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WILKES-BARRE TWP — The third time was not the charm for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, who squandered yet another chance to clinch their berth into the 2016 Calder Cup Playoffs following Friday’s 4-0 home loss to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
There were no shortage of scoring chances and power-play opportunities for the Penguins, who finished 0-for-8 on the man-advantage. They just weren’t able to finish them.
“We have to find ways to score goals, getting second and third chances and getting pucks through,” Penguins coach Clark Donatelli said. “I thought we did a real good job. Our guys worked hard, but didn’t get the result we wanted.”
The Penguins simply weren’t able to find the back of the net, as Phantoms goaltender Martin Ouellette won his fifth straight game and stopped all 40 shots the Penguins threw at him for his second consecutive shutout.
“We are taking it game-by-game,” Donatelli said when asked about the frustration of not being able to clinch the playoff spot. “We are telling our guys we have to play the right way and for the most part they did tonight. (We) just didn’t get result. ”
Despite a strong effort by the Penguins in the opening 20 minutes, including an 11-3 edge in shots on goal and three power-play opportunities, the two teams headed to the first intermission scoreless.
A late second-period turnover proved to be costly for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton as Lehigh Valley’s Nicolas Aube-Kubel dug out a puck behind the Penguins’ net and was able to get it to Adam Comrie on the point. The Phantoms’ defender weaved his way into the right circle before eluding Tristan Jarry with a sneaky shot to the short side to give the Phantoms the game’s opening goal with 2:35 left before the second intermission.
“I thought the first period we came out real hard, just not putting the puck in the net,” Donatelli said. “I think we stuck with it in the second period – same thing. (They) got a couple bounces and the next thing you know, we’re behind again.”
Lehigh Valley added to its lead just 59 seconds into the final frame to put the Penguins in a 2-0 hole. Jarry stopped the initial shot by Oskar Lindblom from the left wing, but former Penguin forwards Tim Brent and Chris Conner won the battle in front of the Pens’ net for the rebound, with Brent shoveling one past Jarry for his ninth goal of the season.
From there the Penguins’ frustration began to show to the tune of four power plays surrendered to the Phantoms. Unlike the Penguins, Lehigh Valley took advantage.
Comrie completed his hat trick with back-to-back power play goals in the middle part of the third period, and the Penguins were unable to get anything past Ouellette – including a shorthanded breakaway attempt by Adam Krause that Ouellette was able to get a piece of to keep his shutout intact.
The Penguins finished the game out-shooting Lehigh Valley 40-22, but still came up short in their quest to clinch a playoff spot.
“It’s tough when we need one more win to get into the playoffs,” Krause said. “You have to work hard. In these situations, you almost have to work really hard to get the few bounces and then you go through a game that you get all these bounces and you don’t miss any.
“Right now, we are on the other end of that spectrum so you just have to work hard and that’s the only way to get out of this.”
The Penguins’ loss sets up another chance to clinch a playoff spot Saturday night at the Giant Center against another rival in the Hershey Bears.
While a shutout loss doesn’t usually breed confidence, Donatelli and the Penguins are looking to bring much of the same effort and intensity in the second game of a back-to-back set.
“We’re not getting that one or two goals to take advantage of the game, and we’re kind of keeping these teams in it,” Krause said after the loss. “They’re scoring some timely goals late and it’s kind of killing us, but we liked our game tonight.”
NOTES
• Jarry started his 11th consecutive game in net for the Penguins.
• Defenseman Ethan Prow made his AHL debut paired with defenseman Tim Erixon.
• G Sean Maguire, D Harrison Ruopp, D Reid McNeill, D Barry Goers (injury), F Jarrett Burton, F Tyler Biggs (injury), F Sahir Gill and F Dominik Uher (injury) were scratched for the Penguins.
