UTICA, N.Y. – The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins used two quick strikes in the third period to defeat the Utica Comets, 2-1, on Friday night at Adirondack Bank Center.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (6-5-1-1) received goals 34 seconds apart to stun the crowd in Utica and suddenly turn a one-goal deficit into a one-goal lead.
The Comets came out and quickly scored a power-play goal 58 seconds into the game. Mitch Eliot took a slap shot from the blue line that was stopped by Dustin Tokarski, but the puck bounded off of one of the Penguins in front and floated under the crossbar for an early Utica lead.
The Penguins worked hard in the first and second periods to pepper the Comets’ net with shots, but Utica goalie Michael DiPietro was impenetrable through 40 minutes. However, on Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s 29th shot of the game, Zach Trotman solved the rookie netminder. Trotman’s goal came on the power play at 14:46 of the third period.
Less than a minute later, Trotman set-up the Penguins’ go-ahead goal with a point shot that was deflected by Jordy Bellerive.
Tokarski and the Penguins had to fend off a late flurry by the Comets, but they stuck it out and hung on for Tokarski’s first win with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
Tokarski posted 22 stops in net for the Penguins, while DiPietro finished the night with 29 saves.
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