PENGUINS POWER PAST PROVIDENCE

April 27, 2017 Brian Coe
Warsofsky Bruins
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BOXSCORE

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.

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