Maine Hockey Journal

Penguins slip past Pirates in shootout

Portland Pirates regular season contest against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins at the Cross Insurance Arena in Portland, Maine on 2/26/2016. (PHOTO: Michael McSweeney/Portland Pirates)

Portland Pirates regular season contest against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins at the Cross Insurance Arena in Portland, Maine on 2/26/2016. (PHOTO: Michael McSweeney/Portland Pirates)

PORTLAND – If the playoffs were to begin today based on points, the Portland Pirates and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins would meet in the opening round of the American Hockey League’s Calder Cup playoffs.

What a match up it would.

Dominik Simon tallied a goal and an assist and added the game-winning goal in the shootout for a 3-2 Penguins’ victory over the Pirates Friday evening before 3,471 at the Cross Insurance Arena in Portland.

Trailing by a goal, 2-1, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (33-16-4-1) tied the game on a goal by Kael Mouillierat after deflecting Will O’Neill’s shot from the point past Pirates’ goaltender Mike McKenna at 6:18 of the third period.

With neither team able to cash in the winning goal in overtime despite both sides having several chances to end the game, including Portland forward John McFarland, who missed an open net on a rebound in the final minutes, Portland would head to only its second shootout of the season.

“It had a playoff feel in the sense that we were playing a sound game especially defensively,” said Pirates’ head coach Scott Allen.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton opted to shoot first, and Simon would score on a wrist shot, beating McKenna shortside.

Rocco Grimaldi and Rob Schremp missed on their shootout attempts for the Pirates, and Mouillierat sealed the win for the Penguins with a quick forehand shot past McKenna.

In five meetings this season, all but one game – a 5-0 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton victory in Portland on Jan. 23 – have been one-goal games with the last three contests needing extra time to declare a winner.

Portland is 3-1-0-1 against the Penguins including a pair of overtime victories during the team’s recent seven-game road trip.

The Pirates will wrap up the season series with a road game on Apr. 3 in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, PA.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton opened the scoring in the game when Simon buried a rebound from the right circle past McKenna, who made the initial save on Derek Army’s slap shot from opposite circle with 5:49 left in the second period.

“All it takes is a breakdown,” said Allen. “One bad shift, and that’s what happen on the first goal. That’s playoff hockey. If you have a breakdown, it only takes one shift to swing momentum, and now you are playing from behind. That’s what happen in the situation.”

McKenna, who finished with 38 saves, had his shutout streak snapped at 101 minutes; 15 seconds.

The Pirates (30-20-2-1) finally broke through on the power play, snapping a 0-for-36 skid as Connor Brickley scored five-on-three power play goal just 42 seconds into the third period.

Cameron Gaunce fired a shot off the backboard that deflected to Brickley, who threw a backhand shot on goal, squeaking past Matt Murray on the shortside to even the game, 1-1.

It was the first power-play goal scored by the Pirates since Jan. 29. Portland is 3-for-58 (5.17%) in their 16 games and 1-for-38 (2.63%) in their last 11 games.

“Those guys on the power play are your point producers,” said Allen. “They put upon themselves to produce and to help you win. There is no doubt they squeezed the stick (a little too tight) and have a very fragile mindset. It was really good for them to get the (power play) goal tonight.”

The Pirates would take the lead four minutes later.

Grimaldi, who was called for a hooking penalty only 10 seconds after the second penalty of the five-on-three expired for the Pirates, stepped out of the penalty box and picked up a long ice feed from Brickley for a breakaway, sliding the puck around a diving Murray to put the Pirates out front, 2-1.

“We knew we’d have our hands full on special teams tonight,” said Allen about scoring a power play goal while keeping the Penguins’ 0-for-4 on the power play. “I thought what we were able to do on special teams tonight was fantastic for our guys.”

Murray finished with 32 saves for the Penguins.

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