Click here to subscribe today or Login.
Rebranded for a night as the Old Forge Pizzas, complete with new uniforms, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins suffered another frustrating result as their season winds to a close.
The Penguins couldn’t hold a third period lead for the second straight night, this time giving up the final three goals in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Syracuse Crunch at Mohegan Sun Arena.
Though they picked up a point in the standings, the Penguins’ fifth straight loss kept them well behind Hartford and Bridgeport for the final playoff spot with just six games left on the schedule.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton led 1-0 after one period on a Drake Caggiula shorthanded goal and took a 2-1 edge into the third on a power-play marker by defenseman Ty Smith.
When Sam Houde made it 3-1 just 2:07 into the third, the Penguins looked to be on their way to keeping their playoff hopes on life support.
But the Crunch tied it up with a pair of goals by Alex Barre-Boulet before blueliner Philippe Myers won the game by scoring 52 seconds into overtime. Barre-Boulet finished with four points.
Penguins goalie Taylor Gauthier finished with 29 saves on 33 shots. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton managed just 21 shots against the Crunch.