Game Story: Cleveland - 2 at W-B/Scranton - 3 (OT) 4/5/24

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. - In a night where the officials arguably became the biggest storyline of the game, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins overcame a late-game officiating gaffe and may have gotten away with a little something of their own in overtime - with Radim Zohorna securing the win and in the process clinching the Penguins a ticket to the 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs.

The Penguins appeared to be on their way to a regulation win, but in the final minute the Monsters were able to tie the game after what appeared to be incidental contact made by a Monsters' defenseman with Penguins goaltender Joel Blomqvist.

The play was initially ruled no-goal before the officials converged at the scorers table at center ice and overturned the goal - awarding Cleveland a game-tying goal with 1:00 left to force overtime.

Then, in the overtime, Penguins defenseman Ty Smith set a clear interference screen at the top of the left-wing circle - springing Zohorna with open ice toward the net on his eventual game-winner.

Just a poorly officiated game all the way through.

For the Penguins, Evan Vierling tallied his first career AHL goal, and Avery Hayes tallied his second goal in as many games in addition to Zohorna's game-winner. Joel Blomqvist stopped 28 of the 30 to earn his 23rd win of the season.

For Cleveland, goals from Roman Ahcan and Stanislav Svozil were enough to get the Monsters to overtime but their season-high winless skid reaches seven games at a crucial moment in the season. Pavel Cajan stopped 29 of 32 in the loss.

Post-Game EXTRA!

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins head coach JD Forrest

On the goal allowed with 1:00 to go that forced overtime

"I didn't think it was a penalty on them. I just thought it shouldn't have been a goal because the guy falls going into the crease and there was not much of an effort to get out of the way. And it's the only reason why Joel couldn't get over there. But I mean they made their decision - you can't do anything about it. It's hard for them, in real-time, to see it I guess. But that's how it goes.

On Radim Zohorna's overtime goal coming off a blatant interference screen by Ty Smith.

"It was a nice goal by Z."

Cleveland Monsters head coach Trent Vogelhuber

On Cleveland's goal with 1:00 to go that forced overtime

"Yeah, the tying goal, I walked it back, it's not goalie interference."

On the Penguins' game-winner in overtime coming off a pretty blatant interference

"I get they don't want to make a call to decide the game in overtime. And I got all the respect in the world for the refs. It's a tough job, [but] I get to go back and watch it again, [it's] pretty clearly interference, you know, and I'm trying to take my bias out of it on those two calls. And that's how it looks. But it is what it is."

GAME STORY

The Penguins began the game really pushing the pace, as it appeared they were a half-step ahead of the Monsters in the opening five minutes of the contest.

Ty Smith had not one, but two Grade-A chances at the net during his first two shifts of the hockey game - though neither were able to produce the first goal.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton took the game's first penalty, and Cleveland was generating several scoring chances on the ensuing man advantage before a bit of a questionable call on Jakub Zboril for tripping negated the tail-end of the Monsters' man advantage.

Jagger Joshua was coming up to the Penguins' defensive zone blue line to challenge for a loose puck at the right point, and it appeared as though Joshua either lost his footing and fell or Zboril and Joshua's skates made incidental contact.

Either way, Zboril was in disbelief on his way to the penalty box. And Monsters HC Trent Vogelhuber was visibly upset with the call.

The Penguins didn't convert on the ensuing power play, but they did take a 1-0 lead after another questionable decision by the officials.

Lukas Svejkovsky appeared to trip a Monsters player on a backcheck in the Penguins' offensive zone, which caused a botched breakout pass that Joshua was able to get a piece of - springing Svejkovsky with open ice before he doubled back and fired a shot from the outside that Vierling was able to re-direct past Cajan with 8:44 left in the opening frame.

The goal was Vierling's first AHL goal, and second point in as many games

Cleveland came out with purpose to begin the middle frame, putting the Penguins on their heels and generating consistent pressure in the opening two minutes of the period.

They were rewarded for their efforts after an offensive zone face-off win by Owen Sillinger.

Sillinger drew the puck back to the point for Jake Christiansen, who fired a hard shot that Ahcan was able to get a piece of in the slot - re-directing the puck past Blomqvist to even the game at one apiece 2:10 into the period.

Then, one of the bigger officiating gaffe's you'll ever see occurred.

Cleveland messed up a line change, and had six guys on the ice. The Penguins bench was screaming for the too many men call while they had the puck in the offensive zone, but play continued on for a solid 20-30 seconds - and the Monsters with six skaters in the defensive zone were able to chip a puck out of the zone and get on their neutral zone positioning in place for the ensuing Penguins' rush back up the ice.

It wasn't until Joshua entered the offensive zone that play was eventually whistled down to assess the too many men penalty. None of the four men in stripes noticed a team had six skaters on the ice.

The Penguins were unsuccessful on the ensuing power play, and the two teams settled in from there - exchanging a few chances each way but locking in to the 1-1 game and taking it to the third period.

The two teams exchanged minor penalties in the opening minute of the third frame, and when things settled down and got back to five-on-five the Penguins were able to grab the go-ahead goal.

Taylor Fedun connected on a stretch pass for Hayes, and although he was denied on his mini break-in to the net his linemates maintained possession while he went to the slot. And that's where Vierling got the puck to - onto Hayes' tape - for a quick shot to the top shelf past Cajan to put the Penguins in front 2-1 with 13:51 left in regulation. Joshua also added an assist, his second secondary apple of the contest.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton preserved their one-goal lead into the waning moments of regulation, even getting a power play with 3:04 left.

And then the officiating crew, once again, became the story.

With time winding down, Monsters' defenseman Samuel Knazko was tripped heading to the net - making contact with Blomqvist's left leg. Meanwhile the puck came out to the point to Svozil for a quick slap shot, with Blomqvist trying to get back up and into position to make the save.

The puck went in the net, and the referee in-position at the side of the net emphatically and immediately waved off the goal.

Then, the officials gathered at center ice and overturned the call made on the ice, crediting Cleveland with the game-tying goal with a minute left in regulation.

Just when you think the night couldn't get any worse for the officiating crew, in overtime Ty Smith set a pretty blatant moving screen like he was playing basketball in the post - giving Zohorna an open path to take the puck to the net.

Credit to Zohorna for weaving his way to the net and scoring the game-winning goal, but it's probably a play that should have been whistled down for interference.

After the game, and long after players from both teams exited the ice, Monsters' head coach Trent Vogelhuber remained on the bench - demanding for the officials to come over to give an explanation.

The officials stood with their arms crossed at the scorers table, and the standoff began.

Vogelhuber even opened the Monsters' bench door and began waving at the officials to exit the ice like they normally do through the visiting teams tunnel.

The standoff continued.

Eventually, after several minutes, cooler heads prevailed.

Cleveland Monsters Lineup Notes

Pavel Cajan got the start in net for Cleveland Friday night. Malcolm Subban was called up to Columbus on emergency basis, so newly added Blake Pietila (signed to an ATO Friday afternoon) dressed for his first game as a pro serving as Cajan's backup.

Defensemen Nick Blankenburg was also called up to Columbus in advance of Friday's game.

Forward Trey Fix-Wolansky was reassigned to Cleveland Friday afternoon, but was not in the team's lineup in Wilkes-Barre Friday night.

Monsters Scratches: Hunter McKown, Marcus Bjork and Mitchell Lewandowski

Lines/Pairings:

Stefan Matteau - Luca Del Bel Belluz - Zachary Okabe Tyler Angle - Owen Sillinger - Roman Ahcan Justin Pearson - Josh Dunne - Alex Whelan xxxxx - Jake Gaudet - Cameron Butler

Jake Christiansen - Cole Clayton Jakub Zboril - Corson Cuelemans Stanislav Svozil - Billy Sweezey Samuel Knazko

Pavel Cajan (Backup: Blake Pietila)

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins Lineup Notes

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

While the Penguins were hoping the long week of practice would allow some injured guys to rest/recover some bumps and bruises, only Jagger Joshua was able to return to the lineup.

In fact, Joona Koppanen was injured at practice during the week and his injury - according to WBS Penguins PR - is currently designated as longer-term, which doesn't sound promising.

Penguins Scratches: Taylor Gauthier, Marc Johnstone, Vasily Ponomarev, Joona Koppanen, Logan Pietila, Peter Abbandonato, Max Cajkovic, Jonathan Gruden, Sam Houde and Owen Headrick

Lines/Pairings:

Vinnie Hinostroza - Radim Zohorna - Austin Rueschhoff Corey Andonovski - Raivis Ansons - Mathieu De St. Phalle Jagger Joshua - Evan Vierling - Lukas Svejkovsky Matt Filipe - Matthew Quercia - Avery Hayes

Ty Smith - Taylor Fedun Xavier Ouellet - Dmitri Samorukov Jack Rathbone - Scooter Brickey

Joel Blomqvist (Backup: Ludovic Waeber)

GAME SUMMARY

1st Period

6:02: WBS - (PP) Ouellet, minor (high-sticking) 7:40: CLE - (PP) Zboril, minor (tripping) 11:16: WBS - Vierling (1) - Svejkovsky, Joshua

2nd Period

2:10: CLE - Ahcan (8) - Christiansen, Sillinger 2:24: WBS - (PP) Rathbone, minor (high-sticking) 6:00: CLE - bench minor, too many men (served by Okabe) 13:50: WBS - (PP) Samorukov, minor (tripping) 17:58: CLE - (PP) Svozil, minor (cross-checking)

3rd Period

0:34: WBS - (PP) Rueschhoff, minor (interference) 0:58: CLE - (PP) Matteau, minor (high-sticking) 6:09: WBS - Hayes (2) - Vierling, Joshua 6:21: WBS - (PP) Zohorna, minor (interference) 16:56: CLE - (PP) Pearson, minor (high-sticking) 19:00: CLE - Svozil (3) - Ahcan, Matteau

Overtime

0:35: WBS - Zohorna (9) - Hinostroza, Smith

BOXSCORE

Cleveland     0 - 1 - 1 - 0 = 2 W-B/Scranton  1 - 0 - 1 - 1 = 3

Shots

Cleveland     9 - 12 - 9 - 0 = 30 W-B/Scranton  11 - 10 - 10 - 1 = 32

Goalies

CLE: Pavel Cajan (29 saves - 32 shots) WBS: Joel Blomqvist (28 saves - 30 shots)

Power Play

CLE: 0-for-5 WBS: 0-for-5

Penalty Kill

CLE: 5-for-5 WBS: 5-for-5