The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, once again, got the upper hand over their local rivals.
Vasily Ponomarev scored 48 seconds into the third period to provide a two-goal cushion as Wilkes-Barre/Scranton knocked off Lehigh Valley, 3-2, at the Mohegan Arena on Friday night.
It marked the third straight win for the Penguins, with two wins over Lehigh Valley in the current streak. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton improved to 4-1-1 against the Phantoms this season, and hold a 27-12-7-4 edge over the last five years.
Garrett Wilson got Lehigh Valley on the board just 77 seconds into the match with his sixth goal of the year, before WBS’s Tristan Broz knotted it at 1-1 with his 11th goal.
Broz didn’t waste long getting his 12th, scoring two minutes and three seconds into the second period, off assists from Rutger McGroarty and Justin Lee.
Ponomarev’s goal gave the Penguins a two-goal lead, before Ethan Samson cut it to 3-2 with 17 minutes remaining.
Penguins goalie Filip Larsson did the rest, stopping 29 of 31 shots for the win.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton improved its season record to 17-8-1, and is four points away from first-place Hershey in the Atlantic Division standings. The two teams tangle Saturday night at the Giant Center in a 7 p.m. start to close out the weekend.
![Every year, something incredible happens in the sports landscape throughout the area. 2024 was no different. There were highs and lows, ups and downs, generally the things you’d expect to happen in the realm of team and individual sports. Looking back on the 2024 year in sports, there were fantastic individual performances to include state championships and record setters. The region also had its first World Series champion. Here is a look at The Citizens’ Voice top 10 stories of 2024: 1. Misericordia champs The Misericordia baseball team took it down to the final date of the NCAA Division III […]](https://www.citizensvoice.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/WB_VOICE-20240520-B-PG1-CV052024MISERICORDIA-1-813ABD4B.jpg?w=570 "Every year, something incredible happens in the sports landscape throughout the area. 2024 was no different. There were highs and lows, ups and downs, generally the things you’d expect to happen in the realm of team and individual sports. Looking back on the 2024 year in sports, there were fantastic individual performances to include state championships and record setters. The region also had its first World Series champion. Here is a look at The Citizens’ Voice top 10 stories of 2024: 1. Misericordia champs The Misericordia baseball team took it down to the final date of the NCAA Division III […]")
![PUNXSUTAWNEY — Sophia Shults earned MVP as the Hazleton Area Cougars rolled to the championship of the Punxsutawney Tournament with a 86-34 victory over Marion Center on Saturday in girls basketball. Shults finished with 12 points. Kaitlyn Bindas led Hazleton with 18 points and Kayla Lagowy was the third player in double figures with 12. Bindas and Alexis Reimold were also selected to the all-tournament team. Brynnley Haggerty and Macie Miller each had 12 for Marion Center. Pittston Area 69, Hanover Area 15: At Old Forge, Daniella Ranieli scored 12 of her 21 points in the first quarter and the […]](https://www.citizensvoice.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/CVC-L-HAZ-01.jpg?w=467 "PUNXSUTAWNEY — Sophia Shults earned MVP as the Hazleton Area Cougars rolled to the championship of the Punxsutawney Tournament with a 86-34 victory over Marion Center on Saturday in girls basketball. Shults finished with 12 points. Kaitlyn Bindas led Hazleton with 18 points and Kayla Lagowy was the third player in double figures with 12. Bindas and Alexis Reimold were also selected to the all-tournament team. Brynnley Haggerty and Macie Miller each had 12 for Marion Center. Pittston Area 69, Hanover Area 15: At Old Forge, Daniella Ranieli scored 12 of her 21 points in the first quarter and the […]")
![Sometimes, the difference for a team can be the dynamic in the locker room, and so far this season the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins appear to have quickly come together both on and off the ice. “It’s just a super tight-knit group,” forward Corey Andonovski said. “I feel like this year, especially, we kind of have some momentum and whatnot going into Christmas break.” That tight-knit group was evidenced on the ice several times in the Dec. 21 game at Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza against the rival Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Penguins players not necessarily known for mixing it up got into […]](https://www.citizensvoice.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/CVC-L-WBSPENSFEAT-1229.jpg?w=525 "Sometimes, the difference for a team can be the dynamic in the locker room, and so far this season the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins appear to have quickly come together both on and off the ice. “It’s just a super tight-knit group,” forward Corey Andonovski said. “I feel like this year, especially, we kind of have some momentum and whatnot going into Christmas break.” That tight-knit group was evidenced on the ice several times in the Dec. 21 game at Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza against the rival Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Penguins players not necessarily known for mixing it up got into […]")