Penguins Drop Back-And-Forth Game in Shootout, 5-4
February 9, 2024 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins News Release
ALLENTOWN, Pa. - At the end of a game full of momentum swings, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton were on the losing side of a shootout against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, 5-4, on Friday night at PPL Center.
Matt Brown's shootout winner sunk Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (24-16-6-1) after the Penguins erased a two-goal deficit in the third period. Three points apiece from Vinnie Hinostroza (1G-2A) and Jonathan Gruden (3A) helped the Penguins collect a point in the standings.
The offense started bursting at the seams in the final three minutes of the first period. After Wade Allison put Lehigh Valley on the board while the teams were skating at four-on-four, Hinostroza's slick backhand finish on the power play tied things up 33 seconds later. Fifty seconds after that, Peter Abbandonato deflected in a shot from the point, giving Wilkes-Barre/Scranton a 2-1 lead.
The Phantoms came roaring in to start the second, scoring three goals in the first six minutes. Rhett Gardner, Brendan Furry, and Jon-Randall Avon lit the lamp for Lehigh Valley, flipping the game to a 4-2 score in its favor.
Similar to the Phantoms' offensive outburst in the second, the Penguins turned the tide in the third period. First, Alex Nylander rifled in a wrist shot one second after the expiration of a power play. Then, Gruden picked up his third assist of the game by setting up Ty Smith for a slap shot from the high slot.
Following a back-and-forth overtime, the Penguins played in their first shootout of the season. Lukas Svejkovsky converted on his bid in the second round to extend the skills showcase, but Brown buried the winner in round four.
Joel Blomqvist made 27 saves in regulation and overtime, then turned aside two of four shootout attempts. Felix Sandström conjured 19 saves in 65 minutes of work, then denied three more in the shootout to help secure Lehigh Valley the extra point.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's next game is on Wednesday, Feb. 14 against the Toronto Marlies. Puck drop is slated for 11:00 a.m. at Coca-Cola Coliseum.
The Penguins' next home game isn't until Saturday, Feb. 17, when they adopt the moniker of the Pittston Tomatoes for one night only in the latest installment of the Penguins' community series presented by Visit Luzerne County. The Tomatoes will take on the Laval Rocket with a 6:05 p.m. puck drop at Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza
Season-ticket packages for the Penguins' 25th season of hockey are on sale now. Full-Season, 22-game, 12-game, Flexbook and Premium Seating plans are available by reaching out to the Penguins directly at (570) 208-7367. Individual-game tickets are also available by visiting Ticketmaster.com, the Mohegan Sun Arena Box Office or calling the Penguins' front office at (570) 208-7367.
-penguins-
• Discuss this story on the American Hockey League message board...
American Hockey League Stories from February 9, 2024
- Amerks Unable to Hold Lead in Overtime Loss to Crunch - Rochester Americans
- Admirals Get Lucky #13 - Milwaukee Admirals
- Lehigh Valley Returns from Break in Style - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Moose Fall to Griffins in Shootout - Manitoba Moose
- Prosvetov Shines as Eagles Top Abbotsford, 3-1 - Colorado Eagles
- Griffins Outlast Moose in 10-Round Shootout for Seventh Consecutive Victory - Grand Rapids Griffins
- The Canucks Drop Their First Game Back in a 3-1 Loss in Colorado - Abbotsford Canucks
- Hogs Earn Points in Third Straight Game with OT Loss to Stars - Rockford IceHogs
- O'Rourke and Walker Lift Iowa to 2-1 Win Over Tucson - Iowa Wild
- Iowa Edges Out Tucson 2-1 - Tucson Roadrunners
- Damiani Sends Stars Past IceHogs in Overtime - Texas Stars
- Penguins Drop Back-And-Forth Game in Shootout, 5-4 - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Bears Return From Break With 3-1 Win Over Bruins - Hershey Bears
- Wolves Drop 3-1 Decision to Admirals - Chicago Wolves
- Senators Shut Out by Comets in Weekend Opener at CAA Arena - Belleville Senators
- Wolf Pack Top Islanders - Bridgeport Islanders
- Monsters Pick up Point in 4-3 Overtime Loss to Checkers - Cleveland Monsters
- Wolf Pack Score Four Unanswered Goals in 2000th Game to Power Past Islanders 4-1 - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Checkers Complete Incredible Comeback in Cleveland - Charlotte Checkers
- San Diego Blanks Calgary - San Diego Gulls
- Wranglers Grounded by Gulls - Calgary Wranglers
- P-Bruins Topped by Bears in Third Frame - Providence Bruins
- Crunch Rally Past Amerks, 3-2, in Overtime - Syracuse Crunch
- Goaltender Poulter Perfect Against Senators, Comets Win 2-0 - Utica Comets
- Mikael Samuelsson and Mike Komisarek Are Guiding Young Players to Understand Canucks Hockey - Abbotsford Canucks
- Morning Skate Report: February 9, 2024 - Henderson Silver Knights
- Flames Recall Dustin Wolf - Calgary Wranglers
- Game Day: SD vs CGY - Calgary Wranglers
- Bears' Trineyev Suspended for One Game - AHL
- Weeks Returned to Indy - Rockford IceHogs
- Game Preview: Iowa Wild vs. Tucson Roadrunners - Iowa Wild
- Wolf Pack Welcome Islanders to Town for 2,000th Game in Franchise History - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Kuzmin Reassigned to Norfolk - Manitoba Moose
- Game Preview: Bears at Bruins, 7:05 p.m. - Hershey Bears
- Bojangles Game Preview: February 9 at Cleveland - Charlotte Checkers
- Svejkovsky, Hamaliuk Reassigned to Penguins - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Game Preview: Condors v San Jose, 7 p.m. - Bakersfield Condors
- Game #43: Tucson Roadrunners vs. Iowa Wild - Tucson Roadrunners
- IceHogs Return to Action at Home against Stars for Margaritaville Night - Rockford IceHogs
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
Other Recent Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins Stories
- Penguins Reduce Training Camp Roster Ahead of Preseason Finale
- Penguins Lose to Bears in Overtime, 4-3
- Penguins Rally to Beat Bears in School-Day Shootout
- Penguins Victorious in Preseason Opener, 6-1
- Penguins Announce Initial Training Camp Schedule and Roster