NYLANDER, PUUSTINEN REACH 20 GOALS IN SHOOTOUT LOSS
ALLENTOWN, Pa. – The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins lost in a shootout to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, 4-3, on Saturday night at PPL Center.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (21-20-2-5) saw Alex Nylander and Valtteri Puustinen pick up their 20th goals of the season during a back-and-forth game that featured a wild third period. Lehigh Valley rallied during the final frame, then survived an onslaught in OT to pull out the extra point during the shootout.
After neither team lit the lamp in the first period, Drake Caggiula put the Penguins on the board at 5:21 of the middle frame. Ten minutes later, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton converted on its third power-play of the night to seize a 2-0 lead. Nylander deposited a rebound after Puustinen blasted a one-timer on net.
Lehigh Valley turned the game on its head by potting a pair of goals 16 seconds apart early in the third period. First, Egor Zamula launched a wrist shot through traffic and to the near-side top corner of the Penguins net. Then, a Phantoms shot hit Penguins defenseman Ty Smith in the face, and Alex Kile collected the loose puck to tie the game.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton regained the lead at 6:34 of the third period, as Puustinen found the back of the net during a four-on-three power play. However, Lehigh Valley responded with Kile’s second of the night at 12:21.
In overtime, the Penguins did not allow a single shot on goal, but Phantoms goalie Troy Grosenick was dialed in for the home side. After robbing Smith with a great glove save, had to make another big stop when Tyler Sikura was awarded a penalty shot late in the extra frame.
Grosenick did not yield on any of Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s three shootout attempts, while Bobby Brink notched the game-winner for Lehigh Valley in the top of the first round.
Taylor Gauthier finished the game having made 34 saves, while Grosenick posted the win with 25 stops through regulation and overtime.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s next game is back on home ice tomorrow, Sunday, Feb. 19, a matinée matchup with the Bridgeport Islanders. Game time for the Penguins and Islanders is 3:05 p.m. at Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza.
Individual game tickets and season-ticket packages for the 2022-23 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.
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