Game Story: Bridgeport - 2 at W-B/Scranton - 5 (4/12/24)

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. - The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins stormed out to a 3-1 lead in the opening period Friday night, and it turned out that they needed every bit of that strong start despite ending up with the 5-2 victory over the Bridgeport Islanders to extend their winning streak to six games.

After goals from Avery Hayes, Beau Jelsma and Sam Poulin had the Penguins off and running in the first frame, the Penguins managed just 11 shots in the final 40 minutes of play - leaning heavily on goaltender Joel Blomqvist (35 saves) to preserve their lead before getting third period tallies from Austin Rueschhoff and an empty net tally from Hayes to complete the final score.

The Islanders made it a one-goal game twice, on a first period goal from Brian Pinho and a second period tally from Ruslan Iskhakov, but were unable to even things up after falling behind early. Jakub Skarek stopped 15 Penguins' shots in the loss.

Post-Game EXTRA!

Penguins head coach JD Forrest

On liking end result, but not the second and third periods.

"I mean, we really leaned on Blomqvist there, heavily. We had a good start. You know, we've got a little bit different look, we have to make sure that we're getting everyone on the same page here moving forward. We made it kind of difficult on ourselves. [Blomqvist] made a lot of big saves for us."

On the message moving into two games against Hershey to close out the weekend.

"We can't play the way we played in the second and third, that's for sure. We'll definitely put ourselves in some tough situations if we do that. I think we'll be better tomorrow."

Penguins forward Avery Hayes

On what was the difference between the first period versus the second and third periods

"I think they simplified their game, and we kind of overcomplicated ours. And we just weren't doing the little things right, like getting in front of their speed in the neutral zone and our defensive zone was a bit sloppy. And I think all the guys in there know that including myself that we have to be a lot better these next couple games leading into playoffs, but to still get the win shows the resiliency in our group, and I'm still proud of everyone."

GAME STORY

The Penguins had the early jump in the opening minutes, though it didn't result in an early-period goal.

It wasn't until Samuel Asselin was whistled for roughing at 7:15 that the Penguins' power play was able to provide the game's opening goal.

After Jagger Joshua won a puck battle along the wall, he got the puck to Jack Rathbone who then slid a pass across to Hayes.

Hayes took the pass, made a nifty toe-drag in the right-wing circle and fired a quick release wrister past Skarek for his fourth goal of the season and fourth tally in his last five games.

Less than two minutes later, the Penguins extended their lead to 2-0 after Jelsma got into position in the left-wing circle as Xavier Ouellet let loose a slap shot from the left point. Jelsma re-directed Ouellet's shot past Skarek for his first career AHL goal in his AHL debut.

Bridgeport got back within a goal with 3:03 left before the first intermission after Carsen Twarynski circled the Islanders' offensive zone - coming out from behind the net and getting it to the point for Paul LaDue. LaDue went across to his defense partner Dennis Cholowski for a quick shot from the outside, and while Blomqvist made the initial save the rebound darted out right to Pinho for the putback for Pinho's seventh of the season.

The game didn't stay at 2-1 for long, as just under two minutes later the Penguins restored their two-goal lead after a lengthy review.

After failing to convert on an odd-man rush, the puck popped out to the left-wing circle for a quick shot from Dmitri Samorukov that kissed the crossbar before Poulin whacked it in out of mid-air past Skarek with 1:16 left in the first period. to give the Penguins a 3-1 lead heading into the middle frame.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton took their foot off the proverbial gas pedal in the second period, spending most of the 20-minute stanza defending in their own end.

Bridgeport out-shot the Penguins by a 19-5 margin in the middle frame, though they weren't able to take advantage of their strong play until they made it a one-goal game with 1:40 left before the second intermission on Iskhakov's rebound goal scored in similar fashion to the Islanders' goal in the first period.

If not for Blomqvist, the Penguins probably wouldn't have had a one-goal lead heading to the third.

The Islanders had the Penguins hemmed in their own zone for large portions of the third period as well, but were unable to even the score.

Instead, Rueschoff restored the Penguins' two-goal lead midway through the third period off a feed from Evan Vierling and Hayes added an empty net tally for his second goal of the game to complete the 5-2 final score.

Bridgeport Islanders Lineup Notes

Jakub Skarek got the start in net for the Islanders Friday, while Jason Grande served as Bridgeport's backup.

Islanders Scratches: Ken Appleby, Eetu Liukas and Jeff Kubiak

Lines/Pairings

Alex Jeffries - Ruslan Iskhakov - Karson Kuhlman Daylan Kuefler - Samuel Asselin - William Dufour Carsen Twarynski - Brian Pinho - Matthew Maggio Jack Randl - Cole Bardreau - Tyce Thompson

Dennis Cholowski - Grant Hutton Robin Salo - Paul LaDue Seth Helgeson - Aidan Fulp

Jakub Skarek (Backup: Jason Grande)

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins Lineup Notes

Joel Blomqvist got the start in net Friday night. Ludovic Waeber served as the team's backup goaltender.

Beau Jelsma joined the Penguins on an amateur tryout and made his pro debut Friday night.

The Penguins also added forward Emil Jarventie and defenseman Kalle Kangas to amateur tryout contracts.

Defenseman Isaac Belliveau was called up from ECHL-Wheeling and took the warmup Friday, but was the seventh defenseman and the final scratch.

Forwards Radim Zohorna (Wednesday) and Vinnie Hinostroza (Thursday) were called up to Pittsburgh, while the NHL Penguins reassigned forward Sam Poulin to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

Forward Max Cajkovic was loaned to Team Slovakia.

Penguins Scratches: Taylor Gauthier (week-to-week, lower body), Marc Johnstone (longer term, upper body), Vasily Ponomarev (longer term, lower body), Joona Koppanen (longer term, lower body), Logan Pietila, Ty Smith (longer term, lower body), Emil Jarventie, Peter Abbandonato (longer term, lower body), Max Cajkovic (loaned to Team Slovakia), Jonathan Gruden (week-to-week, upper body), Sam Houde (out for season, upper and lower body), Kalle Kangas, Matthew Quercia and Isaac Belliveau

Lines/Pairings:

Jansen Harkins - Sam Poulin - Lukas Svejkovsky Jagger Joshua - Evan Vierling - Corey Andonovski Austin Rueschhoff - Beau Jelsma - Avery Hayes Matt Filipe - Raivis Ansons - Mathieu De St. Phalle

Xavier Ouellet - Taylor Fedun Dmitri Samorukov - Owen Headrick Jack Rathbone - Scooter Brickey

Joel Blomqvist (Backup: Ludovic Waeber)

GAME SUMMARY

1st Period

7:15: BRI - (PP) Asselin, minor (roughing) 8:51: WBS - PPG Hayes (4) - Rathbone, Joshua 10:32: WBS - Jelsma (1) - Ouellet, Fedun 16:57: BRI - Pinho (7) - Cholowski, LaDue 18:44: WBS - Poulin (14) - Samorukov, Harkins

2nd Period

4:10: WBS - (PP) Andonovski, minor (slashing) 18:20: BRI - Iskhakov (18) - Jeffries, Kuhlman

3rd Period

9:58: WBS - Rueschoff (14) - Vierling, Andonovski 19:51: WBS - ENG Hayes (5) - Joshua

BOXSCORE

Bridgeport  1 - 1 - 0 = 2 W-B/Scranton  3 - 0 - 2 = 5

Shots

Bridgeport  8 - 19 - 10 = 37 W-B/Scranton  9 - 5 - 6 = 20

Goalies

BRI: Jakub Skarek (15 saves - 19 shots) WBS: Joel Blomqvist (35 saves - 37 shots)

Power Play

BRI: 0-for-1 WBS: 1-for-1

Penalty Kill

BRI: 0-for-1 WBS: 1-for-1