION BY BEATING BRUINS, 2-1

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PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins secured the top seed in the Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference for the Calder Cup Playoffs with a 2-1 win over the Providence Bruins on Sunday afternoon at Dunkin’ Donuts Center.

Sunday’s win marked the first time that the Penguins reached the 50-win plateau (50-19-3-0) since the 2010-11 season. The Penguins also became just the fifth team to accrue 50 wins since the AHL reduced its schedule to 76 games (2011-12).

Cody Wydo put the Penguins on the board with his first AHL goal, burying a rebound 2:49 into the first period of play, gifting Wilkes-Barre/Scranton an early 1-0 lead.

Less than five minutes later, the Penguins doubled the score. Bruins goaltender Zane McIntyre turned over the puck to Ryan Haggerty whose shot was tipped by Zach Aston-Reese and then Jarrett Burton knocked in the rebound. With the primary assist, Aston-Reese improved his statline in the AHL to eight points (3G-5A) in eight games.

The Bruins finally got on the board a mere 40 seconds into the third period on the man advantage. Jake DeBrusk knocked in a shot from the side of the net, bringing Providence within one.

With the goalie pulled in favor of an extra attacker in the final minutes of the game, Casey DeSmith continually stifled the Bruins before the final buzzer signaled the 2-1 win for the Penguins.

DeSmith stopped 33 of 34 shots in the win for the Penguins. McIntyre turned aside 27 shots in the loss for the Bruins.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s next game is Wednesday, Apr. 12, when they face off against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms at Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza. Puck drop between the Penguins and Phantoms is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

Individual game tickets for Wednesday’s game and all Penguins home games are available at the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza box office, online at TicketMaster.com, or by calling 800-745-3000.

Penguins ticket packages, including packages for the 2017 Calder Cup Playoffs, are available directly through the Penguins offices by calling (570) 208-7367.

McGRATH GRABS FIRST AHL GOAL IN WIN OVER WOLF PACK

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Shavertown native Patrick McGrath recorded his first American Hockey League goal, helping the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins to a 2-1 win over the Hartford Wolf Pack on Saturday night at the XL Center.  The win gave the Penguins a sweep in the eight-game season series against the Wolf Pack.

McGrath one-timed home an Adam Krause feed from behind the net at 3:06 of the second period to open the evening’s scoring.  Jean-Sebastien Dea followed about six minutes later with a snipe from the slot to extend the lead to two goals.

Adam Tambellini beat Casey DeSmith 15 seconds into the third period to finally get the Wolf Pack on the board.  But the Penguins net minder was perfect from there on out, stopping 34 shots on the night for his 20th win of the season.  DeSmith also saw his goal against average drop to 2.09 on the season, fourth in the AHL.

Magnus Hellberg made 25 saves in defeat, his fourth loss at the hands of the Penguins this season.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton finishes up the three-in-three road trip tomorrow afternoon against the Providence Bruins at 3:05pm at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center.  The Penguins can lay claim to the Atlantic Division championship by picking up one point against the Bruins.

The Penguins return home on Wednesday night to face the Lehigh Valley Phantoms at 7:05pm.

Individual tickets for all Penguins home games are available at the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza box office, online at TicketMaster.com, or by calling 800-745-3000.

Penguins ticket packages, including 10-voucher flex packs, are available directly through the Penguins offices by calling (570) 208-7367.

PENGUINS BLANK PHANTOMS FOR THIRD GAME IN A ROW, REACH 100 POINTS

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ALLENTOWN, Pa. – The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins became the first team in the American Hockey League to reach 100 points this season by shutting out the Lehigh Valley Phantoms for the third-straight game in a 3-0 win on Friday night at PPL Center.

The Penguins (48-19-3-1) have gone 215:38 of game time without surrendering a goal to the Phantoms, but were led on this night by an offensive outburst by Oskar Sundqvist.

Sundqvist opened the scoring at 4:19 of the second period by beating Anthony Stolarz with a powerful slap shot from the right-wing circle. The goal was Sundqvist’s 100th point as a pro.

On the first face-off following a jaw-dropping sequence that somehow denied the Penguins a sure goal, Sundqvist secured his second tally of the game. The Penguins took the 2-0 lead just 1:28 into the third period.

 

The Phantoms attempted to rally by calling their timeout and pulling the goalie for an extra attacker with just under four minutes left in regulation. After a defensive zone face-off win by Sundqvist, David Warsofsky heaved the puck down the ice into the empty net, putting the game away.

Tristan Jarry denied the Phantoms on all 21 shots he faced for his third shutout of the season. Stolarz turned away 29 shots in the loss.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s next game is tomorrow, Saturday, Apr. 8, when it faces the Hartford Wolf Pack for the eighth and final time this season. Puck drop between the Penguins and Wolf Pack is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. at XL Center. The Penguins’ next home game is Wednesday, Apr. 12, and once again they’ll take on the Phantoms.

Individual tickets for all Penguins home games are available at the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza box office, online at TicketMaster.com, or by calling 800-745-3000.

Penguins ticket packages, including 10-voucher flex packs, are available directly through the Penguins offices by calling (570) 208-7367.