BLOMQVIST, PENGUINS MUZZLE MONSTERS IN 3-2 WIN
CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins outlasted the Cleveland Monsters for a 3-2 win on Friday night at Rocket Arena.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (36-13-3-2) won its fourth game in a row thanks in large part to a rock-solid showing by its netminder, Joel Blomqvist. Blomqvist was unbeatable when the game got close in the third period, including a clutch breakaway denial and several key saves in the final minute of regulation.
The Penguins put themselves in the driver’s seat by tallying a pair of goals 45 seconds apart in the first period. First, Atley Calvert delivered a picturesque, backhand finish under the crossbar at 6:44. Rutger McGroarty set up Ville Koivunen all alone in front moments later, running Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s lead to two.
Cleveland was given the first four power plays of the game, and the fourth man advantage put the Monsters on the board. Four seconds into the power play, Luca Del Bel Belluz released a shot that knuckled off of a Penguins defender and past Blomqvist’s glove midway through the second period.
However, Aidan McDonough put Wilkes-Barre/Scranton back up by a pair with a wicked one-time blast with just 23.8 seconds left in the middle frame.
The Monsters answered back early in the third, getting a goal from Guillaume Richard 75 seconds in. Richard’s attempt from the left wall hit a Penguin’s skate and then careened inside the post, bringing Cleveland within one.
Blomqvist became a steel trap thereafter, stopping multiple point-blank bids to keep his team on top. He finished the game with 22 saves, while Monsters goalie Zach Sawchenko took the loss having made 23 saves.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton will square off against Cleveland for a rematch tomorrow, Saturday, Feb. 28. Game time for the Penguins and Monsters is slated for 4:00 p.m. at Rocket Arena.
The Penguins’ next home game is Wednesday, Mar. 4 against the Springfield Thunderbirds. Puck drop between the Penguins and T-Birds will be 7:05 p.m. at Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza.
Season-ticket packages for the Penguins’ 2025-26 season, including 12-game, Flexbook and Premium Seating plans, as well as Corporate Partnership opportunities are available by reaching out to the Penguins directly at (570) 208-7367. Individual-game tickets are also available by visiting Ticketmaster.com, the Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza Box Office or calling the Penguins’ front office at (570) 208-7367.
Every minute of Penguins hockey can be watched online with the league’s streaming service, AHLTV on FloHockey. AHLTV on FloHockey provides its subscribers access to not just every regular-season and Calder Cup Playoff game for all 32 AHL teams, but also more than 21,000 hockey contests from other professional and junior leagues on FloHockey, as well as access to all other live event streams and replays across FloSports.
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