Sunday, April 8, 2007
UP NEXT
WHO: Manchester Monarchs at Portland Pirates
WHEN: 7:05 p.m. Tuesday
WHERE: Cumberland County Civic Center
MANCHESTER, N.H. - Manchester moved to within one point of clinching its second Atlantic Division title in three seasons on Saturday afternoon.
After scoring four goals during the final 41\u20442 minutes of the first period, the Monarchs skated to a 6-3 win against the Portland Pirates before a crowd of 9,350 at the Verizon Wireless Center. The loss pushed the Pirates further from a playoff spot.
The Pirates have four games remaining. They are still in sixth place in the Atlantic Division with 82 points. Worcester moved to third with 89 points, followed by Providence (88) and Lowell (85). The top four teams get to the playoffs.
Manchester reduced its magic number to one point to gain home-ice advantage at least through the first two rounds of the Calder Cup playoffs. Manchester and Hartford already have clinched playoff berths.
"We can sit here and talk about our situation and watch the scoreboard, but if you're not taking care of your own business, you're going to be in trouble," Portland Coach Kevin Dineen said.
The Pirates got into trouble early as the Monarchs opened a 5-0 lead during the first 26 minutes of the game.
"It's a 60-minute game, and, obviously, in the last two games we've shown spurts, but not nearly the consistency we need to beat these quality hockey teams," Dineen said. Last Wednesday, Hartford scored three goals in the final four minutes to beat the Pirates, 7-4.
Manchester's Noah Clarke began the onslaught 15:33 into the game with a power-play goal. Marty Murray set up the goal by drawing defenseman Doug O'Brien and goalie David McKee to the right side of the goal before centering the puck to Clarke.
At 16:47, Petr Kanko put in a shot from the bottom of the slot for his eighth goal. Fifteen seconds later, Matt Ryan put in a hard one-timer for his eighth goal.
With one minute left, Jeff Likens, a former University of Wisconsin defenseman in his fifth pro game, put in a rising shot from the right boards for his first professional goal.
McKee, who has allowed 11 goals in his last four periods after giving up five goals in his first four starts for the Pirates, was replaced by Gerald Coleman to start the second period.
NOTES: With 2:25 left, goalie Jason LaBarbera left the game after hobbling around for several minutes with an injury to his right leg.
After the game, Manchester spokeswoman Kim Mueller said the injury is not expected "to be season-ending." É
A shoulder injury prevented Joe Motzko, the Pirates' leading scorer, from making the trip É Injuries also kept Mike Hoffman (hip), Geoff Peters (abdomen) and Petteri Wirtanen (lower body) out of the Portland lineup.
Staff Writer Paul Betit can be contacted at 725-8795 or at:
pbetit@pressherald.com
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