Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Wins Game Five To Take 3-2 Series Lead On Providence Bruins

AHL Press Release

PROVIDENCE, RI – Anton Zlobin snapped a 2-2 tie with 5:40 left in regulation and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins killed off a late Providence power play and held on for a 3-2 win over the Bruins on Saturday night at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center.

The Penguins now lead the teams’ best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal series, three games to two, and will host Game 6 on Monday and Game 7 (if necessary) on Wednesday.

Craig Cunningham staked the Bruins to a 1-0 lead with his third goal of the playoffs at 12:47 of the first period, getting a piece of Ryan Spooner‘s shot during a Providence power play.

But Wilkes-Barre scored twice in a span of 1:47 late in the frame and held a 2-1 edge at the first intermission. Harry Zolnierczyk scored at 16:21 off a give-and-go with Spencer Machacek, and Josh Archibald buried a rebound for a power-play goal in his playoff debut at 18:16.

Providence tied things up at 2-2 as Tyler Randell scored his first of the playoffs with 4:16 to go in the second period, picking up a loose puck after Joe Morrow‘s point shot hit traffic in front and sliding it past a sprawling Peter Mannino.

Zlobin’s fourth goal and third game-winner of the postseason came off a rebound of a Jayson Megna shot at 14:20 of the third period, and the Penguins had taken two of three in Providence to grab a 3-2 series lead.

Mannino (6-3) made 31 saves on the night, including 23 over the final two periods.

Malcolm Subban (2-1) stopped 20 of 23 shots in the loss.