Calder Cup Playoffs: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Eliminates Hershey, Advances To Atlantic Division Final

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Calder Cup Playoffs: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Eliminates Hershey, Advances To Atlantic Division Final

Calder Cup Playoffs: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Eliminates Hershey, Advances To Atlantic Division Final

The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins have advanced to the Atlantic Division Final.

Calder Cup Playoffs: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Eliminates Hershey, Advances To Atlantic Division Final

The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins have advanced to the Atlantic Division Final.

The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins are moving on. After a hard-fought series, they eliminated the Hershey Bears with a decisive 4-1 victory on Thursday night, punching their ticket to the Atlantic Division Final.

Needing just one more win to close out the series, the Penguins came out firing. Joona Koppanen got things started in the first period with a slick backhand shot past goaltender Clay Stevenson, thanks to a relentless forecheck from Tanner Howe behind the net. But Hershey answered back in dramatic fashion, tying the game with just 5.1 seconds left in the frame on a power-play goal from Ivan Miroschnichenko.

The second period brought a wild swing of momentum. Hershey appeared ready to take the lead with a wide-open net on the power play, but the puck just wouldn't go in. That miss proved costly, as the Penguins turned the play the other way in an instant. Harrison Brunicke buried a rebound on a 2-on-1 rush, scoring shorthanded to put WBS ahead 2-1—a sequence that had the crowd on its feet.

Carrying that lead into the third period, the Penguins got a massive insurance goal from Ville Koivunen. The play started in his own zone with a board battle win, then Koivunen led the rush up ice. After a crisp passing sequence with Tristan Broz and Mikhail Ilyin, Koivunen finished the play from the doorstep to make it 3-1. Gabe Klassen sealed the win with an empty-net goal in the final minute.

Between the pipes, goaltender Sergei Murashov was the story of the night. He stopped 37 of 38 shots, posting a stunning .974 save percentage to keep the Penguins in control throughout the game.

With this series win, the Penguins now set their sights on the Atlantic Division Final—and they're bringing all the momentum with them.

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