HERSHEY, Pa. – The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins lost to the Hershey Bears, 4-1, on Friday night at Giant Center.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (26-18-7-1) engaged in a special teams-led bout against its in-state rival, with the Penguins awarded five power plays and the Bears awarded seven. Hershey’s seventh man advantage proved to be the difference, giving the home team the lead with 3:38 left in regulation.
With Taylor Fedun, Joona Koppanen and Jonathan Gruden all sitting in the box, Bears defenseman Chase Priskie snapped a shot over the glove of Joel Blomqvist for the game-winner. Hershey then tacked on two empty netters to seal the victory.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton opened the scoring during a Hershey power play in the first period when Jonathan Gruden lit the lamp on a shorthanded breakaway. Raivis Ansons pitched the puck up into the air, allowing Gruden to gallop past the Bears’ blueliners and race towards Clay Stevenson all alone. Gruden snapped home his second shorty of the season at 5:49.
Hershey pulled even, 1-1, on a low shot by Ryan Hofer at the 14-minute mark of the first period.
The deadlock persisted through the second frame, but the Bears were given a glorious opportunity to pull ahead when they got to start the third period with a five-on-three man advantage for 76 seconds. The Penguins did not allow a shot on goal during the entire sequence.
After killing off their sixth P.K. of the game with time to spare in the final frame, the Penguins went right back to the box. The seventh time was the charm for Priskie and the Bears, who used the opportunity to seize a 2-1 lead.
Shorthanded empty-net goals from Matt Strome and Bogdan Trineyev locked down Hershey’s 40th win of the season.
Blomqvist was credited with 19 saves on 20 shots faced, while Stevenson notched 24 saves in the win.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s next game is tomorrow, Saturday, Feb. 24, as it hosts the Bridgeport Islanders for Military Appreciation Night presented by MetLife. Opening puck drop for the Penguins and Islanders will be 6:05 p.m. at Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza.
Season-ticket packages for the Penguins’ 25th season of hockey are on sale now. Full-Season, 22-game, 12-game, Flexbook and Premium Seating plans are available by reaching out to the Penguins directly at (570) 208-7367. Individual-game tickets are also available by visiting Ticketmaster.com, the Mohegan Sun Arena Box Office or calling the Penguins’ front office at (570) 208-7367.
