Brendan Gaunce scored at the 2:45 mark in overtime to lead Cleveland to a 4-3 victory over the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Sunday afternoon at Mohegan Arena.
Gaunce’s goal, his eighth of the season, sent the Penguins to their second consecutive loss. The Pens came off a 5-0 loss at home to Syracuse on Saturday night. Dysin Mayo and Jack Williams were credited with an assist on the game-winning goal.
Cleveland took a 1-0 lead when Max McCue scored his first of the season at 1:56 of the first period. Rutger McGroarty tied it for the Penguins at 5:29 with his fifth of the year. After the Monsters grabbed a 2-1 lead, the Penguins tied the game when Ville Koivunen scored his seventh of the year.
The Monsters took a 3-2 lead when Mikael Pyyhtia scored the only goal of the second period at 9:56. It was his 11th of the year. Gaunce was given the assists. Emil Pieniniemi scored his first of the season for the Penguins at 0:43 of the third period to tie the game, 3-3. Finn Harding and Koivunen had the assists.
Cleveland finished the game 1 of 2 on the power play while the Penguins went 1 for 4. Joel Blomqvist started in goal for the Penguins and recorded 13 saves on 16 shots in 29:56 of action. Sergei Murashov made 14 saves on 15 shots in 32:50 of ice time.
The Penguins (32-13-3-2) are in second place in the Atlantic Division, six points behind first place Providence.