2026 Calder Cup Playoffs: Game 3, W-B/Scranton - 4 at Hershey - 3 (OT) 5/5/26
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
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Written by: Tony Androckitis
@TonyAndrock on Twitter/X
HERSHEY, Pa - The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and Hershey Bears battled in what became an 'instant-classic' of a playoff contest Tuesday night in Game 3 of the Atlantic Division Semifinals.
The Penguins jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the opening six minutes of the game, on goals from captain Phil Kemp and Mikhail Ilyin's first career goal in North America.
The Bears responded by dominating the ensuing 30+ minutes of game action, rallying for three straight goals to take a 3-2 lead into the third period.
That's when the Penguins simply found a way.
Down to the final 3:03 of the third period and still down a goal, Penguins head coach Kirk MacDonald elected to pull goaltender Sergei Murashov for the extra attacker with an offensive zone face-off upcoming.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton got a game-tying extra attacker goal from Avery Hayes to force overtime, and the Penguins completed the comeback in overtime on a re-direction from Rutger McGroarty that sent GIANT Center in a frenzy after it was concluded the puck went into the net and bounced back out off the back-bar in the top shelf of Bears' goaltender Clay Stevenson's net.
The Penguins' win puts Hershey's season on the brink as Wilkes-Barre/Scranton takes the 2-1 lead in the best-of-five series, with Game 4 coming on Thursday night.
