 |
| Power
Play |
9TH
- 18.3 |
| Penalty
Killing |
15TH
- 83.4 |
| FORWARDS |
| ANDREW
EBBETT |
18-54-72
(-3) |
| GEOFF
PLATT |
32-33-65
(+9) |
| JASON
KING |
29-30-59
(-7) |
| DEFENSEMEN |
| BRIAN
SALCIDO |
11-42-53
(+11) |
| BRUNO
ST. JACQUES |
8-20-28
(-6) |
| JOE
CALLAHAN |
1-23-24
(+2) |
| GOALTENDERS |
| MIKE
McKENNA |
24-13-1
(3 SO)
2.72 GA
.908 PCT |
|
| GERALD
COLEMAN |
8-7-1
(2 SO)
2.91 GA
.896 PCT |
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
Portland
vs Hartford |
|
|
SCHEDULE |
| 1 |
APR.
16 |
PORTLAND
1 - HARTFORD 3 |
SEED
3 |
2 |
APR.
17 |
PORTLAND
3 - HARTFORD 2
(2OT) |
SEED
2 |
45-26-5-4
(99) |
3 |
APR.
19 |
HARTFORD
2 - PORTLAND 3 |
50-20-2-8
(110) |
| |
4 |
APR.
20 |
HARTFORD
3 - PORTLAND 4 |
|
| |
5 |
APR.
22 |
PORTLAND
3 -
HARTFORD 2 |
|
| |
6 |
APR.
24 |
HARTFORD
at PORTLAND |
|
| |
7 |
APR.
26 |
PORTLAND
at HARTFORD |
|
| Portland
Wins Series 4-1 |
|
SERIES
PREVIEW
|
| by
Tom Schettino - PROHOCKEYNEWS.COM |
With
11 points separating these clubs in the standings it might
appear this series is a bit of a mismatch, but the Pirates
won five of the eight games played between these two clubs
during the 2007-08 season. Due to that fact it would appear
Hartford still holds the advantage, but not by much. A
deeper dig into the statistics would show Hartford should
be able to do well if they keep their fine defensive game
going. At times this year Portland struggled to score
and that does not bode well against a focused opponent
who has proven to be capable of limiting the other team’s
offense.
The two clubs are pretty good overall on special teams
and Hartford is especially good on the power play as they
finished second in the league in that category. Portland
was not as good as Hartford was with the man advantage,
but they were still a top ten club as they finished ninth.
Both of the clubs ranked in the low-teens in the AHL penalty
killing rankings.
Forwards
Hartford’s Pierre-Alexandre Parenteau (34-47-81) led the
Wolfpack in scoring. Parenteau is helped up front by Greg
Moore, the aggressive Josh Gratton, Alex Bourret, Dane
Byers, Artem Ansimov and Hugh Jessiman. Portland’s Andrew
Ebbett was a delight for his wingers as Ebbett picked
up 54 assists. Geoff Platt, Jason King, Stephen Dixon,
Drew Miller (if not with Anaheim), Tyler Bouck and Darryl
Bootland each provide strengths to the front lines.
Defenseman
AHL Defender of the Year Andrew Hutchinson (18-46-64)
led all AHL defenders in scoring for the ‘Pack. Tomas
Pock is listed as a defenseman, but usually plays forward
during even-strength situations and then moves back to
play the point on the power play. Corey Potter (+33),
Ivan Baranka, Jake Taylor, Michael Sauer and rookie newcomer
Bobby Sanguinetti also bring their own strengths and weaknesses
to the team. Portland goes with more of an experienced
group with Bruno St. Jacques, Joe Callahan and Jay Leach
pressed into duty. Brendan Mikkelson, Brett Festerling
and Brian Salcido (11-42-53) (who finished second to Hutchinson
in AHL defenseman scoring) round out a solid group.
Goaltending
Portland can go with Mike McKenna (24-13-1) or Jean-Sebastien
Aubin (6-4, 2.02 GAA, 3 SO) as their starting goaltender.
It is possible coach Kevin Dineen will go with the hot
goaltender theory switching goaltenders until finding
one hot enough to ride for awhile.
David LeNeveu has been stunning since a mid-season trade
brought him to the club. LeNeveu is 8-3-2 with a 1.83
goals against average with his new team. Miika Wiikman
is also worthy of playing time should LeNeveu stumble.
This series could go a long way, but Hartford’s talent
seems to be a cut above the Pirates. Both coaches have
been through the playoff grinder before, so this series
portrays to be a tight one with the series going to six
or seven games before a team decides it in their favor.
I like Hartford in part due to the goaltending and power
play.
|
|
| Game
1 |
Portland
1 - Hartford 3 |
|
PROHOCKEYNEWS.COM |
Hartford
Leads Series 1-0 |
Former
Portland Pirates forward Pierre-Alexandre Parenteau scored
twice and David LeNeveu stopped 32 of 33 shots as the
pair led the Hartford WolfPack in the first game of their
series against the Pirates.
Portland struck first when Andrew Ebbett registered a
goal 42 seconds into the second period, but Parenteau
would burn his old club by scoring the game’s next two
goals.
Parenteau, who ranked fourth in the league in overall
scoring and sixth in goals, notched an unassisted goal
at the 11:29 mark of the second period. The second goal
came with an assist from Greg Moore at the 2:50 mark of
the third period and would prove to be the winning marker.
Dane Byers completed the evening’s scoring with an insurance
goal for Hartford late in the final period.
LeNeveu continued his excellent play since joining the
team at the NHL trading deadline and was victimized by
only Ebbett’s score. Tonight’s win gave the Hartford netminder
nine victories in only his 14th game with the club. Jean-Sebastien
Aubin got the nod for the Pirates and could only make
21 saves on 24 shots in a losing effort.
The second game of the series is slated to be played tomorrow
night in Canada.
|
|
| Game
2 |
Portland
3 - Hartford 2 (2OT) |
| by
Tom Schettino - PROHOCKEYNEWS.COM |
Series
Tied 1-1 |
Hartford,
CT - Michal Birner knocked in a rebound with 9:24
expired in the second overtime period to give the Portland
Pirates a split of the first two games in Hartford. Birner's
goal came on a power play on a night when special teams
ruled the contest. Jason King and Bruno St. Jacques registered
the assists on the game-winner.
The game was defensively-minded with only a combined 77
shots taken over the course of over 89 minutes of play.
Most of the scoring was relegated to the power play where
three of the game's five goals took place.
Portland's Geoff Platt broke a long 12-game goal-less
streak when he converted an unassisted goal on a two-man
advantage early in the second period. Hartford pulled
even when Dane Byers scored a power play goal on a wrist
shot with help from Andrew Hutchinson and Pierre-Alexandre
Parenteau just 89 seconds after Platt's goal.
Hartford took a lead of their own when Mike Ouellette
picked the puck through a tangle of players and beat Portland
netminder Jean-Sebastien Aubin. It would be the last time
Hartford would beat the goaltender on the night as the
Pirates scored two unanswered goals to win.
King scored early in the third period on a rebound of
a Tyler Bouck shot to tie the game and the contest would
remain that way for over 47 minutes of play until Birner
beat Hartford goaltender David LeNeveu to send everyone
home.
Notes
Mike Lee replaced Josh Gratton in the lineup for the WolfPack.
Gratton was serving a one-game suspension for supplemental
discipline after an infraction during Game 1 of the series.
Games 3 and 4 will take place, respectively, in Maine
on Saturday and Sunday.
|
|
| Game
3 |
Hartford
2 - Portland 3 |
| PORTLAND
PIRATES |
Portland
Leads 2-1 |
Portland,
ME - The Portland Pirates earned a hard fought
3-2 win over the Hartford Wolf Pack on Saturday night
in Game 3 of the Atlantic Division Semifinal. With the
win, the Pirates lead the best-of-seven series 2-1.
In the first period, Portland got on the board at the
16:13 mark when Bobby Ryan hit Stephen Dixon with a break
out pass and he then raced into the Wolf Pack end. Dixon
avoided defenders as he slid a crisp pass over to a streaking
Geoff Platt. He quickly flipped a backhand shot over the
left shoulder of goaltender David LeNeveu for the 1-0
lead. Assists on Platts’ 2nd goal of the postseason went
to both Ryan and Dixon.
Moments later at the 18:22 mark, Portland struck again
when Hartford's Josh Gratton was sent off to serve a minor
penalty for roughing. Geoff Platt made the Wolf Pack pay
when he fed Bobby Ryan on the back door of the cage, Ryan
immediately one-timed a scorching shot past the blocker
of LeNeveu for the 2-0 lead.
In the second period, Hartford scored at the 6:00 mark
on a broken play at the top of the Portland crease. Eventually,
Artem Anisimov found the puck and plowed the puck past
the goalie Jean-Sebastien Aubin.
The Wolf Pack tied the game later at the 8:27 mark when
Greg Moore stuffed home a rebound off the pads of Jean-Sebastien
Aubin. Portland took the 3-2 lead at the 14:11 mark of
the middle period when Jason King whacked home a bouncing
puck in front of the Hartford net. The goal came just
at the end of a Pirates power play that was the result
of a hooking call against Alex Bourrett.
In the third both teams killed off penalties, but despite
pulling David LeNeveu the Pirates held on for the 3-2
win and take the lead in the series 2-1.
At the end of the game a scuffle broke loose after Hugh
Jessiman butt-ended Andrew Ebbett in the face. Many players
on the ice were involved in the event, but no players
left the benches. The AHL could hand out suspensions to
any players involved in incident before Game 4.
Portland's Jean-Sebastien Aubin made 20 saves in the win.
Hartford's David LeNeveu made 16 saves in the loss.
|
|
| Game
4 |
Hartford
3 - Portland 4 |
| Adriel
Bettelheim - PROHOCKEYNEWS.COM |
Portland
Leads 3-1 |
Portland,
ME - Stephen Dixon’s second goal of the game with
4:20 remaining broke a 3-3 tie Sunday night and gave the
Portland Pirates their third consecutive win over the
Hartford WolfPack and a commanding 3-1 lead in the teams’
first-round AHL playoff series.
Dixon took a pass from Bobby Ryan and slid the puck past
Hartford netminder David LeNeveu to cap off a seesaw game
that saw Hartford open the scoring for the first time
in the series. The teams meet in Game 5 Tuesday night
in Hartford.
Harford’s Alex Bourret opened the scoring just over 11
minutes in the game capitalizing on a Portland turnover
and crashing the net while sending the puck over Pirates’
goalie J.S. Aubin’s left shoulder.
Jason King tied the game with less than a minute remaining
in the opening grame, one-timing a centering pass from
Andrew Ebbett past LeNeveu on the power play. But Hartford
regained the lead just seconds later when defenseman Andrew
Hutchinson fired a blast from the blueline that beat Aubin
to the blocker side.
Portland tied the game, 2-2, just 2:41 into the second
period, when Dixon scored his first goal by redirecting
a Joe Callahan slap shot from the point. Mike Hoffman
gave Portland its first lead at 7:25, taking a lucky bounce
off the boards from a Brett Festerling shot to put the
Pirates ahead, 3-2.
Ex-Pirate Pierre Parenteau evened the score again at the
18:18 mark, tipping an Ivan Baranka shot through Aubin’s
legs while Hartford had the man advantage. But Dixon’s
late goal proved to be the deciding marker, giving Portland
a 4-3 victory.
Aubin made 23 saves for the win, LeNeveu had 24 in taking
the loss.
|
|
| Game
5 |
Portland
at Hartford |
|
PROHOCKEYNEWS.COM |
Portland
Wins Series 4-1 |
Hartford, CT - Portland erased Hartford's slim lead with two unanswered goals--not without some controversy--and will go on to face the
Providence Bruins in the Atlantic Division finals.
The Pirates took the lead when Jay Leach snuck open into the middle of the ice, took a pass from Drew Miller and fired home a
shot past the WolfPack netminder Miika Wiikman at the 7:20 mark of the first period.
Hartford's Andrew Hutchinson tipped home the tying tally when he deflected a Mike Ouellette centering pass behind
Jean-Sebastien Aubin. Hartford continued on when Lauri Korpikoski put them up top with help from Hugh Jessiman.
It would be all Aubin and his Pirates teammates from there on out as the goaltender had a solid evening with 30 stops. Andy
Schneider's slapper beat Wiikman late in the second period which led to a goal they will be talking about in Connecticut all
summer long.
With just over five minutes gone in the final period Brett Festerling batted a goal past Wiikman. Hartford fans will forever
contend the puck was knocked in with a high-stick as Festerling had to go high to knock in Bobby Ryan's shot, but the
officials did not concur and Hartford's season would soon be over.
Portland will now go on to face Providence. The series will start on Saturday and Sunday in Providence before the clubs rest
up and go again in Maine on the following Friday. |
|
|
 |
|
 |
| Power
Play |
2ND
- 21.0 |
| Penalty
Killing |
12TH
- 83.7 |
| FORWARDS |
| PA
PARENTEAU |
34-47-81
(+15) |
| GREG
MOORE |
26-40-66
(+27) |
| LAURI
KORPIKOSKI |
23-27-50
(+20) |
| DEFENSEMEN |
| ANDREW
HUTCHINSON |
18-46-64
(+28) |
| THOMAS
POCK |
7-37-44
(+15) |
| COREY
POTTER |
5-27-32
(+33) |
| GOALTENDERS |
| MIIKA
WIIKMAN |
21-8-3
(2 SO)
2.30 GA
.919 PCT |
|
| DAVID
LeNEVEU |
17-10-5
(2 SO)
2.33 GA
.916 PCT |
|
|
|
