Doug O’Brien scored 3:03 into overtime to give visiting Springfield an improbable 4-3 victory over Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Friday night, ending the Penguins’ season-opening winning streak at nine games.
With the win, the Falcons regained possession of first place in the Atlantic Division with a record of 6-2-1-0.
Jason Jaspers and Brad Tiley gave Springfield an early 2-0 lead, but it was Wilkes-Barre who actually controlled the game the rest of the way. Ben Eaves cut the deficit to 2-1 late in the first period, and over the final 40 minutes of regulation, the Penguins outshot the Falcons by a 26-4 margin.
But Wilkes-Barre needed a goal from Jonathan Filewich with 3:30 left in regulation just to force overtime. O’Brien then deposited the winner behind Marc-Andre Fleury, who finished with just 11 saves on the night.
Gerald Coleman came up large for the Falcons, stopping 37 shots. Norm Milley had a goal and an assist, and Marek Kvapil added two assists.
Elsewhere on Friday:
Jesse Schultz scored once in regulation and once in the shootout as Manitoba defeated Houston, 3-2, in a battle of division leaders… Curtis Sanford made 28 saves as Peoria posted its third straight shutout, a 2-0 win over Omaha… Fresh off a 51-save effort last Saturday, Al Montoya made 46 saves to help Hartford to a 2-1 win over Albany… Manchester scored four times on a remarkable 31 shots in the second period alone, then held on for a wild 7-5 win in Bridgeport… Tomas Kopecky scored twice as Grand Rapids defeated Syracuse, 5-2… Keith Aucoin recorded four assists and Vitali Kolesnik made 27 saves as Lowell blanked Portland, 4-0… Chicago scored two goals with the goaltender pulled in the final 86 seconds of regulation, but Milwaukee pulled out a 5-4 shootout win for its fourth victory in a row… Jonas Johansson had a goal and an assist for Hershey in a 2-1 win at Philadelphia… Tyler Redenbach picked up a goal and two assists to help Providence to a 4-1 victory over Norfolk… Jamie Holden made 30 saves as Cleveland doubled up Rochester, 4-2.
