URGENT UPDATE: The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins faced a heart-wrenching defeat against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, falling 4-3 in a shootout on Sunday at the PPL Center in Allentown. This marks the Phantoms’ first victory over the Penguins this season, after four previous attempts.
The Penguins surged ahead early with Rafael Harvey-Pinard scoring just before the end of the first period, giving them a 1-0 lead. Harvey-Pinard struck again, netting his second goal just three minutes into the second period, extending the Penguins’ advantage to 2-0. However, the Phantoms rallied back, scoring two consecutive goals to tie the game 2-2 by the end of the second period.
In a twist, Oscar Elkind scored his first goal of the season, putting the Phantoms ahead 3-2. The Penguins responded swiftly, with David Breazeale equalizing less than a minute later, assisted by Chase Pietila and Harvey-Pinard, setting the stage for an intense finish.
The game proceeded to a shootout where the Phantoms dominated. Both Tucker Robertson and Cooper Marody successfully converted their shots, while the Penguins missed both attempts. Joel Blomqvist was solid in goal for Wilkes-Barre, stopping 35 of 38 shots throughout the match.
This defeat leaves the Penguins with a split week ahead. They will face off against the Charlotte Checkers on Tuesday, December 31, at 7:05 p.m. at Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza, before traveling to Syracuse on Saturday at 7 p.m.
Fans are eager to see if the Penguins can bounce back and improve their record against Charlotte, where they currently hold a 2-2 standing this season, while the upcoming game against Syracuse will mark their first clash with the Crunch.
Stay tuned for more updates as the Penguins seek redemption in their next matchup!
