Anton Zlobin snapped a 2-2 tie with 5:40 left in regulation and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins killed off a late Providence power play and held on for a 3-2 win over the Bruins on Saturday night at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center.
The Penguins now lead the teams’ best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal series, three games to two, and will host Game 6 on Monday and Game 7 (if necessary) on Wednesday.
Craig Cunningham staked the Bruins to a 1-0 lead with his third goal of the playoffs at 12:47 of the first period, getting a piece of Ryan Spooner‘s shot during a Providence power play.
But Wilkes-Barre scored twice in a span of 1:47 late in the frame and held a 2-1 edge at the first intermission. Harry Zolnierczyk scored at 16:21 off a give-and-go with Spencer Machacek, and Josh Archibald buried a rebound for a power-play goal in his playoff debut at 18:16.
Providence tied things up at 2-2 as Tyler Randell scored his first of the playoffs with 4:16 to go in the second period, picking up a loose puck after Joe Morrow‘s point shot hit traffic in front and sliding it past a sprawling Peter Mannino.
Zlobin’s fourth goal and third game-winner of the postseason came off a rebound of a Jayson Megna shot at 14:20 of the third period, and the Penguins had taken two of three in Providence to grab a 3-2 series lead.
Mannino (6-3) made 31 saves on the night, including 23 over the final two periods.
Malcolm Subban (2-1) stopped 20 of 23 shots in the loss.
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 3, PROVIDENCE 2
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
