PENGUINS DROP OPENING-NIGHT OVERTIME TO T-BIRDS, 3-2

BOXSCORE

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. – The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins opened their 2026-27 season with a 3-2 overtime loss to the Springfield Thunderbirds on Saturday night at Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton received both of its goals from Atley Calvert, but the team was otherwise plugged up by Springfield goaltender Georgii Romanov. Romanov recorded 43 saves throughout the night and double-digit stops in each of the three regulation periods.

Springfield struck first three minutes into the game, when rookie Justin Carbonneau swatted in his first career AHL goal. However, the Penguins’ response came in short order. Tristan Broz found Calvert with a pass at the far post, and after Calvert was initially thwarted by Romanov, he chased down his own rebound and fired in the tying tally.

After surviving their second penalty kill of the game, the T-Birds regained the lead on a mini-breakaway finished by T.J. Tynan with 3:38 left in the first frame.

Calvert lit the lamp for a second time with a shorthanded goal that tied the game. Harrison Brunicke and Avery Hayes strung together an entry on the rush, followed by Calvert taking a feed from Hayes and beating Romanov at 12:32 of the second period.

The 2-2 deadlock persisted through the third period, resulting in an opening-night overtime. While skating at four-on-four, T-Birds defenseman Calle Rosén snapped a shot through traffic and to the back of the net to win the game.

Penguins netminder Joel Blomqvist finished with 20 saves on 23 shots faced.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton will have the opportunity to bounce back when they hit the ice again tomorrow, Sunday, Oct. 4, against the Hartford Wolf Pack. Puck drop between the Penguins and Wolf Pack is set for 5:05 p.m. at Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza.

Season-ticket packages for the Penguins’ 2026-27 regular season, including Full-Season, 22-game, 12-game, Flexbook and Premium Seating plans, as well as Corporate Partnership opportunities are also available by reaching out to the Penguins directly at (570) 208-7367. Individual-game tickets can also be purchased at wbspenguins.com, at the Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza box office or by calling the Penguins’ front office at (570) 208-7367.

Every minute of Penguins 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.