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MIGHTY DUCKS-PIRATES PREVIEW

March 17, 2002 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Cincinnati RailRaiders News Release


GAME: Cincinnati Mighty Ducks (30-27-9-3) at Portland Pirates (25-25-15-3)

TIME: Sunday, 4:05 p.m. EST

TV/RADIO: ESPN 1160-AM (WBOB)

The Cincinnati Mighty Ducks play the ninth game of a 10-game, 18-day road trip when they travel to the Cumberland County Civic Center to face the Portland Pirates for the second and final time this season.

The Ducks are coming off a 4-3 loss Saturday at Lowell and have just one win in their last seven games (1-5-1-0). Cincinnati's 72 points are just one behind eight-place Hershey and three behind seventh-place Philadelphia in the Western Conference standings.

The Pirates look to stay in the Eastern Conference playoff mix. They currently trail Manitoba by two points for the 10th and final post-season berth in the conference.

With Saturday's 11-4 carnage over Quebec, the Pirates have won two straight and are 5-2-3-0 in their last 10 games.

STANDINGS: Ducks - 72 points, 2nd place, 10 PB Central Division. Pirates - 68 points, 4th place, 13 PB North Division.

TEAM LEADERS: Ducks - Steve Brule, 18 goals, 35 assists, 53 points; Yuri Butsayev 20 goals and 43 points; Travis Brigley 20 goals and 40 points; Ryan Barnes 152 PIM. Pirates - Peter Ferraro 21 goals, 33 assists, 54 points; Mark Murphy 18 goals; Mel Angelstad 198 PIM.

SPECIAL TEAMS: Ducks - Power play: 16.8 percent (47-for-279), 16th in AHL. Penalty killing: 85.2 percent (259-for-304), 6th. Pirates - Power play: 17.0 percent (56-for-330), 14th. Penalty Killing: 81.2 percent (307-for-378), 22nd.

GOALTENDERS: Ducks - Ilja Bryzgalov (18-12-4, 4 SO, 2.47 GAA); Jason Elliott (10-14-5, 1 SO, 2.67 GAA). Pirates - Sebastien Charpentier (18-14-10, 3 SO, 2.63 GAA); Corey Hirsch (6-12-5, 1 SO, 2.67 GAA).

SEASON SERIES: Ducks trail 0-1-0-0 (0-0-0-0 at Portland). Patrick Boileau scored the game-winning goal midway through the third period and Corey Hirsch made 38 saves in the Pirates' 2-1 victory October 6 in Cincinnati. Steve Brule had a power-play goal and Jason Elliott made 24 saves for Cincinnati.

ROAD/HOME RECORDS: Ducks - 13-18-3-1 on the road; Pirates 17-14-3-1 at home.

CINCINNATI - PORTLAND CONNECTIONS: Cincinnati Mighty Ducks assistant coach Kevin Kaminski played parts of three seasons (1993-1998) seasons with the Portland Pirates. He was a member of the Pirates' Calder Cup championship team in 1995 and was inducted as only the fourth member of the club's Hall of Fame October 19, 2000. Pirates left wing Ivan Ciernik played part of one season (1998-99) with the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks. Pirates center Trent Whitfield played for Mighty Ducks head coach Mike Babcock with Spokane in the Western Hockey League. Portland defenseman Nick Naumenko is the brother of former Mighty Ducks goaltender Gregg Naumenko.

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