Game Story: Providence - 4 at W-B/Scranton - 3 (12/30/22)

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. - The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins hosted one final game in the calendar year Friday night at Mohegan Arena against the Providence Bruins, looking to snap a four-game skid (0-3-1) and end 2022 on a positive note. Despite taking an early 1-0 lead, the Penguins were unable to sustain momentum before coming up short in a 4-3 regulation loss to extend the losing streak to five games.

It seemed any time the Penguins had momentum starting to turn in their favor, the Bruins were quick to answer.

Sam Houde and Valtteri Puustinen (two goals) scored in the loss for the Penguins, while Dustin Tokarski stopped 23 of the 27 shots that came his way.

Providence entered the game with just five total goals scored in their last four games, but simplifying things offensively proved to help open the flood gates - as most of the team's goals scored Friday were pretty cut and dry getting pucks to the net type of scoring chances.

Oskar Steen, who had just one goal and one assist in his last 10 games, perhaps fittingly got the offense going again as he tallied a goal and two assists to pace the PBruins' attack. His goal late in the third actually ended up being the game-winner.

Georgii Merkulov, Mike Reilly and Connor Carrick also scored for the PBruins in the win, while Brandon Bussi stopped 36 of the 39 shots he faced to help preserve the win.

The two teams traded power play goals in the opening half of the first frame.

First, the Penguins converted on the game's opening power play to take a 1-0 lead after Colin Swoyer got a puck ahead to Nathan Legare entering the offensive zone. Legare flipped a pass cross-ice for Houde, who sniped one past Bussi 7:47 into the contest.

Providence responded hastily, securing a power play chance of their own shortly thereafter and evening the game at 1-1 at 9:57.

It wasn't anything fancy, but some hard work by Chris Wagner to get a contested shot from the slot through and on to the net. Tokarski made the initial save, and stopped Justin Brazeau's rebound bid atop the crease, but the puck eventually darted out to bottom of the left-wing circle where Merkulov was able to slam it home into an empty net.

The two teams dug in for the middle frame and while power play chances were exchanged, it was the Bruins taking the lead on their second power play goal of the night just prior to the midway mark of regulation.

Oskar Steen sent a puck around the boards from the right wing out to the left point for Jack Ahcan, who slid it across the top to Reilly at center point for a big blast through traffic that eluded Tokarski with 10:11 remaining in the second stanza.

The Pens didn't pack it in from there. Instead, they found a way to even things before the second intermission.

Corey Andonovski sent a cross-ice pass to Puustinen, but it was off the mark. Luckily for the Pens, the puck bounced off the right-wing wall and right to Puustinen so the Pens' forward gained control and let loose a bad angle shot from below the right-wing circle that eluded Bussi with 1:47 left in the period.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton began the third period with a power play, but the PBruins killed it off before taking a 3-2 lead shortly thereafter. Steen got the puck to the point for a high-rising blast from Carrick that went off the crossbar and in past Tokarski with 17:00 left in regulation.

The PBruins made it 4-2 with 2:49 left to play with Steen completing the three-point night, finishing off a 2-on-1 rush with Vinni Lettieri , but the Penguins didn't call it night there either - clawing back to within a goal on Puustinen's second of the game to set up an exciting finish.

The Pens pressured to the final horn, but ultimately came up short 4-3.

PBruins Post-Game EXTRA!

Head coach Ryan Mougenel

On the team's recent struggles offensively, and how they were able to break through tonight

"When you're struggling to find the back of the net, I think it's exactly what you said - it's the simplicity of it sometimes. And it's funny, I watched a lot of the goals in the World Juniors yesterday. And the one common denominator was there's always strong net presence and something that - we watch film, and we're just not going to those areas, and then we're not rewarding those guys that are going there by not putting pucks in areas and on net. And, I think we had a great practice yesterday, and I think that was definitely emphasized, you know, let's hit the net."

Defenseman Mike Reilly

On getting pucks to the net and simplifying things offensively when the team is struggling to score

"I think we've kind of been struggling [to get pucks to the net] a little bit. And, obviously, that's where most of the goals are scored. So, it started in practice yesterday a little bit then we touched up on it again today before the game to kind of get to those hard areas. I don't think we're going to expect to score, you know, five, six goals every night right off the hop here, but if we can build off that, I think we'll get the offense going."

Providence Bruins Lineup Notes

Brandon Bussi got the start in net for Providence Friday night in Wilkes-Barre. Veteran netminder Keith Kinkaid served as Bussi's backup.

Bruins scratches: Kai Wissman, Johnny Beecher, Curtis Hall, Dan Renouf, Eduards Tralmaks and Anton Stralman

Lines/Pairings:

Chris Wagner - Oskar Steen - Vinni Lettieri Jakub Lauko - Joona Koppanen - Justin Brazeau Luke Toporowski - Georgii Merkulov - Marc McLaughlin JD Greenway - Samuel Asselin - Joey Abate

Mike Reilly - Josiah Didier Nick Wolff - Connor Carrick Michael Callahan - Jack Ahcan

Brandon Bussi - Keith Kinkaid

W-B/Scranton Penguins Lineup Notes

Dustin Tokarski got the start in net for the Penguins Friday night. Taylor Gauthier served as the team's backup as Filip Lindberg remains week-to-week with a lower body injury.

Plenty of roster movement in the Penguins organization leading into the weekend.

With their ECHL affiliate Wheeling Nailers in nearby Reading, Pa during the week, Jordan Frasca was yo-yo'd between Wheeling and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton this week before ultimately being loaned to the Nailers Friday.

NHL recalls from Pittsburgh (Mark Friedman, Ty Smith, Drake Caggiula) saw the AHL Penguins add Josh Maniscalco and Brooklyn Kalmikov from Wheeling.

Caggiula was later reassigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Friday evening, but not in time for him to make the trip back across the state and be in tonight's lineup.

Penguins Scratches: Filip Lindberg, Brooklyn Kalmikov, Sam Poulin, Jamie Devane, Josh Maniscalco and Kyle Olson

Lines/Pairings:

Filip Hallander - Sam Houde - Alex Nylander Corey Andonovski - Jonathan Gruden - Valtteri Puustinen Lukas Svejkovsky - Tyler Sikura - Nathan Legare Ty Glover - Raivis Ansons - Sean Josling

Taylor Fedun - Colin Swoyer Jon Lizotte - Mitch Reinke Xavier Ouellet - Jack St. Ivany

Dustin Tokarski - Taylor Gauthier

GAME SUMMARY

1st Period

6:03: PRO - (PP) bench minor, too many men (served by Toporowski) 7:47: WBS - PPG Houde (4) - Legare, Swoyer 9:26: WBS - (PP) bench minor, too many men (served by Josling) 9:57: PRO - PPG Merkulov (6) - Brazeau, Wagner 11:03: PRO - (PP) Abate, minor (tripping) 18:59: WBS - (PP) Hallander, minor (cross-checking)

2nd Period

4:39: PRO - (PP) Wolff, minor (cross-checking) 8:03: WBS - (PP) St. Ivany, minor (slashing) 9:49: PRO - PPG - Reilly (3) - Ahcan, Steen 11:03: WBS - Josling, minor (roughing) 11:03: PRO - Asselin, minor (roughing) 11:03: PRO - (PP) Asselin, minor (unsportsmanlike) 18:13: WBS - Puustinen (10) - Andonovski, Fedun 20:00: PRO - (PP) Greenway, minor (roughing)

3rd Period

3:00: PRO - Carrick (3) - Steen, Merkulov 17:11: PRO - Steen (6) - Lettieri 18:31: WBS - Puustinen (11) - Nylander, Reinke

BOXSCORE

Providence   1 - 1 - 2 = 4 W-B/Scranton  1 - 1 - 1 = 3

Shots

Providence   10 - 11 - 6 = 27 W-B/Scranton  12 - 14 - 13 = 39

Goalies

PRO: Brandon Bussi (36 saves - 39 shots) WBS: Dustin Tokarski  (23 saves - 27 shots)

Power Play

PRO: 2-for-3 WBS: 1-for-5

Penalty Kill

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