Pirates set sights for Providence

Portland, ME – Winning the Calder Cup is one of the most difficult things to do in all of sports.

Starting in April, the playoffs can last upward of two month as teams face a grueling schedule of on the edge play, with the winner required to win four best-of-seven rounds.

After finishing off the Wolf Pack in five games, the Pirates look to get back into swing of things tonight when they open their best-of-seven Atlantic Division final in Providence, RI.

The Bruins led by AHL Coach of the Year, Scott Gordon, will try to continue their magical season, but the Pirates are hitting their stride at the right time of the year as they attempt to derail Providence’s Calder Cup parade.

Providence has been the team to beat all season long, finishing the regular season with 117 points, the top team in the AHL, but against the Pirates, it been an even match up.

The Pirates went 4-4-0-2 during the regular season, including the infamous bus fire game. Every game won by the Bruins was by a single goal, again, minus the bus fire game, which even to Coach Dineen credit should have never been played. But, the regular season might as well been last season as both teams open up what will be a hotly contested series for both the players and fans of their respective cities.

“We’ve matched up well against them. Both teams are very similar with a lot of skill, good forwards, good defense and strong goaltending, but it’s the regular season and it’s really a cliché and it means nothing,” said Pirates’ defenseman Joe Callahan.

“When you meet in the playoffs, everything you did in the regular season goes out the window.”

The Bruins received a couple reinforcements, in the form of Petteri Nokelainen and Vladimir Sobotka from Boston after they were eliminated by the Montreal Canadiens in seven games.

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