enlarge Derek Davis/Staff Photographer

Brian Salcido of the Portland Pirates finds himself pinned to the back boards by Lowell goalie Jordan Parise during the first period Monday. The Pirates earned a 3-0 victory.

enlarge Derek Davis/Staff Photographer

Matt Christie of the Portland Pirates, left, tries to beat Rosario Ruggeri of Lowell to the puck during their game Monday at the Cumberland County Civic Center. The Pirates came away with a 3-0 victory.

COMING UP

WEDNESDAY: Pirates at Hartford Wolf Pack, 7 p.m.
FRIDAY: Binghamton Senators at Pirates, 7:05 p.m.
SATURDAY: Pirates at Springfield Falcons, 7 p.m.

Mike McKenna, making his first start in more than two weeks, posted his first AHL shutout and Simon Ferguson scored his first goal of the season to spark the Pirates to a 3-0 victory over the Lowell Devils before 6,025 fans at the Cumberland County Civic Center.

"I don't want to take anything away from Lowell at all, but we played absolutely outstanding," McKenna said. "Our defensemen were terrific. Everybody was terrific."

McKenna, who spent most of his first two pro seasons with the Las Vegas Wranglers of the ECHL before signing with the Pirates earlier this season, had to make 16 saves.

"I'm a goalie who likes to be active and get a few shots," McKenna said. "When (the shots) are few and far between like tonight, that's stuff you have to be ready for and just make the big save when you have to."

"Sometimes these are harder games (for a goalie) to play when you're not getting a lot of shots," Portland Coach Kevin Dineen said, "You need to stay focused throughout the game and (McKenna) did a good job of that."

It was McKenna's first start since Dec. 15. In the previous six games he served as a backup to Gerald Coleman.

"In college I went almost half a year without playing a game at one point," McKenna said. "As a goalie, if you're a good professional and you stay sharp in practice, you'll be ready at all times."

Portland got the only goal it needed 4:20 into the game when Ferguson squeezed past two defenders on the left side of the goal before deking goalie Jordan Parise and sticking the puck in the right side.

"I have more of a defensive role," said Ferguson, the only player on the Portland roster in his third season with the AHL team.

"But when you're not chipping in you want to be all the time. When you're not scoring you're thinking about it."

Brandon Segal put in two second-period goals to complete the scoring.

At 2:58, moments after helping to kill off a Lowell power play, Segal turned a feed from Matt Christie into his first goal during a two-on-two break.

At 13:27, Segal put a one-timer past Parise for his fifth goal after Christie sent a pass across the crease to him.

"Obviously we got some scoring from some different places tonight, so that's a nice bonus for us," Dineen said.

NOTES: Former Boston University forward John Laliberte of Saco signed a pro tryout contract with the AHL's Milwaukee Admirals after recording 15 goals and 13 assists in 29 games for the ECHL's Augusta Lynx. ... Left wing Jeff Tambellini was named the AHL player of the week after registering five goals and two assists for Bridgeport.

Staff Writer Paul Betit can be contacted at 725-8795 or at:
pbetit@pressherald.com