Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins - American Hockey League (AHL) - 2004 Calder Cup Playoffs on MLN Sports Zone

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins

Baby Pens Play On
Rallying from 3-1 series deficit, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins advance in the AHL playoffs by outlasting the Bridgeport Sound Tigers in overtime of game 7.

04.25.04 -- Bridgeport, CT - The way this East Division Semifinal series between the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and Bridgeport Sound Tigers has gone, it would figure that Game 7 would be decided in overtime.

After losing the first two games of the series in overtime, and then falling behind three games to one, the Penguins staged the greatest comeback in team history.

Konstantin Koltsov scored two goals, including the game-winning goal 11:44 into overtime to lift Penguins to a 3-2 win over the Sound Tigers before a crowd of 4,050 at the Arena at Harbor Yard.

With the win, the Penguins become the eleventh team in AHL history rally from a 3-1 deficit to win and also the 14th in league history to come back after losing the first two games of the series.

The Penguins now advance to play in the East Division Finals and will face either Norfolk or Philadelphia, whose division semifinal series is tied at 1-1.

Of the seven games in the series, five went to overtime (AHL record), including all four played in Bridgeport. Dating back to the regular season, the last five games played between the two teams at the Arena at Harbor Yard have gone to overtime.

For the second time in the series, the Penguins never trailed in the game. The Penguins, who were playing a Game 7 for the first time in team history, took a 1-0 lead on Tom Kostopoulos' third goal of the playoffs at 13:42 of the first period.

Late in the period, the Sound Tigers tied the game on Jody Robinson's first goal of the playoffs at 17:27. Robinson took a pass from Blaine Down and the top of the circle and beat goalie Andy Chiodo with a slap shot low to the stick-side for the goal.

In the second period, the Penguins regained the lead on a power play goal by Koltsov. With Graham Belak off for slashing, the Penguins scored 55 seconds into the penalty as Koltsov took a cross-ice pass from Michel Ouellet and knocked it past Bridgeport netminder Dieter Kochan at the 13:04 mark.

Early in the third period, Bridgeport tied the game as Rob Collins notched his third goal of the playoffs.

On a 3-on-2 rush, Down found Collins skating down the right wing and he snapped a wrist shot that beat Chiodo short-side 1:04 into the period to tie the game at 2-2.

A few minutes later, the Penguins had a chance to regain the lead but could not convert on a five-minute play. With Brandon Smith off for a five-minute high-sticking major, the Penguins generated only two shot on the power play.

In overtime, each team had several chances to win the game and the series, but both goaltenders came up big early on in the extra session.

Dieter Kochan robbed Eric Meloche on a breakaway at 17:39 and then Andy Chiodo answered with a game-saving snare on Jay Leach's one-timer from the high slot at 15:50.

A few minutes later, the stage was set, as Koltsov would score the biggest goal in Baby Pens’ franchise history.

On an odd-man rush, he took a cross-ice feed from Matt Hussey just outside the blue line and skated into the offensive down the right wing. Then, just above the face off circle, Koltsov ripped off a shot that beat Kochan low to the stick-side and just inside the near post for the goal.

Chiodo, who celebrated his 21st birthday today with his third consecutive start, stopped 32 shots to improve to 3-0 in the playoffs. He recorded his third consecutive win and now has an impressive 0.87 goals against average and a .961 save percentage in the playoffs.

Dieter Kochan made 31 saves in a losing effort and finished the postseason with a 1-3 record, including two hard-luck losses in overtime.

The Penguins scored on 1 of 4 power play chances, while Bridgeport was 0 for 1 on the man-advantage.

For the series, the Penguins killed off 21 of 22 power play chances (995.5%), including killing off Bridgeport's last 18 power play attempts.