Islanders Complete Comeback, Defeat Penguins 6-5

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. – Taking the ice for the penultimate home game of the regular season, the Bridgeport Islanders extended their home winning streak to nine games with a miraculous four-goal comeback, capped by an overtime winner from Pierrick Dube to defeat the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, 6-5.

Just 92 seconds into the contest, Daylan Kuefler pickpocketed a Penguin defender along the left boards before making a nifty move on Sergei Murashov, giving Bridgeport a 1-0 lead with his tenth goal of the season. 

Finn Harding evened the score 6:22 into play, as a shot from the point made its way to the rookie defenseman's stick on the back post for his third of the season. The Penguins took their first lead of the night as a deflected puck off Tanner Howe's skate made its way into the net 5:02 into the second period, followed a minute later by a tally from Gabe Klassen to make the score 3-1.

The Islanders cut their deficit to 3-2 10:08 into the second as Victor Eklund recovered a rebound and backhanded it in for his first North American professional goal. 

On a 4-on-4, the Penguins retook their two-goal deficit as Harrison Brunicke netted his first AHL goal at 14:59.

1:55 into the third period, Atley Calvert scored off a rebound to extend the Penguins' lead to 5-2. Joey Larson cut into the deficit at 2:29, roofing his 17th of the year off a feed from Adam Beckman. In the final sixty seconds of a five-minute power play, Liam Foudy cut Bridgeport's deficit to one as he netted his 25th of the year off a rebound from Cole Eiserman.

In overtime, Pierrick Dube capped off the comeback with 37.8 seconds remaining.

The Islanders head to Lehigh Valley for a matchup against the Phantoms on Saturday, April 11 at 7:05 p.m. before returning home for the final regular season home game of the season on April 12 against the Hartford Wolf Pack at 5 p.m. Tickets are available at bridgeportislanders.com.

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