Even if the Pittsburgh Penguins‘ 2025-26 season came to a close after a disappointing first-round Stanley Cup Playoff loss to the Philadelphia Flyers, things down on the farm are alive and well as far as the post-season is concerned.
And one of their affiliates punched their ticket to the second round on Saturday.
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In a double-overtime thriller, the Wheeling Nailers – ECHL affiliate of the Penguins – beat the Reading Royals, 1-0, in Game 5, and advanced to the second round of the Kelly Cup Playoffs. Forward Nolan Renwick scored the OT winner, which came a little more than seven minutes into the second overtime period, to put away the ECHL affiliate of the Flyers.
Goaltender Taylor Gauthier – who served as the Penguins’ emergency backup goalie during home games in the first round of the NHL playoffs – made 41 saves and earned his third shutout of the series. He is up to a .974 save percentage in these playoffs.
With the shutout, he tied an ECHL record for the fewest number of goals given up in a five-game series, and his three playoff shutouts are the most in franchise history.
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Wheeling will meet the winner of the Maine Mariner and Adirondack Thunder series in the North Division Final, which will start on May 8 in Wheeling.
‘There’s A Lot To Build On’: Penguins Confident 2025-26 Season Is Just The Starting Point For Contention
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