Maine Hockey Journal

Pirates crowned in the Queen City

Manchester, NH – Many thoughts passed through my head tonight during the Portland Pirates game against the Manchester Monarch.

The Pirates fell 2-0, in a game that they could have maintained pace with the Hartford Wolf Pack in the battle for home ice advantage, but mainly, I thought this was probably the most boring game I’ve ever witness live in my life. It was like watching snow melting in December.

The Monarchs have beaten the Pirates three straight games. They’re also the only team the Pirates have a losing record to this season. For Manchester, they are trying to get into the playoffs and once again, the Pirates played as a desperate hockey team. As I said, those are the teams you hate to play because they can burn you more times then not.

Another tidbit is the fact that Manchester has the Pirates number when playing at the lavish Verizon Wireless Arena, as they are 20-9-6 since their inception in 2001. To add to that fact, the Pirates have been shutout twice this season at VWA.

It was scoreless first period for both teams, as both goalies didn’t see much action.

In the second, the Monarchs got on the board when Brady Murray scored a controversial goal at 7:02 of the first period.

Marc-Andre Cliché fired a shot wide of the net from the top of the right face-off circle with Murray driving to the net, the puck deflected off his skate past Pirates goalie Mike McKenna for the first goal of the game.

McKenna was quick to dispute the call along with Dineen, but to no avail.

Late in the second period, Manchester put the game away when Matt Moulson, at the far post, redirected a shot from Jeff Likens by McKenna.

Despite the loss, the Pirates will need to have short memories, as they will bus home and get ready for the Lowell Devils on Friday and then head back on the road to play Providence on Saturday before returning home for a game on Sunday after against the Albany River Rats.

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