BRIDGEPORT, Conn. – The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins took home a 4-3, shootout victory at the end of a teeter-totter contest against the Bridgeport Islanders on Wednesday night at Total Mortgage Arena.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (5-2-0-0) saw a two-goal lead evaporate, but rallied in the third period to force overtime. Emil Bemström and Ville Koivunen both buried their shootout attempts to take the extra standings point away from their Atlantic Division foe.
The Penguins were quick to light the lamp, conjuring a pair of goals before the game was three minutes old. First, Koivunen tipped in a drive by Rutger McGroarty 70 seconds into the contest. Both McGroarty and Isaac Belliveau notched their first AHL points with assists on the Koivunen goal.
Eighty-four seconds later, Jonathan Gruden put Wilkes-Barre/Scranton up, 2-0.
Bridgeport turned the tables in the second period, scoring three times to seize the lead.
Samuel Bolduc got the Islanders on the board with a power-play goal at the three-minute mark of the middle frame. Brian Pinho followed with a shorthanded goal at 12:30 of the second, and Fredrik Karlström put the Islanders on top at 15:22.
Undeterred, the Penguins came out and bull rushed the Islanders at the start of the third period. Bridgeport goalie Marcus Högberg did all he could to keep his team ahead by one, but he eventually surrendered a tying goal to Gruden with 6:36 left in regulation.
Both clubs were awarded power plays in overtime, but neither mustered a sudden-death winner.
Bemström and Koivunen scored on slick moves in the first and second rounds of the shootout, respectively. Eventually, the fate of the game rested on the stick of the AHL’s active leader in career goals and points, Chris Terry. Tristan Jarry denied Terry’s backhand attempt, sealing the win in the Penguins’ first shootout of the season.
Jarry made 27 saves in regulation and overtime, then stopped two of three shootout bids. Högberg denied 38 shots in 65 minutes of work, but allowed goals on two of three shootout attempts against.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s next game is back at home on Saturday, Oct. 30 when they take on the Hartford Wolf Pack. Game time between the Penguins and Wolf Pack is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. at Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza.
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