Lewiston, Maine - The Pirates return home for the first home game of 2014 when they host the Norfolk Admirals at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee. Puck drops at 7 PM for the first meeting between the two teams in the state of Maine in nearly 3 years.
The Pirates complete a 3 game series in St. John’s on Tuesday that saw them play 3 games in three days due to travel delays. In the final game of the series, rookie forwards Tobias Rieder and Lucas Lessio both scored, but it was no enough as the IceCaps dropped the Pirates 4-2 for Louis Domingue’s first regulation loss of his AHL career. In the middle game of the series, a game won 5-4 by the Pirates, two Pirates saw milestones as both Mathieu Brisebois and Mark Louis scored their first career professional goals in a span of 61 seconds. The Pirates returned to the US last night after more travel delays and are now half way through a span of 6 games in 8 days, one of their busiest stretches of the season.
Norfolk is coming off a two game series sweep of the Bridgeport Sound Tigers at home, winning last Saturday’s contest 3-2 in a shootout. Emerson Etem and Devante Smith-Pelly had the regulation goals for the Admirals in a penalty filled game. Jesse Blacker and Max Friberg had the shootout goals to give Norfolk the win. John Gibson, one of the AHL’s top goaltenders, made 30 saves for the Admirals in the win.
Tonight’s game is the first between the two teams in the state of Maine since January 26, 2011, when the Pirates were the Buffalo Sabres affiliate and the Admirals were affiliated with the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Pirates are 1-0-1-0 this year against the Admirals, with both games going to overtime at the Norfolk Scope. In their last meeting, the Pirates overcame a 3 goal deficit after the first period to win 4-3 in a shootout. Lucas Lessio, Brandon McMillan, and Andy Miele powered the comeback for the Pirates in a game that saw the Admirals only get 16 shots on net.
KeyBank Key to the Game
Loose the Cannons: The Pirates have a -12 goal differential on the year and are facing stiff goaltending from the Admirals. In order for the Pirates to have success tonight and going forward this season, offensive players like Brandon McMillan, Corey Trivino and Darian Dziurzynski will be vital to the Pirates’ scoring efforts.
Tonight’s game can be heard on the Pirates flagship stations WPEI 95.5/95.9 FM as well as WEZR AM 1240 in the Lewiston/Auburn area and WTME AM 780/1450 in Oxford County. The game can also be heard online at portlandpirates.com by clicking “Listen Live” and can be seen live on AHL Live at ahllive.com. The pregame show starts at 6:40 with Jeff Mannix. Tickets are available by calling (207) 783-2009 or online at thecolisee.com.
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