McLean makes Rats pay with third period winner
Published on December 22, 2007 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins News Release
WILKES-BARRE, PA - Kurtis McLean helped the Penguins to a win Friday by taking a stick to the face, which led to a five-minute power play where the team scored the decisive goals in a 2-1 victory against Manchester.
His contribution was a little more direct on Saturday.
McLean scored the game-winning goal with 6:14 left in regulation, lifting the Penguins to a 4-3 win against the Albany River Rats at the Wachovia Arena at Casey Plaza.
The win raised the Pens' record to 16-12-0-1 on the season, and gives Wilkes-Barre/Scranton a season-high four-game winning streak heading into the holiday break. Albany now has a 17-14-0-2 record on the year.
McLean's winner - his second in the past three games - came after a mad scramble in front of the River Rats net. Tim Brent's initial shot was saved by Michael Leighton, but the Albany netminder got twisted up as a result, leaving his net exposed to McLean, who picked up the rebound and found the back of the cage.
McLean now has five points (2+3) in his past four games, while Brent (1+5) and Chris Minard (3+2) extended their point scoring streaks to four games with assists on the GWG.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton twice took one-goal leads, only to see the opposition battle back to tie the game, and eventually take a 3-2 lead.
Alex Goligoski opened the scoring with his first of two goals on the night, beating Leighton with a wrister from the slot 5:32 into the game. Tim Wallace and Nathan Smith picked up helpers on the goal.
Yannick Tifu evened the score at 1-1 10 minutes later. A Penguins clearing attempt was popped up at the blueline, where Jakub Petruzalek grabbed the loose puck. He fed a breaking Tifu, who deked Dave Brown for his first of the year.
Ryan Stone netted his second goal in as many games early in the second period, beating Leighton after the Rats backstopper couldn't handle Jonathan Filewich's shot from the right side.
The lead was short-lived, though, as Jamie Johnson countered with a backhand shot that squeezed between Brown's skate and the near post 31 seconds after Stone's tally.
Petruzalek gave Albany its only lead of the night less than two minutes later, waiting for Brown to commit and then going high into the net at 6:10 for his first of the season.
Stone and Tim Conboy got a little physical midway through the game, throwing down on the wall at the blue line. Conboy got the short end of the stick, picking up roughing, instigating and a 10 minute misconduct in addition to his fighting major.
That advantage allowed the Penguins to tie the game at 3-3, as Goligoski tipped home a Mark Letestu blast from the slot at 11:118 of the second.
The win was the second in a row over the River Rats for the Pens, who downed their East Division foes by an 8-1 score just one week ago.
Brown made 24 saves to pick up his second win of the AHL season, while Leighton turned aside 19 in the loss.
The Penguins return to action on Wednesday, December 26 when they host the Syracuse Crunch in a post-Christmas contest. Game time is 7:05pm.
American Hockey League Stories from December 22, 2007
- Monsters Outshot in Shootout - Cleveland Monsters
- Rockford tops Milwaukee Admirals 4-2 - Rockford IceHogs
- Aeros, Schaefer blank Falcons 2-0 - Houston Aeros
- Bulldogs edged by Moose in OT - Hamilton Bulldogs
- Moose beat Bulldogs 3-2 in OT - Manitoba Moose
- Griffins Drop 4-3 Overtime Decision to Wolves - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Boyle scores a hat-trick to lead Manchester over the Sound Tigers - Bridgeport Islanders
- Rivermen Come Back on Monsters for 3-2 Shootout Win - Peoria Rivermen
- McLean makes Rats pay with third period winner - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Power Play Haunts River Rats in Wilkes-Barre - Albany River Rats
- Devils Solve Bruins With 3-1 Victory - Albany Devils
- Boyle Mutes Sound Tigers With Holiday Hat Trick - Manchester Monarchs
- Sharks Clip Portland In Overtime - Worcester Sharks
- Amerks edged 3-1 by Binghamton - Rochester Americans
- Admirals Can't Solve Machesney, Bears - Norfolk Admirals
- Oilers Recall Drouin-Deslauriers - Springfield Falcons
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