Bruins shock Penguins to tie series

Cory Kane picked a fine time to net his first professional goal.

The undrafted free agent out of Ferris State University scored with 6:31 gone in overtime as Providence came back from the brink and defeated Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, 3-2, in Game 4 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series on Friday night.

Providence, which was less than a second away from falling behind three games to one, hosts Game 5 on Saturday with the series now even at 2-2.

Seth Griffith opened the scoring with his fourth goal of the playoffs at 3:11 of the first period, taking a pass from Alexander Khokhlachev along the wall, skating to the high slot and sending a wrister past Penguins goaltender Peter Mannino for a 1-0 Providence lead.

Wilkes-Barre tied things up at 13:16 of the second period when Reid McNeill‘s long slapper from the left point beat the Bruins’ Malcolm Subban to make it 1-1.

Providence had a chance to take the lead early in the third period, but Mannino denied Nick Johnson on a penalty shot at 2:45. Just 76 seconds later, Conor Sheary scored off a two-on-rush to give the Penguins a 2-1 lead.

The Bruins pressed for the tie, and after killing off a late penalty to Kane, got it when Ryan Spooner beat Mannino with a slapper from the top of the right circle with just six-tenths of a second left in regualtion.

Providence killed off a Penguins power play early in the overtime period, then won it as Kane stuffed in a loose puck from the side of the net for his first pro tally.

Subban (2-0), making his third start of the playoffs, stopped 28 of 30 shots in the victory. Mannino (5-3) made 28 saves in the loss.

Watch highlights here

Eastern Conference Semifinals – Series “J” (best-of-7) 
6-W-B/Scranton Penguins vs. 7-Providence Bruins
| Series Snapshot
Game 1 – Fri., May 9 – Providence 4, W-B/SCRANTON 0 
Game 2 – Sat., May 10 – W-B/SCRANTON 6, Providence 1 
Game 3 – Wed., May 14 – W-B/Scranton 5, PROVIDENCE 4 (2OT)
Game 4 – Fri., May 16 – PROVIDENCE 3, W-B/Scranton 2 (OT)
Game 5 – Sat., May 17 – W-B/Scranton at Providence, 7:05
Game 6 – Mon., May 19 – Providence at W-B/Scranton, 7:05
*Game 7 – Wed., May 21 – Providence at W-B/Scranton, 7:05
   *if necessary… All times Eastern