WILKES-BARRE, Pa. – The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins lost to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, 5-2, in their opener to the 2025 Calder Cup Playoffs on Wednesday night at Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton is now facing elimination in its best-of-three, first-round series after allowing five-straight goals to their turnpike rival. Alex Bump scored twice in his pro playoff debut for Lehigh Valley, and the Phantoms’ penalty kill clamped down on four-straight Penguins power plays during the second period.
Lehigh Valley scored the first goal of the series when Olle Lycksell cleaned up a rebound at 8:41 of the first period.
Shortly after the Penguins’ fourth power play opportunity, the Phantoms extended their lead to two. Jett Luchanko found Bump loose in the slot, and Bump finished it off at 8:25 of the middle frame.
Rodrigo Ābols buried his own rebound at 13:46 of the second period, making it 3-0.
Bump scored a man-advantage marker at the eight-minute mark of the third, swiftly followed by Anthony Richard making it a 5-0 game 93 seconds later.
Avery Hayes and Gabe Klassen both scored their first pro playoff goals in the last five minutes of regulation, preventing Parker Gahagen from earning a shutout in his Calder Cup Playoff debut. Gahagen ultimately finished with 28 saves.
Joel Blomqvist started the game in net for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, but was replaced at the start of the third period by Taylor Gauthier. Blomqvist notched 23 saves on 26 shots faced, while Gauthier denied five of seven in relief.
The Penguins and Phantoms go head-to-head again for Game 2 of their best-of-three series on Friday, Apr. 25 at PPL Center. Game time is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. at PPL Center.
If necessary, a decisive Game 3 will take place back on the Penguins’ home ice on Sunday, Apr. 27. One of the two turnpike rivals will punch their ticket to the Atlantic Division Semifinal following a 6:05 p.m. puck drop at Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza.
Individual tickets and full playoff packages for the Penguins’ postseason run are on sale now. Fans who wish to reserve their seats for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s games in the 2025 Calder Cup Payoffs can call the Penguins’ front office at (570) 208-7367.
Penguins Playoff Packages, which include tickets to all potential home games, are also on sale now. Also included in the plan is an $8 voucher per seat for each game, good for use at any SAVOR-run concession stand or at the Penguins Igloo Team Store inside the arena. Vouchers are good only for the game for which they are issued and cannot be carried over to future games.
Calder Cup Playoff Packages are available exclusively through the Penguins’ front office. Individual playoff game tickets are also available by visiting Ticketmaster.com, the Mohegan Arena Box Office or calling the Penguins’ front office at (570) 208-7367.
Every minute of Penguins playoff hockey can be watched online with the league’s streaming service, AHLTV on FloHockey. AHLTV on FloHockey provides its subscribers access to not just every regular-season and Calder Cup Playoff game for all 32 AHL teams, but also more than 21,000 hockey contests from other professional and junior leagues on FloHockey, as well as access to all other live event streams and replays across FloSports.
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