Game Story: Providence - 3 at W-B/Scranton - 1 (2/11/23)

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. - The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (20-20-6) are on the outside looking in in the Atlantic Division playoff race, and Saturday night's 3-1 loss to the Providence Bruins - their fifth straight loss (0-4-1) - is certainly not doing themselves any favors.

The Pens opened the scoring on Valtteri Puustinen's 18th of the season, but Providence's power play came through in a big way - going 3-for-5 including two man advantage goals in the third period to pull away from the Mohegan Arena with two points.

Jack Ahcan got the PBruins even with the Pens with his second period power play goal, but it was Georgii Merkulov's third period man advantage tally that proved to be the game winner. Chris Wagner added an empty net power play goal in the final minute to cap the scoring.

Keith Kinkaid stopped all but one of the 27 shots he faced to pick up the win, while Penguins' goaltender Filip Lindberg played valiantly in stopped 33 of 35 albeit in a losing result.

The Penguins failed to convert on the game's opening power play 4:21 into the contest, but were fortunate enough to get a second crack at a man advantage as the Bruins took a second penalty just as their first penalty had expired.

Providence started the PK with a clear out of their defensive zone, but a turnover in their own end shortly thereafter spelled trouble.

Filip Hallander forced the turnover and quickly sent it back to Alex Nylander, who slid it to Puustinen for his 18th goal on the season to give the Penguins the 1-0 lead.

In fact, penalties were a theme in the opening half of the period as a total of four power plays were handed out in the opening 10 minutes and change.

After Kyle Olson's slashing minor gave Providence their first power play chance, the Bruins seemed to get to their game - although they were unable to get one past Lindberg with 15 first period shots.

Providence carried over the edge in play into the middle frame, tying the game at 1-1 on a power play goal of their own after Penguins' defenseman Josh Maniscalco was whistled for delay of game.

Samuel Asselin got a cross-ice pass from below the goal line in the right-wing corner out to the face-off dot in the left-wing circle for a quick shot from Ahcan that went off the far post and in. Oskar Steen picked up a secondary assist on Ahcan's third of the season.

From there, the Penguins started generating the better of play and offensive chances - but the two teams headed to the third period even at one apiece thanks to some key saves from Kinkaid and Lindberg.

In the third, untimely penalties doomed the Penguins. After failing to convert on a power play chance just past the midway point of the period, the Bruins converted on a power play chance of their own to take a 2-1 lead with 6:09 left in regulation.

Connor Carrick slid a pass from center-point to the right-wing circle for a one-timer from Merkulov that was wired to the near-side top corner for his 14th of the season. It marked goals in five straight games for Merkulov.

The Penguins pulled Lindberg for the extra attacker, but Wagner drew a holding minor with 1:07 left to play while trying to score on the empty net.

Wagner later added the empty net power play tally that completed the 3-1 final score.

Penguins Post-Game EXTRA!

Head Coach J.D. Forrest

On a second straight close loss to Providence on the weekend, and it getting harder to take a moral victory at this point in the season:

"Yeah, there's no moral victories. I mean, we were in it & shot ourselves in the foot - took two penalties in the final five minutes of a game where you're down by one. It's just not the way you want to finish a game. You're in it, then you just shoot yourself in the foot. It's.. a lost opportunity."

Providence Bruins Lineup Notes

Keith Kinkaid got the start in net for the Bruins Saturday night in Wilkes-Barre with Kyle Keyser backing him up.

Bruins Scratches: Brandon Bussi, Kai Wissman, Mike Reilly, Luke Toporowski, John Beecher, Eduards Tralmaks, Joona Koppanen and Anton Stralman

Lines/Pairings:

Chris Wagner - Marc McLaughlin - Oskar Steen Justin Brazeau - Georgii Merkulov - Fabian Lysell Joey Abate - Samuel Asselin - Patrick Shea J.D. Greenway - Curtis Hall - Alex-Olivier Voyer

Jack Ahcan - Connor Carrick Michael Callahan - Josiah Didier Nick Wolff - Dan Renouf

Keith Kinkaid (Backup: Kyle Keyser)

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins Lineup Notes

Filip Lindberg got the start in net for the Penguins in Saturday night's rematch against the Bruins. Taylor Gauthier served as the Penguins' backup goaltender.

Penguins Scratches: Chris Ortiz, Raivis Ansons, Sam Poulin, Ty Smith, Ty Glover, Sean Josling and Xavier Ouellet

Lines/Pairings:

Drake Caggiula - Sam Houde - Alex Nylander Filip Hallander - Jonathan Gruden - Valtteri Puustinen Corey Andonovski - Tyler Sikura - Nathan Legare Jamie Devane - Kyle Olson - Lukas Svejkovsky

Taylor Fedun - Mitch Reinke Jon Lizotte - Colin Swoyer Josh Maniscalco - Jack St. Ivany

Filip Lindberg (Backup: Taylor Gauthier)

GAME SUMMARY

1st Period

4:21: PRO - (PP) Steen, minor (hooking) 6:22: PRO - (PP) Renouf, minor (cross-checking) 6:41: WBS - PPG Puustinen (18) - Nylander, Hallander 7:49: PRO - (PP) Ahcan, minor (high-sticking) 10:25: WBS - (PP) Olson, minor (slashing)

2nd Period

6:10: WBS - (PP) Maniscalco, minor (delay of game) 7:49: PRO - PPG Ahcan (3) - Asselin, McLaughlin

3rd Period

8:35: PRO - McLaughlin, minor (roughing) 8:35: WBS - Legare, minor (roughing) 10:21: PRO - (PP) Lysell, minor (tripping) 12:32: WBS - (PP) Swoyer, minor (tripping) 13:51: PRO - PPG Merkulov (14) - Carrick, Lysell 16:09: WBS - (PP) Hallander, minor (high-sticking) 18:53: WBS - (PP) Caggiula, minor (holding) 19:24: PRO - ENG PPG Wagner (11) - Brazeau, Merkulov

BOXSCORE

Providence     0 - 1 - 3 = 3 W-B/Scranton  1 - 0 - 0 = 1

Shots

Providence     16 - 10 - 10 = 36 W-B/Scranton  9 - 10 - 8 = 27

Goalies

PRO: Keith Kinkaid (26 saves - 27 shots) WBS: Filip Lindberg (33 saves - 35 shots)

Power Play

PRO: 3-for-5 WBS: 1-for-4

Penalty Kill

PRO: 3-for-4 WBS: 2-for-5