Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins vs Springfield Thunderbirds 2026 Calder Cup Playoffs: Atlantic Division Finals Game 3

The march continues as the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins took a 2-1 series lead in the Atlantic Division Finals after a 2-1 victory over the Springfield Thunderbirds on Tuesday night.

The Penguins opened the scoring at 19:40 of the first period when Avery Hayes sent the puck ahead to Rutger McGroarty, who scored a shorthanded goal to put the Pens up 1-0.

After a scoreless second period, the Penguins’ fourth line of Boko Imama, Bill Zonnon, and Atley Calvert connected to extend the Pens’ lead to two. Zonnon broke through on a three-on-one and fired a wrister past Georgii Romanov at 5:58 of the third period. His goal stood as the game-winner, the second game-winning goal of his AHL career, and tied Avery Hayes for the team lead in playoff goals.

Trailing by two, Springfield got on the board at 16:21 of the third after Juraj Pekarcik slipped a shot between goaltender Sergei Murashov’s pads. The puck hit his skate and trickled across the goal line. The Thunderbirds applied late pressure and pulled Romanov for the extra attacker in an attempt to force overtime, but the Penguins held on to secure the win.

Improving to 5-2 in the playoffs, Penguins goaltender Sergei Murashov turned away 27 of 28 shots for a .964 save percentage and a 1.00 goals-against average. Thunderbirds goaltender Georgii Romanov stopped 30 of 32 shots, finishing the night with a .938 save percentage and a 2.02 goals-against average.

Game 4 of the Atlantic Division Finals will be played on Thursday, May 21, in Springfield, with puck drop at 7:05 p.m.

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