PENGUINS DROP GAME 2 TO T-BIRDS IN OVERTIME

BOXSCORE

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. – The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins lost Game 2 of the Atlantic Division Final to Springfield in overtime, 4-3, on Thursday night at Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton controlled play decisively for 40 minutes, only for Springfield to erase a three-goal deficit in the third period. A bizarre bounce on the game-winning goal capped off the comeback for the T-Birds, who evened the series at one win apiece.

Akil Thomas was credited with the game-winner at 13:44 of overtime, after his shot on the rush whizzed wide of the net, but ricocheted off the back glass and hit the outstretched arm of Penguins goalie Sergei Murashov before dribbling across the goal line.

For the second game in a row, the contest started with newcomer Bill Zonnon opening the scoring for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Zonnon finished off a gorgeous power-play set up at 8:42 of the first period after all five Penguins skaters touched the puck.

Tristan Broz netted his first goal of the postseason by lighting the lamp 16 seconds into the middle frame.

The Penguins conjured another man-advantage marker in the late stages of the second period, running their lead to 3-0. A cross-ice dish by Rutger McGroarty came right to the tape of Avery Hayes, who snapped it past Georgi Romanov for his team-leading third goal of the playoffs.

The T-Birds’ rally started 55 seconds into the third period, when Hugh McGing notched a shorthanded goal to put Springfield on the board for the first time in the series.

Dillon Dubé scored a pair of extra-attacker goals for Springfield with 3:24 and 1:50 remaining in regulation to force overtime, setting the stage for Thomas’ unorthodox winner.

Murashov made 41 saves in the loss for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, while Romanov recorded 39 saves for Springfield.

The series shifts to Springfield for Game 3 on Tuesday, May 19. Puck drop at MassMutual Center is slated for 7:05 p.m.

Individual playoff game tickets can be purchased by calling the Penguins’ front office at (570) 208-7367 or at wbspenguins.com. Penguins Playoff Packages are also available only by reaching out to the Penguins directly.

Playoff packages, which are billed on a pay-as-we-play basis, include tickets to every confirmed home game during the postseason. Each package also comes with an $8 voucher for every home game, which can be redeemed at Savor concession stands or at the Penguins Igloo Team Store located inside Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza on each designated game date.

Every minute of Penguins playoff hockey can be watched online with the league’s streaming service, AHLTV on FloHockey. AHLTV on FloHockey provides its subscribers access to not just every regular-season and Calder Cup Playoff game for all 32 AHL teams, but also more than 21,000 hockey contests from other professional and junior leagues on FloHockey, as well as access to all other live event streams and replays across FloSports.