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Outdoors: Murky waters for Pennsylvania’s mallard numbers

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Let the racing begin: Harness season kicks off at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono

<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; With 14 games left in the regular season, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins view any point they can get as a victory.</p><p>And when it comes to gaining an extra point against the team they&#8217;re chasing for the fourth and final playoff spot in the Atlantic Division, such an achievement is monumental.</p><p>The Penguins edged the Providence Bruins 2-1 in overtime on Saturday, closing the gap between the two teams to five points. Tristan Jarry was remarkable with a 36-save effort, and Adam Johnson scored the overtime winner.</p><p>The Penguins have two games in hand on the Bruins, and even though a Providence goal midway through the third period forced overtime and a point for each team, Penguins coach Clark Donatelli was happy with the outcome.</p><p>&#8220;We would&#8217;ve liked to win it outright in regulation, but we&#8217;ll take the two points,&#8221; he said. &#8220;We&#8217;re still driving the bus (in the playoff chase). We just have to take it one game at a time.&#8221;</p><p>After a scoreless first half of the game during which both teams played with good pace but were a bit tentative at times with the offense, the Penguins broke through with a goal late in the second period.</p><p>As the Bruins tried to exit the zone, Jimmy Hayes stood at the blueline and stuck his skate out to deflect the puck to his stick. Hayes promptly raced in to the Bruins&#8217; end with Jake Lucchini heading toward the net. Hayes&#8217; shot hit netminder Zane McIntyre int he chest and bounced out to Lucchini at the corner, who slammed it home for a 1-0 lead.</p><p>The goal was the first of Lucchini&#8217;s pro career and came in his second game.</p><p>&#8220;He&#8217;s been good and that line with Hayes and (Joseph) Cramarossa has some chemistry,&#8221; Donatelli said. &#8220;Lucchini being a young guy right out of school, he&#8217;s bringing some energy.&#8221;</p><p>In the third period, the Bruins brought the offense.</p><p>After an enormous penalty kill by the Penguins that saw the Bruins keep the puck in the offensive zone for the entire power play, they did allow Providence to tie it midway through the third after Jarry was unable to corral a loose puck. Providence leading scorer Ryan Fitzgerald tapped in the puck at the corner for the 1-1 tie.</p><p>The Penguins&#8217; penalty kill came up big again late in the period after Ryan Haggerty was whistled for boarding, and Jarry was a huge factor as the Bruins held a 21-7 shot advantage in the period.</p><p>Jarry put the period in perspective.</p><p>&#8220;I think it was the whole game,&#8221; he said. &#8220;It always helps when you&#8217;re able to kill penalties, especially late in the game. It gives us a boost.&#8221;</p><p>During overtime, Johnson found an open spot in the neutral zone and waited while Ethan Prow gained possession in the defensive zone. Prow hit Johnson with a pass, springing the speedy forward on a breakaway resulting in a backhand shot under the crossbar for the win.</p><p>&#8220;I saw Prow had some time and he usually finds me, so I just took off,&#8221; Johnson said. &#8220;I was able to get a step and finally got one of those half-breakaways to go in.&#8221;</p><p>The Penguins face the Toronto Marlies at home on Sunday while Providence is off. A win could move the Penguins to three points behind the Bruins for fourth place.</p><p>&#8220;Our mindset it to take it one game at a time. We have another game tomorrow so it&#8217;s just about preparing for that one now,&#8221; Jarry said.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Penguins defenseman Tim Erixon is pinned against the boards by Providence&#8217;s Michael Doherty as they battle for the puck during Saturday&#8217;s game at the Mohegan Sun Arena.  </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/web1_pens_pro4_faa.jpg</photo0><caption0>Penguins defenseman Tim Erixon is pinned against the boards by Providence&#8217;s Michael Doherty as they battle for the puck during Saturday&#8217;s game at the Mohegan Sun Arena.  </caption0><photoCredit0>Fred Adams | For Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/web1_pens_pro1_faa.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Penguins forward Jake Lucchini (center) opened the scoring on Saturday against Providence with his first goal as a pro. Lucchini recently signed with the Penguins out of Michigan Tech. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/web1_pens_pro1_faa.jpg</photo1><caption1>Penguins forward Jake Lucchini (center) opened the scoring on Saturday against Providence with his first goal as a pro. Lucchini recently signed with the Penguins out of Michigan Tech. </caption1><photoCredit1>Fred Adams | For Times Leader </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/web1_pens_pro5_faa.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Penguins forward Joseph Cramarossa throws a shoulder into Providence&#8217;s Emil Johansson on Saturday. The Penguins beat the Bruins, 2-1, in overtime. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/web1_pens_pro5_faa.jpg</photo2><caption2>Penguins forward Joseph Cramarossa throws a shoulder into Providence&#8217;s Emil Johansson on Saturday. The Penguins beat the Bruins, 2-1, in overtime. </caption2><photoCredit2>Fred Adams | For Times Leader </photoCredit2></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/web1_pens_pro3_faa.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Providence defenseman Joel Messner catches Penguins forward Linus Olund with his stick on Saturday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo3>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/web1_pens_pro3_faa.jpg</photo3><caption3>Providence defenseman Joel Messner catches Penguins forward Linus Olund with his stick on Saturday. </caption3><photoCredit3>Fred Adams | For Times Leader </photoCredit3></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/web1_pens_pro2_faa.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Wilkes-Barre/Scranton forward Jimmy Hayes (center) looks for the puck after hitting the ice during a faceoff Saturday at Mohegan Sun Arena. Hayes picked up an assist on the Penguins&#8217; first goal and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton won it in overtime, 2-1. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo4>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/web1_pens_pro2_faa.jpg</photo4><caption4>Wilkes-Barre/Scranton forward Jimmy Hayes (center) looks for the puck after hitting the ice during a faceoff Saturday at Mohegan Sun Arena. Hayes picked up an assist on the Penguins&#8217; first goal and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton won it in overtime, 2-1. </caption4><photoCredit4>Fred Adams | For Times Leader </photoCredit4></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Tom Venesky</p><p>tvenesky@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><factboxMeta><p><strong>Penguins 2, <strong>Providence 1 (OT)</strong></strong></p><p><strong>Providence`0`0`1`0 &#8212; 1</strong></p><p><strong>Penguins`0`1`0`1 &#8212; 2</strong></p><p><strong>First Period</strong></p><p><strong>Scoring</strong> &#8211; None. Penalties - WBS, Cramarossa (hooking) 15:06; PRO, McNeill (hooking) 18:23.</p><p><strong>Second Period</strong></p><p><strong>Scoring</strong> &#8211; 1. WBS, Jake Lucchini 1 (Hayes) 16:25. Penalties - None.</p><p><strong>Third Period</strong></p><p><strong>Scoring</strong> &#8211; 2. PRO, Ryan Fitzgerald 8 (Szwarz, Kuhlman) 9:52. Penalties - WBS, Hayes (slashing) 2:01; WBS, Haggerty (boarding) 13:29.</p><p><strong>Overtime</strong></p><p><strong>Scoring </strong>- 3. WBS, Adam Johnson 18 (Prow) 1:09. Penalties - None.</p><p><strong>Shots on goal</strong></p><p>Providence &#8211; 9-5-21-2-37</p><p>Penguins &#8211; 5-14-7-2-28</p><p><strong>Power-play Opportunities</strong></p><p>Providence &#8211; 0 of 3</p><p>Penguins &#8211; 0 of 1</p><p><strong>Goaltenders</strong></p><p>Providence - Zane McIntyre 22-10-6 (26 saves-27 shots)</p><p>Penguins &#8211; Tristan Jarry 20-11-7 (36-37)</p><p><strong>Starters</strong></p><p>Providence &#8211; G Zane McIntyre, D Jakub Zboril, D Joel Messner, LW Ryan Fitzgerald, C Jordan Szwarz, RW Karson Kuhlman</p><p>Penguins &#8211; G Tristan Jarry, D Ethan Prow, D Kevin Czuczman, LW Sam Miletic, C Jarrett Burton, RW Ryan Haggerty</p><p><strong>Three Stars</strong></p><p>1. WBS, Tristan Jarry (36 saves) 2. WBS, Adam Johnson (overtime goal) 3. WBS, Jake Lucchini (goal)</p><p><strong>Referee</strong> &#8211; Mike Dietrich, Beaudry Halkidis. <strong>Linesmen</strong> &#8211; Jud Ritter, Patrick Hanrahan.</p><p><strong>Attendance</strong> &#8211; 7,799</p></factboxMeta></div>

WBS Pens keep playoff hopes alive with overtime win over Bruins