2024 Preseason: Hershey - 3 at W-B/Scranton - 4 (SO) 10/3/24

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. - Hockey returned to the Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza Thursday morning as the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins hosted the Hershey Bears in the Penguins' annual "Learn With Hockey" School and STEM Day game.

The Penguins fell behind 2-0 in the first period, but were able overcome the early deficit - taking a 4-3 decision over the Bears following a win in the shootout.

Jordan Martel continued to impress for the Penguins with his second goal of the preseason late in the first period helping shift momentum into Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's favor.

Matt Quercia (goal, assist) evened the game in the second period and helped tie the game back up at 3-3 late in the middle frame, assisting on Mats Lindgren's goal.

In the shootout, it was Logan Pietila with the lone goal as Pietila (1G-3A, and one shootout goal) has also been on the score sheet a bunch in the opening two preseason games for the Penguins.

Sergei Murashov once again got the start in net for the Penguins, with 17 saves on 20 shots in addition to successfully stopping all three shootout attempts he faced.

The Penguins and Bears meet again Friday night in preseason action at Giant Center in Hershey, Pa.

GAME STORY

The Penguins had some chances in the early moments of the first period, but it was Hershey converting on their early chances to jump out to a 2-0 lead in the opening 6:32 of the contest.

After the Penguins were buzzing in the offensive zone to start the game, Hershey scored in transition 1:15 into the game to open the scoring after Micah Miller entered the Bears' offensive zone down the left wing and centered for Ryan Leibold, who was able to shovel one in from the slot past Sergei Murashov to give Hershey the 1-0 lead.

The Bears extended their lead to 2-0 in similar fashion, coming off the heels of a Penguins' Grade-A chance at the other end when Scooter Brickey stepped up in the offensive zone and centered to the slot for a chance from Mathieu De St. Phalle that dribbled through the Bears' crease.

Hershey gained possession and got to work, and although Dmitri Osipov's shot from the left point was blocked down the loose puck was corralled behind the net by Tyler Weiss. Weiss attempted a wrap around that Murashov was able to stop, but Grant Cruikshank was first on the rebound atop the crease for an easy put-back goal to give the Bears the two-goal advantage.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton was able to get on the board before the first intermission, cutting their deficit in half in the final 1:18 of the first frame after Logan Pietila stole a puck along the left wing boards.

Pietila quickly centered for Jordan Martel, who went bar-down for his second goal of the preseason to potentially give the Penguins momentum heading into the second period.

The Penguins were buzzing to begin the middle frame, and were rewarded for their efforts 3:12 into the period after an offensive zone face-off win by Matt Quercia.

Quercia won the draw back to Isaac Belliveau, who wisely put the puck down low behind the net for Jared Wescott. Wescott eluded a Bears' defender and centered for Quercia for the finish to even the game at 2-2.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton continued to pressure, and got themselves a power play opportunity but it was Hershey capitalizing in the special teams department as Leibold tipped a puck past the Penguins' defense at the offensive zone blue line and sending himself on a shorthanded breakaway for his second goal of the game to give Hershey the lead back at 3-2 with 13:08 left in the middle frame.

The Penguins got their penalty kill some work late in the period, but after a successful kill were back on the attack and able to tie the game back up at 3-3 with 5:51 left before the second intermission.

Quercia won a board battle and got the puck to Filip Forsmark behind the net, and Forsmark brought the puck out from behind the goal line and got it to the right point for Mats Lindgren.

Lindgren made a nice move to get himself just inside the right-wing circle before firing a quick shot that eluded goaltender Seth Eisile for Lindgren's first tally of the preseason.

The goal scoring appeared to dry up in the third period, but not for lack of effort by the Penguins who had an 8-2 edge in shots on goal in the opening half of the period. They ended up out-shooting Hershey 14-5 in the period.

With no game-deciding goal coming in the third period, the two teams got to partake in the three-on-three overtime.

The Penguins had a pair of chances in the five-minute overtime period, but without any game-winning goal the two teams went to the shootout to decide the winner.

In the shootout, Pietila made his opportunity count - tallying the lone goal of the shootout and ultimately giving the Penguins the win.

Penguins netminder Sergei Murashov stopped all three Bears shooters in the shootout to pick up the Pens' second win of the preseason.

Hershey Bears Lineup Notes

Lines/Pairings:

Tyler Weiss - Grant Cruikshank - Erik Middendorf Kyler Kupka - Ryan Leibold - Micah Miller Zac Funk - Austin Magera - Jack Adams Justin Nachbaur - Alex Suzdalev - Jeremy Davidson

Nicky Leivermann - Dmitri Osipov Jake Massie - Powell Connor Hudson Thornton - Jayden Lee

Garin Bjorklund (Backup: Seth Eisele)

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins Lineup Notes

Penguins Scratches: Jaxon Castor, Dan Renouf, Bennett MacArthur, Kyle Jackson, Nikolai Knyzhov, Keeghan Howdeshell, David Jankowski, Philip Waugh and Matt Koopman,

Lines/Pairings:

Sam Houde - Gabe Klassen - Avery Hayes Jordan Martel - Logan Pietila - Atley Calvert Jack Beck - Raivis Ansons - Mathieu De St. Phalle Jared Wescott - Matt Quercia - Filip Forsmark

Isaac Belliveau - Scooter Brickey Justin Lee - Mats Lindgren Zachary Massicotte - Chris Ortiz

Sergei Murashov (Backup: Luke Richardson)

GAME SUMMARY

1st Period

1:15: HER - Leibold (1) - Miller 6:32: HER - Cruikshank (1) - Weiss, Osipov 14:05: HER - (PP) Nachbaur, minor (tripping) 18:42: WBS - Martel (2) - Pietila

2nd Period

3:12: WBS - Quercia (2) - Wescott, Belliveau 6:03: HER - (PP) Nachbaur, minor (interference) 6:52: HER - SHG Leibold (2) - unassisted 11:39: WBS - (PP) Belliveau, minor (holding) 14:09: WBS - Lindgren (1) - Forsmark, Quercia

3rd Period

No scoring/penalties

Overtime

No scoring/penalties

Shootout

WBS

Martel - no goal Pietila - GOAL Hayes - no goal

HER

Funk - no goal Suzdalev - no goal Miller - no goal

BOXSCORE

Hershey  2 - 1 - 0 - 0 = 3 W-B/Scranton  1 - 2 - 0 - 1 = 4

Shots

Hershey  8 - 6 - 5 - 1 = 20 W-B/Scranton  9 - 9 - 14 - 2 = 35

Goalies

HER: Garin Bjorklund (12 saves - 14 shots in 30:34) and Seth Eisele (19 saves - 20 shots in 34:26) WBS: Sergei Murashov (17 saves - 20 shots)

Power Play

HER: 0-for-1 WBS: 0-for-2

Penalty Kill

HER: 2-for-2 WBS: 1-for-1

Post-Game EXTRA!

Video interviews with assistant coach Sheldon Brookbank and forwards Jordan Martel and Logan Pietila