Islanders fight hard, but drop the game to Penguins, 5-3. | Pro Hockey News

Wilkes-Barre, PA– Riding a three-game point streak, the Islanders rolled into Mohegan Arena in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton to take on the Penguins for the second straight game. Earlier, on Wednesday morning, the team managed to gain a point in the standings after a shootout defeat on home field. Now they sought revenge in the battle for the positioning of the Atlantic Division. During the match, the Islanders were unable to hold a lead into the third period and the Penguins picked up two more points in regulation time in a 5–3 loss.

In the opening period, Cam Berg found the loose puck in the crease and stuck it into the Penguins net at 15:36, giving the Islanders a 1-0 lead. It was his fourth goal of the season and was assisted by Cam Thiesing and Hunter Drew. Alex Jefferies added a power-play goal at 17:21 when he deflected a Cole McWard point shot past Penguins goaltender Max Pavlenko. The goal gave the team a 2-0 lead after the second period.

In the final period of regulation, an early goal by Penguins Tristan Broz gave Bridgeport the lead at 2-1 after 57 seconds. Sebastian Aho tied the game at 5:38 when his point shot beat goalkeeper Parker Gahagen to tie the game at 2-2. Adam Beckman would take Andrej Sustr’s perfect pass and put a wrister into the Penguins net for a goal in four straight games and his fifth of the season. The goal also extended Matthew Maggio’s assist streak to six games. But the Pens weren’t done scoring yet and it was Aidan McDonough who tied the game at 3-3 at 14:18 to make it a 3-3 game. The Pens led the game after Atley Calvert’s wrist shot beat Gahagen at 2:13, making the game 4-3. The Pens added an empty net goal with just over a minute left in regulation time and skated away with a 5-3 decision.

The Islanders are back home tomorrow night to play the Rochester Americans at Total Mortgage Arena at 7:00 PM. There are still nice seats available. Visit BridgeportIslanders.com for more information.

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