WILKES-BARRE TWP. — Despite a valiant effort, the season is over for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

Alex Nylander scored at 13:44 of sudden-death overtime to give the Toronto Marlies a 2-1 win over the Penguins in Game 6 of the AHL Calder Cup Eastern Conference Final on Sunday night at Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza before a raucous crowd of 6,006.

Easton Cowan also scored and goalie Artur Akhtyamov made 39 saves — including the last 37 shots he faced — to help enable the Marlies to take the hard-fought best-of-7 series, 4-2, and advance to the Calder Cup Final for the third time in franchise history. There, the Marlies will face the winner of the Western Conference Final between the Colorado Eagles and Chicago Wolves. That series is headed to a Game 7 on Monday night after Chicago rallied to win Game 6 in Colorado on Sunday night, 3-2.

“It hasn’t been easy, but it’s not supposed to be easy at this time of the year,” Toronto coach John Gruden said. “We have a really good mix of great older guys that have been around, have great leadership qualities who led and a bunch of younger legs that followed. No one was expected to put on a show, they just played as a team.

“I’ve got to give credit, that’s a real talented team we just beat. They’re fast, they’re quick, their transition game is second to none. I’m just proud of our players for sticking with it and getting the job done.”

Aidan McDonough scored for the Penguins and goalie Sergei Murashov stopped 37 of 39 shots.

Still, it wasn’t enough.

“I just feel bad for the guys. They worked so hard,” Penguins coach Kirk MacDonald said. “It was a great hockey game tonight. We battled so hard. I’m really proud of the group. Obviously we had championship aspirations.”

Added Murashov: “No regrets. That’s the main thing. We gave everything we could.”

The game-winning goal came off a faceoff in the Penguins zone. Cedric Pare won the draw and Borya Valis picked up the puck along the left-wing boards. He passed it to Nylander and the former Penguin skated between the circles and snapped a shot past Murashov, setting off a celebration for the Marlies.

MacDonald felt the difference in the series was three plays. Toronto scored the go-ahead goal in Game 1 with 1:36 remaining and took Games 2 and 6 in overtime — all at Mohegan Arena. The Marlies have not lost on the Penguins’ home ice since Jan. 22, 2022. Ironically, in that game, Nylander had the tying goal late and the game-winner in OT for the Penguins.

“These were all one-goal games. Every game was down to the wire,” MacDonald said. “They made three more plays than us when you really get down to it. It was great hockey. The puck just didn’t fall for us. But it wasn’t from lack of effort.”

Ahktyamov also was a difference. He made 190 saves on 203 shots in the series, including 71 of 73 in the final two games.

“He was really good. You’ve got to tip your hat,” McDonough said. “He was super aggressive and I think if I could have a do-over on a couple of the chances I had, maybe you could fake him, bait him, try to get around him a little bit and look to the weak side. We did a good job of getting to him, getting to the back door, getting guys in front. Unfortunately, it didn’t bounce our way.”

A post-whistle skirmish in front of the Penguins net resulted in a roughing minor against Toronto’s Marc Johnstone at 6:20 of the first period. It took the Penguins just six seconds to score on the ensuing power play and grab a 1-0 lead.

Gabe Klassen won the faceoff in the Toronto zone back to Harrison Brunicke. Brunicke passed to Avery Hayes, who sent a cross-ice pass from the right-wing boards to McDonough alone at the left faceoff circle. McDonough wristed a shot past Akhtyamov for his fourth goal of the playoffs.

“Hayesie made a great play under a stick through a seam to me,” McDonough said. “I just tried to catch-and-shoot, get it off as quick as possible.

“Unfortunately we couldn’t get it done later with the power plays. We had looks, but it stinks.”

Toronto carried the better of the play in the first half of the second period, taking nine of the first 11 shots. The Marlies tied the game at 9:11. Luke Haynes fed the puck to Ryan Tverberg down low at the goal line. Tverberg’s shot was stopped by Murashov, but Cowan was there to knock home the rebound for his seventh goal of the playoffs.

In the third period, both goalies stopped every shot to send the game to overtime. Murashov made 10 saves, while Akhtyamov had 16, including several off scrambles in front of his crease.

They continued to match saves in overtime, including one wild sequence that saw Akhtyamov make three quick saves on Ville Koivunen, Rutger McGroarty and Koivunen again. Toronto then went 2-on-1 in the other direction with Murashov denying Trevberg to keep it tied.

“Any team that wins this time of year, you need goaltending,” MacDonald said. “Sergei was outstanding tonight, too. He made some huge saves for us, especially that one in overtime after I thought we scored. That 2-on-1. A huge save that keeps us alive, but then kind of seeing-eye shot for the winner.”

Five minutes later, though, Nylander ended it.

During the postgame handshake line, Akhtyamov and Murashov shared a hug and an extended conversation.

“We got to know each other at the All-Star Game. He’s a great guy,” Murashov said. “Give credit to his game and how he played and his efforts. I said good luck for the rest of the final series and he said it was great playing (against) each other. We respect each other. What happens on the ice is left on the ice.”

Looking back, McDonough doesn’t think the Penguins could have done anything more.

“We only scored one goal tonight, one in the game before. Obviously the team that scores more is going to win,” McDonough said. “We could have buried our chances, but that’s just hockey sometimes. We had plenty of looks throughout the whole series. Carried a lot of the play. I think we left it all out there. We emptied the tank pretty good.”

Unfortunately, the Penguins’ season hit ‘E’.