AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins

Penguins Lose to Hershey, 4-3

November 21, 2002 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins News Release


WILKES-BARRE, PA (Wednesday, November 20, 2002) - Brian Willsie scored his second power play goal of the game 1:04 into overtime to lift the Hershey Bears to a 4-3 win over the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins before a crowd of 8,357 at the First Union Arena at Casey Plaza.

Mikhail Kuleshov had a goal and two assists and Mark Freer added a goal and an assist for the Bears, who improved to 2-0 on the season against the Penguins. Toby Petersen led the Penguins with a goal and one assist in a losing effort.

Willsie, who finished the game with four points (2+2), knocked home a rebound past goaltender Sebastien Caron for his sixth goal of the season 1:07 into Shane Endicott's delay of game penalty. With the Bears' pressuring Caron in the closing seconds of regulation, Endicott tried clearing the puck but was unsuccessful as it bounced off the glass and into the stands.

The Penguins tied the game with 2:40 left in regulation on Matt Hussey's fourth goal of the season. Hussey took a pass from Brooks Orpik and beat Hershey goaltender Peter Budaj on a one-timer from the slot to even the game at 3-3.

The Bears, who never trailed in the game, took a 1-0 lead on Willsie's goal at 11:21 of the first period. But early in the second period, the Penguins tied the game on Petersen's fifth goal of the season and his third goal in the last three games at 5:02. Hershey answered 1:53 later as Mikhail Kuleshov scored his second goal of the season with a power play at 6:55 to give the Bears a 2-1 lead.

Later in the second period, the Penguins tied the game on Tom Kostopoulos' power play goal at 16:32. However, Hershey regained the lead with 28 seconds left in the period as Freer notched his sixth goal of the goal of the season.

The Bears converted on three of seven power play opportunities, while the Penguins scored on two of four chances in the game.

Peter Budaj made 26 saves to even his record to 2-2 on the season, while Caron stopped 29 of 33 shots for the Penguins. With the win, Hershey improves to 9-4-1-1 (19 points), while the Penguins' record falls to 5-10-1-1 (12 points). The Penguins are now winless in their last five games (0-4-1) at home.

The Penguins continue their homestand on Saturday as they host the first-place Norfolk Admirals at 7:05 p.m. at the First Union Arena at Casey Plaza.

Check out the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins Statistics



American Hockey League Stories from November 21, 2002


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