Penguins Shut Out by Crunch in AHL Matchup

Syracuse Crunch dominate Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in 5-0 victory

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

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The Syracuse Crunch defeated the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 5-0 in an American Hockey League (AHL) matchup on Saturday night. The Crunch scored five unanswered goals and outshot the Penguins 29-16, handing the Penguins their second shutout loss to Syracuse this season.

Why it matters

The loss drops the Penguins to 13 points behind the division-leading Providence Bruins, making it more difficult for them to catch up in the Atlantic Division standings. The Crunch, on the other hand, have now taken a 2-1 series lead over the Penguins this season.

The details

Cooper Flinton scored two goals for the Crunch, while Jakob Pelletier and Conor Geekie each recorded three assists. Sergei Murashov made 24 saves in goal for the Penguins, but the team was unable to find the back of the net. The Crunch also capitalized on two of their six power play opportunities.

  • The Crunch previously shut out the Penguins 6-0 on January 3, 2026.
  • The Penguins hosted the Cleveland Monsters the following day, Sunday, February 16, 2026.

The players

Cooper Flinton

A forward for the Syracuse Crunch who scored two goals in the game.

Jakob Pelletier

A forward for the Syracuse Crunch who recorded three assists in the game.

Conor Geekie

A forward for the Syracuse Crunch who recorded three assists in the game.

Sergei Murashov

The starting goaltender for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins who made 24 saves in the loss.

Dylan Duke

A forward for the Syracuse Crunch who scored the third goal of the game.

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What they’re saying

“We must find a way to generate more offense and limit the Crunch's opportunities. This was a tough loss, but we'll regroup and come back stronger.”

— Sergei Murashov, Goaltender, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins

What’s next

The Penguins will look to bounce back when they host the Cleveland Monsters on Sunday, February 16, 2026.

The takeaway

The Penguins' loss to the Crunch highlights the importance of maintaining consistency and competitiveness within their division. As they trail the division-leading Bruins, the Penguins will need to find ways to generate more offense and tighten up defensively in order to climb back up the standings.