WBS Penguins can’t recover in 5-3 loss to Lehigh Valley

WILKES-BARRE TWP. — The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton recovered quickly from allowing an early goal for the second straight night.

They did not, however, have an answer for the four more goals that the Lehigh Valley Phantoms strung together Saturday night.

Maksim Sushko provided the first two goals of the streak 3:23 apart midway through the first period to send the Phantoms on their way to a 5-3 victory.

The Penguins gave up a goal a little more than two minutes into the game for the second straight night and lost for the second straight night after having scored points in the standings in eight straight.

Saturday’s first goal against came 21 seconds sooner.

Gerry Fitzgerald won the puck along the left wing boards and found Isaac Ratcliffe near the left post for a goal at 2:07.

After being shut out by the Hershey Bears Friday night, the Penguins were able to answer the Phantoms’ goal less than a minute later.

Kevin Roy tied the game for the Penguins when he received a Joseph Blandisi pass high in the left circle, stickhandled patiently, then snapped a shot past Kirill Ustimenko, who was making his AHL debut in net.

Ustimenko wound up making 38 saves and getting the win on a night when Penguins rookie Emil Larmi struggled in net, particularly while falling behind 3-1 in the first 14:02.

“They scored on their first three chances,” Penguins coach Mike Vellucci said. “We out-chanced them the whole game.”

Sushko scored unassisted when he skated down the left wing shorthanded and put a shot under the crossbar.

Larmi allowed five goals on 32 shots to fall to 2-3-4 on the season.

“He didn’t have a great game, but he’s a kid,” Vellucci said. “You’re going to have ups and downs, but it’s how you battle back after that.

“He’s a hard-working kid. He puts the time in. He wants to get better.”

Fitzgerald and Kyle Criscuolo finished with a goal and an assist each for the Phantoms.

Criscuolo scored midway through the second period off a give-and-go with David Kase, then Fitzgerald made it 5-1 at 3:58 of the third period.

The Penguins got within 5-2 when Myles Powell scored his first goal in his second game with the team.

Vellucci pulled Larmi for an extra attacker for much of the game’s final five minutes, but the Penguins did not get the goal to cut the deficit to two until Jan Drozg connected on a rebound with 20.1 seconds left.

“The game’s not over,” Vellucci said. “If we can get a quick one there, we pull the goalie again.

“You never give up.”

NOTES: The three stars were all from Lehigh Valley with Sushko first, Ustimenko second and Fitzgerald third. … The game drew a season-high crowd of 8,107. … The Penguins lost forward Chase Berger and defenseman Kevin Czuczman to injuries during the game. … The Penguins have three straight road games, beginning Wednesday in Hartford, before returning home to play Hershey Feb. 21.

Lehigh Valley 5, Penguins 3

Hershey`3`1`1 — 5

Penguins`1`0`2 — 3

First period — 1, Lehigh Valley, Ratcliffe 4 (Fitzgerald, Wotherspoon), 2:07; 2, Penguins, Roy 9 (Blandisi), 3:03; 3, Lehigh Valley, Sushko 8 (unassisted), 10:39 (SH); 4, Lehigh Valley, Sushko 9 (Carey, Criscuolo), 14:02. Penalties — Gabriel, Lehigh Valley (fighting major), 2:16; Devane, Penguins (fighting major), 2:16; de Haas, Lehigh Valley (cross checking), 10:26; Powell, Penguins (interference), 15:24; DiPauli, Penguins (slashing), 17:40.

Second period — 5, Lehigh Valley, Criscuolo 8 (Kase, Wotherspoon), 11:59. Penalty — Cassels, Penguins (tripping), 6:27.

Third period — 6, Lehigh Valley, Fitzgerald 6 (Friedman), 3:58; 7, Penguins, Powell 1 (Lucchini, Trotman), 13:07; 8, Penguins, Drozg 4 (Devane, DiPauli), 19:46. Penalties — DiPauli, Penguins (cross checking), 1:30; Sushko, Lehigh Valley (boarding), 4:07; Nyberg, Penguins (tripping), 7:24; Criscuolo, Lehigh Valley (tripping), 9:28.

Shots on goal — Lehigh Valley 11-11-10—32. Penguins 16-12-13—41.

Power-play opportunities — Lehigh Valley 0 of 4; Penguins 0 of 3.

Goalies — Lehigh Valley, Ustimenko 1-0-0 (41 shots-38 saves). Penguins, Larmi 2-3-4 (32 shots-27 saves).

Referees — Mitch Dunning, Peter Schlittenhardt. Linesmen — Patrick Dapuzzo, Jud Ritter.

A — 8,107.