UPDATE: In a thrilling showdown, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms defeated the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in a gripping shootout, marking their first victory over the Penguins this season, with a final score of 4-3. The game took place earlier today at the PPL Center in Allentown, and the urgency of this win reverberates through the AHL as it broke the Penguins’ dominance in their previous four encounters.
The Penguins started strong, with Rafael Harvey-Pinard scoring his sixth goal of the season, putting them ahead 1-0 after the first period. Just three minutes into the second period, Harvey-Pinard struck again, extending the lead to 2-0. However, the Phantoms responded fiercely, netting two goals before the end of the second period to equalize.
With the score tied at 2-2 after two periods, Oscar Elkind scored his first goal of the season, giving Lehigh Valley a brief advantage. But the Penguins quickly retaliated, with David Breazeale netting a goal just minutes later, assisted by Chase Pietila and Harvey-Pinard, bringing the game to 3-3.
In the decisive shootout, the Phantoms’ Tucker Robertson and Cooper Marody successfully converted their attempts, while the Penguins failed to score on both of their shots. Joel Blomqvist had an impressive performance in goal for the Penguins, stopping 35 of 38 shots.
This loss puts the Penguins at a crucial point in their season, as they prepare for two games this week. They will face the Charlotte Checkers at Mohegan Arena on Tuesday, December 31, 2023, at 7:05 p.m., before heading to Syracuse for a matchup on Saturday at 7 p.m.. The Penguins hold a 2-2 record against Charlotte this season, while this will be their first encounter with the Crunch.
As the Penguins regroup, fans are left anxious to see how this setback will influence their performance moving forward. Stay tuned for more updates as the AHL season progresses and the Penguins look to bounce back from this narrow defeat.
