The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins sidestepped the Bridgeport Islanders and secured a 4-1 win on Friday night at Mohegan Arena.
In what was the last-ever regular-season matchup between the two clubs, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (45-17-7-2) raced out to a three-goal lead in the first period, then clamped down in the third to nab the victory.
Two returning players left the biggest footprint on the night. Back from NHL recall, Ville Koivunen led the way with three points (1G-2A), and Tristan Broz returned from a 15-game injury absence with two points (1G-1A).
Finn Harding opened the scoring, toe-dragging around an Islanders defender at the top of the right circle and rifling a shot past Henrik Tikkanen at 8:27.
The Penguins were awarded a full two-minute, two-man advantage later in the first period, and they were sure to convert. Avery Hayes snapped a wrist shot through Tikkanen’s five-hole at 15:13 for a five-on-three power-play goal and his team-leading 24th tally of the season.
Koivunen also beat Tikkanen through his five-hole with 18.6 seconds left before the first intermission, extending Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s lead to 3-0.
Bridgeport’s 17th-year pro Chris Terry put the Islanders on the board with only 1:26 remaining in the second period.
The Penguins snuffed out any Islander hopes of a comeback during the third, and Broz lit the lamp at 13:20 off a face-off play for an insurance marker.
Joel Blomqvist recorded his sixth-straight win by making 25 saves. Tikkanen took the loss with 22 stops.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s next game is Saturday as it wraps up the regular season against the Rochester Americans. Puck drop for Fan Appreciation Night is slated for 6:05 p.m. at Mohegan Arena.
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