Penguins Defeat Bears 5-3

The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins used a strong first period coupled with a resilient third period to defeat the Hershey Bears 5-3 tonight. Credit the Bears for a strong second period, but they dug themselves in too big of a hole early and they needed to battle back much of the night.

The Penguins came out flying in the first period, scoring three power play goals and taking charge early with a 3-0 lead.

First it was Tom Kostopoulos with a deflection goal off a point shot from Scott Harrington 1:50 into the game. Brendan Mikkelson added a secondary assist.

Then Anton Zlobin set up Paul Thompson for Thompson's second goal in as many nights to give the Pens a 2-0 lead about ten minutes later. Brian Gibbons added the second assist.

Brian Gibbons finished the first period fury with his ninth of the season on the Pens third power play goal of the period. Nick Drazenovic set up Gibbons with a nice backdoor feed and Harrington added his 2nd assist.

In the second period, the Bears responded with some good chances and got on the board with 4:08 left in the middle frame when Ryan Stoa finished off a pass from Nicholas Deschamps. They cut the lead to 3-2 55 seconds later when a Peter LeBlanc point shot was tipped past Hartzell by Deschamps.

The Penguins got things going in the third period, getting a 2nd goal from team captain Kostopolous to increase the WBS lead back to two goals at 4-2. The two goal lead was short lived, however as Deschamps brought Hershey back within one goal with a shorthanded tally moments after Kostopoulos' goal. 

It was Drazenovic who capped the scoring tonight, giving the Pens a third period insurance goal and a 5-3 lead they would hold on to. The goal was Drazenovic's third of the season and first goal since coming back from a lower body injury.

The Penguins win, coupled with a Binghamton 5-2 loss to the Utica Comets, puts the Pens in sole possession of first place in the East Division by two points. The Pens host the Utica Comets tomorrow in the first ever matchup between the two teams.


Roster Notes

The Pens signed defenseman Barry Goers to a PTO. Goers had been playing in the ECHL with rhe Wheeling Nailers. Denver Manderson returned to the WBS lineup for forward C.J. Severyn.

Reid McNeill slammed his shoulder into the boards in the second period and left the ice and later went to the locker room with trainer Kyle Moore.

Lines

Zolnierczyk - Gibbons - Thompson
Zlobin - Drazenovic - Kostopoulos
Farnham - Carman - Leblond
Kuhnhackl - Manderson - Sylvester

Samuelsson - McNeill
Harrington - Mikkelsson
D'Agostino - Ruopp