Pirates Tie Team Records on 'The Rock'

December 9, 2002 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Portland Pirates News Release


PORTLAND, ME - The Portland Pirates capped a three-game road trip by tying five team records in a 7-3 win over the St. John's Maple Leafs.

The Pirates earned three of a possible six points last week, losing at Albany 2-1 and at St. John's, 4-3 OT before beating the Leafs on December 7th. The Pirates return to the three-in-three routine this week when they host the Lowell Lock Monsters, visit the Providence Bruins and return home to welcome the Leafs. It's the first of five consecutive weeks with a three-in-three string. The Pirates begin the week in fourth place in the North Division with a record of 10-9-2-4, good for 26 points.

LAST WEEK:

Wednesday, December 4, 2002: Albany 2, Pirates 1

The Albany River Rats snapped an 11-game winless streak with a 2-1 win. After a scoreless opening period, Rats' veteran defenseman Ken Sutton got Albany on the board first, ripping a blast past Sebastien Charpentier. Miko Jokela's shot just under the crossbar gave the Rats a 2-0 lead. Mike Farrell got Portland on the board on a rebound of a Jakub Cutta shot at the end of the second but it would be all that the Pirates would get past Rats' netminder Scott Clemmensen. Portland killed off a five-minute penalty in the third but was unable to mount a comeback as Albany took the win in the first of two meetings of the clubs this season.

Friday, December 6, 2002: St. John's 4, Pirates 3 (OT)

The St. John's Maple Leafs stunned the Pirates with a 4-3 OT victory, overcoming a 3-0 Portland lead to send the game to the extra session. With Trent Whitfield in the box for two minutes on a roughing call, the deciding goal came on the power play with just 1 second remaining in the extra frame. The Pirates chased maple Leaf's goaltender Jamie Hodson after he surrendered two goals on Portland's first two shots. Relief netminder Sebastien Centomo fared better, allowing just a single goal on 25 shots. Matt Pettinger, Mark Murphy and Whitfield picked up the Portland goals while Rastislav Stana took the loss between the pipes with 44 saves.

Saturday, December 7, 2002: Pirates 7, St. John's 3

The Pirates exacted some revenge on the host Maple Leafs in the second of back-to-back games. Portland tied five franchise records with their seven-goal explosion in their most productive game of the season. Portland scored a shorthanded bid early in the first and never looked back as six Pirates finished with multiple-point nights en route to the 7-3 drubbing. Chris Hajt (2g-1a), Mark Murphy (1g-1a), Graham Mink (2g), Trent Whitfield (2g-4a) and newcomer Andreas Salomonsson (5a) all contributed to the effort. Whitfield's six points, Salomonsson's five assists and the team's five power play goals all tied established team marks.

WHITFIELD NOMINATED AS SHER-WOOD/AHL PLAYER OF THE WEEK

The Portland Pirates nominated center Trent Whitfield as the Sher-Wood/AHL Player of the Week for the week ending December 8, 2002. In three games last week, Whitfield had three goals and four assists. On Friday, December 6th, Whitfield had a goal in the Pirates' 4-3 overtime loss to the St. John's Maple Leafs. The next night, the native of Estevan, Saskatchewan tied a franchise record for points in a game-6-with two goals and four assists in a 7-3 win over the Leafs.

PIRATES PLAY FIRST OF FIVE CONSECUTIVE THREE-IN-THREE SETS

Thursday, December 12 vs. Lowell, 7:05 pm

The Pirates start off a three-in-three stretch by hosting the Lowell Lock Monsters in the fifth of ten meetings between the two teams this season. Portland holds the season series edge 3-1-0 and is perfect at home this season versus the Lock Monsters at 2-0-0. The Pirates have held Lowell scoreless for more than three straight games, posting a shutout string of 181:36. Despite Portland's success this season, Lowell holds the edge in the all-time series at 19-21-6. Lowell begins the week in fifth place in the North Division with a record of 6-19-2-0. The Lock Monsters are winless in their last eleven games (0-10-1-0).

Friday, December 13 at Providence, 7:05 pm

The Pirates will visit the Providence Bruins for the third time this season. It's the fourth meeting of the year. Portland has enjoyed early success against the Bruins, leading the season series 2-0-0-1, including a 1-0-0-1 mark in Providence. The Pirates mounted a come-from-behind victory in their last visit to the Dunkin Donuts Center, picking up the extra point in the 4-3 OT win on November 27. Portland holds the slight edge in the all-time season series at 44-39-12. The Bruins are in second place in the North Division with a record of 13-9-5-2.

Saturday, December 14 vs. St. John's Maple leafs, 7:05 pm

The Maple Leafs will make their first Portland visit of two on Saturday. The game marks the third time the two teams will square off this season with Portland holding the slim edge in the season series at 1-0-0-1. St. John's will make its final visit of the season to Portland, closing out the 2002-03 series on January 18. Portland holds the decisive edge in the all-time series with a 33-16-7 record. The Pirates are 20-5-2 all time at home vs. the Leafs. St. John's begins the week in fourth place in the Canadian Division with a record of 8-15-2-0. They are 2-8-0-0 in their last ten games and play at Springfield on Friday before visiting the Pirates.

SHIP'S LOG:

· The Pirates' 4-3 loss to the St. John's Maple Leafs on December 6th was the second game this season in which the Pirates lost an overtime game in the final second of play. The Pirates dropped a 4-3 decision to Manchester under the same scenario on October 26th.

· The Pirates tied one team and four individual franchise records in their 7-3 win over the Leafs on December 7th. The Pirates had five powerplay goals in the game, matching the record from February 18, 1994 against the PEI Senators. That mark is the current season-high in the AHL.

· More on the records: Trent Whitfield's six points in one game matched the record set by Michel Picard against Providence on March 9, 1994 and equaled later by Mike Boback on October 10, 1994 against the Fredericton Canadiens.

· Still more records: Andreas Salomonsson's five assists in one game matched the team record set by Keith Jones February 12, 1994 at the Binghamton Rangers and equaled by Andrew Brunette on December 27, 1996 at Providence.

· The Pirates also tied team records for assists in a period (3 by Salmonsson) and powerplay goals in a game (2 each by Graham Mink and Chris Hajt).

· With the game-winning goal on December 7th, Chris Hajt now leads all AHL defenseman with three game winning goals. He scored his first two career goals last season. Hajt now has a career-high six goals this season.

TRANSACTIONS:

12/2/02 DELETE Jason Doig (D), recalled from loan by Washington Capitals (NHL)
12/3/02 ADD Andreas Salomonsson (LW), received on loan from Washington Capitals (NHL)
12/6/02 DELETE Sebastien Charpentier (G), recalled from loan by Washington Capitals (NHL)
12/8/02 DELETE Trent Whitfield (C), recalled from loan by Washington Capitals (NHL)
12/8/02 DELETE Andreas Salomonsson (LW), recalled from loan by Washington Capitals (NHL)
12/9/02 ADD Colin Forbes (LW), returned on loan by Washington Capitals (NHL)

ON THE AIR:

All Pirates' games can be heard live on the Pirates Radio Network. Sports Radio, WJAB, am-1440 and fm-95.5 serve as the flagship stations. Games may also be heard on WKTQ am-1450, South Paris; WTME am-790 Rumford and 1220 AM, ESPN Radio in Sanford.



American Hockey League Stories from December 9, 2002


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