Penguins Outlast Phantoms, 5-3
March 16, 2025 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins News Release
ALLENTOWN, Pa. - The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins concluded their 12-game season series with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on a positive note, toppling their turnpike rival, 5-3, on Sunday afternoon at PPL Center.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (33-17-7-1) used its special teams to gather most of its offense on the day, but a go-ahead goal late in regulation by Valtteri Puustinen lifted the Penguins to victory.
Sergei Murashov improved his AHL record to 9-0-0 with Sunday's triumph. His ninth consecutive win ties him with Matt Murray (2014-15) for the longest rookie win streak in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton history.
Tristan Broz registered the first goal of the afternoon on the power play three minutes into the opening stanza, burying a one-timer set up by Mathias Laferričre. The Penguins immediately went to the penalty kill, but Joona Koppanen used a shorthanded goal 24 seconds later to extend Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's early lead to two.
Ethan Samson cut the Penguins lead to one with a clapper from the left wall that beat Murashov on Lehigh Valley's first shot of the contest.
Givani Smith knotted the score, 2-2, three and a half minutes into the middle frame.
After a bountiful harvest of chances at both ends of the ice, Avery Hayes redirected in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's second power-play goal of the evening at 16:07 of the second period.
Halfway through the third, newly-acquired Phantoms forward Nikita Grebenkin scored a man-advantage marker in his Lehigh Valley debut, knotting the score at three apiece.
With time winding down in regulation, Puustinen deflected a point shot from Owen Pickering under Alexei Kolosov's glove to put the Penguins back ahead, 4-3, with 3:36 left in regulation.
Koppanen gathered his second goal of the game with an empty netter, clinching the win for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
Murashov made 23 saves to post his ninth-straight victory. Kolosov turned aside 17 of the 21 shots he faced.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's next game is Friday, March 21, when the Providence Bruins travel to Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza for the first time this season. This marks another WBRE 28/WYOU 22 Fan Friday. Select draft beers will be on sale for $2 from 6:00-7:30, courtesy of Coors Light. Fans are encouraged to stick around for postgame autographs featuring two Penguins players, presented by Northeast Music Center.
Puck drop between the Penguins and Bruins is set for 7:05 p.m.
Season-ticket packages for the Penguins' 2025-26 season 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.
Every minute of Penguins hockey can be watched online with the league's streaming service, AHLTV on FloHockey. AHLTV on FloHockey provides its subscribers access to not just every regular-season and Calder Cup Playoff game for all 32 AHL teams, but also more than 21,000 hockey contests from other professional and junior leagues on FloHockey, as well as access to all other live event streams and replays across FloSports.
American Hockey League Stories from March 16, 2025
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