Pirates look to bounce back

January 26, 2004 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Portland Pirates News Release


PORTLAND, ME – After three busy weeks, the Portland Pirates have a lighter schedule in the final week of January, playing just two games. The Pirates conclude a string of eight straight games against Atlantic Division opponents when they host the Lowell Lock Monsters on Friday. They'll revisit the East Division on Saturday when they host the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. The Pirates are winless in their last five games (0-2-2-1) after a tie against Hartford, a regulation loss to Lowell and an overtime loss at Lowell last week. The Pirates are in sixth place in the Atlantic Division with a record of 16-17-7-5, good for 44 points, just two behind of Lowell. The Pirates are 2-3-3-2 in their last ten games.

LAST WEEK:

Friday, January 23, 2004: Pirates 2, Hartford 2 OT

The Pirates twice built one-goal leads but had to settle for a 2-2 tie with the Hartford Wolf Pack at the Civic Center. The Pirates came out strong, pinning the Wolf Pack into their own zone and creating good scoring chances. They broke through when Boyd Gordon took Ivan Ciernik's pass and slipped it across the crease to Andrej Podkonicky. Podkonicky tapped it past Phil Osaer for a 1-0 lead. The Wolf Pack regrouped and tied the game early in the second period. Bobby Andrews slipped off the right wing wall, cut to the net and flipped the puck past Maxime Ouellet for his seventh goal of the season. The Pirates' powerplay had not scored a goal in its last 17 chances entering the game but finally broke the skid. Jason Ulmer kept the puck in at the blue line and fed Podkonicky. He sent a bullet pass rink-wide to Francois Methot who rifled home his first of the year to put the Pirates back on top by a goal at the intermission. But as they have all season, the Wolf Pack found a way to get the goal they needed. While on the powerplay, Benoit Dusablon set up Paul Healey for a one-timer that beat Ouellet to the stick side. Both teams had great chances to score in overtime. Hartford had a two-on-none break, but Matt Kinch tapped Bobby Andrews' feed wide of Ouellet. The Pirates had a two-on-one chance of their own. Podkonicky carried the puck down the right wing and tossed it in front to Ivan Ciernik who was stopped by Osaer who made a dazzling toe save.

Saturday, January 24, 2004: Lowell 3, Pirates 2

The Lowell Lock Monsters built a 2-0 lead and then held off the Pirates 3-2 at the Civic Center. The Pirates were whistled for three consecutive penalties to start the first period but killed off each one. The Lock Monsters finally broke on top late in the period. Maxime Ouellet stopped Martin Sonnenberg's shot from the point, but Mike Zigomanis tapped the rebound past Ouellet for his ninth goal of the year and third in two games. Lowell quickly added to its lead in the second period. Brett Lysak found the rebound of Brennan Evans' shot and knocked it past Ouellet at 3:43. The Pirates finally got on the board during a powerplay in the final ten minutes of the third. Ivan Ciernik found Mike Pudlick at the top of the slot, and he ripped a shot past Dany Sabourin to make it 2-1. But with the teams skating four-on-four, the Lock Monsters would get the eventual game winner. Martin Sonnenberg got free and roofed a backhander over Ouellet to make it 3-1. The Pirates seized the momentum back just 17 seconds later when Mike Souza broke down the right wing and dropped the puck to Jason Ulmer who one-timed the puck past Sabourin. It was Ulmer's seventh goal of the year. The Pirates got a powerplay in the final 1:35 of the game when Sean Curry got a boarding penalty. With Ouellet out for a six-on-four advantage, the Pirates were stymied by the Lock Monsters and finished a goal short.

Sunday, January 25, 2004: Lowell 3, Pirates 2 OT

The Pirates lost the second half of a home-and-home series to the Lowell Lock Monsters, bowing 3-2 in overtime at Tsongas Arena. The Lock Monsters got the only goal of the first period. The Pirates were on the powerplay, but coughed up the puck in their own zone. Chris McNamara raced in alone of Maxime Ouellet and beat him with a backhander to make it 1-0. The Pirates got an early powerplay in the second period when Martin Sonnenberg was whistled for cross checking. The Pirates moved the puck down the left wing wall and Boyd Gordon set up Mike Pudlick for his seventh goal of the year, his second powerplay goal in as many games against Lowell. The Pirates took their first lead of the game off an offensive zone face-off. Louis Robitaille got a shot from the left point. Goaltender Patrick DesRochers made the initial save but Ivan Ciernik poked home the rebound to put the Pirates up 2-1 after two. The Lock Monsters tied the game when defenseman Mike Commodore joined the rush and beat Ouellet with a wrist shot halfway through the third period. The deciding goal came from nearly the same spot on the ice as Mike Zigomanis finished a three-on-two rush with a wrist shot past Ouellet for his tenth goal of the season.

PIRATES FACE LIGHT WEEK WITH JUST TWO HOME GAMES

- Friday, January 30, 2004 vs. Lowell, 7:05 PM

The Pirates finish a string of three straight games against the Lowell Lock Monsters on Friday at home. Lowell took the first two meetings of this stretch by 3-2 scores, the second in overtime. The Pirates are now 2-2-0-1 against the top development team of the Carolina Hurricanes and the Calgary Flames. All time, the Pirates trail the series at 23-27-7. They are 11-15-1 against Lowell at home. Thanks to their two wins against the Pirates last week, the Lock Monsters are now two points ahead of the Pirates in the Atlantic Division standings. Lowell is in fifth place with a record of 20-17-3-3, good for 46 points. The Lock Monsters have won six straight games, their longest winning streak of the season. Mike Zigomanis leads the team in scoring with ten goals and 28 assists for 38 points. His assist total is a team best. Pavel Brendl leads the team with 17 goals but he is currently on recall to Carolina. Patrick DesRochers has been Lowell's workhorse in goal, appearing in 27 games, posting a record of 13-12-1 and a 2.92 goals-against average. The Lock Monsters do not play before meeting the Pirates.

- Saturday, January 31, 2004 vs. Bridgeport, 7:05 PM

The Pirates play host to the top defensive team in the American Hockey League on Saturday night when they welcome the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. It's the first of just two meetings between the two teams. The Pirates will visit Bridgeport on February 18th. The all time series is tied at three wins apiece. The home team has won every game in this series. Last year, the Sound Tigers won 4-2 at the Arena at Harbor Yard on November 8th. The Pirates prevailed 1-0 in Portland on January 16th. Bridgeport is in second place in the East Division with a record of 25-11-5-3, good for 58 points. They're just one point behind first place Philadelphia but hold two games in hand. The Sound Tigers were helped to such lofty heights by a 20-game unbeaten streak from October 25th to December 17th. More recently, they are 3-6-0-1 in their last ten games. The Sound Tigers are allowing just 1.68 goals per game, easily the best mark in the league. The Pirates rank fourth at 2.11. Bridgeport, the top development team of the New York Islanders, is led in scoring by Jason Hamilton who has 25 goals and 17 assists for 42 points. The goal total ranks him first in the AHL while the point total ranks him seventh. The Sound Tigers feature a formidable one-two combo in goal. Wade Dubielwicz leads the AHL with a 1.26 goals-against average. Dieter Kochan is fourth best with 1.84. Dubielwicz also ranks first with a save percentage of 0.950. The Sound Tigers host Albany on Wednesday and visit Manchester on Friday before coming to Portland.

SHIP'S LOG:

All five games between the Pirates and Lowell Lock Monsters this season have been decided by just one goal, two in overtime and four by 3-2 scores.

The Pirates have powerplay goals in three straight games after going on an 0 for 19 skid over more than four games.

The Pirates killed off all 13 of their opponents' powerplays last week and have now successfully killed 15 straight penalties.

· Defenseman Mike Pudlick has powerplay goals in back-to-back games. Five of his seven goals have come with the man advantage.

TRANSACTIONS:

1/19/04 ADD Ivan Ciernik (LW), reassigned on loan from Washington (NHL)

IN THE COMMUNITY:

It may be the busiest week in the community for the Portland Pirates in their history. They are scheduled to make eight appearances from Calais to Biddeford. On Tuesday, head coach Tim Army will appear on WJAB's "Morning JAB" program at 8:00 a.m. Later that day, members of the Pirates and the Portland Junior Pirates will visit patients at the Barbara Bush Children's Hospital in Portland at 2:00 p.m. In the evening on Tuesday, Pirates' rookies Owen Fussey and Steve Eminger will join players from Biddeford Youth Hockey for a practice at Biddeford Ice Arena at 6:30 p.m. On Wednesday, defenseman Nolan Yonkman and broadcaster Dave Ahlers will take the Pirates' Goals For Success aspirations program to Downeast Maine. They'll speak to students from the Machias area at 10:00 a.m. at the University of Maine at Machias and then drop in on students at the Calais Middle School at 12:45 p.m. Later that day, Pirates' captain Graham Mink and center Jason Ulmer will join players from Casco Bay Youth Hockey for a practice at Portland Ice Arena at 6:10 p.m. On Thursday, broadcaster Dave Ahlers appears on the "Big JAB" at 8:00 a.m. Also on Thursday, the Pirates will bring Goals For Success to the Cathedral School in Portland at 1:30 p.m. For a complete list of upcoming community appearances, check out the "In The Community" section of the Pirates' web site, portlandpirates.com.

ON THE AIR:

Once again this season, all the action of the Portland Pirates' hockey may be heard on Flagship Station WJAB, AM-1440 and FM-95.5 in Portland and on network affiliates WKTQ AM-1450, South Paris; WTME AM-790 Rumford and 1220 AM, ESPN Radio in Sanford. All games may also be heard on the Pirates' web site, www.portlandpirates.com.

GAME HOTLINE:

Members of the media and fans can receive a recap of each Pirates' game, home or away, by calling the Pirates' office at (207) 828-4665 and dialing 3-2-2 when the automated attendant picks up. Recaps will include scoring, goaltenders, shots, powerplays, attendance and any records or notables. Game recaps and other Pirates' news is also available at www.portlandpirates.com. Official AHL box scores are available at the AHL's official web site, www.theahl.com.



American Hockey League Stories from January 26, 2004


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