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<p>WILKES-BARRE TWP. &#8212; Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan was quick to point out his team&#8217;s problem with poor starts after Friday&#8217;s game against the Hartford Wolf Pack.</p><p>The Penguins had trouble with a speedy Hartford team in the first period, committing turnovers, mishandling pucks and allowing the Wolf Pack to score first.</p><p>Still, Sullivan was also quick to point out another aspect of his team.</p><p>&#8220;The positive side is it&#8217;s better to finish strong,&#8221; he said.</p><p>And that&#8217;s exactly what the Penguins did with two third-period goals - one of them coming on a crucial penalty kill, to beat Hartford 4-1. Scott Wilson had two goals in his first game back from serving a one-game suspension. Oskar Sundqvist added a shorthanded goal and Matt Murray stopped 29 of 30 shots on the night.</p><p>The Penguins (7-1-0-0) have now won six straight and remain in first place in the Atlantic Division.</p><p>&#8220;This was one of the closer games. I don&#8217;t think the score is indicative of how close of a game it was,&#8221; Sullivan said. &#8220;From a speed standpoint and physicality standpoint, (Hartford) was a challenge.&#8221;</p><p>The Penguins survived a first period filled with turnovers in their own hand, poor puck handling in the Hartford end and an early Wolf Pack goal to earn a 1-1 tie on a goal from Carter Rowney.</p><p>&#8220;I was thinking &#8216;We&#8217;ll take that,&#8217;&#8221; Wilson said. &#8220;They came out hot and coming into the locker room tied 1-1, we needed to get rid of that period and go from there.&#8221;</p><p>Hartford kept the pressure on in the second period, out-shooting the Penguins 22-10 by the game&#8217;s midway point while Murray made several solid saves to preserve the 1-1 tie. The Penguins gained the lead when Wilson put home his own rebound with less than three minutes remaining in the second period, and the momentum started to turn.</p><p>The Penguins appeared to extend their lead with 1:25 left when Tom Kostopoulos made a nice backhand shot over Hartford goaltender Magnus Hellberg to make it 3-1, but referee Garrett Rank ruled there was incidental contact with the goalie and waived off the goal.</p><p>&#8220;I had a good discussion with the referee,&#8221; Sullivan said. &#8220;He saw what he thought that TK was obstructing the goalie. I saw it differently but he&#8217;s the guy that makes the call. We can&#8217;t control that. Just keep playing.&#8221;</p><p>The Penguins got the insurance goal in the third period when they faced a crucial penalty kill clinging to a one-goal lead.</p><p>With Hartford unable to establish anything in the offensive zone. Dominik Uher gained the puck in the neutral zone and raced in with Sundqvist on a 2-on-1. Uher dished a pass over to Sundqvist who shot the puck inside the far post for a 3-1 lead.</p><p>Sullivan said the goal was just as big as a game winner.</p><p>&#8220;We take a penalty, they get a boost going on the power play and we end up with a great kill and a goal,&#8221; Sullivan said. &#8220;Psychologically it deflates your opponent when those situations occur. There&#8217;s no doubt is was one of those game-changing moments.&#8221;</p><p>Wilson iced the game with an empty net goal - his sixth of the season, for a 4-1 win.</p><p>NOTES</p><p>- D Barry Goers (injury), F Tom Sestito (injury), F Ty Loney, F Matia Marcantuoni and D Will O&#8217;Neill were scratched for the Penguins.</p><p>- With C Kevin Porter re-assigned by Pittsburgh on Friday, Sullivan&#8217;s lineup decisions are about to become much more difficult. He didn&#8217;t know if a player would be sent to Wheeling to make some room on the roster, but Sullivan said his job isn&#8217;t getting any easier, but in a good way.</p><p>&#8220;We&#8217;re 7-1 and really pleased with a lot of people&#8217;s play. It&#8217;s not like the healthy scratches are the result of a lack of performance,&#8221; he said. &#8220;I&#8217;m pulling Will O&#8217;Neill who has three goals as a defenseman, Ty Loney who sets up two of the four goals the other night. Those are tough decisions.&#8221;</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Wilkes-Barre Penguins winger Tom Kostopoulos watches his shot get blocked Hartford goaltender Magnus Hellberg. Hartford defenseman Tommy Hughes shoves him away. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/web1_pens_hart1_faa1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Wilkes-Barre Penguins winger Tom Kostopoulos watches his shot get blocked Hartford goaltender Magnus Hellberg. Hartford defenseman Tommy Hughes shoves him away. </caption0><photoCredit0>Fred Adams| for Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/web1_pens_hart2_faa1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Penguins right wing Tom Kuknhackl waits for a pass that ended in a Penguins score in the first period. Hartford goalie Magnus Hellberg and center Tyler Brown attempt to protect their goal. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/web1_pens_hart2_faa1.jpg</photo1><caption1>Penguins right wing Tom Kuknhackl waits for a pass that ended in a Penguins score in the first period. Hartford goalie Magnus Hellberg and center Tyler Brown attempt to protect their goal. </caption1><photoCredit1>Fred Adams| for Times Leader </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/web1_pens_hart3_faa1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Penguins Dominik Simon and Carter Rowney race after the puck followed by Hartford defenders. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/web1_pens_hart3_faa1.jpg</photo2><caption2>Penguins Dominik Simon and Carter Rowney race after the puck followed by Hartford defenders. </caption2><photoCredit2>Fred Adams| for Times Leader </photoCredit2></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>Scott Wilson had two goals in his first game back from a suspension</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Tom Venesky</p><p>tvenesky@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><factboxMeta><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Penguins 4, Hartford 1</strong></p><p><strong>Hartford`1`0`0`&#8212;`1</strong></p><p><strong>Penguins`1`1`2`&#8212;`4</strong></p><p><strong>First Period</strong></p><p><strong>Scoring</strong> &#8211; 1. HFD, Nick Tarnasky 3 (Glass, Hrivik) 6:05. 2. WBS, Carter Rowney 2 (Kuhnhackl, Andersen) 11:03. Penalties - HFD, Nehring (tripping) 3:10; WBS, Biggs (interference) 15:17.</p><p><strong>Second Period</strong></p><p><strong>Scoring</strong> &#8211; 3. WBS, Scott Wilson 5 (Mouillierat) 17:16. Penalties - WBS, Wilson (boarding) 5:08; HFD, Tarnasky (boarding) 12:56.</p><p><strong>Third Period</strong></p><p><strong>Scoring</strong> &#8211; 4. WBS, Oskar Sundqvist 2 (Uher, Murray) shorthanded 13:11. 5. WBS, Scott Wilson 6 unassisted, empty net 18:22. Penalties - HFD, Graves (holding) 2:21; WBS, Warsofsky (cross-checking) 12:32.</p><p><strong>Shots on goal</strong></p><p>Hartford &#8211; 12-14-4-30</p><p>Penguins &#8211; 6-14-7-27</p><p><strong>Power-play Opportunities</strong></p><p>Hartford &#8211; 0 of 3</p><p>Penguins &#8211; 0 of 3</p><p>Goaltenders</p><p>Hartford &#8211; Magnus Hellberg 4-2-1 (24 saves &#8211; 27 shots)</p><p>Penguins &#8211; Matt Murray 5-1-0 (29-30)</p><p><strong>Starters</strong></p><p>Binghamton &#8211; G Magnus Hellberg, D Brady Skjel, D Mat Brodie, LW Brian Gibbons, C Jayson Megna, RW Adam Tambellini</p><p>Penguins &#8211; G Matt Murr, D Steve Oleksy, D Derrick Pouliot, LW Dominik Uher, C Oskar Sundqvist, RW Tom Kostopoulos</p><p><strong>Three Stars</strong></p><p>1. WBS, Scott Wilson (two goals) 2. WBS, Oskar Sundqvist (shorthanded goal) 3. WBS, Carter Rowney (goal)</p><p><strong>Referee</strong> &#8211; Garrett Rank. <strong>Linesmen</strong> &#8211; Matt McNulty, Luke Murray</p><p><strong>Attendance</strong> &#8211; 4,330</p></factboxMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Tom Venesky at 570-991-6395 or on Twitter @TLTomVenesky</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Strong finish propels Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins to 4-1 win