WILKES-BARRE, Pa. – Conor Sheary recorded the first multi-goal game of his pro career and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins put an end to a six-game winless streak as they upended the St. John’s IceCaps, 5-1, on Wednesday at Mohegan Sun Arena.
The Penguins got off to the fast start they wanted, scoring twice in the opening six minutes of the first period. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton went ahead, 1-0, at 4:24 after losing a faceoff in the offensive zone. Tom Kostopoulos intercepted the ensuing outlet pass and blasted home his seventh of the season from the slot. 
Bobby Farnham helped the Penguins double their lead just 1:27 later, taking a lead pass from Tom Kuhnhackl and striding in alone before lifting a backhander over the shoulder of IceCaps goalie Connor Hellebuyck.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton built a 3-0 cushion early in the second frame off of some strong work in the corners by Kostopoulos, Nick Drazenovic and Conor Sheary. Drazenovic was able to pull the puck free from a scrum deep in the IceCaps zone and center a pass for Sheary, who roofed a quick snapshot at 4:20 of the period.
With 1:08 left until the second intermission, St. John’s got on the board during a Penguins man-advantage when Keaton Ellerby completed a 2-on-1 shorthanded rush off a feed from JC Lipon. That would be the only blemish on the stat sheet for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton goalie Matt Murray, who went on to make 25 saves on 26 shots and raised his record to 8-7-2.
The Penguins re-established their three-goal lead 59 seconds into the third after Kuhnhackl forced a turnover near the IceCaps net that Sheary buried for a power play tally that was his team-leading 12th goal of the season.
Scott Wilson added an empty-net goal for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton with 1:13 left in the game. Hellebuyck stopped 30-of-34 in net for St. John’s.
You must be logged in to post a comment.