UPDATE: In a nail-biting finish, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins suffered a 4-3 defeat to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in a shootout at the PPL Center in Allentown this afternoon. This marks the first victory for the Phantoms over the Penguins in their five encounters this season, underscoring a dramatic turn in their rivalry.
The Penguins kicked off the scoring with a stunning goal from Rafael Harvey-Pinard, marking his sixth goal of the season, granting them a 1-0 lead after the first period. Just three minutes into the second period, Harvey-Pinard struck again, doubling the Penguins’ advantage to 2-0. However, the Phantoms quickly responded with back-to-back goals, leveling the score at 2-2 by the end of the second period.
In a thrilling turn of events, Oscar Elkind netted his first goal of the season, giving Lehigh Valley their first lead at 3-2. The Penguins’ David Breazeale answered back within a minute, leveling the game once more with assists from Chase Pietila and Harvey-Pinard.
The game culminated in a tense shootout, where both Tucker Robertson and Cooper Marody scored for the Phantoms, while the Penguins failed to convert on both of their attempts. Joel Blomqvist had a commendable performance in goal, stopping 35 of 38 shots throughout the game.
The Penguins are now gearing up for two critical matchups this week, as they look to bounce back and close out 2025 on a high note. They will face Charlotte at Mohegan Arena at 7:05 p.m. on December 31, before hitting the road to challenge Syracuse on January 3 at 7 p.m. Currently, the Penguins hold a 2-2 record against Charlotte this season, while their upcoming game against Syracuse will be their first encounter of the year.
Stay tuned for more updates as the Penguins seek to regain their momentum in the coming games!
