This was the type of game that the Penguins have showed all season to their fans at the Wachovia Arena at Casey Plaza as they played a close to the body, checking game that kept the Wolves from developing the offense that they are known for. Mainly because of that the home team
did not disappoint the 6,718 in attendance tonight.
Photos by Naomi Viso
This was a contest that saw all five goals scored on the man-advantage. With so much at stake for each club the play was edgier as the number of goals was more than the total penalties called in Game 3 of the series.
The win also stopped an embarrassing streak of ten straight Calder Cup Finals losses for Wilkes-Barre . If the Penguins lost this game it would’ve been their second straight finals in which they would have been swept. The last time they were swept it was by the Milwaukee Admirals when current Wolves captain Darren Haydar was Milwaukee ’s team leader.
The first period, like the game before, was dominated by the Penguins as they scored first on a face-off win that went to Chris Minard for his first goal of the series. The Wolves were down two players and a stick that was broken on the play, effectively making it a five-on-two advantage. The period showed that the Penguins had to throw everything out that they had if they wanted to continue on in the series. They came out firing on all cylinders and it showed in the chippiness and physicality of their play.
Would the second see the Wolves bring out the offensive power like they did with a five goal score outburst two nights before? Well they tried but the Penguins struck again to thwart Chicago ’s plans. Center David Gove was in the right place at the right time when Ben Lovejoy fired a puck toward the net and Gove deflected it in. Just as it had on the first goal
Colin Stuart’s stick broke leaving the Wolves to scramble.
Photos by Naomi Viso
Despite being down by a pair of goals the Wolves started and rally and were led on the attack by their captain. Wilkes-Barre gave the Wolves a power play when Tim Wallace was called for a trip. Down by a pair Chicago set-up their man advantage and attacked the zone. All five players on the ice touched the puck at least once as they zig-zagged the puck across the ice toward the net where Haydar had the last touch to get the puck past John Curry.
Suddenly the game was time when Haydar stuck again. The all-time AHL playoff points leader came out from behind the net and backhanded a shot to the far side into the net to tie the game up at two goals apiece. This goal tied Haydar for the team record in a single playoff season at 12 goals. Of the 12 goals, a record 10 were scored on the power play.
In the final frame, the Wolves did themselves in—and oddly enough it was Haydar who led to the final goal when he was called for a tripping. The Penguins got a prime goal from their captain when Nathan Smith had the puck in close behind the net. Smith tried to center a pass out but when Chicago defenseman Brian Sipotz went down to try the block the puck but it hit his skate and went into the goal.
Halfway through the period the Wolves had that one play that could have turned the game around. Pavelec made a save that fooled almost everyone in the arena as Tim Brent had a big empty net to get the puck in but the Wolves netminder stretched fully across the net to stop the puck. However the Wolves were unable to rally around the stop and the game
ended as the Penguins never trailed at all in the night.
Photos by Naomi Viso
The shots in the game were pretty much at a minimum and the penalties were high and that is exactly how the Penguins like it. Curry was 17 of 19 in the save category while across the ice Pavelec went 20 for 23. Both goaltenders played well and Curry showed no ill affects from the bad period in Game 3 where he gave up five goals. On the power play, the Penguins converted 3 for 7 while the Wolves went 2 for 5.
Thanks to the win the Wilkes-Barre side will host Game 5 on Saturday in their arena in an attempt to send the series back to Chicago .
Game Notes:
Penguins defenseman Alex Goligoski’s point streak came to an end as he was held pointless in tonight’s contest. His 27 points in the season’s playoff broke the old record by a defenseman in the AHL. This is the first time in the series that he did not figure in a goal.
With an assist on Haydar’s first goal, Jason Krog broke the Wolves record for playoff points with 34. Haydar continued his current points streak at 12 games while linemate Krog continued at 13.
Wolves winger Brett Sterling finally returned to the lineup after a lower body injury that occurred in the last game of the Rockford series. Steve Martins and Joe Motzko are still out with injuries.
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