PENGUINS ONE WIN AWAY FROM TRIP TO EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS

POST-GAME AUDIO: Todd Richards | Tim Brent | Ryan Stone | Dustin Jeffrey

PHILADELPHIA, PA – The Penguins tied a team record with five goals in the second period, and skated out of Philadelphia with a 8-4 win against the Phantoms in Game Four of the East Division Finals on Wednesday night.  Wilkes-Barre/Scranton now holds a three games to one lead in the best of seven series, and can earn a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals with a win in Game Five this Friday at home.

A pair of early penalties – a five minute major on Denis Gauthier for elbowing and a charging call on Triston Grant – gave the Pens a five-on-three advantage and led to their first goal of the night, as Tim Brent went top shelf for his league-high eighth goal of the postseason.

The Penguins were unable to take advantage of nearly three minutes remaining on Gauthier’s infraction after the Brent goal, and went scoreless on a Stefan Ruzicka roughing call at 13:20.  But Mark Ardelan took a Tim Wallace feed at the top of the Phantoms crease just two seconds after that penalty expired and found the back of the net, giving Wilkes-Barre/Scranton a 2-0 lead.

Darroll Powe cut the lead in half two minutes after Ardelan’s goal, picking up a rebound in front of John Curry and putting home his first of the postseason.

Philadelphia tied things shortly after the intermission, as an unguarded Jared Ross got two easy swipes at the puck while sitting on the left post.  That goal came just 19 seconds into the second period.

But the Penguins made sure the deadlock was short-lived as Ryan Stone floated a shot past Scott Munroe eight seconds later to make the score 3-2.  Dustin Jeffrey’s first career tally followed at the 4:05 mark, giving the visitors a two-goal lead once again.

That goal would prove necessary, as Boyd Kane tipped a Nate Guenin shot past Curry at 7:41, allowing the Phantoms to creep within one goal once again.

But the Penguins turned on the afterburners the rest of the second period.  Brent picked up his second power play goal of the night at 12:30, chasing Munroe from the Philadelphia net.  Michael Teslak fared little better, though, allowing goals to Connor James and Nathan Smith before the frame came to a conclusion with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton sporting a 7-3 lead.

Stone netted his second of the night 13:04 into the third before Pete Zingoni closed out the scoring with an inconsequential tally with five minutes left.

NOTES: The Penguins tied team playoff records for goals in a period (5) and in a game (8) on the night...Alex Goligoski upped his point streak to eight games, a team playoff record.