Maine Hockey Journal

Pirates strike for another overtime victory against Penguins

Portland Pirates regular season contest against the Providence Bruins at the Cross Insurance Arena in Portland, Maine on 12/22/2015. (PHOTO: Michael McSweeney/Portland Pirates)

Portland Pirates regular season contest against the Providence Bruins at the Cross Insurance Arena in Portland, Maine on 12/22/2015. (PHOTO: Michael McSweeney/Portland Pirates)

For the second straight game, the Portland Pirates needed overtime to solve the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

Dylan Olsen scored the game-winning goal with 1:29 left in overtime to give the Pirates a 3-2 come-from-behind victory over the Penguins Sunday afternoon before 5,193 at Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Pennsylvania.

The Pirates (29-18-1-0) now have won their first three games of their seven-game, 12-day road trip through Pennsylvania, New York, Ontario and Connecticut. The Pirates remain in third place in the American Hockey League’s Atlantic Division standings but were able to pick up two points over the weekend against the division-leading Penguins and now trail them by nine points with two games in hand.

Olsen’s goal came at the 3:31 mark of the overtime as he side-stepped Tom Kostopoulos with inside-out move causing the Penguins’ captain to lose his stick leaving Olsen one-on-one with goaltender Matt Murray.

Olsen roofed the shot, shortside, over Murray for his only his third goal of the season.

“We’re extremely proud of how our guys performed, how we competed, how we found a way to get another victory,” said Pirates coach Scott Allen. “It was an exciting game. It was an emotionally charged game. It was almost a playoff atmosphere with the way the guys were ramped up, especially late in the game.”

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, ranked third in the league in shorthanded goals allowed, allowed two more for nine on the season including the game-tying goal in the closing seconds of the game.

The Pirates were shorthanded for the remainder of regulation after Chase Balisy was called for slashing with 1:58 to play in the game. With the game clock under 30 seconds, Steve Oleksy attempted the ring the shot around the boards, but the puck hit referee Keith Kaval allowing Wade Megan to keep the puck behind below the goal line.

Megan with his back turned toward the net, sent a backhand pass to Kyle Rau in front of the net for a quick one-timer between the legs of Murray with 18.2 seconds left in regulation to tie the game, 2-2.

Megan also played a role in the Pirates first shorthanded goal as they took a 1-0 lead at the 13:08 mark of the second period as he picked up a loose puck at center ice and skated on a breakaway beating Murray blocker side for his sixth goal of the season.

“Love his compete level night in and night out,” said Allen. “He’s a big part of this team. The minutes he gives us are quality minutes. He plays a hard game. He plays with a lot of courage when he’s out there.”

Mike McKenna kept Wilkes-Barre/Scranton off the board for two periods, stopping all 20 shots he faced in the first forty minutes, but the Penguins would break through with a power play goal just over three minutes into the third period.

Jonathan Racine was whistled for interference, giving Wilkes-Barre/Scranton one of their seven power plays in the game, and the Penguins made the most it as Sahir Gill fed a cross-ice pass to Kostopoulos for a one-timer just inside the left circle to tie the game at one goal apiece.

Former UMaine defenseman Will O’Neill ripped a shot from the point that was tipped past McKenna by Gill at the 8:23 mark of the third period.

McKenna was rock solid the rest of the way for Portland as it was the first time they trailed the entire weekend.

The Pirates will remain in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton for their off-day on Monday before traveling to Utica, New York where they will face the Comets for the final time during the regular season on Wednesday. Portland is still looking for their first victory against the Comets this season after losing 3-2 in Utica followed by a pair of losses at the Cross Insurance Arena, 4-1 and 6-3.

NOTES: The Pirates were without Greg McKegg, who was recalled by the Florida Panthers earlier in the day. As a result, the Pirates signed Tyler Sikura to a professional tryout contract. Sikura played for Pirates asst. coach Nick Vitucci in Toledo, OH with the Walleye of the ECHL when he was Director of Hockey Operations… Sena Acolatse served his one-game suspension for a match penalty he received in Saturday contest against the Penguins. Acolatse was given a match penalty for having his hand taped below the wrist and causing injury to the opposing player during a fight. He is now eligible to return Wednesday in Utica… The Pirates were also without Rob Flick Sunday after he was injured Saturday against the Penguins despite receiving an injection of pain medication, and taking pregame warm up in an attempt to play.

You must be logged in to post a comment Login