PENGUINS EARN 5-4 VICTORY ON STAR WARS NIGHT

BOXSCORE

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. – The Force was strong in Northeast Pennsylvania on Saturday night, as the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins held off the Binghamton Senators for a 5-4 win during the Penguins’ Star Wars night at Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza.

The Penguins (24-7-3-0) became the first team in the AHL to reach the 50-point plateau this season thanks to a big game from Danny Kristo (two goals) and Jake Guentzel (three assists).

Not even three minutes ticked by before Wilkes-Barre/Scranton got out to a 2-0 lead in the opening frame with goals merely 44 seconds apart. Tom Kostopoulos got on the board first and Kristo followed up with a tally of his own shortly thereafter.

Jack Rodewald and Binghamton struck back, scoring at 14:47 of the first period, making it 2-1.

The Senators stunned the crowd with two markers in quick succession early in the second period to take a 3-2 lead. But Tom Sestito brought the fans back to life and gave the Penguins a new hope when he tied the game at 14:12 of the second period.

Another flurry of scoring saw Wilkes-Barre/Scranton take a 5-3 lead with a pair of goals from Kristo and Ryan Haggerty. Those two players found the back of the net within 39 seconds of one another.

Binghamton did not go quietly as Casey Bailey scored an extra-attacker, power play goal with 1:01 left in the final period, cutting the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton lead to 5-4.

The Senators’ late push was not enough, as the Penguins held on for the victory. Goaltender Doug Carr earned the win in his first start with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, making 33 saves on 37 shots.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s next game is tomorrow, Sunday, Jan. 8, when they take on the Hershey Bears at Giant Center at 5:00 p.m. The Penguins’ next home showing is Saturday, Jan. 21, and once again their opponent will be the Bears.

Individual game tickets for the game on Jan. 21 and all Penguins home games, are available at the Mohegan Sun Arena box office, online at TicketMaster.com, or by calling 800-745-3000.

Penguins ticket packages, including 22-game, 12-game, and 10-voucher flex packs, are available directly through the Penguins offices by calling (570) 208-7367.