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H.S. Boys Basketball: Wyoming Seminary wins first-ever WVC championship

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<p>WILKES-BARRE TWP. &#8212; After Saturday&#8217;s 3-2 overtime loss to the Utica Comets, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins head coach Clark Donatelli emphasized how timely penalties, mistakes and breakdowns cost his team an extra point.</p><p>Considering the Penguins are now six points out of the fourth and final playoff spot in the Atlantic Division with 25 games left, they are simply running out of time.</p><p>And even though they gained a point after falling behind 2-0 in the third period, it was the point that got away that stung the most.</p><p>&#8220;Obviously we&#8217;d be happier with two points,&#8221; Donatelli said. &#8220;We just have to have a little bit more urgency and attention to detail on some of these goals. We&#8217;re beating ourselves.&#8221;</p><p>After a scoreless first period that saw few scoring chances from either team, the Penguins came close to getting on the board when Jean-Sebastien Dea skated in on a shorthanded breakaway early in the second frame.</p><p>Dea rifled a shot toward to the top of the net, but goaltender Michael Leighton flashed a glove for the save.</p><p>Big saves from Leighton was a theme that would haunt the Penguins all night.</p><p>&#8220;Leighton played well. He made some important saves when he had to. He&#8217;s a good goalie,&#8221; Donatelli said.</p><p>Midway through the period the Penguins came close again. This time it was Ryan Scarfo with an open shot from the low slot, but Leighton smothered the puck.</p><p>With one minute left in the period, Utica was the first team to get on the board, but not without some controversy.</p><p>After the Penguins raced into the Utica end and appeared to be first below the faceoff circles, the official whistled the play dead with an icing call, moving the faceoff down the ice.</p><p>Utica&#8217;s Brendan Woods won the draw and was able to one-time the loose puck past Jarry for a 1-0 lead.</p><p>Donatelli wasn&#8217;t critical of the call and said the responsibility for the goal falls on his team.</p><p>&#8220;We can&#8217;t control that call, but we can control winning the faceoff. We can control getting it out and we can control getting a save,&#8221; he said.</p><p>The Comets struck again early in the third period after Tristan Jarry allowed a rebound to Vincent Arseneau for a 2-0 lead. But minutes later the Penguins answered with a faceoff play of their own &#8212; this time a Dea draw back to Sam Miletic for a one-timer to make it 2-1.</p><p>The Penguins had a chance to tie it up late in the period during a power play. Adam Johnson had the best chance when he blasted a one-timer from the corner, but Leighton sprawled across the crease to snare the shot with his glove.</p><p>With less than a minute remaining and the Penguins on the power play again, this time they made it count when Ryan Haggerty stationed himself at the post and swept home a cross-crease pass from Jarrett Burton for a 2-2 tie.</p><p>Utica won it in overtime, however, after Cam Darcy took a lead pass and beat Jarry with a backhand shot.</p><p>And just like that, after the Penguins battled back to tie it up, they let a crucial point slip away.</p><p>&#8220;I thought we battled hard to tie it up, but timely goals, timely mistakes and timely breakdowns&#8230; it&#8217;s killing us,&#8221; Donatelli said.</p><style>
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<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Tom Venesky</p><p>tvenesky@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Tom Venesky at 570-991-6395 or on Twitter @TLTomVenesky</p></shirttailMeta></div>

WBS Pens lose crucial point in overtime loss to Utica