Penguins Double Up Crunch to Take Game 1

Game Sheet

Grant scores twice as W-B/Scranton opens series with win

Penguins hand Crunch first postseason loss
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton at Syracuse

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Defenseman Alex Grant netted his first two goals of the playoffs as the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins started off the Eastern Conference Final with a 4-2 win over the Syracuse Crunch at Onondaga County War Memorial at Oncenter.

The Penguins got the early jump on the Crunch on Grant’s first of the night. A forechecking steal by Trevor Smith freed up the puck behind net for Derek Nesbitt, who found Grant streaking across the blueline. The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton d-man blasted a one-timer from the far circle that squeezed through the pads of Syracuse goalie Cedrick Desjardins at 1:55 of the first.

The Crunch’s Brendan Mikkelson tied the score at one at 16:41 of the same period with a long wrist shot from the near point that sailed past a screened Brad Thiessen. 

On the next shift, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton got a chance to retake its lead with a 5-on-4 advantage and would do so 31 seconds after the Crunch’s game-tying goal.  Some tic-tac-toe passing around the Syracuse zone saw Gibbons handle the puck on the far post and set up Smith in front for the easy tap-in and a 2-1 Penguins lead. 

Syracuse would level the match once again 5:38 into the second period when, on the power play, Tyler Johnson picked the top left corner with a wrist shot from the near circle.

Christiaan Minella put the Penguins back on top, 3-2, less than four minutes later as he picked off an outlet pass in the high slot and rifled the puck under the glove of Desjardins.  The unassisted marker was Minella’s first career playoff goal. 

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton extended its lead to 4-2 just 55.8 seconds before the second intermission with its second power play goal of the game.  Controlling the puck on the nearside blueline, Grant wheeled all the way to the far dot before releasing a shot that trickled through the pads of Crunch goaltender.

Thiessen made sure the lead stood with 24 saves, winning his fifth straight start.  Desjardins finished the game with 19 saves on 23 shots. 

The Penguins and Crunch take the ice for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Final on Sunday, May 26 at 7:00PM.  Tune in on 102.3 The Mountain and AHLLive.com.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton will host Games 3 and 4 on Wednesday, May 29 and Friday, May 31.  Tickets for the Eastern Conference Finals are available starting at just $15, and can be purchased at the Mohegan Sun Arena box office, through TicketMaster.com, or by calling the Penguins at 208-7367.

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COMEBACK COMPLETE - Pens Win Game 7

The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins made history Wednesday night in Providence as they came back from a 0-3 series deficit and claimed Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinal with a 5-0 shutout win over the Bruins at Dunkin’ Donuts Center.   The Penguins become the first team in American Hockey League history to rally from three down in a playoff series and win the seventh game on the road.

Neither team was able to find the back of the net in the second period, but the Penguins more than made up for it in the middle frame, beating Bruins goalie Niklas Svedberg four times.

With its first power play of the game, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton went up, 1-0, at 4:44 of the second when Chad Kolarik followed his own rebound behind the net and banked the puck off of Svedberg and across the goal line. 

The Penguins then rattled off three goals in just over four minutes late in the period to build a commanding 4-0 lead going into the second intermission.  Peter Merth started Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s second tally by holding a puck in at the right blueline and quickly sliding a pass to the opposite point for Joey Mormina.  Mormina sent a wrist shot toward the crease that was redirected to the top corner by Warren Peters at 13:04 for his fourth goal of the playoffs.

Chris Collins helped push the margin to three goals two minutes later, stealing a Bruins outlet attempt and dropping a pass at the far circle that Adam Payerl rifled by the blocker of Svedberg.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton made it a four-spot with 2:45 remaining until the break as Dominik Uher chased down his own dump in to the Providence zone and left it along the back boards for Collins.  The Penguins forward notched his second assist of the night, setting up Zach Sill alone in front for a roof shot over a sprawled-out Svedberg.  

Trevor Smith completed the scoring with 4:35 left in regulation, notching his fourth of the postseason. 

Brad Thiessen made 34 saves for his second shutout of the playoffs and fourth of his Penguins career.  He is now tied for first all-time on Wilkes-Barre/Scranton with Andy Chiodo. 

The Penguins move on to face the Syracuse Crunch in the Eastern Conference Final, beginning Saturday, May 25 at 7:00PM.  Wilkes-Barre/Scranton will host Games 3 and 4 on Wednesday, May 29 and Friday, May 31.

The Full Eastern Conference Finals schedule is:

Game 1 – Sat., May 25 – W-B/Scranton at Syracuse, 7 ET
Game 2 – Sun., May 26 – W-B/Scranton at Syracuse, 7 ET
Game 3 – Wed., May 29 – Syracuse at W-B/Scranton, 7:05 ET
Game 4 – Fri., May 31 – Syracuse at W-B/Scranton, 7:05 ET
*Game 5 – Sat., June 1 – W-B/Scranton at Syracuse, 7 ET
*Game 6 – Mon., June 3 – Syracuse at W-B/Scranton, 7:05 ET
*Game 7 – Wed., June 5 – W-B/Scranton at Syracuse, 7 ET
    *if necessary

Tickets for the Eastern Conference Finals are available starting at just $15, and can be purchased at the Mohegan Sun Arena box office starting at 10am on Thursday, through TicketMaster.com, or by calling the Penguins at 208-7367.

ECF Tix On Sale NOW!

Click to purchase online

Penguins Shock Bruins in OT to Force Game 7

Game Sheet

Thiessen makes 46 saves as W-B/Scranton rallies to even series

P-Bruins fall to Penguins in overtime, 2-1
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton at Providence

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Penguins goaltender Brad Thiessen made 46 saves – including 20 in the third period – as Wilkes-Barre/Scranton stunned the Providence Bruins with a 2-1 overtime win at Dunkin’ Donuts Center.  The Penguins become the fourth team in AHL history to force a Game 7 after losing the first three games of a series.

The game’s first goal did not come until the 1:03 mark of the second period when the Bruins caught the Penguins in a line change and Craig Cunningham broke in alone for a flick shot past the blocker of Thiessen.

Five minutes later, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton was able to knot the score, 1-1, with two Bruins in the penalty box.  Brian Dumoulin picked the top right corner of the net with a wrister from the high slot for his second power play goal in as many games. 

For the remainder of regulation, the Bruins controlled the play in all three zones, outshooting the Penguins by a combined 33-5 margin over the second and third periods.  Thiessen was miraculous in net for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in sending the game to overtime.

In the fourth period, the Penguins had the early jump and soon netted the game-winner at 3:26.  Defenseman Alex Grant kept the puck in Bruins zone at the far side point and threw a shot that went wide of goalie Niklas Svedberg before coming to a stop behind the net.  Trevor Smith swooped in to snag the loose puck and wrapped it inside the left post to send the series to a seventh game.

Thiessen’s 46 saves were the most for a Wilkes-Barre/Scranton goalie in the postseason since Nolan Schaefer made 50 saves on May 4, 2007.   Svedberg stopped 16-of-18 for Providence. 

The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins will battle the Providence Bruins in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinal on Wednesday, May 22 at 7:05PM.  Tune in on 102.3 The Mountain or AHLLive.com.

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Pens Shut Out Bruins In Game 5

Game Sheet

Pens Shutout Bruins to Send Series Back to Providence

Thiessen makes 30 saves for third playoff shutout

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. – Penguins goaltender Brad Thiessen made 30 saves as Wilkes-Barre/Scranton blanked the Providence Bruins, 4-0, at Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza to force a Game 6 in the Eastern Conference Semifinal.  The Bruins still lead the best-of-seven series, 3-2. 

 

The Penguins enjoyed four man-advantages in the opening period and were able convert on half to take a 2-0 lead into the first intermission.  Wilkes-Barre/Scranton edged ahead, 1-0, at 10:55 when Brian Gibbons sent a pass into the slot that Chad Kolarik redirected toward the Providence net.  Goalie Niklas Svedberg kicked the puck away with his leg pad, but Brian Dumoulin raced to the rebound and put it top corner for his first professional playoff goal.

 

Six minutes later during a 5-on-3 power play, Trevor Smith accepted a feed from Riley Holzapfel and whizzed a wrist shot from the hash marks over the blocker of Svedberg that doubled the Penguins’ lead. 

 

The two teams would skate through a scoreless second period before Adam Payerl notched a big insurance goal for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, rifling a slapshot home from the right circle at 3:39 of the third to make the score, 3-0.  The tally was also Payerl’s first of the playoffs.

 

The remainder of the third period became a penalty-filled affair with both teams combining for 76 penalty minutes. The end result saw the Penguins awarded extended power play time and Paul Thompson completing the scoring during a two-man advantage with 3:16 left in regulation.

 

Dumoulin finished the night with three points on a goal and two assists.  Thiessen’s shutout was the third of his postseason career.  Svedberg made 25 saves on 29 shots for Providence. 

 

The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins look to force a seventh game as they take on the Providence Bruins in Game 6 on Monday, May 20 at 7:05pm. Tune in on 102.3 The Mountain or AHLLive.com

 

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Game 5 Set For Saturday

The playoffs continue on Saturday night, as the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins face off with the Providence Bruins at Mohegan Sun Arena at 7:05pm tonight in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinal.

The Bruins captured the first three games in the series, before the Penguins posted a 3-1 win on Saturday night in Game 4..

Our friends at Eyewitness News (WBRE/WYOU) and the Citizens’ Voice for a fantastic playoff offer for tonight's game as well.

Kids tickets (ages 14 and under) for games on Friday, May 17 and Saturday, May 18 (if necessary) are just $7.  Kids tickets are based on availability in the Club Seat and Blue Zone sections, and must be accompanied by the purchase of an adult ticket (maximum of two kids tickets purchased with each adult ticket).  Adult tickets in these sections are priced at $27 and $15 respectively.

Tickets are available at the Mohegan Sun Arena Box Office, online at TicketMaster.com or by calling 570-208-PENS (7367).  You can also stop by the Penguins team store, located at 40 Coal Street, between 9am and 5pm on Saturday to purchase your seats.

Fans around the world can check out the action by tuning in to 102.3 the Mountain;  you can also tune in live online;  if you're on the go be sure to download the Pens iPhone or Android apps to listen anywhere;  or watch the game live on your computer at ahllive.com .

The complete schedule is as follows:

GAME		DATE		TEAMS		TIME/RESULT
Game 1		Fri., May 10		PENGUINS at Providence		8-5 Loss
Game 2		Sat., May 11		PENGUINS at Providence		4-2 Loss
Game 3		Wed., May 15		Providence vs. PENGUINS		2-1 OT Loss
Game 4		Fri., May 17		Providence vs. PENGUINS		3-1 WIN
Game 5		Sat., May 18		Providence vs. PENGUINS		7:05 PM
*Game 6		Mon., May 20		PENGUINS at Providence		7:05 PM
*Game 7		Wed., May 22		PENGUINS at Providence		7:05 PM

   

* - if necessary                

PENS FORCE GAME 5 WITH 3-1 WIN

Game Sheet

Penguins Extend Series with Win Over Bruins

Mormina assists on all three W-B/Scranton goals

Pens Force Game 5 with 3-1 Win
Providence at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. – The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins staved off elimination with a 3-1 win against the Providence Bruins in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinal.  The Penguins will look to send the series back to Providence with Game 5 at Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza on Saturday night.    

 

Trailing 1-0 after the first, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton put forth its best of hockey in this series against Providence.  The Penguins evened the score at 6:25 when Adam Payerl pushed down the right side of the Bruins’ zone and left a pass to Warren Peters.  The veteran forward used a Providence defenseman as a screen to sneak a wrist shot inside the far post. 

 

The Penguins went ahead for the first time in the game with 3:10 left until the second intermission as Joey Mormina’s shot from the far blue line deflected to right circle for Riley Holzapfel to snap over goalie Niklas Svedberg and to the top of the net. 

 

A late power play helped Wilkes-Barre/Scranton take its first two-goal lead of the series 1:07 after Holzapfel’s goal.  Stationed at the center point, Mormina waited for a screen to set up in front of the Bruins crease before firing a waist-high shot that was tipped in by Chad Kolarik.   

 

Carter Camper started Game 4 much the same way he ended Game 3, capitalizing on a steal and finding the back of the net.  Jordan Caron knocked down a Penguins pass by the near post and had his shot stopped by Brad Thiessen before Camper skated to the rebound behind the net and banked it across the goal line for a 1-0 Providence lead at 7:37 of the first.

 

Thiessen registered his second win of the postseason with 31 saves on 32 shots.  Svedberg’s six-game winning streak came to an end as he stopped 19-of-22.

 

The Penguins host the Providence Bruins for Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinal on Saturday, May 18 and are offering kids tickets (ages 14 and under) for just $7.  Kids tickets are based on availability and must be accompanied by the purchase of an adult ticket (maximum of two kids tickets purchased with each adult ticket).

 

Tickets are available at the Box Office at Mohegan Sun Arena, through any Ticketmaster outlet, or online at ticketmaster.com.  Tickets also can be purchased via phone by calling 1-800-745-3000.

 

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Penguins Fall on Bruins’ Quick Strike in OT

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. – Carter Camper found the back of the net just 31 seconds into overtime to lift the Providence Bruins to a 2-1 win over the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins at Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza and a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

Bruins down Penguins in OT, 2-1
Providence at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton

The game-winning goal for Providence started with a keep-in along the near side wall by Jordan Caron. The puck was worked through the slot and to the bottom of the face circle, where Camper pounded home his seventh of the playoffs to give the Bruins the win.

After a scoreless first period of play, Providence went up, 1-0, 3:04 into the second. Battling for a puck behind the Penguins net, Kyle MacKinnon wrestled the puck free and centered in front for a Jared Knight wrist shot that beat goalie Brad Thiessen down low.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton would pick up its pace and tie the score at 10:42 on Trevor Smith’s first goal of this year’s playoffs. After a clean faceoff win by the Penguins, Cody Wild had his point shot stopped by Niklas Svedberg, but the puck bounced over to Smith to smack inside the far post.

Getting his second start of the playoffs, Thiessen stopped 20-of-22 shots for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Svedberg won his sixth in a row with a 32-save effort for the Bruins. The Penguins host the Providence Bruins for Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinal on Friday, May 17 and are offering kids tickets (ages 14 and under) for just $7.

Kids tickets are based on availability and must be accompanied by the purchase of an adult ticket (maximum of two kids tickets purchased with each adult ticket). Tickets are available at the Box Office at Mohegan Sun Arena, through any Ticketmaster outlet, or online at ticketmaster.com. Tickets also can be purchased via phone by calling 1-800-745-3000

$7 KIDS TIX NEXT WEEKEND

The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins have joined forces with our friends at Eyewitness News (WBRE/WYOU) and the Citizens’ Voice for a fantastic playoff offer for next weekend’s games.

The Penguins host the Providence Bruins in the Eastern Conference Semifinal on Friday, May 17 and Saturday, May 18 (if necessary), and are offering kids tickets (ages 14 and under) for just $7.  Kids tickets are based on availability in the Club Seat and Blue Zone sections, and must be accompanied by the purchase of an adult ticket (maximum of two kids tickets purchased with each adult ticket).  Adult tickets in these sections are priced at $27 and $15 respectively.

Tickets are available at the Mohegan Sun Arena Box Office, online at TicketMaster.com or by calling 570-208-PENS (7367).

The Penguins open the second round of the playoffs in Providence with games on Friday and Saturday nights.  Both games start at 7:05pm.  The full best-of-seven Eastern Conference Semifinal schedule between the Penguins and Bruins is listed below:

GAME		DATE		TEAMS		TIME/RESULT
Game 1		Fri., May 10		PENGUINS at Providence		7:05 PM
Game 2		Sat., May 11		PENGUINS at Providence		7:05 PM
Game 3		Wed., May 15		Providence vs. PENGUINS		7:05 PM
Game 4		Fri., May 17		Providence vs. PENGUINS		7:05 PM
*Game 5		Sat., May 18		Providence vs. PENGUINS		7:05 PM
*Game 6		Mon., May 20		PENGUINS at Providence		7:05 PM
*Game 7		Wed., May 22		PENGUINS at Providence		7:05 PM

      

* - if necessary                

Individual seats for all Penguins home games are available at the Mohegan Sun Arena box office, online at www.ticketmaster.com, and by calling 800-745-3000.

PENS TO FACE BRUINS IN SECOND ROUND

Penguins to Face Bruins in Eastern Conference Semifinal

Series starts Friday in Providence; Game 3 on May 15^th in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. – The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins today announced the schedule for their best-of-seven Eastern Conference Semifinal series against the Providence Bruins.

The series starts off with Game 1 on Friday, May 10 at Dunkin’ Donuts Center at 7:05PM.  The Penguins will host Game 3 (Home Game B) at Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza on Wednesday, May 15; Game 4 (Home Game C) on Friday, May 17 and Game 5 (Home Game D), if necessary, on Saturday, May 18.  Start time for all games is 7:05 PM.

The complete schedule is as follows:

Game 1		Fri., May 10		W-B/Scranton at PROVIDENCE		7:05 PM
Game 2		Sat., May 11		W-B/Scranton at PROVIDENCE		7:05 PM
Game 3		Wed., May 15		Providence vs. W-B/SCRANTON		7:05 PM
Game 4		Fri., May 17		Providence vs. W-B/SCRANTON		7:05 PM
*Game 5		Sat., May 18		Providence vs. W-B/SCRANTON		7:05 PM
*Game 6		Mon., May 20		W-B/Scranton at PROVIDENCE		7:05 PM
*Game 7		Wed., May 22		W-B/Scranton at PROVIDENCE		7:05 PM

      

* - if necessary

                 

Individual tickets are on sale now and available at the Box Office at Mohegan Sun Arena, through any Ticketmaster outlet, or online at ticketmaster.com.  Tickets also can be purchased via phone by calling 1-800-745-3000.

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PENS SWEEP SENS BACK TO BROOME COUNTY

Penguins Rally Past Sens to Sweep Series

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. – Trailing for most of the contest, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins scored three times in the third period to claim a 3-2 victory over the Binghamton Senators at Mohegan Sun Arena and sweep the best-of-five Eastern Conference Quarterfinal.

PENGUINS SWEEP SENATORS BACK TO BROOME COUNTY
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 3 - Binghamton 2

The Senators were able to strike first for the first time in the series and take a 1-0 lead five minutes after the opening faceoff.  Mark Stone got a stick on an outlet attempt and hit a wide-open Matt Puempel in the slot for a wrist shot past the blocker of Brad Thiessen.

The score would remain the same through the middle frame into the third until Binghamton’s fourth power play of the game.  Leading a shorthanded rush, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s Jayson Megna came down the right side and floated a pass to the crease that Zach Sill stabbed into the top corner to even the score with 12:28 remaining in regulation.

After going scoreless on their previous four man-advantages, it was the Penguins’ fifth 5-on-4 of the game that proved pivotal. With just 1:18 remaining in regulation, Trevor Smith whipped a pass from the goal line that Riley Holzapfel one-timed from in front and past the left pad of Binghamton goalie Nathan Lawson to put his team ahead for good, 2-1. 

Megna added an empty-net goal with 28 seconds left and Mark Borowiecki pulled the Senators back with one on an extra-attacker tally that came with  just 1.5 seconds left on the clock.

Thiessen picked up his first win of the postseason, making 19 saves on 21 shots.  Lawson stopped 26 for the Senators.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s opponent for the Eastern Conference Semifinal is still to be determined.

Playoff ticket packages are available by contacting the Penguins Front Office at (570) 208-PENS and include a Penguins playoff rally towel with each seat purchased. 

Tickets for individual playoff games are on sale now to the general public and available at the Box Office at Mohegan Sun Arena, through any Ticketmaster outlet, or online at ticketmaster.com.  Tickets also can be purchased via phone by calling 1-800-745-3000.

– penguins –

KRZ IS ALL IN

Chris Collins and Dylan Reese made the radio rounds this week, talking playoff hockey and Game 3 vs. the Senators (coming up this Thursday, May 2 at 7:05pm on home ice).

Big thanks to Jeff and Amanda in the afternoon for hanging with Chris Collins...

...and to the best morning show around, Rocky and Lissa, showing their support with Dylan Reese and Mike O'Brien.

GET ALL IN FOR JUST $14

Two games in Binghamton, two Penguins wins!

That's right, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins traveled up I-81 this past weekend to start their first round playoff matchup with the Senators, and returned home with two big victories in tow.

But the hard work isn't done just yet.  The Pens need one more win to capture a berth in the second round, and we want YOU to be there to help us get it!

Game Three of the first round is this Thursday, May 2, at the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza.  And you can get seats for what could be the decisive meeting for as low as $14 thanks to our friends at Eyewitness News.  Just visit the Mohegan Sun Arena Box Office, call 800-745-3000, or click here to purchase your seats online.

The first 5,000 fans through the gates will also receive a special playoff noisemaker, thanks to our friends at Martz Trailways.  Grab yours on the way in and let the team know you are there!

Penguins playoff packages are also on sale, with discounts over the gate price and a FREE whiteout t-shirt with every package purchased.  Get yours by calling the Penguins directly at 570-208-7367.

Come on down to the arena this Thursday to root on the Pens!

ALL IN!

GAME TWO HIGHLIGHTS

Highlights from Sunday's 3-2 Penguins win in Binghamton:

B-Sens drop game-2 versus Pens
W/B Scranton at Bingahamton

GAME ONE HIGHLIGHTS and REACTION

Check out Chad Kolarik's OT goal here:

B-Sens drop game-1 to Pens in OT
W/B Scranton at Binghamton

And hear what he had to say about it here:

PENS vs. SENS PLAYOFF HISTORY

The 2004-05 American Hockey League season was unique in league history.  With the National Hockey League schedule being wiped out due to a work stoppage, the AHL saw in influx of extremely high end talent, making it arguably the top league in the world.

The Penguins and Senators both reaped the benefits of the lockout to varying degrees.

Wilkes-Barre saw Marc-Andre Fleury, Rob Scuderi, Ryan VandenBussche and Ryan Whitney – all players who figured to see significant playing time in Pittsburgh – suiting up.

And while the Penguins received some nice additions, the Senators were virtually stacked.

Binghamton’s roster featured four players – Jason Spezza, Antoine Vermette, Brian Pothier and Anton Volchenkov – who spent the entire 2003-04 campaign in the NHL.  Those four were joined by AHL vet Denis Hamel, two-time All-Star netminder Ray Emery and center Chris Kelly, who would graduate to the NHL full time after the season.

Key to the team was the play of Spezza, the second overall pick in the 2001 NHL draft, who paced the league with 85 assists and 117 points.  Hamel did his part as well, finishing third in the AHL with 39 goals and ninth with 78 points, as Bingo recorded a league-high 276 goals on the year.

The Sens’ 106 points (47-21-4-8) were good enough to capture the East Division title, while the Pens (39-27-7-7) finished fourth in the division with 92 points, one behind the third place Norfolk Admirals.  A 4-2 loss to the Syracuse Crunch on the last day of the regular season put the Pens in the unenviable situation of facing the high-flying Sens in the first round of the playoffs.

Binghamton wasted little time in showcasing their offensive firepower, as Josh Langfeld scored 123 seconds into Game One, as the Senators skated to a relatively easy 5-2 victory.

It took even less time for the home club to jump out to the lead in Game Two, as Charlie Stephens tallied 1:44 into the contest.  Kris Beech evened the score with a second period goal, but Bingo rattled off three consecutive tallies in the third to post a 4-2 win, and take a commanding 2-0 lead in the series.

Game Three started a little slower, with the opening salvo not coming until the 9:04 mark of the first frame when Christoph Schubert beat Andy Chiodo with a power play marker to give the visiting Senators the early lead.

The tide started to turn in the second period, as Shane Endicott and Beech scored power play goals seven minutes apart to give the Penguins their first lead of the series at 2-1.  Schubert made sure the advantage was short-lived, though, as he netted his second of the night with 4:49 remaining in the period to even the score.

And then….nothing.

The Pens peppered Emery with 14 shots in the third period, but couldn’t put one behind the Binghamton backsopper, while Chiodo stopped all nine shots he saw in the third frame.
The teams held each other at bay during the first overtime period, and when the second extra frame ended with the score still tied at 2-2, fans had to be wondering if the game would ever end.

The third overtime dragged on, and it looked like players were skating with cement blocks trailing them after nearly five hours of action.

Then, just past the halfway mark of the third overtime and two minutes shy of midnight, Beech accepted a breakout pass at center ice, and cut to the left boards.  As Erik Crhistensen trailed the play, Armstrong snuck in behind defenseman Pat Kavanagh, and tipped home a feed at the top of the crease to give the Penguins a dramatic 3-2 win in the longest contest in team history.



The victory turned the tide in the series, as the Pens used the momentum from the game to post a 2-0 decision in Game Four on April 27.  Matt Murley and Armstrong tallied in that contest, and Chiodo stopped 23 shots for the shutout.

Ryan VandenBussche was the unlikely hero in Game Five.  The Penguins bruiser game Wilkes-Barre a 2-1 lead late in the second with his first of the postseason, and he scored again just 34 seconds after Josh Langfeld tied the game early in the third to give the Pens a 3-2 victory.

Game Six was back in Wilkes-Barre on Sunday, May 1.  Chris Kelly scored 18:47 into the second period to give Binghamton the lead, but Beech tied the score with another power play goal, and Michel Ouellet capped the comeback with his first goal since Game One, as the Pens posted a 2-1 win and a 4-2 series victory in one of the biggest upsets in AHL history.

PENS AND SENS SET FOR FIRST ROUND MEETING

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. – The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins today announced the schedule for their best-of-five Eastern Conference Quarterfinal series against the Binghamton Senators. 

The series will begin with Game 1 on Saturday, Apr. 27 at Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena at 7:05PM. The Penguins will host Game 3 at Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza on Thursday, May 2 and, if necessary, Game 4 on Saturday, May 4. Start time for both games is 7:05 PM. 

Individual tickets for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins’ games A and B of the Calder Cup Playoffs are on sale now and available at the Box Office at Mohegan Sun Arena, through any Ticketmaster outlet, or online at ticketmaster.com. 

Tickets also can be purchased via phone by calling 1-800-745-3000. The complete schedule is as follows: 

Game 1 - Saturday, Apr. 27, W-B/Scranton at BINGHAMTON, 7:05 PM 
Game 2 - Sunday, Apr. 28, W-B/Scranton at BINGHAMTON, 5:05 PM 
Game 3 - Thursday, May 2, W-B/SCRANTON vs. Binghamton, 7:05 PM 
*Game 4 - Saturday, May 4, W-B/SCRANTON vs. Binghamton, 7:05 PM 
*Game 5 - Monday, May 6, W-B/Scranton at BINGHAMTON, 7:05 PM 

* - if necessary 

Playoff ticket packages are available by contacting the Penguins Front Office at (570) 208-PENS and include a Penguins playoff T-Shirt with each seat purchased.

PENS CLINCH 11th STRAIGHT PLAYOFF BERTH

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. – The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins clinched their 11^th consecutive appearance in the Calder Cup Playoffs – the longest current active streak in the American Hockey League – after defeating the St. John’s IceCaps 3-0 on Saturday night in Newfoundland.

Tickets for individual playoff games will go on sale to the general public on Friday, April 19 at 10:00am and are available at the Box Office at Mohegan Sun Arena, through any Ticketmaster outlet, or online at ticketmaster.com.  Tickets also can be purchased via phone by calling 1-800-745-3000.

Playoff ticket packages are available by contacting the Penguins Front Office at (570) 208-PENS and include a Penguins Whiteout T-Shirt with each package purchased.