PORTLAND, Maine – In a high-octane contest that came down to the wire, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins defeated the Portland Pirates in a shootout, 3-2, on Friday night at Cross Insurance Arena.
Filled with tons of scoring chances from the start, the game turned into a goaltender’s duel between the Penguins’ Matt Murray and the Pirates’ Mike McKenna. Murray turned in a 32-save performance in regulation and overtime while McKenna posted 38 stops.
Dominik Simon finally broke the blank scorer’s sheet when he snagged a loose puck and buried it behind McKenna at 14:11 of the second period for the game’s first goal.
Early in the third period, Portland went on a five-on-three man advantage. After a series of strong saves by Murray, Connor Brickley’s centering pass redirected off of a skate in the slot and into the Penguins’ net, tying the game at one goal apiece 42 seconds into the third.
The Pirates scored again 4:46 later when Rocco Grimaldi converted on a breakaway, putting Portland up, 2-1.
Kael Mouillierat tipped in an equalizer, bringing the game to a 2-2 tie at 6:18 of the third period.
Both teams traded grade-A chances only to be foiled time and time again by Murray and McKenna.
After a scoreless overtime period, the game reached the shootout. Simon and Mouillierat scored as the Penguins’ first and third shooters, while Murray denied both attempts by the Pirates.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton killed two of Portland’s three power plays over the course of the contest, but was unsuccessful on four man advantages of its own.
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