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WILKES-BARRE TWP. — This is the new reality for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

Their steady, reliable goalies are gone, called up to cover the post for injuries in Pittsburgh.

So they are left to depend on some up-and-down play from guys who are just getting a taste of blocking shots in the AHL.

A prime example came smack in the midst of a flurry of Rochester goals during a shaky second period for the Penguins.

Anthony Peters, making his first start of the season for the Pens, left a rebound laying at his feet — but uncovered — while fumbling a couple attempts at stabbing the puck. After about five seconds, and three tries by Peters to smother the puck with his pads or his stick, Rochester’s Garret Ross finally popped it over the shoulder of Peters and into the back of the cage.

It was all part of a scrambling second period where Rochester rattled off four unanswered goals to claim a 5-2 victory at Mohegan Sun Arena and send the Penguins to their third loss in four games.

And while Peters played well enough to impress his head coach by stopping 32 of 36 shots (Rochester’s final goal was an empty-netter), the guys in front of him didn’t generate the same praise.

“I liked Petey all night,” Penguins coach Clark Donatelli said. “That’s who I liked. I thought our goalie battled and competed.”

His team? Not so much.

“We didn’t do a good job,” Donatelli said. “Just compete (in) one-on-one battles all over. Our guys have to learn how to change the momentum. I understand you’re going to have times when you don’t play well. We can’t go on for long stretches like that and not change momentum.”

The main thing that changed over the past week was the goalie situation in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, with two new guys making their Penguins debuts between the pipes in as many nights.

And although Peters allowed as many goals as Colin Stevens, who made his AHL debut in goal Friday for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in a 5-4 win over Milwaukee on Friday, the latest results were a bit topsy-turvy.

Stevens walked out with a victory, when Garrett Wilson returned from mourning the death of his mother and converted his first AHL hat trick Friday and Jean-Sebastien Dea beat Milwaukee with a goal in overtime.

Peters didn’t have the luxury of a hat trick on his side.

He did have an early lead, thanks to Teddy Blueger’s fourth goal of the season for the Penguins 3:30 into the second period, which was originally credited to defenseman Andrey Pedan.

But that stalled quickly with the team’s promoted bear toss, a fan favorite which drew nearly 7,000 spectators, who tossed stuffed bears on the ice.

It forced a long delay for the cleanup, and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s energy evaporated.

“Yeah, but it is what it is,” Donatelli said. “They (the Amerks) had to sit around, too.”

Turns out, the Americans weren’t sitting on their sticks.

Rochester began scoring in rapid-fire fashion, pummeling the Penguins and Peters in a 19-shot second period.

Eric Cornel tied it. Evan Rodrigues scored 70 seconds later, then scored again during a 5-on-3 with Wilson off the ice for roughing and Pedan serving a cross-checking penalty.

And in between, there was that deflating goal by Ross, which turned a tight 2-1 battle into breathing room for the Americans with a 3-1 lead with the puck meandering at the goal mouth.

But the inability of the Penguins to turn away Rochester attackers annoyed Donatelli more than the unprotected puck.

“It was live, and our guys go away from it,” Donatelli said. “We didn’t get one like that.”

Then again, maybe the Pens are feeling some pressure while playing with one new face in goal after another.

“Real bad second period. We hung Petey out to dry,” Donatelli said. “But I thought he competed very well.”

More experienced goalies like Casey DeSmith, who was promoted to help Tristan Jarry replace the injured Matt Murray in goal for parent Pittsburgh just this past week, would have dropped a glove on the puck — if not a body — with traffic circling in the crease.

But Peters is primarily an OHL and ECHL veteran, having played just seven AHL games with, ironically, Rochester in 2014-15 and one more with Charlotte in 2015-16.

Blueger added his second goal of the game in the third period for the Penguins with C.J. Smith closing out the scoring for Rochester with an empty-netter.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins winger Zach Aston-Reese puts a hit into Rochester defenseman Andrew MacWilliam in the first period of Saturday’s game at Mohegan Sun Arena.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/web1_pens_am1_faa.jpg.optimal.jpgWilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins winger Zach Aston-Reese puts a hit into Rochester defenseman Andrew MacWilliam in the first period of Saturday’s game at Mohegan Sun Arena. Fred Adams | For Times Leader

Penguins forward Jean-Sebastien Dea lifts a shot over Rochester defenseman Andrew MacWilliam on Saturday.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/web1_pens_am3_faa.jpg.optimal.jpgPenguins forward Jean-Sebastien Dea lifts a shot over Rochester defenseman Andrew MacWilliam on Saturday. Fred Adams | For Times Leader

Penguins winger Daniel Sprong postions himself for a pass from the boards on Saturday.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/web1_pens_am4_faa.jpg.optimal.jpgPenguins winger Daniel Sprong postions himself for a pass from the boards on Saturday. Fred Adams | For Times Leader

Penguins players and ice crew gather up teddy bears after their first goal against Rochester as part of the Teddy Bear Toss on Saturday at Mohegan Sun Arena.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/web1_pens_am5_faa.jpg.optimal.jpgPenguins players and ice crew gather up teddy bears after their first goal against Rochester as part of the Teddy Bear Toss on Saturday at Mohegan Sun Arena. Fred Adams | For Times Leader

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins winger Zach Aston-Reese drops the gloves with Rochester defenseman Andrew MacWilliam during Saturday’s game at Mohegan Sun Arena.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/web1_pens_am2_faa.jpg.optimal.jpgWilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins winger Zach Aston-Reese drops the gloves with Rochester defenseman Andrew MacWilliam during Saturday’s game at Mohegan Sun Arena. Fred Adams | For Times Leader

By Paul Sokoloski

[email protected]

Rochester 5, Penguins 2

Rochester `0`4`1` — `5

Penguins `1`0`1` — `2

First Period

Penalties — WBS, Simon (tripping) 1:31; WBS, Wilson (cross-checking) 9:11; ROC, William (roughing) 13:01; WBS, Aston-Reese (roughing) 13:01; ROC, Redmond (interference) 15:54.

Second Period

Scoring – 1. WBS, Teddy Blueger 4 (Pedan, DiPauli) 3:30. 2. ROC, Eric Cornel 3 (Baptiste, Blackwell) 8:50. 3. ROC, Evan Rodrigues 4 (Griffith, Smith) 10:20. 4. ROC, Garret Ross 4 (Krause, Guhle) 13:38. 5. ROC, Rodrigues 5 (Smith, Percy) 18:19 (PP). Penalties — WBS, Sprong (tripping) 5:51; ROC, Redmond (roughing) 16:30; WBS, Wilson (roughing, roughing) 16:30; WBS, Pedan (cross-checking) 17:35.

Third Period

Scoring — 6.WBS, Blueger 5 14:29. 7, ROC, C.J. Smith 7 (Rodrigues, Nelson) 19:04. Penalties — WBS, Haggerty (high-sticking) 7:17; WBS, Trotman (cross-checking) 13:35.

Shots on goal

Rochester – 10-19-8-37

Penguins – 8-7-9-24

Power-play Opportunities

Rochester – 1 of 7

Penguins – 0 of 1

Goaltenders

Rochester – Linus Ullmark 10-3-2 (22 saves-24 shots)

Penguins –Anthony Peters 0-1-0 (32-36)

Starters

Rochester – G Linus Ullmark, D Stuart Percy, D Zach Redmond, LW Garret Ross, C Sahir Gill, RW Adam Krause

Penguins – G Anthony Peters, D Zach Trotman, D Chris Summers, LW Zach Aston-Reese, C Troy Josephs, RW Ryan Haggerty

Three Stars

1. ROC, Evan Rodrigues (two goals, assist) 2. WBS, Andrey Pedan (goal) 3. ROC, C.J. Smith (goal, two assists)

Referees – Alex Garon, randon Schrader. Linesmen — Bob Goodman, Luke Murray

Attandance – 6,983

Reach Paul Sokoloski at 570-991-6392 or on Twitter @TLPaulSokoloski