Wilkes-Barre/Scranton will need to win three consecutive games in order to stave off elimination and advance to the third round of the Calder Cup playoffs.
Wilkes-Barre dropped Game 2 in Springfield Thursday with a 6-2 loss, falling into a 2-0 series deficit in the best-of-five second round.
The Thunderbirds opened the scoring with a power play goal late in the first period. Goals from defensemen Will Reilly and P.O Joseph gave Wilkes-Barre a lead in the first half of the second period:
Another power play goal tied the game for Springfield, and then another late-period goal put the Thunderbirds up 3-2.
Springfield extended its lead midway through the third, then an empty net goal from Thunderbirds goaltender Joel Hofer made it 5-2:
A PLAYOFF GOALIE GOAL BY JOEL HOFER pic.twitter.com/DwkJLCgOFH
— x - Springfield Thunderbirds (@ThunderbirdsAHL) May 13, 2022
The Thunderbirds sealed the win with a second empty netter.
Tommy Nappier took the loss in net for the Penguins with 30 saves on 34 shots.
"The second period, we played really well," coach J.D. Forrest said. "We had a lot of energy that period, generated some good chances, we were able to claw back there and get that lead. Then we gave them power plays at tough times, and they were able to capitalize. That made it tough."
Wilkes-Barre lost Game 1 on Wednesday by a 4-1 margin, despite putting up 51 shots on net. Felix Robert was the only Penguin able to solve Springfield goaltender Charlie Lindgren in that game.
Game 3 -- and Game 4, if necessary -- will be in Wilkes-Barre on Sunday and Monday. Game 5, if necessary, will be Wednesday in Springfield.
"We've got a day to rest tomorrow and some time to look at some different things and then we play Sunday," Forrest said. "We're back at home, and we've just got to take care of our business. There's not some secret solution here. It's just play the next game."
