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Portland Gets 6-4 Win Over Springfield

April 5, 2009 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Portland Pirates News Release


Portland, ME - The Pirates grabbed a critical 6-4 win over the Springfield Falcons at the Cumberland County Civic Center behind a pair of goals from Mathieu Darche.

Springfield struck first with a power play goal from Ryan Potulny at 8:22 of the first period from Mike Gabinet and Rob Bina. It was Potulny's 35th goal of the year. Portland answered a little more than three minutes later when Nathan Gerbe took a stretch pass on the right wing from Tim Kennedy and skated around the defense for a breakaway. Gerbe flipped it up and over Springfield goaltender Devan Dubnyk for his 27th goal of the season at 11:32 of the first period. Kennedy and Geoff Waugh picking up the helpers. It was Waugh's first point as a Pirate. Portland grabbed the lead a few minutes later when Tim Kennedy took a feed on the doorstep and put it between the pads of Dubnyk for his 18th goal of the season. Mathieu Darche and Gerbe got assists on the goal at the 16:23 mark. Springfield got a late goal though to even the score at 2-2 when Marc-Andre Gragnani turned the puck over along the goal line and Colin McDonald skated across the crease and slipped the puck past Jhonas Enroth for his 10th goal of the year at 19:37 of the first period.

In the second, the Pirates got on the board with a power play goal at 7:50 of the period. Mark Mancari blasted a slap shot over the blocker of Dubnyk for his 28th goal of the season. Colin Murphy and Kenny MacAulay earned assists on the play. Portland' 3-2 lead didn't last very long though as Bryan Young scored 13:27 into the second for his third goal of the year from Ryan Stone. All three of Young's goals came against the Pirates. After two periods, Portland and Springfield were tied at 3-3.

In the third period, one of the Pirates' hottest players put them on top. Colin Murphy skated down the left wing and went wide on the defenseman, cutting to the front of the net where he switched to the backhand and beat Dubnyk to put the Pirates on top 4-3. Murphy's 12th goal of the season came at the 5:00 mark of the third. Later in the same frame, Mathieu Darche skated down the right wing shorthanded and lifted a backhander over the glove of Dubnyk to make it a 5-3 game. Kyle Rank picked up an assist on the play. The goal would prove important as Springfield scored just 1:35 later, with Mike Gabinet grabbing his second goal of the season from Ryan Stone and Ryan Potulny at 14:00 of the third to make it 5-4 game. Darche added an empty netter from Tim Kennedy and Kenny MacAulay at the 19:23 mark and Portland took the win 6-4.

Portland goaltender Jhonas Enroth got the win with 33 saves on 37 shots. Devan Dubnyk stopped 39 of 44 shots and took the loss, his 40th of the year.

Allied Home Mortgage Three Stars of the Game: 1. Mathieu Darche (POR) 2. Nathan Gerbe (POR) 3. Tim Kennedy (POR)

Notes: Mathieu Darche is tied for the league lead with 9 game-winning goals on the season...Attendance: 6,644.

The Pirates will be back in action on Wednesday night at 7:00 taking on the Worcester Sharks in Massachusetts. Fans can follow the Pirates on U.S. Cellular Pirates Radio Network or watch the game LIVE on the internet courtesy of AHL Live by clicking the icon on the left side of the home page. The U.S. Cellular Pirates Radio Network includes the Pirates flagship station, the Bay 1400AM and 1490AM (Portland) and affiliates WEZR 1240 AM (Lewiston-Auburn), WTME 780AM (Rumford) and WKTQ 1450AM (South Paris).

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