WILKES-BARRE, Pa. – The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins fell to the Belleville Senators in overtime by a 3-2 score on Wednesday night at Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (26-11-2-2) briefly pulled ahead in the third period, only for Belleville to force overtime for its fifth-straight game. Lassi Thomson delivered the dagger for the B-Sens 94 seconds into OT.
Belleville took the first lead of the night when the teams were skating at four-on-four after volleying minor penalties back and forth. Xavier Bourgault broke loose for a breakaway and slid the puck through Joel Blomqvist’s five-hole at 17:24.
The Penguins pulled even on Rafaël Harvey-Pinard’s 10th goal of the year. Avery Hayes slashed a pass to Harvey-Pinard in the slot, only for the puck to be chopped away. Harvey-Pinard promptly chased down the loose puck, then spun around and fired it to the opposite-side corner midway through the second period.
Atley Calvert took advantage of a misplayed puck by Senators goalie Leevi Meriläinen three minutes into the third, giving Wilkes-Barre/Scranton a 2-1 edge.
After a pair of successful Penguins penalty kills, the Senators managed to break through with 4:30 left in regulation. Landen Hookey accepted a pass from behind the net, and his one-kneed one-timer served as a 2-2 equalizer.
In overtime, Bourgault jumped up ice for a two-on-one rush and slid a feed across to Thomson for the game-winner.
Blomqvist logged 16 saves in defeat for the Penguins. Meriläinen turned aside 27 shots for Belleville.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s next game is on Friday, Jan. 23, when it renews its rivalry with the Hershey Bears. Game time for the Penguins and Bears’ sixth clash of the season is slated for 7:00 p.m. at Giant Center.
The Penguins’ next home game is the next night, Saturday, Jan. 24, against the Charlotte Checkers. Puck drop between the Penguins and Checkers is set for 6:05 p.m. at Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza.
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