Penguins Fall in Game Three, Trail Series 2-1

In Wilkes-Barre, the Penguins and Crunch played a tight-checking, low scoring game. A turnover in the 2nd period and a few missed opportunities on the man advantage results in the 2-0 loss for the Pens, who now trail the best-of-seven series 2-1. Game Four is in Wilkes-Barre on Friday.

"It was a game where there wasn't a lot of time and space or a ton of shots on net," head coach John Hynes said. "We had some opportunities to score. They scored on one of the opportunities that they had and that was the difference in the game."

The opportunity Hynes is referring to is a turnover at the Penguins offensive blue line about seven minutes into the 2nd period. Ondrej Palat found Vladislav Namestnkiov who wheeled into the slot and picked a corner on Brad Thiessen to give the Crunch the 1-0 lead they wouldn't look back on. JT Brown would add an empty net goal with 4.8 left in the game for the 2-0 final.

The Penguins had their chances, though, namely on a 5-on-3 power play at the tail end of the 2nd period and start of the third. Tonight, the power play couldn't get the Penguins on the board, just the second game of the postseason where the Pens didn't have a man advantage goal.

"You can't be satisfied," Riley Holzapfel said. "Obviously, we could have created a little more offensively and got more chances. Unfortunately the times that we did get chances we didn't capitalize on it."

Olli Maatta, who just joined the Penguins yesterday after his junior season ended with London (OHL), made his pro debut tonight and didn't look out of place. Maatta had a great chance with about three and a half minutes to go, taking a pass in the slot and firing a shot that was gloved down by Crunch netminder Cedric Desjardins.

"Sometimes it goes in and sometimes it doesn't," Maatta said of his late game chance. "There's nothing you can do about it right now and we just got to look forward to Friday and get better."

Maatta played more as the game went on and found himself on the ice late in a one goal hockey game.

"I felt good," Maatta said. "I was a little nervous right before the game but I got better as the game went further."

More Maatta on his debut:

"It was big. I really enjoyed it," Maatta added. "I felt good that they trust me and I felt good out there."

On switching from OHL playoffs and Memorial Cup to AHL playoffs:

"I'm still in shape. It doesn't change too much, it's still playoffs. Everyone is playing their best and giving their best on the ice. It's the same thing."

The Penguins hold a practice tomorrow at the arena before Game Four Friday. I'm not sure who will be skating (most likely the guys who didn't play tonight) but either way I'll try to get an update up tomorrow afternoon.