Penguins Slip By BDevils 3-2 In OT

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton forward Teddy Blueger crashed the net and scored the game winner in overtime that sent the Penguins past the Binghamton Devils 3-2 at The Floyd on Friday. Goalie Eddie Lack was furious claiming he was interfered with but replays showed Blueger never entered the blue paint area and the goal stood, as the rest of the players came off the bench and celebrated near the wall while Lack skated off the ice in frustration.

Photo provided by Alicia Strauch

The BDevils (19-30-7-3) played well but came up short to the high powered Pens (34-17-4-2) as Lack finished strong with 29 saves with some outstanding stops in the third period that sent the game into OT tied up at two. However, the first two goals he probably wished he could have back in the opening twenty minutes.

Jean-Sebastien Dea put the Pens in front in the first on a partial breakaway before he ripped the puck over Lack’s shoulder, glove side for a shorthanded goal at 4:41. It then became a two goal lead for WBS when rookie forward Gage Quinney grabbed a loose puck and from the goal line, a shot went off of Lack’s backside and deflected into the cage at 11:13 as Lack was shaky giving up two goals on five shots.

But a late goal by Binghamton cut the deficit and gave them some momentum heading into the locker room leading up to the middle frame. Michael Latta took a faceoff from Quinney as the puck was sent to defenseman Jacob MacDonald from high in the slot area, as his one-timer beat goalie Michael Leighton with 1.2 seconds remaining for his 16th of the season. Latta played a crucial role in that faceoff win and later on in the second period.

Photo provided by Alicia Strauch

Devils had tremendous puck possession but couldn’t find the net until again, late in the period, this time with less than two minutes left with defenseman Josh Jacobs’ pass from inside the blueline found Latta in front as he helped the puck along with his backhander that sailed though the wickets of Leighton for his seventh and second point of the night.

Binghamton was outplayed in the OT with sloppy passes along with careful fore-checking by Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, as they took it with a minute remaining on Blueger’s tally.

Line-Ups

Forwards; Kearns-Rooney-Lappin, Lucia-Kennedy-Bertschy, Quenneville-Pietila-Latta, Thomson-Speers-Bastian. Defensemen; Strait-Jacobs, MacDonald-Santini, Kapla-White. In Goal; Eddie Lack. Back up; Mackenzie Blackwood. Scratches; Brandon Gignac (inj.),Jake Walman, Austin Cangelosi, Brandon Baddock, Jan Mandat, John Edwardh, Ken Appleby and Yaroslav Dyblenko. Rooney, Kearns and Latta with the A’s.

Random Post Game Notes

• Pens were dominant on the PK that caused fits for the BDevils power play as the team went 0/5 with little structure on several opportunities.
• Lack with some big saves in the third period as he stopped a breakaway and was clutch on Tom Sestito and Joseph Cramarossa amongst others. He sort of lost it after giving up the game winner complaining he was interfered with. I like the fire in his belly as he excelled as the night wore on.
• Shots ended up 32-29 Penguins as the BDevils did not manage one in overtime compared to three by WBS.
• Ken Appleby is hurt and is listed as day-to-day, but could get the start on Sunday if he’s feeling up to it as he got hit in the head during practice this past week.
• Devils signed John Edwardh to an ATO as the forward out of UMass might see some action at some point this weekend.

Three Stars

#1.) Teddy Blueger (GWG), #2.) Michael Latta (1g, 1a), #3.) Jean-Sebastien Dea (1g, 1a)

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Upcoming Games

Another three-in-three weekend on tap for the BDevils with Hershey making their only appearance of the season on Saturday and on the road to Allentown to take on the Phantoms on Sunday.