Penguins fall in Calder Cup opener

MILWAUKEE (AP) -- Mathieu Darche scored a power-play goal in overtime as the Milwaukee Admirals defeated the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 2-1 in the American Hockey League playoffs Tuesday night.
The game was the opener of the Calder Cup finals, with Game 2 set for tonight in Milwaukee.
Darche tipped Curtis Murphy's slap shot from the point past goalie Andy Chiodo 13:01 into overtime. The Admirals went on the power play when Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's Rob Scuderi and David Koci and Milwaukee's Jay Henderson were sent off for roughing at 12:08.
The Admirals took a 1-0 lead on a power-play goal by Libor Pivko at 6:06 of the second period. Pivko's shot from the center point sailed past a screen set by Greg Classen and eluded Chiodo.
Forcing a tie
The Penguins tied the score with 7:07 left in regulation. Toby Petersen took a bad-angle shot from the left-wing corner.
Shane Endicott lifted the rebound over the left shoulder of Admirals goalie Wade Flaherty.
Chiodo stopped 36 of 38 shots for the Penguins. Flaherty turned back 35 of 36 for the Admirals.
The Penguins have played in 10 overtime games in the playoffs, breaking the AHL record of seven that they set in 2001. They are 5-5 in those games.
The Admirals are 5-1 in overtime games in the playoffs.
The Penguins are making their second trip to the Calder Cup finals in the last four years. They lost to the Saint John Flames in six games in 2001.
Milwaukee is in the finals for the first time since joining the AHL in 2001.
The Admirals advanced to the International Hockey Leagues Turner Cup finals in 1983, losing in six games to the Toledo Goaldiggers.
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