Despite Comeback, Pens Downed by Phantoms
October 4, 2015 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins News Release
ALLENTOWN, Pa. - Sunday night's game between the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and Lehigh Valley Phantoms followed a script eerily similar to that played out on Wednesday night - but in reverse.
The Penguins clawed their way back from a 3-0 hole with three quick third period goals. But a late goal by Danick Martel gave the Phantoms a 4-3 victory in the preseason finale for both teams.
In Wednesday night's game at Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza, it was Wilkes-Barre/Scranton that got off to the hot, 3-0 start before Lehigh Valley tied things up. The Penguins pulled out that win by an identical score of 4-3.
Sahir Gill, playing in his fourth of four possible preseason games, led the Penguins surge back into the game, scoring his team's first goal 2:32 into the third period. Gill added an assist on Ty Loney's tally, pulling the Penguins within one of the Phantoms at 7:44 of the third.
Oskar Sundqvist went-coast-to coast to tie the game 3-3 by beating Lehigh Valley's goalie Jason LaBarbera just inside the post to the blocker side. It was Sundqvist's first goal of the preseason and first goal in a Wilkes-Barre/Scranton uniform.
Despite all the work the Penguins put in to battle back, the Phantoms skated off home ice with the win thanks to Martel, who scored the deciding goal with 4:23 to go in the game. Martel's opportunity came after a miscue on the Penguins' breakout led to a loose puck finding its way onto Martel's stick for a mini-break away with Pens netminder Tristan Jarry.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton had the opportunity to equalize one more time when the Phantoms' Samuel Morin took a penalty in the final two minutes of regulation, but a series of blocked shots by Lehigh Valley prevented the Penguins from ever really challenging LaBarbera on that man advantage.
The Penguins power play finished the night 0-for-4.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton came out on top in the shots on goal category, 37 to 24, but LaBarbera's 35 saves kept the Penguins off the scoresheet just enough to help lift his team to its first victory of the exhibition schedule.
Jarry made 20 saves in his second appearance between the pipes for the Penguins this preseason.
Petr Straka kicked off the scoring by beating Tristan Jarry five-hole at 10:59 of the first period.
The Phantoms added a power play goal thanks to former Penguin Tim Brent at 16:14 of the opening frame. Assists on Brent's goal were awarded to Taylor Leier and Nick Cousins, after a hard shot by Cousins was too hot to handle for Jarry and Leier slid the rebound to a wide open Brent on the backdoor.
Cousins got his second point of the game on the Phantoms'; third goal, wiring a wrist shot into the top corner over Harry's blocker side with less than five minutes to play in the second period.
Cousins' play earned him first star of the night honors.
The Penguins will finally get their first taste of regular season hockey next weekend, when they head to Providence and Bridgeport on Friday, Oct. 9 and Saturday, Oct. 10. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton will see Lehigh Valley again in the Pens home opener on Friday, Oct. 16.
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American Hockey League Stories from October 4, 2015
- Despite Comeback, Pens Downed by Phantoms - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
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- Moose Reduce Roster by Five - Manitoba Moose
- Wolves Trim Roster to Close Training Camp - Chicago Wolves
- Iowa Trims Training Camp Roster by Eight - Iowa Wild
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