2024 Calder Cup Playoffs: Game 2, W-B/Scranton - 4 at Lehigh Valley - 5 (OT) 4/26/24

ALLENTOWN, Pa - In a chaotic, but entertaining playoff game between Atlantic Division rivals, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms overcame 3rd period deficits of 3-1 and 4-3 to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins - forcing overtime and completing the series-clinching comeback 2:11 into the extra session to advance to the Atlantic Division Semifinals against the Hershey Bears.

The Penguins built up a 3-1 lead on a pair of goals late in the second period, but got into penalty trouble late in the third period - whistled for three straight penalties against in the final 9:23 of regulation - and it opened the door for the Phantoms to get back into the game.

Lehigh Valley thrived on the man advantage Friday, going 3-for-6 including scoring on both ends of a 5-on-3 power play in the second half of the third period to erase the 3-1 deficit.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton re-gained the lead with 3:48 left but were once again unable to hold onto the one-goal lead, as the Phantoms forced overtime and eventually won it on a rebound goal from Jacob Gaucher.

Tanner Laczynski's two third period tallies were both game-tying markers, while defensemen Emil Andrae and Ronnie Attard also scored in the Phantoms' win.

Radim Zohorna tallied two goals, Vinnie Hinostroza (three assists) and Valtteri Puustinen (one goal, two assists) each had three point nights and the Penguins also got a goal and an assist from Jack Rathbone - albeit in a losing effort.

It wasn't a pretty performance for either goaltender, but Cal Petersen (24 saves - 28 shots) picked up the win while Joel Blomqvist (29 saves - 34 shots) had his terrific rookie season in North America spoiled with an 0-2 showing in the postseason.

Post-Game EXTRA!

W-B/Scranton Penguins head coach JD Forrest

On the explanation by officials following Tanner Laczynski's goal that appeared to be played with a high-stick

"They just said they can't review it. But I mean, I don't know. [There] was a lot of mysteries there in the third. Some of the penalties, they are what they are when you get that guy out there. So what are you going to do?"

On having to keep composure in the moment despite the missed/wrong calls

"You just have to do it, you don't have a choice. You know, and I thought we did that. We went on and scored. So it wasn't like THAT was the difference. It was a big goal at the time, and we went out and responded right away. I thought that was great by our guys."

On the 5-on-3 against late in the third after nothing was called in the opening 10 minutes of the third period.

"At the end of the day, you have a penalty kill you gotta kill it. I think like maybe a couple of those are iffy. I think it's tough to get the five on three (against) late in the game, but you have to kill it. It's part of of hockey. Sometimes you get them called your way, and sometimes you don't."

Penguins defenseman Jack Rathbone

On the way the third period went making the season-ending loss a tough pill to swallow.

[I'm] a little speechless right now. Kind of in shock, but it's a special group - unbelievable goalie that kept us in it all year. He deserved better I think with our effort tonight. I think we deserved better, but it is what it is. Yeah, I don't have much to say about it besides that."

On how tough it is to keep composure after multiple blown/missed calls directly resulted in goals by the opposition.

"Yeah, I guess it's it's just kind of the nature of the beast. Calls like that can go our way, that one went their way. Just unfortunate. The circumstances kind of favored them in the sense that, you know, we can't review that play. So yeah, it sucks. It's not an easy pill to swallow right now."

GAME STORY

I had a feeling the opening minutes of the first period would paint a vividly clear picture of what kind of Penguins team was going to take the ice for Friday's Game 2.

With their backs against the wall, knowing another loss ends their season, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton battled their way to a greasy goal 2:17 into the contest to take their first lead of the series.

Engaged in a puck battle behind the Phantoms' net, Puustinen and Broz continued to dig along the back wall - eventually digging the puck loose and getting the puck to the left point for a blast from Rathbone. Puustinen, in position near the crease to Petersen's right, was able to get a piece of Rathbone's rocket - re-directing the puck past Petersen for Puustinen's first of the playoffs.

As the period wore on the two teams began to exchange chances, with both Blomqvist and Petersen coming up big on several shots to keep the game at 1-0 in favor the Penguins.

The penalty parade also began in the opening period, with four power plays handed out in the final 11:39 of the period - including three for the Penguins.

The Penguins began the middle frame with 1:45 of carryover power play time and failed to cash in, and then proceeded to get another power play chance 2:30 into the period which they were also unsuccessful in converting on.

In typical fashion, after a team gets a large advantage in the number of power play opportunities, the penalties tend to even out - and that's nearly what happened as the middle frame progressed.

It was the Penguins taking back-to-back penalties, the second of which Lehigh Valley was able to capitalize on to even the game at 1-1.

With the Phantoms pressuring on the power play, a blocked shot and subsequent give-and-go pass between Victor Mete and Attard ended with Attard blasting a one-timer to the top shelf with 10:41 left in the period - tying things up at one apiece.

Late in the middle frame, the Penguins power play came through - perhaps when they needed it most.

After Louie Belpedio was whistled for delay of game with six minutes left before the second intermission, the Penguins power play went right to work and scored off the opening faceoff of the man advantage.

Following a Penguins' face-off win, Hinostroza's shot was re-directed by Zohorna. While Petersen made the initial save, both Sam Poulin and Zohorna were at the net swatting at the rebound - with Zohorna getting credit for the go-ahead goal with 5:54 left in the period.

Then, with just over two minutes left in the second period, the Penguins made it 3-1 after a ridiculously smart play and pass by Koviunen split the Phantoms' defense and landed on the tape of Rathbone in the high slot. The Penguins defender snapped one past Petersen with 2:02 to go before intermission to extend the Penguins' lead heading into the third.

Credit to Lehigh Valley for not packing it and settling for Game 3 on Sunday, coming out with purpose to begin the third period.

After 10 and a half minutes of penalty-free hockey in the third period, the officials made their presence known - assessing the Penguins three straight penalties - including a brief 5-on-3 with 8:01 left in regulation.

And the Phantoms took full advantage.

First, Andrae picked the far-side top corner on the ensuing two-man advantage, drawing the Phantoms within a goal.

On the next shift, Laczynski re-directed a Bobby Brink shot past Blomqvist that looked to be played with a high-stick - giving Lehigh Valley two goals in 22 seconds to tie the game up at 3-3.

The referees initially signaled goal, converged for a brief conversation at the scorers table and awarded the goal - much to the dismay of the Penguins bench.

The Penguins were able temporarily overcome the Phantoms' momentum swing, as Hinostroza chipped a puck ahead into the offensive zone for Puustinen, who zinged a crisp cross-ice pass to the net where Zohorna was able to get one to go past Petersen to regain the Penguins' lead at 4-3 with 3:48 left to play.

Then things got really interesting.

After Zohorna's goal, Puustinen bumped into Phantoms defender Adam Ginning at the side of the net. Ginning turned and delivered a two-handed slash into the legs of Puustinen.

The officials decided to call matching minors, preventing the Penguins from a power play opportunity after having three straight penalties called against them following over 10 minutes of penalty-free hockey to begin the third period.

On the next shift, a Penguins forward attempting to back check and get himself back into position was interfered with. Then, Johnstone was engaged in a puck battle in the corner of the Penguins defensive zone before being tackled and taken down. The puck then went right to Laczynski, who took it to the net and scored to tie the game back up at 4-4 with 3:14 left to play - forcing overtime.

In the overtime, it was the Phantoms completing the comeback and advancing to the Atlantic Division Semifinals - with Gaucher finishing off a rebound 2:11 into the extra session.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins Lineup Notes

Joel Blomqvist got the start in net for the Penguins Friday night for Game 2, with Ludovic Waeber serving as the team's backup.

Two changes for the Penguins' lineup for Game 2, with Dmitri Samorukov and Matt Filipe coming out and Scooter Brickey and Marc Johnstone coming in.

For Johnstone, it marked his first game since February 3 - a game also held at PPL Center against the Phantoms.

The lines and pairings were also altered, with all four trios different and only the top pairing of defensemen Ryan Shea and Jack St. Ivany staying together from Game 1's lineup.

Penguins Scratches: Taylor Gauthier (week-to-week, lower body), Vasily Ponomarev (longer term, lower body), Joona Koppanen (longer term, lower body), Logan Pietila, Ty Smith (longer term, lower body), Peter Abbandonato (longer term, lower body), Matt Filipe, Max Cajkovic, Owen Pickering, Mathieu De St Phalle, Sam Houde (out for season, upper and lower body), Beau Jelsma, Dmitri Samorukov, Cooper Foster, Emil Pieniniemi, Owen Headrick and Raivis Ansons

Lines/Pairings:

Ville Koivunen - Radim Zohorna - Vinnie Hinostroza Sam Poulin - Tristan Broz - Valtteri Puustinen Jagger Joshua - Jonathan Gruden - Austin Rueschhoff Corey Andonovski - Marc Johnstone - Avery Hayes

Ryan Shea - Jack St. Ivany Xavier Ouellet - Taylor Fedun Jack Rathbone - Scooter Brickey

Joel Blomqvist (Backup: Ludovic Waeber)

Lehigh Valley Phantoms Lineup Notes

Cal Petersen got the start in net for the Phantoms in Game 1. Alexei Kolosov served as Lehigh Valley's backup goaltender.

The Phantoms went with an 11-forward/seven defensemen lineup to open the postseason.

Phantoms Scratches: Parker Gahagen, Felix Sandstrom, Adam Karashik, Will Zmolek, Ethan Samson, Mason Millman, Zayde Wisdom, Massimo Rizzo, Jon-Randall Avon, Tyler Gratton, Matt Miller, Samu Tuomaala, Jacques Bouquot, Matt Brown and Ryan Johansen

Lines/Pairings:

Olle Lycksell - Tanner Laczynski - Adam Brooks Cooper Marody - Rhett Gardner - Bobby Brink Garrett Wilson - Jacob Gaucher - Brendan Furry Evan Polei - Elliot Desnoyers - xxxxxxxxx

Emil Andrae - Louie Belpedio Adam Ginning - Ronnie Attard Hunter McDonald - Helge Grans Victor Mete

Cal Petersen (Backup: Alexei Kolosov)

GAME SUMMARY

1st Period

2:17: WBS - Puustinen (1) - Rathbone 8:21: LV - (PP) McDonald, minor (slashing) 13:28: WBS - (PP) Hinostroza, minor (slashing) 15:38: LV - (PP) Ginning, minor (tripping) 19:44: LV - (PP) Belpedio, minor (cross-checking)

2nd Period

2:30: LV - (PP) Ginning, minor (tripping) 4:50: WBS - (PP) Brickey, minor (holding) 7:36: WBS - (PP) Zohorna, minor (tripping) 9:19: LV - PPG Attard (1) - Mete, Gardner 14:00: LV - (PP) Belpedio, minor (delay of game) 14:06: WBS - PPG Zohorna (1) - Hinostroza, Puustinen 17:58: WBS - Rathbone (1) - Koivunen, Hinostroza

3rd Period

10:37: WBS - (PP) Gruden, minor (check to the head) 11:59: WBS - (PP) Ouellet, minor (cross-checking) 12:15: LV - PPG Andrae (1) - Marody, Lycksell 12:37: LV - PPG Laczynski (1) - Brink, Andrae 16:12: WBS - Zohorna (2) - Puustinen, Hinostroza 16:12: LV - Ginning, minor (slashing) 16:12: WBS - Puustinen, minor (unsportsmanlike) 16:46: LV - Laczynski (2) - Belpedio, Lycksell

Overtime

2:11: LV - Gaucher (1) - Furry, Belpedio

BOXSCORE

W-B/Scranton   1 - 2 - 1 - 0 = 4 Lehigh Valley  0 - 1 - 3 - 1 = 5

Shots

W-B/Scranton   12 - 12 - 4 - 0 = 28 Lehigh Valley   10 - 11 - 11 - 2 = 34

Goalies

WBS: Joel Blomqvist (29 saves - 34 shots) LV: Cal Petersen (24 saves - 28 shots)

Power Play

WBS: 1-for-5 LV: 3-for-6

Penalty Kill

WBS: 3-for-6 LV: 4-for-5