The Portland Pirates saw its losing streak grow to three games with losses to the Providence Bruins and Rochester Americans this weekend.
Providence 6, Portland 4
The Bruins beat the Pirates 6-4 in a high scoring affair Friday night in Providence. It was Portland’s third road loss of the season.
Colby Cave opened the scoring with a shorthanded goal 8:24 into the first period. The marker was assisted by Brandon DeFazio and Tommy Cross..
Providence added another when Frank Vatrano lit the lamp from Max Talbot at 11:30.
Portland would score three times in the second half of the frame to take a 3-2 lead into the dressing room.
Chase Balisy notched his first of the year with the assists going to Yann Sauve and Vincent Saponari at the 13:49 mark.
Rob Schremp tallied 1:12 later with the lone helper credited to Garrett Wilson.
The Pirates forged ahead when Greg McKegg scored at 18:32. McKegg’s goal was set up by Saponari and Wayne Simpson.
The Bruins tied the game midway through the second period when Alexander Khokhlachev beat Sam Brittain with Chris Casto and Cross collecting assists.
Vatrano struck again at 14:13 to give the home team the lead back. His 10th goal of the campaign was assisted by Andrew Cherniwchan and Talbot.
Wilson set up another by Schremp 3:19 into the third period to tie the game at four. The goal was the veteran’s team-leading fifth.
Providence’s Anton Blidh bagged the game-winner unassisted at the 10:39 mark before Khokhlachev iced the tilt with an empty-net goal from Brett Bellemore with 19 seconds remaining.
Malcolm Subban made 32 stops to post the win. Brittain took the loss, finishing with 30 saves.
Defenseman Dylan Olsen saw his first action of the season, finishing with an even rating and an elbowing minor.
Rocco Grimaldi went an ugly -4 the night before his recall to the Florida Panthers.
Rochester 4, Portland 3
The Pirates returned home for a Saturday afternoon game against the Americans and fell by a 4-3 count. The loss was Portland’s third straight and first on home ice.
MacKenzie Weegar picked up the only goal of the first period, scoring at 3:58 from Rob Schremp and Wayne Simpson.
Justin Bailey tied the game at 8:31 of the second period with assists going to Jean Dupuy and William Carrier.
Dupuy combined with Brady Austin to set up Carrier 2:08 later to give the Amerks the lead.
Rochester extended its lead at the 17:35 mark on a Phil Varone goal. Assists on the power-play marker went to former Panther Colby Robak and Nick Baptiste.
Kyle Rau picked up his fifth goal from Simpson and Cameron Gaunce 28 seconds later to pull Portland within one.
Varone scored his second goal five minutes into the final frame. The eventual winner was assisted by Carrier and Bobby Sanguinetti.
Brent Regner fired in his first of the season with 2:54 left to go, from Gaunce and Chase Balisy, to keep the game close, but Nathan Lieuwen closed the door the rest of the way and Rochester held on for the road win.
Lieuwen turned aside 37 shots while losing keeper Mike McKenna made 23 stops for the Pirates.
The Pirates (3-4) are off until Wednesday when they visit the Utica Comets. Check out Portland’s statistics by clicking here.