WBS Penguins vs Toronto Marlies 2026 Calder Cup Playoffs: Eastern Conference Finals Game 2

The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins head to Toronto down 0-2 in the Eastern Conference Final after a bizarre overtime finish.

The first period, only 1:35 in, would see four-on-four action after Cedric Pare of the Marlies and Mikhail Ilyin of the Penguins would be called for the hook only 31 seconds apart from each other. The Penguins go on the penalty kill at 16:47 after Rafael Harvey-Pinard gets booked for a high stick. The scoring would open up at 18:21 with a power play goal from former Penguin Alex Nylander, putting the Marlies up by one.

The second period would start with four-on-four play after matching roughing calls were called for an altercation that occurred at the end of the first period between Penguins right winger Ville Koivunen and Marlies center Vinni Lettieri.

Tanner Howe would tie the game at one at 8:01 of the third period with his second of the playoffs. After a full 60 minutes of play, Game Two of the 2026 Eastern Conference Finals would go to overtime.

Toronto goaltender Artur Akhtyamov earned the win after stopping 33 of 34 shots faced in 74:53 of action, finishing the game with a .971 save percentage and allowing just one goal. On the other side, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton netminder Sergei Murashov turned aside 37 of 39 shots in the overtime loss, recording a .949 save percentage while keeping the Penguins in the game with several key stops throughout the night.

Game 3 of the ECF will be played Monday, June 1, at Coca-Cola Coliseum with a 7:00 p.m. puck drop.

Lexis Woodard / Olde City Sports Network
Photos Credit / Melissa Molyneux / Olde City Sports Network