The host Hershey Bears got a late shorthanded goal from Connor Carrick to end the Portland Pirates four-game winning streak with a 3-2 victory Friday night at the Giant Center. The loss dropped Portland (7-7) back to the .500 mark.
Carrick beat Mike McKenna at 19:45 of the final frame with the assists going to Aaron Ness and Garrett Mitchell. Defenseman Mike Moore was serving a double-minor for high-sticking when the winning goal was scored.
The Pirates got off to good start, opening the scoring on Logan Shaw‘s sixth of the season at 12:36 of the first period. The goal was set up by John McFarland and Mike Matheson.
Hershey tied the game in the second period on a Chris Bourque power-play goal. Ness and Carter Camper collected the helpers on Bourque’s fifth.
The Bears took their first lead of the tilt when Dustin Gazley struck at 2:41 of the third with the assists going to Ryan Stanton and Chris Brown.
Portland defender Dylan Olsen replied quickly to even the game thirty-one seconds later. The goal was Olsen’s first in a Pirates uniform. Winger Wayne Simpson picked up his team-leading tenth assist on the play.
McKenna stopped 29 of the 32 shots he faced. Justin Peters got the win for the Bears, finishing with 22 saves.
In addition to surrendering the deciding goal while up a man, the Pirates went a miserable 0-for7 on the power play.
The two teams will meet again tonight in Hershey at 7:00 pm to conclude Portland’s four-game road trip.