Rookie goalie provides a boost

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By PAUL BETIT, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald

Saturday, March 31, 2007

TODAY'S GAME

WHO: Portland Pirates vs. Springfield Falcons

WHEN: 7:05 p.m.

WHERE: MassMutual Center, Springfield, Mass.

LOWELL, Mass. - Buoyed by an outstanding effort by rookie goalie David McKee, the Portland Pirates skated to a 3-1 win against Lowell Friday to remain in contention for an AHL playoff berth.

McKee, notching his third AHL win after spending most of his first pro season in the ECHL playing for the Augusta Lynx in Georgia, made 36 saves as Portland recorded its fourth win in five games before a crowd of 3,094 at Tsongas Arena.

With eight games left in the regular season, Portland (78 points) is five points out of a playoff spot in the Atlantic Division. Third-place Providence has 84, fourth-place Worcester has 83 and fifth-placed Lowell has 81. The top four teams reach the playoffs.

The Pirates, who have won 5 of 8 with the Devils this season, are scheduled to play two more games against Lowell. Portland has no games left with either Worcester or Providence.

Since his arrival, McKee, called up a week ago after winning a team-record 29 games at Augusta, has seemed to lift the Pirates.

"There were a couple of saves he made that were not even momentum changers, they were bootstrap-puller-uppers, if there is such a word," Portland Coach Kevin Dineen said. "He stood tall. He's got some confidence, and our guys are playing very well in front of him."

McKee, who has allowed a total of three goals in his three starts, credits his new teammates for a lot of his success.

"It happens once a year for everybody, where you're in a groove, and you feel comfortable," he said. "The team plays real well in front of me, and it makes my job a little easier."

Before turning pro, McKee broke a lot of NHL Hall of Famer Ken Dryden's record in three seasons at Cornell University.

"You look around the (locker) room, and 10 or 12 guys have red marks from sacrificing their bodies," McKee said. "It made my job easier, and that's how you win games. It's a team effort.

"I'm not used to guys blocking shots. They didn't do that much down in Augusta, actually. It's nice."

The Pirates opened the scoring 10:59 into the game when Mike Hoffman deflected Joe Motzko's close-in shot from the right side past former UMaine goalie Frank Doyle. It was the 10th goal of the season for Hoffman, who was stationed right in front of the crease.

Less than eight minutes into the second period, Mark Hartigan made it 2-0 when he finished off a rush with a hard one-timer from the right dot for his team-high 28th goal.

With 3:35 left in the second period, Ryan Carter completed the scoring for the Pirates when his shot from the left circle went in off Devils defenseman Ryan Fraser, fighting for position with Motzko in front of the Lowell net. The power-play goal was Carter's 13th of the season.

Less than three minutes into the third period, Lowell ended McKee's scoreless string at 1 hour, 55 minutes, 9 seconds, the longest of the season for a Portland goalie.

Mike Pandolfo tipped in defenseman Dan McGillis' blast from the right point for his fourth goal.

NOTES: According to a report in the Owen Sound Sun-Times, Bobby Ryan, Anaheim's first pick in the 2005 NHL draft, was scheduled to leave Toronto Friday to join the Pirates. On Thursday night, the London Knights eliminated the Owen Sound Attack from the opening round of the Ontario Hockey League playoffs. A groin injury kept center Geoff Peters out of the Portland lineup for the fourth consecutive game.

BRUINS 5, FALCONS 2: Rookie center T.J. Trevelyan scored one goal and assisted on three as host Providence broke a three-game losing streak with a win over Springfield.

Staff Writer Paul Betit can be contacted at 725-8795 or at:

pbetit@pressherald.com

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