Pirates Come From Behind To Beat Bruins 5-3

Published on January 16, 2009 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Portland Pirates News Release


Providence, RI - The Pirates fought back from a 3-2 deficit with three third period goals to grab a 5-3 win at Providence and cut the division lead of the Bruins to just two points. Marek Zagrapan scored the game winning goal to go along with an assist.

It didn't take long to get the scoring started, as Miikko Lehtonen threw a wrist shot on net from the right wing and beat Portland netminder Jhonas Enroth up high to give the Bruins a 1-0 lead just 1:41 into the game. Andrew Bodnarchuk picked up the only assist on the play. Nathan Gerbe retaliated for the Pirates just under three minutes later when he split the defense on the left wing and poked the puck past Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask. It was the eighteenth goal of the year for Nathan Gerbe, with the assists going to Matt Macdonald and Marek Zagrapan. Portland took the lead a few moments later, when Mark Mancari knocked the puck loose on the forecheck and skated it behind the Bruins net. Mancari centered it in front to Zach Tarkir who beat Rask for his third goal of the season. Gragnani picked up the second assist on the play as Portland had a 2-1 lead at the 8:02 mark of the opening frame. The goal scoring continued to be fast and furious though, and the Bruins knotted the game at 2. Jordan Reich scored his twelth goal of the season after taking a pass on the left door step and one timing it past Enroth. Brad Marchand and Jeff Penner got the assists. Reich's goal came at 9:35 of the opening period. Things quieted down for several minutes before Matins Karsums scored his seventeenth goal of the season from Brad Marchand and Jordan Reich to give the Bruins a 3-2 lead at the 17:28 mark of the first period.

The second twenty minutes would be much less eventful than the first twenty, until the Bruins gained the first power play of the game on a five minute major for elbowing on Colton Fretter. Portland killed off the first three and a half minutes in the second period, then kept the Bruins off the board early in the third to pick up a big momentum boost.

Nathan Gerbe got back into the scoring column when he took a long feed from Marc-Andre Gragnani and raced into the offensive zone on the right wing. The rookie got wide on the defensemen and put a backhander on net, beating Rask to tie the game at 3-3. Gerbe's 19th of the season came at the 7:38 mark of the third period, with Gragnani getting the only assist. Just over four minutes later, Portland took back the lead on a power play. Marc-Andre Gragnani held the puck at the center point, then fed it to the left side for Mark Mancari at the circle. Mancari passed up on the shot, instead putting a cross-ice pass on the tape of Marek Zagrapan who one-timed it past Rask to put the Pirates on top 4-3. Zagrapan's 13th of the year came at the 11:41 mark of the third period from Mancari and Gragnani. A few minutes later Felix Schutz added the insurance goal when Aaron Slattengren fed a pass in front and a cutting Schutz redirected it past Rask. Slattengren and Campbell earned assists on Schutz's seventh of the year at 15:13 of the third. Portland hung on for the 5-3 win.

Portland goaltender Jhonas Enroth made 37 saves on 40 shots to pick up the win. Tuukka Rask stopped 18 of the 23 shots he faced and took the loss.

Allied Home Mortgage Three Stars of the Game: 1. Nathan Gerbe (POR) 2. Marek Zagrapan (POR) 3. Jordan Reich (PRO)

Notes: Marek Zagrapan scored a goal and an assist, and now has five goals and three assists in his last five games...Nathan Gerbe scored two goals...Mark Mancari picked up two assists...Portland snapped a seven game road losing streak...Attendance: 9,171.

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



American Hockey League Stories from January 16, 2009


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central