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Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins

Strange Goal Separates Pens from Phantoms in 5-3 Loss

January 30, 2016 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins News Release


WILKES-BARRE, Pa. - Sparks were flying throughout the entirety of an intense, high-flying match-up between the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and Lehigh Valley Phantoms on Saturday night at Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza.

The Penguins lost 5-3 in a game with tons of scoring, plenty chances, and 60 penalty minutes, but one controversial moment proved to be the difference in the end.

The game's winning goal came at 17:48 of the second period from Pavel Padakin on a play that saw the Penguins netminder taken to the ice by a collision in the crease and the puck shot in several seconds later.

"The explanation we got was that our guy was holding their guy on our goalie, so the goal would count," said Penguins head coach Clark Donatelli. "That's the explanation we got, but you have to protect the goalies."

Will O'Neill, who was named to the 2016 Toyota AHL All-Star classic the morning of the game, scored the first goal with a power play marker for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton at 9:05 of the first.

The Phantoms responded with a power play goal of their own 34 seconds into the second period, as Taylor Leier tipped a point shot past Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry, tying the game at one goal apiece.

Lehigh Valley struck again just as another man advantage expired 5:04 into the second, going up 2-1 thanks to Colin McDonald.

Chris Conner lifted Lehigh Valley to a 3-1 lead 38 seconds after McDonald's goal.

The Penguins pulled within one when Scott Wilson scored on the power play at 11:06 of the middle frame, making the score read 3-2.

The already heated contest took a twist when Penguins forward Tom Sestito knocked Tyrell Goulbourne into Jarry, sending Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's goalie down to the ice. Play continued, and the Phantoms threw the puck into the net while the fallen Jarry was still on his back. The referee signaled "goal", drawing immediate protest from the Penguins players on the ice and bench, but the goal stood as called, nonetheless.

That go-ahead goal was credited to Padakin and gave Lehigh Valley a 4-2 lead.

"Obviously, that's a call we'd like to see go the other way," O'Neill told reporters after the game. "Usually you see [referees] blow the whistle, especially in today's game where they're always protecting the goalies. But, hey, it happened and we needed to move on."

Conor Sheary connected with Wilson midway through the third for Wilson's second goal of the game and AHL-leading 22nd goal of the year, pulling the Penguins within one, 4-3.

The Phantoms survived the Penguins' desperation push in the late goings of the third, and McDonald scored an empty netter with 48 seconds left to seal Lehigh Valley's 5-3 victory.

Padakin's goal stood as the game-winner.

Jarry, making his second start in as many nights, made 30 saves for the second game in a row. Anthony Stolarz made 24 stops.

The Penguins finished the game two-for-seven on the power play, and killed seven-of-eight man advantage opportunities given to the Penguins.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton heads into the All-Star break with a 29-13-1-1 record and first place in the Atlantic Division. The Penguins' first game out of the break is on Friday, Feb. 5 at MassMutual Center against the Springfield Falcons. Game time is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.

Check out the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins Statistics

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