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Sunday, January 29, 2006
Short-handed, and struggling
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If the Toronto Marlies were tired from playing nine straight games on the road, they didn't show it Saturday night at the Cumberland County Civic Center. The Marlies, who haven't played at home since Jan. 7, closed out the Portland Pirates in the third period for a 5-2 American Hockey League win before a sellout crowd of 7,159. "Tonight was one of those nights where you give credit to the other team," Portland Coach Kevin Dineen said. "They really clamped down on us in the third (period). Our guys got really frustrated because they closed so many options on us. We couldn't get our forecheck going, and that is when we are at our best." It was the fourth consecutive loss for the Pirates, their longest losing streak of the season. "Maybe this our time to go through a little adversity," said Geoff Peters, who scored a second-period goal to help the Pirates come back from an early two-goal deficit. "We've got to make smarter plays late. For the most part, we're working hard, (but) we're not working smart. We're best when we're going in a straight line, banging bodies, and we haven't done that in the last few games." Injuries and call-ups have cost Portland the services of five top scoring forwards. But Peters refused to use that as an excuse for the team's recent swoon. "We've lost a lot of firepower," Peters said, "But, you know what, we don't know whether we're ever going to get those guys back, so we've got to get it done with these guys in this (locker) room." The Marlies, in the midst of a three-game swing through New England, took a 2-0 lead in the first period. At 10:07, Colin Murphy, flashing past the crease, slid the rebound of his own shot inside the left post for his 10th goal of the season. Roman Kukumberg stole the puck at center to set up Murphy's rush down the right side. Just over five minutes later, defenseman Dominic D'Amour put a quick shot from the bottom of the left circle between goalie Nathan Marsters' legs for a power-play goal - his first of the season. The Pirates pulled into a tie less than eight minutes into the second period. At the 53-second mark, Peters converted Pierre Parenteau's centering pass from the boards, as he sent a shot from the middle of the left circle inside the far post for a power-play goal. The Pirates pulled even at 7:57, just three seconds after a Portland power play ended. Joel Perrault turned Ryan Shannon's feed from the left circle into his fourth goal, with a one-timer from between the hash marks. Toronto regained the lead with 1:12 left in the period, however, as Jeremy Williams barrelled down the slot to poke in the rebound of a shot by Kukumberg for his 14th goal of the season. "That game was closer than it looked," said Toronto Coach Paul Maurice, who coached Dineen for three seasons with the Hartford Whalers and Carolina Hurricanes. "Both teams had their chances, and it was a very, very tight game." John Pohl broke open the game when he scored his team-high 25th goal on a breakaway with 2:58 remaining. Brad Leeb added a empty-netter with 1:09 left.
Staff Writer Paul Betit can be contacted at 725-8795 or at:
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