A Late Surge Seals Game 4
The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins fought back from a two-goal hole in the second period to take a 4-3 victory over the Toronto Marlies in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals. The win, achieved on home ice, knotted the best-of-seven series at two games each and set the stage for a pivotal Game 5 in Toronto.
Rutger McGroarty became the hero, slipping the game-winning goal past Marlies net-minder Artur Akhtyamov with just 2 minutes and 59 seconds left in regulation. His strike capped a rally that saw Scooter Brickey, Chase Pietila and Gabe Klassen each find the back of the net earlier in the frame.
Marlies’ Early Lead and Goalie Duel
Toronto had opened the scoring early, with Bo Groulx and Vinni Lettieri putting the Marlies ahead before the Penguins’ comeback. In goal, Sergei Murashov turned in 32 saves for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, while Akhtyamov turned away 23 shots for Toronto, keeping the game within reach until the final minutes.
The series will now travel to Toronto for Game 5 on Friday night, with Game 6 scheduled for Sunday back in Wilkes-Barre. Both teams will look to leverage the momentum generated by Thursday’s dramatic finish as the Eastern Conference Finals head toward a decisive conclusion.