Pirates move back to first place with 4-2 win over P-Bruins

Providence, RI – The Portland Pirates carried the momentum into the second half of the season as Colton Fretter scored a pair of goals en route to a 4-2 win over the Providence Bruins before 8,333 at the Dunkin Donuts Center on Friday night.

With the win, the Pirates regained first place in the Atlantic Division, due to a better win percentage (.576 vs. .564), over the Bruins.

After a scoreless first period, the Bruins built a 2-0 on goals from Matt Marquardt and Jordan Knackstedt.

Marquardt started the scoring at 3:07 of the second period when he blistered a one timer from Brad Marchand underneath the crossbar for the 1-0 lead.

Knackstedt scored a little over three minutes later to give the Bruins a 2-0 lead as he lifted a backhand shot over Pirates’ goalie Jhonas Enroth.

At 12:08, the Pirates began the comeback as Aaron Slattengren scored his sixth of the season as he threw the puck on net, deflecting off a Bruins defenseman into the net, cutting the Bruins lead in half, 2-1.

Just 32 seconds later, Fretter scored his first of the night as he picked up Felix Schutz rebound, firing a slap shot by Bruins’ goalie Kevin Regan at 12:40 of the period to tie the game at 2-2.

Midway into the third period, the Pirates grabbed their first lead of the game as Fretter scored his second of night, 14th of the season.

Fretter, in the slot, took a pass from Kenny MacAuley and blasted a shot upstairs on Regan, taking a 3-2 lead with 10:03 to play in the game.

With 1:34 left in the game, defenseman Mike Weber, playing in his first game since under going knee surgery on Jan. 12, added an empty net goal. It was his first goal of the season.

Enroth made 22 saves for the win, while Kevin Regan stopped 28 of 31 shots in the loss.

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