Add another win into the column for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins this season. Early on, the team finds themselves on top of the American Hockey League for the time being after a fifth straight win to start the 2025-26 campaign, improving their record to 5-0-0-0
After a perfect road trip, featuring a win against Lehigh Valley, as well as a massive comeback victory over Bridgeport, the Penguins took the ice at Mohegan Arena for the first time in about a week-and-a-half, facing off against the Phantoms again.
After a few first periods that haven’t gone their way early on in the season, the Pens took an early lead off a rebound by Danton Heinen on the power play.
Avery Hayes would follow that up with a rebound goal of his own a few minutes later to give the Pens a 2-0 lead after the first frame.
After Chase Pietila took a late interference penalty with just about five seconds left in the first period, Lehigh Valley entered the second frame on the power play.
Scoring under a minute into the middle frame, the Phantoms put the pressure on after the power play effort by Alex Gendron.
However, the Pens would nab yet another power play goal, with Atley Calvert grabbing his fourth goal of the season, scoring all of those four in the past three games. Calvert’s tally put the Pens up 3-1.
Just minutes later, Ville Koivunen was brought down on a breakaway and awarded a penalty shot. A dazzling five-hole wrister through the legs of Alexei Kolosov gave the Penguins a 4-1 advantage going into the second intermission.
From there, the Penguins threw the cruise control on, and let their strong defensive play, and the strength of goaltender Sergei Murashov control the rest of the game.
Robbing the Phantoms of good scoring chances all night, Murashov made 12 saves in the third period alone. He made 26 saves in total, improving his record to 4-0-0-0 on the early season.
It’s the second time the Penguins have bested the Phantoms here in 2025-26. Lehigh Valley now sits with a 3-2-0-0 record, with both losses coming from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
The Pens are back on the road this Friday and Saturday against the Charlotte Checkers. Back at home on Oct. 29, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton takes on the Providence Bruins in another mid-week matchup of Atlantic Division Foes.
