Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s persistence would pay off in the final period as forward Bill Zonnon would score the game-winning goal from the left interior hash-marks at the 5:58 mark to put the Pens up 2-0. After that, the Thunderbirds would try mounting a comeback, outshooting the Penguins 9-5 when finally, Springfield forward Juraj Pekarcik would fake out Wilkes-Barre/Scranton defenseman Harrison Brunicke enroute to squeezing the puck past AHL All-Star goalie Sergei Murashov at the 16:21 mark to cut the deficit in half. That would be as close as Springfield would come as the Pens would come away with the win and series lead.
