WBS Penguins Send the Series to Game 6, Win 1-0

Chris Collins is the Penguins hero tonight!

With the game scoreless midway through the 3rd period, Nick Petersen was hooked up on his way into the offensive zone and the Penguins were awarded a power play. Though they didn't officially get credit for a power play goal, as the penalty expired Bryan Lerg took a shot from the point and Chris Collins deflected it past Mike Murphy to give the Penguins a 1-0 lead.

The Checkers didn't throw in the towel. They recorded 19 shots on Brad Thiessen in the third period after only being credited with 9 shots through the first 40 minutes. On one flurry of shots late in the third the Checkers appeared to have tied the game at one. But the puck never went in. It clanked off of both goal posts and somehow stayed out of the net. A few seconds later the Checkers would whiff on an empty net and Thiessen would hang on for a whistle.

The Penguins were able to hold on tonight 1-0 and send the series back to Wilkes-Barre for Game 6 tomorrow night at 7 p.m. EST. While the Pens still have to win the next two games to advance, they took the first step by staving off elimination and making it a 3-2 series deficit.

I hope to have a post of some pictures from tonight's game on the blog either later tonight or sometime tomorrow. What a game. What a series this is turning out to be. Still a long road ahead for the Penguins but they took a step in the right direction tonight. The Penguins will get a police escort to the airport in Charlotte right after the game and should arrive in Wilkes-Barre around midnight. Let's hope the Penguins have enough left in the tank to take the next step: Force a Game 7 on Monday night.