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WILKES-BARRE — Hockey coaches always preach the importance of a good start, and on Saturday the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins proved how crucial it can be.
The Penguins scored 31 seconds into the game and took a two-goal lead over the Providence Bruins in the first 11 minutes. It was enough for them to hang on for a 3-2 win and earn some separation in the standings.
The win extends Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s division lead over third-place Providence to eight points. They remain four points ahead of Lehigh Valley.
On Saturday, the victory was due to contributions from new faces. Barry Goers assisted on two goals, Jarrett Burton scored the eventual game-winner, which was set up by a shot from Patrick McGrath. In net, Tristan Jarry made 26 saves and came up huge on the penalty kill in the second half.
After dropping six of eight games, the Penguins (41-17-3-0) have now won two straight.
“It’s nice to start stringing wins together, especially tonight against Providence,” Goers said. “The standings are really tight, so the rest of the season, it’s playoff hockey.”
The Penguins blasted away from the start when a turnover in the neutral zone sprung Dominik Simon on a breakaway, which he finished off with a shot to the far side for a 1-0 lead just 31 seconds into the first period.
Providence tied it with a power play goal minutes later, but the Penguins kept the pressure on Providence goaltender Zane McIntyre, who entered the game as the top goalie in the AHL.
Midway through the period, Josh Archibald tipped a Goers point shot past McIntyre for a 2-1 lead, and Burton followed when he put home a rebound from a McGrath shot.
Burton’s goal, his second in the last two games, put the Penguins up 3-1 and knocked out McIntyre, who was replaced by Malcolm Subban.
“We came out really fast and hard like we wanted to. I think we caught (McIntyre) off guard a little bit,” Goers said.
The Penguins hit a lull in the second period and the Bruins chipped away at the lead when Matt Grzelcyk sniped a shot from the side that went behind Jarry to make it 3-2.
“We try to preach a full 60, but it’s hard especially when you’re playing a team like Providence,” Penguins coach Clark Donatelli said.
The Bruins had an opportunity to tie it when penalties resulted in a Providence 4-on-3 power play. Jarry came up big to keep Providence off the board, including a diving stop on Grzelcyk at the corner.
The Penguins were challenged early in the third period when Providence went on the power play, but Jarry and the penalty killers preserved the one-goal lead.
Jarry continued to come up big in the period, including a stop on Noel Acciari in front after a Penguins’ turnover behind the net.
A Providence penalty with 1:40 left put the Penguins on the power play for the rest of the game, and even with the extra attacker, the Bruins couldn’t mount a comeback.
Goers said going on the power play for the rest of the game was a key to the win.
“That helped. With them getting the penalty at the end, it was a big boost in our favor,” he said.
NOTES
• D Stuary Percy, F Garrett Wilson (injury) and D Lukas Bengtsson were scratched for the Penguins.
• McGrath was given a game misconduct in the second period for leaving the bench when he fought Tyler Randell. Donatelli said his team was changing lines.
If the game misconduct stands, McGrath is likely facing a six-game suspension.
• Goers has five points in his last two games with two goals and three assists.
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