Game Story: Lehigh Valley - 3 at W-B/Scranton - 2 (OT) 2/21/24

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. - The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and Lehigh Valley Phantoms renewed their rivalry Wednesday night in Wilkes-Barre as the two teams will face each other seven more times in the final two months of the regular season.

The Penguins jumped out to a 2-0 lead on goals from Jagger Joshua and Alex Nylander, but it was a game that never really felt secure by the home team.

A bit of a controversial goal late in the second period by Bobby Brink brought the Phantoms within a goal, and Cooper Marody played the role of hero from there - scoring the game-tying goal in the second half of the third period and completing the comeback with his second goal of the night in the three-on-three overtime session to clinch the win for Lehigh Valley.

Penguins goaltender Joel Blomqvist (33 saves) stole the home team a point, according to a frustrated head coach JD Forrest after the game.

Felix Sandstrom picked up the win in net for Lehigh Valley, stopping 22 of the 24 shots that came his way.

Post-Game EXTRA!

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins head coach JD Forrest

On not being in control despite having the brief 2-0 lead late in second period

"Oh, we weren't [in control]. We were not in control from the get go. No, they beat us in pretty much every facet of the game. And we're lucky we got a point."

Penguins forward Jonathan Gruden

On the frustration of losing the game the way they did.

"Yeah, I mean you could kind of feel it coming. They just kept pushing and pushing and we didn't really have an answer, so it's very frustrating to lose them again. We have to better next time."

On managing the highs and lows and not getting too low after a bad loss.

"We play three games this week, so we don't have to hit the panic button or anything. We have a really good group of guys in there. And the coaches will put a gameplan for Friday and come back in tomorrow with a happy attitude. There's a lot of games this year. You don't want to get too down on yourselves, and when things go good, you don't want to get too high. So I mean, we've got a really good group in there with a lot of veteran leadership that can lead the way and we'll be just fine."

GAME STORY

The Phantoms jumped out to an early edge in play to begin the game, with Blomqvist needing to come up big on back-to-back chances from point blank range after Jack Rathbone coughed up a puck coming out from behind the Penguins' net.

The Penguins were opportunistic on the forecheck with the third line of Joshua, Gruden and Andonovski forcing a turnover and quickly converting it into the game's opening goal 6:13 into the contest.

Andonovski forced a turnover at the left wing wall and Gruden picked up the loose puck, skating to the slot before firing a hard shot that beat Sandstrom but hit the crossbar - bouncing back out to Gruden.

Gruden attempted to swing at the bouncing puck to rebound it home, but the puck darted to the top of the crease where Joshua was in position to slam home the puck for his fifth goal of the season and his second in as many games.

Lehigh Valley out-shot the Penguins 12-8 in the first frame, and had the Penguins hemmed in their own zone in the closing seconds of the period, but the Pens' defense held behind some timely shot blocks in keeping the puck away from Blomqvist's net to take the 1-0 lead into the middle frame.

The Penguins' ability to block shots continued in the middle frame, and it just seemed like whenever pucks were able to get through the defense that Blomqvist was in position to make the saves to preserve the one-goal lead.

The home team's willingness to get into shooting lanes and sacrifice their bodies to prevent pucks from getting through paid dividends late in the middle frame, as Hinostroza broke up a Phantoms' shot attempt just inside the blue line - sending a perfect pass ahead to spring Nylander on a breakaway.

Nylander was unable to create enough separation to get a shot off, but he was hooked and the puck was pushed into the net for him to give the Penguins a 2-0 lead with 5:17 left before the second intermission.

A bit of a controversial play over a minute later resulted in the Phantoms' breaking through and scoring to make it a one-goal game heading to the third period.

Rhett Gardner flipped a puck across for Brink, who appeared to be several feet offside at the far side, and the Phantoms' forward had a step on the defense before finishing a nice goal in past Blomqvist on his backhand.

Penguins head coach JD Forrest was furious with the officials after the goal - demanding an explanation at the Penguins bench.

The goal stood as called, and the Penguins headed to the final frame in a one-goal game.

Lehigh Valley, trailing by a goal entering the third, began pressing for offense looking for a tying goal.

They registered four of the first five shots on goal in the period, but Blomqvist and the Penguins defense continued to stand tall - preserving the one-goal lead into the final nine minutes of regulation.

Ultimately, the Phantoms' desperation level and willingness to crash the crease allowed them to tie the game with 8:36 left in regulation - with Marody jamming home a rebound amid a scramble at the Penguins' net.

The goal forced overtime, allowing both teams to secure one point in the standings.

In the 3-on-3, Marody's second effort on a rebound allowed Lehigh Valley to complete the comeback in a 3-2 victory for the Phantoms .

Lehigh Valley Phantoms Lineup Notes

Felix Sandstrom got the start in net for Lehigh Valley, while Parker Gahagen served as the team's backup goalie.

With Louie Belpedio back in the lineup, the Phantoms opted for an 11-forward, seven-defensemen lineup and scratched forward Matt Brown to make room for the seventh blueliner.

Phantoms Scratches: Adam Karashik, Tanner Laczynski, Zayde Wisdom, Garrett Wilson, Matt Brown and Felix Sandstrom

Lines/Pairings:

Brendan Furry - Rhett Gardner - Bobby Brink Cooper Marody - Jacob Gaucher - Samu Tuomaala Jon-Randall Avon - Elliot Desnoyers - Wade Allison Evan Polei - Adam Brooks -

Adam Ginning - Louie Belpedio Emil Andrae - Ronnie Attard Victor Mete - Helge Grans Ethan Samson

Felix Sandstrom (Backup: Parker Gahagen)

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins Lineup Notes

Joel Blomqvist got the start in net for the Penguins Wednesday night against Lehigh Valley. With Magnus Hellberg called up to Pittsburgh, Taylor Gauthier was called up from ECHL-Wheeling and served as Blomqvist's backup.

The Penguins got some help up front as Jonathan Gruden and Vinnie Hinostroza re-joined the team from Pittsburgh, and Joona Koppanen also returned to the AHL Penguins lineup Wednesday - allowing the Penguins to go back to utilizing the more traditional 12-forward, six-defensemen lineup.

Taylor Fedun, Lukas Svejkovsky and Justin Addamo were scratched to make room for Gruden, Hinostroza and Koppanen.

Pittsburgh also placed forward Colin White on waivers Wednesday afternoon. He would be eligible to be assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton if he clears waivers Thursday at 2 p.m. ET.

Penguins Scratches: Taylor Fedun, Marc Johnstone, Sam Poulin, Matt Filipe, Sam Houde, Lukas Svejkovsky, Owen Headrick, Avery Hayes and Justin Addamo

Lines/Pairings

Alex Nylander - Peter Abbandonato - Vinnie Hinostroza Radim Zohorna - Joona Koppanen - Austin Rueschhoff Jagger Joshua - Jonathan Gruden - Corey Andonovski Dillon Hamaliuk - Raivis Ansons - Max Cajkovic

Ty Smith - Xavier Ouellet Ryan Shea - Jack St. Ivany Jack Rathbone - Dmitri Samorukov

Joel Blomqvist (Backup: Taylor Gauthier)

GAME SUMMARY

1st Period

6:13: WBS - Joshua (5) - Gruden, Andonovski 10:17: WBS - (PP) Rueschhoff, minor (hooking)

2nd Period

8:00: LV - (PP) Andrae, minor (roughing) 14:43: WBS - Nylander (17) - Hinostroza 15:56: LV - Brink (4) - Gardner, Furry

3rd Period

11:24: LV - Marody (11) - Gaucher, Ginning 18:03: LV - Gardner, major (fighting) 18:03: WBS - Rueschhoff, major (fighting)

Overtime

1:03: LV - Marody (12) - Brink, Andrae

BOXSCORE

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

Shots

Lehigh Valley   12 - 13 - 9 - 2 = 36 W-B/Scranton  8 - 9 - 7 - 0 = 24

Goalies

LV: Felix Sandstrom (22 saves - 24 shots) WBS: Joel Blomqvist (33 saves - 36 shots)

Power Play

LV: 0-for-1 WBS: 0-for-1

Penalty Kill

LV: 1-for-1 WBS: 1-for-1