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AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins

Fast Start Sends Phantoms Past Penguins

March 28, 2015 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins News Release


ALLENTOWN, Pa. - Scott Laughton collected two goals and an assist to help lead the Lehigh Valley Phantoms to a 4-1 win over the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Saturday at PPL Center.

After the Penguins were unable to convert on their first power play chance early in the first period, the Phantoms took to their first man-advantage of the game and were able to pull ahead, 1-0. Using teammate Zack Stortini as a screen, Laughton picked out the top right corner of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton net at 9:44 with a wrist shot from the far faceoff dot.

Lehigh Valley stretched its lead to two just 1:15 later when Jesper Pettersson was left alone atop of the right circle to accept a pass from Petr Straka and walk into a slapshot that beat goalie Matt Murray to the glove side.

The Phantoms kept the Penguins offense at bay in the second - limiting the opposition to just three shots - and went up, 3-0, at 9:43 as Steven Delisle's bid from the near blueline sneaked through the pads of Murray.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton found its stride in third frame, owning a 19-1 shot advantage through the final twenty minutes of regulation. The Penguins finally solved Phantoms goalie Rob Zepp at 9:17 of the frame when Tom Kostopoulos' backhand pass from the near post ricocheted off of Andrew Ebbett and into the net.

That would be all of the offense the Penguins could muster before Laughton found the empty net with 52 seconds left in the contest on Lehigh Valley's lone shot of the period.

Zepp made 33 saves as the Phantoms put an end to their four-game losing streak. Murray finished with 17 saves on 20 shots as he dropped his first decision in regulation since Jan. 31, also versus Lehigh Valley. The Penguins goaltender was 11-0-1 in his previous 12 starts.

The Penguins begin a three-game homestand on Wednesday, March 28 as they take on the Hartford Wolf Pack at 7:05 p.m. Individual tickets for all Penguins home games are available at the Mohegan Sun Arena Box Office, online at TicketMaster.com, or by calling 800-745-3000.

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