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Jake Livanavage spent the week in Pittsburgh.
On Friday night in Charlotte, a bit deep in the third period with the Penguins down 3-0, he pulled his team from the brink defeat to the bliss of victory.
Wilkes-Barre wins 4-3 in overtime in Charlotte, North Carolina after scoring a trio of goals in about four minutes and then Livanavage finishes off a three on one in overtime to send the Penguins to a two game winning streak.
The two teams will rematch Saturday at 6 p.m.
Here’s how they lined up…
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Lineup Notes: Lucas Ciona and Daniel Russell for David Gustafsson and Justin Brazeau up front. Brazeau was recalled from his conditioning stint on Monday. Gustafsson is week to week with an upper body injury, hurt Sunday in Hershey.
Harrison Brunicke is on the trip, but missed this game.
First Period: Pens blitzkrieged Cooper Black, who turned away all 10 shots faced. Pens had a power play come and go but that was not the case for Charlotte on theirs where Jack Devine scored to make it 1-0 for the home team…
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Pens had a late flurry to tie the game in the final minute but were not able to get anything past Cooper Black.
Second Period: Penguins would go on a power play only to see it erased just eight seconds into it. No scoring in the period but Taylor Gather was keeping his side in the hockey game.
Third Period: Mikulas Hovorka would score at 4:14 and the hole got deeper for the Penguins…
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Rafaël Harvey-Pinard would get awarded a penalty shot but Cooper Black stopped him here…
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Just like the second period, the Penguins power play would end :11 into it and then after the four on four which would ensue John Beecher would power by Chase Pietila and score to extend Charlotte’s lead to 3-0.
(no GIF here)
Now, the comeback was on.
Daniel Russell at 10:22 and it was just the spark that the Penguins were looking for.
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All it took was one, because Harvey-Pinard finally extracted his pound of flesh as he finally cracks Black and pulls the Penguins within one…
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Penguins even the game on a 4-on-3 power play goal from Rutger McGroarty. Wilkes-Barre called a time out to set things up and McGroarty from his office, scores from the low angle to tie the game at three.
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Charlotte was on tilt from here and managed to get the game to…
Overtime: McGroarty would have to sweat out a tripping penalty but Gauthier held serve, and then the Penguins would jailbreak a three on one rush that Jake Livanavage would finish off here…
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Livanavage would figure in on three of the Penguins goals, not assisting in the Russell goal that started the comeback.
Three Stars: 3) Sam Lafferty (two assists) 2) Rutger McGroarty (goal, assist) 1) Jake Livanavage (overtime game winning goal, two assists)
The Good: Never say die attitude for the Penguins who, I almost want to say won the game for their goaltender, who kept them in the game late into the third, was let down by lapses in front of him and gave them a chance to win on an overtime penalty kill.
The Bad: I didn’t particularly care for the carelessness on the two occasions the Penguins had their power play opportunities erased seconds into them in the second and again in the third.
Turning Point: The Livanavage game winning goal gets it here, as often goals in overtime do.
Around the Division: Belleville beats Lehigh Valley 3-1 …. Providence storms for five in the third to stun Hamilton 5-4 …. Rochester beats Hartford 4-2 and Springfield beats Hershey, also 4-2.
Standings: Charlotte 17 – Hershey 14 – Hartford and Penguins 13 – Providence 12 – Lehigh Valley and Springfield 11
Florida Update: Everblades beat the Jacksonville Icemen 2-1 in overtime. Ryan Mast had the game winner in OT for the Blades, Cam Johnson stopped 27.
Video Highlights: Aren’t up yet, however the Checkers YouTube page is here and I see they put road highlights up which usually falls on the team hosting, so I am confident enough that they with post them once they are ready.
Back here Saturday. Remember they start an hour early at 6 p.m.
Let’s Go Pens!
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