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

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. - In a back-and-forth game between the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and Springfield Thunderbirds on Wednesday night, it was the Thunderbirds getting that final push to take a 3-2 regulation victory and extend their winning streak to a season-high six games.

Brady Lyle had a game-high three points (two goals, one assist) for Springfield in the win, while Matthew Peca (one goal, one assist) netted a third period power play tally with 4:01 left to play off of Matthew Highmore's second assist of the game. Joel Hofer (28 saves) was arguably Springfield's top player on the ice Wednesday night, keeping his team in a close game despite the wide disparity in shots on goal early on.

Alex Nylander (one goal, one assist) led the Penguins' attack, while Corey Andonovski opened the scoring early in the 1st period for the Penguins in the (win/loss). Dustin Tokarski stopped 14 of the 17 shots he faced in a losing effort.

The Penguins used an early-game surge to their advantage - racking up five of the game's first six shots on goal and taking a 1-0 lead just 2:18 into the contest.

Nylander got a puck up to the right point for Mitch Reinke, and Andonovski was in front of the net in perfect position to re-direct Reinke's shot past Hofer for his eighth tally of the season. The play also marked Reinke's 100th career AHL assist.

Springfield was able to generate scoring chances in the opening period, but seemed to be just a split-second off on plays that prevented them from converting on said scoring chances. In fact, the Thunderbirds had trouble getting shots on target as they managed just five shots on goal in the first frame.

The low-scoring affair continued into the middle frame and, similarly to the first period, the Thunderbirds were having issues generating shots on goal - recording just one shot on net in the opening 12 minutes of the period.

Still, thanks to some timely saves from Hofer in net, Springfield continued to find themselves in a one-goal hockey game.

Then, a Sam Houde tripping minor gave Springfield a power play chance that allowed them to tie the hockey game with 7:13 remaining before the second intermission.

Despite being out-shot 10-1 in the period at that point, the Thunderbirds went to work with their second man advantage opportunity of the contest. Matthew Highmore got a puck to Matthew Peca along the wall, and Peca quickly shuffled it up top to Lyle for a quick shot through a screen for Lyle's fourth goal on the season.

The goal provided the Thunderbirds with an obvious momentum shift, but a goalie interference minor shortly after their game-tying goal prevented them from trying to take the lead. Instead, they had to kill off a Penguins power play to get the game to the third period even at one apiece.

The third period started with a bang as a collision in the Thunderbirds defensive zone between Matthew Kessel and Ty Smith left the Penguins defender down and in a heap along the endboards. Kessel was later given a five-minute major and a game misconduct for the collision that occurred exactly one minute into the third period, giving the Penguins a lengthy power play opportunity to break the 1-1 tie.

Instead, Filip Hallander took a hooking minor and Springfield took the lead during the 4-on-4 on Lyle's second of the game - knocking one in past Tokarski with 16:13 left in regulation.

The Penguins got it back on the next shift, as Nylander pounced on a Springfield defensive zone turnover and deked his way to the net for a bid past Hofer to get the game back even at 2-2 with 15:29 left in the third frame.

Hallander took a second penalty in the third period, and Springfield cashed in to take the lead back at 3-2 as Highmore skated behind the net with the puck and across to the other side before slipping one into the middle for Peca's first goal of the season.

Springfield Thunderbirds Lineup Notes

Joel Hofer got the start in net for Springfield Wednesday night in Wilkes-Barre. Vadim Zherenko served as the Thunderbirds' backup.

Scratches: Tommy Cross, Andrew Peski, Jacob Hayhurst, Anthony Angello, Griffin Luce, Luke Witkowski, Nathan Todd and Dylan McLaughlin

Lines/Pairings:

Matthew Highmore - Matthew Peca - Martin Frk Keean Washkurak - Hugh McGing - Will Bitten Jake Neighbours - Nikita Alexandrov - Mathias Laferriere Greg Printz - Mitch Hoelscher - Drew Callin

Dmitrii Samorukov - Matthew Kessel Tyler Tucker - Steven Santini Austin Osmanski - Brady Lyle

Joel Hofer - Vadim Zherenko

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins Lineup Notes

Dustin Tokarski got the start in net for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Wednesday night at home. Filip Lindberg served as Tokarski's backup, leaving Taylor Gauthier as the team's third goalie (healthy scratch).

Filip Hallander returned to game action for the first time since Jan 6 when the game was called late in the third period after Hallander needed to be taken off the ice via stretcher after a collision in the corner boards.

Scratches: Taylor Gauthier, Colin Swoyer, Lukas Svejkovsky, Sam Poulin, Jamie Devane, Josh Maniscalco, Sean Josling and Xavier Ouellet

Lines/Pairings:

Alex Nylander - Sam Houde - Corey Andonovski Drake Caggiula - Jonathan Gruden - Valtteri Puustinen Filip Hallander - Tyler Sikura - Kyle Olson Ty Glover - Raivis Ansons - Nathan Legare

Ty Smith - Taylor Fedun Jon Lizotte - Jack St Ivany Chris Ortiz - Mitch Reinke

Dustin Tokarski - Filip Lindberg

GAME SUMMARY

1st Period

2:18: WBS - Andonovski (8) - Reinke, Nylander 7:50: SPR - (PP) Osmanski, minor (interference) 13:35: SPR - (PP) Kessel, minor (cross-checking) 16:10: WBS - (PP) Ortiz, minor (hooking)

2nd Period

12:06: WBS - (PP) Houde, minor (tripping) 12:47: SPR - PPG Lyle (4) - Peca, Highmore 14:25: SPR - (PP) Printz, minor (goalie interference)

3rd Period

1:00: SPR - (PP) Kessel, major (cross-checking, served by Frk) 1:00: SPR - Kessel, game misconduct 2:29: WBS - (PP) Hallander, minor (hooking) 3:47: SPR - Lyle (5) - Alexandrov, Samorukov 4:31: WBS PPG Nylander (18) - unassisted 15:05: WBS - (PP) Hallander, minor (hooking) 15:59: SPR - PPG Peca (1) - Highmore, Lyle 20:00: SPR - Santini, minor (cross-checking)

BOXSCORE

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

Shots

Springfield      5 - 7 - 5 = 17 W-B/Scranton  9 - 13 - 8 = 30

Goalies

SPR: Joel Hofer (28 saves - 30 shots) WBS: Dustin Tokarski (14 saves - 17 shots)

Power Play

SPR: 2-for-4 WBS: 1-for-5

Penalty Kill

SPR: 4-for-5 WBS: 2-for-4