Pirates Open Up Home-and-Home Series with P-Bruins

Portland, ME – After taking an early last night against the Syracuse Crunch, the Portland Pirates were stymied the rest of the way as Tanner Richard had a goal and an assist to lead the Crunch to the 3-1 at Cross Insurance Arena.  Adam Wilcox turned away 29 of 30 Portland shot attempts on the night.  Yanni Gourde also notched a goal, while Mike Angelidis put the game out of reach with a late empty net goal.

Connor Brickley scored Portland’s only goal of the game, giving him goals in three straight games.  It came on the power play early in the first period, which gives the Pirates a string of three straight games with a goal on the man advantage.

Portland’s special teams has been good on both sides of late, as the penalty kill has not allowed an opposing power play goal in the last 21 opportunities.

Greg McKegg and Mike Matheson both returned to the lineup for Portland last night after coming

Comets Top Pirates for Weekend Sweep

Travis Ehrhardt Scores Twice to Lead Utica to 6-3 Win

Portland, ME – The Utica Comets (9-8-1-1) got two goals from defenseman Travis Ehrhardt and a goal and an assist from Mike Zalewski as the Comets downed the Portland Pirates (7-10-0-0) by a score of 6-3 on Saturday night at Cross Insurance Arena.  The win was Utica’s fourth straight, while Portland has lost four in a row.

Utica began the scoring just 2:30 into the game in a four-on-four situation.  After Zalewski ripped a shot off of Pirates goalie Mike McKenna’s mask, the rebound went to Ashton Sautner, who put the puck by McKenna for his second goal of the season.  Hunter Shinkaruk also got an assist.

Portland evened the score at 11:08 of the first as Garrett Wilson stole a puck in the defensive zone,

Pirates Sign Simpson to AHL Contract, Army to PTO

Rookie Simpson Will Play Full Season in Portland

Portland, Maine – The Portland Pirates today announced the signing of forward Wayne Simpson to a one-year AHL contract for the remainder of this season.  In addition, the Pirates have also signed forward Derek Army to a Professional Tryout Contract.

Simpson, a 5-foot-11, 200 pound right wing from Boxboro, Massachusetts, joined the Pirates on a PTO during training camp.  The 25 year-old has played in all ten games for Portland this season and leads the team with eight assists.

In his third pro season, Simpson played four AHL games for the Providence Bruins last season.  He set an ECHL Kelly Cup Playoffs individual scoring record last season when he notched 13 goals and 25 assists for 38 points in 27 playoff games with the South Carolina Stingrays.  Prior to turning pro, Simpson played four seasons of NCAA Division I Men’s Hockey with the Union College Dutchmen.
Army, a 5-foot-11, 185 pound right wing from North Kingstown, Rhode Island, joins the Pirates from the Wheeling Nailers of the ECHL.  The 24 year-old has scored three goals and eight assists for 11 points in 10 games this season.  In his rookie year with Wheeling last season, Army scored 29 goals and 37 assists for 66 points in 72 games.

Prior to turning pro, Army played four seasons of NCAA Division I Men’s Hockey for the Providence College Friars.  He is the son of former Portland Pirates Head Coach Tim Army.

Army will join the Pirates in time to be eligible for tonight’s game at Cross Insurance Arena against the Hartford Wolf Pack.

The Pirates conclude their three-game home stand as they go for a two-game sweep of the Hartford Wolf Pack tonight at 7:00 p.m.  It’s Military Appreciation Night, Presented by Dunkin Donuts!  The Pirates will wear special patriotic jerseys in appreciation of all branches of the United States Military.  The game-worn jerseys will be put up for online auction in the week following the game, with proceeds to benefit to the Travis Mills Foundation.  For tickets, including two- and four-packs which include concessions gift cards, call our ticket office at 207-PIRATES!

Tonight’s Portland Pirates Game Against Worcester Sharks Postponed

Game Rescheduled to Tuesday, December 2

Portland, Maine - The Portland Pirates today, in conjunction with the American Hockey League, announced that tonight’s game against the Worcester Sharks, scheduled for 7:00 p.m. at the Cross Insurance Arena, has been postponed due to expected inclement weather. Forecasts are calling for 8-12 inches of snow in northern New England today and tonight. The game has been rescheduled for Tuesday, December 2 at 7:00 p.m.

Tickets for tonight’s postponed game will be honored on December 2. Fans holding tickets for tonight’s game can also exchange them for another future Portland Pirates home game, subject to availability. Exchanges can be done either through the Portland Pirates by calling 207-PIRATES (207-747-2837) or at the Trusted Choice Box Office at the Cross Insurance Arena.

The Pirates host Providence Bruins at the Cross Insurance Arena on Black Friday at 7:00 p.m. Call 207-PIRATES (747-2837) for a special buy one ticket, get one half-off deal for this Friday’s game!

Portland Pirates Announce Affiliation Extension with Phoenix Coyotes

Pirates coaching and training staff contracts extended; Ray Edwards named Pirates General Manager

Portland, Maine - Portland Pirates Managing Partner/CEO Ron Cain and COO Brad Church today announced that the Pirates have signed a one-year affiliation extension with the Phoenix Coyotes of the National Hockey League. The Pirates also announced that Head Coach Ray Edwards has assumed the position of general manager for the team. In addition, Pirates Assistant Coach John Slaney, Equipment Manager John Krouse and Head Trainer Mike Booi have all signed contract extensions for the 2014-15 season.

Since 2011-12, the Portland

Portland Pirates Announce Resignation of Brian Petrovek

Portland, Maine - Portland Pirates Managing Partner/CEO Ron Cain and Governor Lyman Bullard announced today that the organization has accepted the resignation of Brian Petrovek, currently President, Business Development, who served as the company's CEO for the past fourteen years.

As Managing Owner/CEO for the past fourteen seasons, Petrovek oversaw the short and long term needs of the business, represented the franchise as an alternate governor at the League level, and participated regularly as a member of various league committees. He took the lead role in developing the Pirates' winning bids for the 2003 Dodge AHL All-Star Classic and the 2010 Time Warner Cable AHL All-Star Classic joining Rochester, Hershey and Providence as the only cities to host more than one AHL All-Star event in the league's history.

Locally, Petrovek served as Board Chair of the United Way of Greater Portland (2007-2009), on the City

Portland Pirates Announce 2013-14 Team Award Winners

Portland, Maine – The Portland Pirates, AHL affiliate of the Phoenix Coyotes, today announced the winners of the 2013-14 Team Awards, presented by Creative Awards.

Partner of the Year: Electricity Maine

The Partner of the Year award is given to the sponsor that has shown exemplary commitment and dedication to the Pirates organization, going above and beyond their obligations to the team. Electricity Maine is this year’s recipient. As part of their participation in the Pirates inaugural “Goals for Good” program, Electricity Maine has donated $2200 this year to benefit "New Beginnings", a local charity dedicated to helping homeless youth and their families. Electricity Maine showed dedication above and beyond their obligations to the community, fans, and Pirates hockey organization during the 2013-14 season.

Tom Ebright Award: Jordan Szwarz

The Tom Ebright award is given each year to the Pirates player who best exemplifies what it means to be a Portland Pirate, as envisioned by team founder Tom Ebright. The award is given to a player who plays for the love of the game. Pirates captain Jordan Szwarz is the recipient of the Ebright award for the second straight year. After starting the year with the Pirates, he earned his first career NHL call up to the Phoenix Coyotes, tallying his first career NHL goal. Szwarz joins former Pirates captain Trent Whitfield as the only other two time winner of the Ebright award.

Jack Button Memorial Award: Connor Murphy

The Jack Button Award is named after the late Jack Button, Washington Capitals Director of Player Personnel, and is given to the organization’s top prospect, as selected by the Phoenix Coyotes. This year’s

Pirates look to Snap Streak in Final Game in Lewiston

Pirates (24-38-3-9, 60 points) vs. Devils (38-23-5-8, 89 points)
Lewiston, Maine - The Portland Pirates will play their final game at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee on Wednesday night as they take on the Albany Devils. Puck drop is 7 PM for the 4^th and final matchup of the season between the two teams. Albany leads the season series 2-1.

The Pirates earned a point in their last game, dropping a 3-2 shootout decision to the Norfolk Admirals. Chris Rawlings made 26 saves in net and Lucas Lessio tied the game with his team leading 28^th goal of the year with just 5.8 second left, but Portland was unable to score in overtime of 6 rounds of shootout action. Brett Hextall had the other Pirates goal. The shootout loss extends the Pirates’ winless streak to 8 games.

Albany is on a 3 game winning streak, last defeating the Syracuse Crunch 4-0 on Sunday. Reid Boucher scored twice and Chris McKelvie and Reece Scarlett both added tallies in the victory. Scott Wedgewood registered his 4 shutout of the season, stopping 20 shots.

The Pirates and Devils last faced off on March 7^th, a 4-3 shootout win by Albany. Jordan Martinook scored early and Brendan Shinnimin and Tobias Rieder added third period tallies to tie the game, but eh Pirates were unable to get the extra point in overtime or the shootout. Mark Visentin made 32 saves in 65 minutes

Pirates Host Admirals to start Final Home Stand of 13-14

Pirates (24-38-3-8, 59 points) vs. Admirals (37-25-3-7, 84 points)
Lewiston, Maine - The Portland Pirates start their final home stand of the 2013-14 season as they take on the Norfolk Admirals on Sunday at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee. Puck drop is set for 4 PM. Norfolk holds a 2-1 advantage in the season series.

The Pirates were shut out by the Manchester Monarchs last night 4-0 in their final road game of the season. Jean-Francois Berube made 23 saves for Manchester while Linden Vey (2), Jordan Weal, and Brayden McNabb had the goals. Louis Domingue had 35 saves in the loss. The defeat extends the Pirates' winless streak to 6 games.

Norfolk blanked the Providence Bruins 3-0 last night behind goaltender Brad Thiessen’s 28 saves. Antoine Laganiere and Andre Petersson (2) scored for the Admirals, who find themselves in 9^th place in the east, percentage points behind the Hershey Bears for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Norfolk defeated the Pirates in their last meeting on January 10^th, prevailing 5-4 in a shootout. Andy Miele, Ethan Werek, Chris Summers, and Tobias Rieder all scored for the Pirates, who were unable to tally a goal in the shootout. Mark Visentin made 22 saves for the Pirates in the defeat.

Dan O’Donoghue, who was signed by the Phoenix Coyotes to a two year, entry level contract yesterday, has joined the Pirates and will wear number 27.

KeyBank Key to the Game

Nothing but Net: The Pirates have been outscored 25-7 over their last 4 games and only had 23 shots on goal last night in Manchester. The Pirates offense needs to come alive and ratchet up their scoring, especially against a hot goaltender in Brad Thiessen.

Tonight’s game can be heard on News Talk WLOB AM 1310/AM 780 as well as WEZR FM 105.5/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.

Follow all the action on the Pirates official Facebook page and Twitter account (@PortlandPirates) with the hashtag #PiratesHome

Tickets are available by calling the Androscoggin Bank Colisee Box Office at 783-2009 ext. 525 or online at thecolisee.com.

Pirates face Monarchs in Final VIP Cup Matchup of 13-14

Pirates (24-36-3-8, 59 points) vs. Monarchs (46-19-2-6, 100 points)

Manchester, NH – The Portland Pirates face the Manchester Monarchs for the final time this season tonight in their final road game of the season. Puck drop is 7 PM for the 12^th and final game of the VIP Cup Series, presented by VIP Tires & Service. Manchester has already clinched the VIP Cup for this season 8-3. For more information, visit www.vip-cup.com.

The Pirates dropped a 5-2 decision to the Springfield falcons last night in Springfield. Louis Domingue became the first AHL goaltender to stop two penalty shots in a game since Wade Dubielewicz did so for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers on December 10, 2005 in the defeat, while Ethan Werek and Tim Kennedy scored for Portland.

Manchester’s last game was Wednesday against the Pirates in Lewiston, which the Monarchs won 5-0. Rookie goaltender Patrik Bartosak stopped all 29 Pirates shots in the victory for Manchester. Michael Mersch scored his first two professional goals in the win for the Monarchs.

KeyBank Key to the Game

Road Warriors: Tonight is the final road game of the season for the Pirates as well as a chance to snap their 6 game winless streak. The Pirates will need a strong effort from their special teams to give them the advantage tonight.

Tonight’s game can be heard on News Talk WLOB AM 1310/AM 780 as well as WEZR FM 105.5/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.

Follow all the action on the Pirates official Facebook page and Twitter account (@PortlandPirates) with the hashtag #PiratesAway

Pirates Start Final Road Trip in Springfield

Pirates (24-36-3-8, 59 points) vs. Falcons (44-21-1-5, 94 points) 

Springfield, MA – The Portland Pirates will hit the road for the final time this season, starting with a matchup against the Springfield Falcons on Friday night in Springfield. Puck drops at 7 PM for the 6^th matchup of the season between the two New England rivals. Portland is 1-2-0-2 against Springfield this season.

The Pirates last played Wednesday in a VIP Cup Series matchup against Manchester. The Monarchs defeated the Pirates 5-0 behind rookie goaltender Patrik Bartosak, who stopped all 29 Pirates shots. Manchester holds an 8-3 advantage in the VIP Cup Series, presented by VIP Tires & Service. For more information about the VIP Cup Series, visit www.vip-cup.com.

Springfield took a 3-1 loss to the St. John’s IceCaps in their last game on Saturday. Patrick McNeill had the goal for the Falcons, while Jeremy Smith made 28 saves in the defeat. Springfield will head into the 2014 Calder Cup Playoffs as the Northeast Division Champions for the second consecutive year.

The Falcons handed the Pirates a 9-3 defeat in their last matchup on March 9^th at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee, the most goals allowed by the Pirates at home in team history. Both Mark Visentin and Louis Domingue saw time in net for the Pirates, while Brett Hextall, Tim Kennedy, and Brandon Yip each scored for the Pirates.

KeyBank Key to the Game

Clipping Their Wings: The Pirates need a strong defensive effort against the Falcons to keep their high powered offense in check. A heavy, strong checking game and increased physicality will be key in the Pirates snapping their 5 game winless streak.

Tonight’s game can be heard on News Talk WLOB AM 1310/AM 780 as well as WEZR FM 105.5/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.

Follow all the action on the Pirates official Facebook page and Twitter account (@PortlandPirates) with the hashtag #PiratesAway

Pirates look to Gain Ground in VIP Cup Matchup with Manchester

Pirates (24-34-2-8, 58 points) vs. Monarchs (43-19-2-6, 94 points)

Manchester, NH – The Portland Pirates begin a 2 game road trip this afternoon when they face the Manchester Monarchs in Manchester. Puck drop is 3 PM for the 10^th game of the VIP Cup Series, presented by VIP Tires & Service. Manchester leads the season series 6-3. For more information, visit www.vip-cup.com.

The Pirates were defeated by the Hershey Bears 3-2 on Wednesday at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston. Tobias Rieder and Andy Miele each scored their 27^th goal of the year, but the Pirates couldn’t hold the lead. Louis Domingue made 22 saves for the Pirates in his second straight start.

The Monarchs were shut out by the Hartford Wolf Pack last night, 2-0. David LeNeveu stopped all 37 shots he faced for Hartford, while J.F. Berube made 14 saves for Manchester. Despite the loss, the Monarchs remain the top team in the Eastern Conference with a 43-19-2-6 record.

The Pirates last met the Monarchs on March 29, winning by a 7-5 score. Chris Rawlings made his first AHL start and got the victory, while both Greg Carey and Joel Hanley registered assists, their first professional points. Tim Kennedy and Jordan Martinook both scored twice, with Andy Miele, Randy Jones, and Brandon Yip each adding tallies.

This afternoon’s game features two of the top college players in the country from this season in the Pirates’ Greg Carey and Manchester’s Nic Dowd. Both Carey and Dowd have been named to the Hobey Hat Trick

Kyle Hagel Named Portland Pirates 2013-14 IOA/American Specialty AHL Man of the Year

Portland, Maine - The Portland Pirates are proud to announce that Kyle Hagel has been named the team’s winner of the IOA/American Specialty AHL Man of the Year award for his outstanding contributions to the Portland and Lewiston/Auburn communities during the 2013-14 season.

As a new member of the Pirates for the 2013-14 season, Hagel brought his wealth of charitable knowledge and experience to the Pirates community through his work with schools and youth hockey. Hagel participated in the Pirates’ Goals for Success program, educating 230 4th and 5th graders at Montello Elementary School in Auburn on the importance of healthy living, setting goals, and living tobacco free during an assembly.

Through Hockey Players 4 Kids, a charity co-founded by Hagel, Kyle started the Stick to Reading program in schools in the Portland region, visiting a number of schools to read to students and encouraging reading by students outside the classroom. Hagel organized the program with the help of his teammates, and enlisted the help of several players to read to students and visit the winning school, Scarborough Middle School, for a floor hockey game.

Hagel has also volunteered his time with the Portland Junior Pirates, participating in a number of practices and clinics throughout the season.

This is Hagel’s 4th consecutive season in which he has been his team’s IOA/American Specialty Man of the Year, as he has previously been honored with the Hamilton Bulldogs (12-13), Peoria Rivermen (11-12) and Rockford IceHogs (10-11).

Hagel is now one of 30 finalists for the AHL’s 2013-14 Yanick Dupre Memorial Award, honoring the overall IOA/American Specialty AHL Man of the Year. The league award is named after the former Hershey Bears forward and AHL All-Star who died in 1997 following a 16-month battle with leukemia. The winner of the Yanick Dupre Memorial Award will be announced by the American Hockey League later this month.

Pirates Battle Bears at Androscoggin Bank Colisee

Pirates (24-33-2-8, 58 points) vs. Bears (34-25-4-4, 76 points)
Lewiston, Maine - The Portland Pirates return home Wednesday night to face the Hershey Bears. Puck drops at 7 PM for the only matchup between the Pirates and Bears in Maine this season. Hershey holds a 1-0 lead in the season series and has a roster with 4 former Portland Pirates.

Portland dropped their final game of the season against the Worcester Sharks last night by a 3-2 score. Tobias Rieder scored twice for the Pirates and Andy Miele added two assists, but Worcester led for the entire game after a Travis Oleksuk goal in the first period. Louis Domingue made 32 saves for the Pirates. Miele’s 2 assists tied him with Benoit Gratton for 10^th in Pirates history in assists and gives him 11 points over his 6 game point streak.

Hershey is in the middle of the playoff hunt, just one point out of the 8^th and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Bears won both of their games over the weekend, first defeating Albany 4-1 on Friday and beating St. John’s 2-1 in a shootout Saturday night. In Saturday’s game, Jeff Taffe had the regulation goal for the Bears, while the shootout winner was scored by Tyson Strachan in the 12^th round.

The Bears and Pirates have faced off only one other time this season, a 2-1 win for Hershey in the final game before the All-Star Break. Brandon Yip has the Pirates goal, while Louis Domingue made 34 saves in the defeat.

KeyBank Key to the Game

Keep the Streak: Andy Miele and Randy Jones are both on incredible hot streaks, with Miele tallying 11 points during his 6 game point streak and Jones adding 8 points in his last 7 games. The Pirates need to ride the hot hand and get Jones and Miele the puck in order to be successful tonight. 

The Bears boast 4 former Pirates in their lineup: Goaltender David Leggio (2010-11) and forwards Matt Watkins (2011-12), Brandon Segal (2007-08) and Joel Rechlicz (2012-13). Former Pirate Chris Brown, who was traded by the Coyotes to the Washington Capitals at the NHL trade deadline this season, was recalled from the Bears yesterday.

Tonight’s game can be heard on the Pirates flagship stations WPEI 95.5/95.9 FM as well as WEZR FM 105.5/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.

Follow all the action on the Pirates official Facebook page and Twitter account (@PortlandPirates) with the hashtag #PiratesHome.

Tickets for tonight’s game are available by calling the Androscoggin Bank Colisee Box Office at (207) 783-2009 ext. 525 or online at thecolisee.com.

The Pirates have announced eight guaranteed dates for the 2014-15 season as the Pirates return to the Cumberland County Civic Center! Group tickets are available for all eight of the announced dates and flex and season tickets for the 2014-15 season are now on sale! For more information on the guaranteed dates, click here and call 207-828-4665 for ticket plans and information.

Pirates Sign Laplante and Raine to ATOs

Saco, Maine – Phoenix Coyotes Assistant General Manager and Portland Pirates General Manager Brad Treliving announced today that the Portland Pirates have signed center Yan-Pavel Laplante and defenseman Kevin Raine to amateur tryout contracts (ATOs)

Laplante joins the Pirates after completing his third year of junior hockey in the QMJHL. This season, the 6’0, 190 lbs. center from Chateauguay, PQ played in 63 games between the Charlottetown Islanders and Victoriaville Tigres, totaling 23 goals and 19 assists. Laplante was drafted in the third round (62^nd overall) by the Phoenix Coyotes in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.

Raine, 20, finished his final season with the Sudbury Wolves of the OHL, where he served as the team’s captain. A native of Dryden, ONT, Raine played for both the Wolves and the London Knights during his junior career. The 6’1, 205 lbs. defenseman played in 57 games this season for Sudbury, tallying 4 goals and adding 17 assists.

The Pirates travel Worcester for their final matchup of the season with the Sharks tonight at 7 PM. Tonight’s game can be heard on the Pirates flagship stations WPEI 95.5/95.9 FM as well as WEZR FM 105.5/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.

The Pirates have announced eight guaranteed dates for the 2014-15 season as the Pirates return to the Cumberland County Civic Center! Group tickets are available for all eight of the announced dates and flex and season tickets for the 2014-15 season are now on sale! For more information on the guaranteed dates, click here and for more information on ticket plans, call 207-828-4665

Pirates look to Fool Sharks in Last Meeting of 13-14

Pirates (24-32-2-8, 58 points) vs. Sharks (33-30-3-1, 70 points)

Worcester, MA – The Portland Pirates will travel to Worcester tonight for their 12^th and final meeting of the season with the Worcester Sharks. Game time is 7 PM. Worcester leads the season series 7-4 and have won the last two matchups against Portland.

The Pirates are coming off a big win against Manchester in VIP Cup Series Game 9, presented by VIP Tires & Service, defeating the Monarchs 7-5 on Saturday. Chris Rawlings got his first AHL victory in his first career start. Tim Kennedy and Jordan Martinook both scored twice, while Joel Hanley and Greg Care both picked up their first career points. The win keeps the Pirates alive in the VIP Cup, with Manchester holding a 6-3 advantage in the season long series. For more information, visit www.vip-cup.com.  

Worcester last played on Saturday, defeating the Albany Devils 4-3 in a shootout. Matt Tennyson, Travis Oleksuk, and Eriah Hayes all scored for the Sharks in regulation, with Dan DaSilva getting the lone goal in the shootout for the win. Sharks goaltender Troy Grosenick made 18 saves in regulation and overtime and stopped all 5 shooters in the shootout for the win. Worcester sits 7 games out of the 8^th and final playoff spot with 9 games left to play.

The Sharks visited the Androscoggin Bank Colisee last Wednesday in Worcester coach Roy Sommer’s AHL record 1,257^thgame behind the bench. The Sharks defeated the Pirates 5-3 as Tennyson, Oleksuk, Hayes, Matt Pelech, and Chad Rau all scored. Lucas Lessio, Andy Miele, and James Melindy all scored for the Pirates while both Louis Domingue and Chris Rawlings saw time in net.

KeyBank Key to the Game

Chess Match: The Pirates leading scorer against the Sharks is Andy Miele, who has 7 goals and 5 assists in the first 11 games of the series. On the Sharks’ side, Travis Oleksuk has 5 goals and 6 assists in the first 11 games. The Pirates will have to neutralize Oleksuk while creating opportunities for Miele to score through line combinations and matchups throughout the game.

Tonight’s game can be heard on the Pirates flagship stations WPEI 95.5/95.9 FM as well as WEZR FM 105.5/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.

Follow all the action on the Pirates official Facebook page and Twitter account (@PortlandPirates) with the hashtag #PiratesAway.

The Pirates have announced eight guaranteed dates for the 2014-15 season as the Pirates return to the Cumberland County Civic Center! Group tickets are available for all eight of the announced dates and flex and season tickets for the 2014-15 season are now on sale! For more information on the guaranteed dates, click here and call 207-828-4665 for ticket plans and information.

Pirates Oust Monarchs 7-5

Manchester leads VIP Cup Series 6-3
Lewiston, Maine - The Pirates scored seven times on Saturday on their way to beating the top-seeded team in the Eastern Conference, the Manchester Monarchs. Chris Rawlings, in his first AHL start, made 23 saves on the way to his first AHL victory. With the win, the Pirates keep their VIP Cup Series, presented by VIP Tires & Service, title defense alive.

Manchester jumped out to an early lead, scoring at 3:59 in the first on the power play with Jordan Weal getting credit for the goal.  Less than two minutes later at 5:38, Brian O’Neill made it 2-0 Manchester.

The Pirates responded in a big way, scoring five unanswered goals.  Tim Kennedy got the Pirates sailing with a great deflection in front of the net at 12:41 to get Portland on the board. At 18:42, Kennedy scored again, this time on the power play.  Joel Hanley carried the puck into the zone, dishing it off to Kennedy who was trailing behind, allowing Kennedy to fire the puck over a sliding defenseman and into the back of the net. 

In the second, Andy Miele scored his team-leading 26th goal of the year on the power play, blasting a shot from the left circle and beating Jean-Francois Berube over the shoulder at 2:41.  Randy Jones was the next, hammering home a one-timer from above the right circle at 14:00 before Jordan Martinook scored at 16:39 on the power play, beating Berube under the arm and ending the Manchester goalie’s night.

The Monarchs pushed back shortly after Martinook’s goal as Andy Andreoff scored shorthanded at 17:21

Pirates Induct Tom Caron Into Hall of Fame, Face Monarchs Tonight

Pirates (23-32-2-8, 56 points) vs. Monarchs (43-17-2-6, 94 points)
Lewiston, Maine - Tom Caron will be inducted into the Portland Pirates Hall of Fame tonight, becoming the 18th member, when the Pirates take on the Manchester Monarchs as part of the VIP Cup Series, presented by VIP Tires & Service. 

The Pirates lost 6-5 to the Providence Bruins Friday night.  Mathieu Brodeur, Brendan Shinnimin, Tobias Rieder, Brandon Yip and Andy Miele all scored for the Pirates while Chris Rawlings, in relief of Louis Domingue, made 19 saves on 21 shots in the defeat.

The Monarchs come in to Lewiston fresh off of a 5-1 win over the Worcester Sharks.  James Livingston, Hunter Bishop, Steve Quailer and Brian O’Neill all scored for the Monarchs while Jean-Francois Berube made 27 saves on 28 shots to earn the victory.

The Pirates last met the Monarchs on Feb. 22, dropping a 5-4 decision to Manchester.  Brandon McMillan led the way for the Pirates, scoring two power play goals in the game with Brendan Shinnimin and Lucas Lessio also finding the back of the net. Louis Domingue made 32 saves in the defeat while Martin Jones

Pirates Forward Brendan Shinnimin Pledges Donation to Fight Cancer

Part of Purple Night Presented by Central Maine Medical Center
Pirates Ownership, Shamrock Sports and Entertainment, and On Target Utility Services to Match Donation Amount
Portland, Maine - Portland Pirates forward Brandon Shinnimin has pledged a donation to Central Maine Comprehensive Cancer Center as part of the Portland Pirates’ 2^nd Annual Purple Night presented by Central Maine Medical Center. Shinnimin, a second year forward from Winnipeg, Manitoba, has pledged $10 for every shot by the Pirates and $25 for every Pirates goal scored as the Pirates take on the Providence Bruins tonight at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston.

“Purple night, cancer awareness night, is a pretty huge thing,” Shinnimin said. “Obviously, there are a lot of people that suffer from cancer. I’ve got a little thing going here where I’m going to donate ten dollars for every shot we get on net and 25 dollars for every goal we score. We’re looking for some sponsors to maybe match my donation and hopefully this small thing can turn into something big, get a couple sponsors donating and make money to help change people’s lives.”

The Portland Pirates ownership group, the Pirates’ strategic sales & marketing agency Shamrock Sports and Entertainment, and Pirates sponsor On Target Utility Services have pledged to match Shinnimin’s donation to

Pirates face Providence on Purple Night

Pirates (23-31-2-8, 56 points) vs. Bruins (35-23-2-7, 79 Points), 7:00 PM EDT
Lewiston, Maine - The Portland Pirates will host the Providence Bruins for the final time this regular season at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston tonight. Puck drops at 7 for the 2^nd annual Purple Night presented by Central Maine Medical Center. The Pirates and Bruins have played 6 times this season, with Portland holding a 4-1-0-1 advantage in the season series. 

As part of the second annual Purple Night, The Pirates will donate all proceeds from their 50/50 raffle tonight to the Central Maine Comprehensive Cancer Center to support the center’s work in providing care for the region’s cancer patients. In addition, a Pirates practice jersey signed by movie and television star Patrick Dempsey will be raffled off, with all proceeds benefitting the Patrick Dempsey Center for Cancer Hope & Healing’s Maine Fund for Cancer Patients, which helps fund the immediate needs of patients experiencing hardships while undergoing cancer treatment. The Pirates’ special purple jerseys will be auctioned off on eBay at a later date, with 75% of the proceeds going to Central Maine Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Pirates forward Brendan Shinnimin has pledged to donate $10 for every Pirates shot and $25 for every Pirates goal to Central Maine Comprehensive Center Cancer, with Pirates ownership, Shamrock Sports and Entertainment, and On Target Utility Services to make a matching donation. The Pirates encourage their corporate partners and local businesses to match Shinnimin’s donation, with a total to be announced after