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So here’s the thing, if it’s anyone else other than Joel Blomqvist in the net for the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins Wednesday night, this is a blowout loss of epic proportions.
Instead, it was a close game throughout, but a game that the Penguins would lose 3-2 in overtime.
Wilkes-Barre carried a 2-1 lead into the third period but it was in this period that Lehigh Valley’s Cooper Marody started to cook. He scored the game tying goal and then in overtime the Penguins won the face-off, turned it over then never got it back and it was Marody at 1:04 of overtime that sent them packing.
Here’s how they lined up…
Lineup Notes: I completely forgot about Matt Filipe’s injury in the segment earlier today for the Weekend Preview. Other than that add Taylor Fedun and Lukas Svejkovsky to the injured list. They returned to the 12/6 format and Jonathan Gruden and Vinnie Hinostroza were back from Pittsburgh, Joona Koppanne was back from his weekend hiatus. Justin Addamo was out, the only lineup change from last game, but took warmups. 200th AHL game for Jonathan Gruden.
Magnus Hellberg was recalled to Pittsburgh earlier in the week. I didn’t mention it in the Weekend Preview because there’s no injury to any goalie (one of team were sick) so I would have thought he would have been back in time. He wasn’t and Taylor Gauthier was recalled from Wheeling.
First Period: Penguins came out flatter than two day old soda. That was foreshadowing on the night. But then Jonathan Gruden rang the post, and Jagger Joshua cleaned up the loose change and scored to give the Penguins a 1-0 lead.
Only blemish of the night from referees Mason Riley and Jim Curtain was when Austin Rueschhoff had the puck but was called for hooking near the Phantoms net. Baffling decision, but these two were stellar tonight I thought and let the players dictate play. I really like Curtain, I think he’s one of the better refs in the AHL.
Second Period: Phantoms had a goal taken away when replay shows it bat off the glove of the player who redirected it in (I didn’t catch a number) and more great stuff from Curtain and Riley, the review on video took all of about ten seconds.
Then the Penguins could not win a face-off. At all. This time, they lose the face-off (again) and Lehigh Valley fumbles it at the blue line and Alex Nylander is set up for a breakaway and scores to make it 2-0 Wilkes-Barre.
But then Lehigh Valley got a legal goal to go when Bobby Brink scored in tight to make it a 2-1 game.
(Lehigh Valley didn’t GIF goals, check video highlights below)
Third Period: Cooper Marody with a slam dunk on the near side left unmarked for a goal at 11:24. No penalties for either side, Curtain and Riley must have work in the morning like I do and kept it moving.
Overtime: Penguins win face-off, I think Ryan Shea turns it over and Lehigh valley takes it, doesn’t relent and Cooper Marody scores his second for the game winning goal that wins it for the Phantoms.
Three Stars: 3) Bobby Brink 2) Alex Nylander (goal) 1) Cooper Marody (two goals)
The Good: They scratched out a point and have 60 on the season. If I didn’t have work in the morning I’d check to see when it was they got 60 last season. Likely late in the season, because they finished with just 66 last year.
I think they will be fine. This loss stinks though.
The Bad: They could have and very well should have won the game, but not for Blomqvist, would have lost badly. Ryan Shea wasn’t good at all either I thought.
Turning Point: Marody’s overtime game winner gets it here as the event of a goal in overtime always does. Pens are 1-7 in overtime this season. That alone may cost them a shot at a bye come playoffs.
Around the Division: Hartford beats Bridgeport clean 2-1….Hershey loses in a shootout 3-2 in Laval.
Standings: Hershey 81 – Providence 65 – Penguins 60 – Hartford 57 – Charlotte 53 – Springfield 51 – Lehigh Valley 49 – Bridgeport 47
Wheeling Update: The Nailers were off.
Video Highlights:
Back at it Friday in Hershey, more then.
Let’s Go Pens!
WBS News
Chirps from Center Ice 