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0 |
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4 |
| Game 5 |
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For the second straight night, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton made a statement on their home ice. Now, they’re boarding the bus to head back to Rhode Island.
Rookie defenseman Brian Dumoulin had a goal and two assists and Brad Thiessen made 30 saves for his third career playoff shutout as the Penguins blanked Providence, 4-0, to send their Eastern Conference semifinal series back to Providence for a Game 6 on Monday night.
The Penguins fell behind in the series 3-0 before winning Games 4 and 5. Of the 126 teams in AHL history to lose the first three games of a best-of-seven series, Wilkes-Barre is just the 16th to force a Game 6.
Dumoulin started the scoring on a Penguins power play, sneaking down low and burying a rebound of a Brian Gibbons shot at 10:55 of the opening period.
Trevor Smith made it 2-0 at 16:47, snapping a shot past Niklas Svedberg during a 5-on-3 power play for the Pens.
After a scoreless second period, Adam Payerl upped Wilkes-Barre’s lead to 3-0 when his long shot from the right wing beat Svedberg high to the stick side.
Paul Thompson provided the final margin with the Penguins’ third power-play goal of the night, scoring with 3:16 remaining.
The teams combined for 117 minutes in penalties, including a third-period match penalty to Providence’s Graham Mink that carries an automatic suspension pending review by the league.
Thiessen (3-1) has stymied the Bruins since coming on in relief of Jeff Zatkoff during Game 2 last Saturday night. The fourth-year pro and former AHL goaltender of the year (2010-11) has stopped 97 of 100 shots in 11 periods of work in the series (0.82, .970).
Svedberg (6-4) made 25 saves for the Bruins on the night.
Wilkes-Barre is now 19-11 in 30 games all-time when facing playoff elimination.
Eastern Conference Semifinal – Series “I” (best-of-7)
1-Providence Bruins vs. 5-Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
Game 1 – Fri., May 10 – PROVIDENCE 8, W-B/Scranton 5
Game 2 – Sat., May 11 – PROVIDENCE 4, W-B/Scranton 2
Game 3 – Wed., May 15 – Providence 2, W-B/SCRANTON 1 (OT)
Game 4 – Fri., May 17 – W-B/SCRANTON 3, Providence 1
Game 5 – Sat., May 18 – W-B/SCRANTON 4, Providence 0
Game 6 – Mon., May 20 – W-B/Scranton at Providence, 7:05
*Game 7 – Wed., May 22 – W-B/Scranton at Providence, 7:05
