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WILKES-BARRE TWP. — The way head coach Mike Sullivan’s views his lines, there’s the top line and the other three.
While the top line is known for generating offense, there’s really not much of a drop-off between the other three, Sullivan said. And that’s why he wasn’t surprised to see his fourth line win Wednesday’s game against the Binghamton Senators.
Jean-Sebastien Dea’s wrist shot midway through the third period broke a 3-3 tie and led Wilkes-Barre/Scranton to a 4-3 win. Dea finished with a goal and an assist, as did linemate Tyler Biggs. Ty Loney added two assists.
“Everybody calls it the fourth line, but I don’t think there’s a big difference between three of our lines,” Sullivan said. “The other three lines are fairly balanced. I think it’s indicative of the depth we have.”
The win was the Penguins’ fifth straight and improves their record to 6-1-0-0. Despite the recent success and the balance among the lines, Binghamton did challenge the Penguins in the second period.
After jumping out to a 1-0 lead just 1:30 into the first period on a goal from Dominik Simon, the Penguins added to the advantage when Kael Mouillierat put home a rebound in the first two minutes of the second period.
Up 2-0, the Penguins had a chance to open it up, but it was Binghamton who chipped away.
Chris Carlisle got Binghamton on the board with a slapshot from the point at 5:00, then Biggs scored his first of the year to put the Penguins back up, 3-1.
After that, the Penguins got into penalty trouble and allowed the Senators back into the game. Penalties from Dea and Derrick Pouliot both resulted in Binghamton power play goals by Cole Schneider, and the Penguins found themselves in a 3-3 tie going into the third period.
Sullivan said his team squandered chances to build on momentum in both the first and second periods by not shooting the puck.
“We had some glorious opportunities in the first period and chose not to shoot the puck,” Sullivan said. “It was almost like we wanted to pass it into the net instead of shooting it into the net. We had a chance to break it open and we didn’t. The same thing occurred in the second period.”
But in the third, the Penguins seized control and silenced the Senators offense while Dea capitalized on the biggest chance of the night.
With Biggs screening Binghamton goaltender Chris Driedger, Loney made a cross-ice pass to Dea breaking into the slot. Dea promptly ripped a wrist shot past Driedger for what would be the game-winning goal.
“I saw that little hole there, so I took a risk and shot it,” Dea said. “I’m a goal-scorer. I didn’t miss that one.”
Dea said the Penguins entered the third period with confidence knowing they had been playing well in the final frame all season. Sullivan said it also helped that his team got away from sloppy habits that haunted them in the second period.
“We stayed out of the penalty box. In the second period we got sloppy with our puck possession in some critical areas. When you do that you leave yourself vulnerable to turnovers, end up taking penalties and it snowballs on you,” Sullivan said.
NOTES
• Sullivan on the five-game win streak: “One thing that’s impressed me about our guys is their maturity. They understand it’s a long season and that five-game winning streak can turn into a three-game losing streak if you don’t keep your edge and play the right way.”
• The fourth line combined for two goals and six points. Biggs, who was playing in his first game back from injury, had a goal and an assist while Loney had two assists in his second game.
• D Barry Goers (injury), LW Tom Sestito (injury), D Reid McNeill, C Matia Marcantuoni and LW Scott Wilson (suspended) were scratched for the Penguins.
• With Wilson serving his one-game suspension, Sullivan put Josh Archibald on the top line with Sheary and Mouillierat.
