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Portland fails to take advantage of five power-play opportunities and loses 3-2 to Bridgeport.

By PAUL BETIT, Staff Writer November 1, 2009

PORTLAND — Bridgeport handed the Portland Pirates their first home loss of the season Saturday night.

The Sound Tigers rode an opportunistic offense and solid defense to a 3-2 victory before a crowd of 2,567 at the Cumberland County Civic Center.

The loss came one night after the Pirates beat Lowell 3-2 in overtime to run their unbeaten streak to three games at the Civic Center.

"It's weird how that works," Portland Coach Kevin Dineen said, "how you are unhappy one night and you end up with two points, and then just the opposite happens.

"I've got to at least acknowledge that we had a high compete level tonight, and I'd like to think when you work that hard good things will follow. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case."

The Pirates held a 29-20 edge in shots, but they came up empty on five power-play opportunities, and that was the difference in the game.

The Sound Tigers took the lead 6:44 into the game when Trevor Smith poked in a rebound for his fourth goal of the season, moments after Portland left wing Nathan Gerbe was called for tripping.

Less than three minutes into the second period, Mark McCutcheon, who joined the Pirates last weekend after starting the season with the ECHL's Idaho Steelheads, tied the score by flicking in a shot from the left side. Mark Mancari, who leads the team with eight assists, set up the goal with a pass from behind the net.

Bridgeport, the second-place team in the AHL's Atlantic Division, took the lead for good 10:55 into the second period when Greg Mauldin put in a quick shot from the slot for his third goal of the season.

During the first two periods, Bridgeport limited Portland's top line of Gerbe, right wing Kyle Wanvig and rookie Tyler Ennis to four shots. While recovering from a slight injury, Gerbe missed a few shifts in the third period.

The Sound Tigers also limited the Pirates to five shots during their four first-period power plays.

"There are mistakes we continue to make and they keep biting us in the tail," Dineen said.

One of those mistakes came nine minutes into the third period when right wing Matt Martin, one of eight rookies in the Bridgeport lineup, intercepted a clearing pass and scored his first goal on a shot from the left circle to make it 3-1.

With 2:10 left, McCutcheon's shot from behind the net deflected in off a defender.

NOTES: Former University of Maine center Greg Moore has five goals and three assists to share the scoring lead for Bridgeport. Moore, who grew up in Lisbon, signed last summer with the New York Islanders' organization after spending the past four AHL seasons with Hartford. The Bridgeport lineup also included veteran left wing Trevor Gillies, who spent two seasons with the Pirates. Portland center Cody McCormick completed a five-game suspension for coming off the bench to instigate a fight during a game in Providence.

Staff Writer Paul Betit can be contacted at 791-6424 or at:

pbetit@pressherald.com