By Brian Ring
Hartford, CT, April 3, 2011 – The Connecticut Whale defeated the Portland Pirates, 4-2, at the XL Center Sunday afternoon, before a crowd of 4,321. The victory snapped a four-game skid for the Whale, and enabled Connecticut to maintain their hold on third place in the AHL’s Atlantic Division.
Dale Weise scored twice for the Whale and Mats Zuccarello had two assists to lead the way for Connecticut.
With the win, the Whale (39-30-2-6, 86 points) remained two points ahead of the Worcester Sharks for the third-place spot. The Sharks defeated the Providence Bruins on Sunday, 2-1 in Providence.
The Whale took control of the game early in the first period, scoring twice before the game was four minutes old. Jeremy Williams recorded his 31st goal of the season on a wrist shot that beat Portland goaltender David Leggio (43 saves) to his blocker-side at 3:31. Zuccarello earned his third assist in three games since rejoining the Whale from the Rangers on the play, as he slid a pass to Williams, who was rushing down the center of the ice.
The Connecticut lead was extended to 2-0 just 22 seconds later, when Weise broke in and stickhandled around Portland defenseman Nick Crawford. Weise’s bid beat Leggio between his legs, the puck just trickling over the goal line for the two-goal advantage.
The Whale outshot the Pirates 23-7 in the period, setting a team season high for shots in one period of play.
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Derek Couture accounted for the only scoring of the second period, as he buried his own rebound lying behind Leggio at the 17:28 mark. Zuccarello earned his second assist of the night on the play, as he fed the waiting Couture from the corner. The goal was Couture’s sixth of the season, and the fourth in his last five games.
Weise extended the Whale lead with his second goal of the night, a shorthanded tally, 2:25 into the third period. Weise took the puck through the center of the ice as he crossed the blue line, this time beating Leggio to the goaltender’s right.
The Pirates (44-23-6-2, 96 points) recorded their first goal of the night at 12:46, as Colin Stuart beat Whale goaltender Dov Grumet-Morris (20 saves) on a disputed play that required the officials’ conferring with the goal judge. Kyle Ostrow and Corey Tropp both assisted on the goal, which resulted when Stuart’s shot hit Grumet-Morris and dropped behind him, nestling just inside the post to the Whale netminder’s right.
Portland got within two goals at 17:28, when Mark Parrish scored, deflecting in Alex Biega’s power-play point shot. Luke Adam also collected an assist on the goal.
The Whale put 47 shots on goal in the game, tying their season high.
The Whale will be back in action on Friday, when they meet the Bridgeport Sound Tigers at the Webster Bank Arena at Harbor Yard (7:00 PM). Connecticut will then host the Sound Tigers on Saturday at the XL Center (7:00 PM), before hosting the Norfolk Admirals on Sunday (5:00 PM), in the Whale’s final home stand of the regular season.
Portland Pirates 2 at Connecticut Whale 4
Sunday, April 3, 2011 – XL Center Veterans Memorial Coliseum
Portland 0 0 2 – 2
Connecticut 2 1 1 – 4
1st Period-1, Connecticut, Williams 31 (Zuccarello, Redden), 3:31. 2, Connecticut, Weise 17 3:53. Penalties-McCauley Por (fighting), 0:30; Nightingale Ct (fighting), 0:30; Dimmen Por (fighting), 5:36; Soryal Ct (cross-checking, fighting), 5:36; Conboy Por (roughing, roughing), 8:27; Gongalsky Por (fighting), 8:27; Scrymgeour Por (holding), 8:27; Bickel Ct (roughing, fighting, misconduct – continuing altercation), 8:27; Lagace Por (fighting), 13:25; Garlock Ct (fighting), 13:25; Couture Ct (holding), 15:54; Adam Por (slashing), 16:51.
2nd Period-3, Connecticut, Couture 6 (Zuccarello, Newbury), 17:28 (PP). Penalties-Voakes Por (hooking), 1:57; Niemi Ct (hooking), 2:10; Couture Ct (high-sticking), 5:28; Conboy Por (interference), 9:10; Biega Por (hooking), 9:33; Gongalsky Por (tripping), 16:06.
3rd Period-4, Connecticut, Weise 18 (Redden, Grachev), 2:25 (SH). 5, Portland, Stuart 15 (Ostrow, Crawford), 12:46. 6, Portland, Parrish 16 (Biega, Adam), 17:28 (PP). Penalties-Valentenko Ct (cross-checking), 1:15; Parlett Ct (hooking), 3:19; Conboy Por (misconduct – unsportsmanlike conduct), 13:19; Newbury Ct (misconduct – unsportsmanlike conduct), 13:19; Williams Ct (hooking), 16:34; Redden Ct (hooking), 19:21.
Shots on Goal-Portland 7-6-9-22. Connecticut 23-14-10-47.
Power Play Opportunities-Portland 1 / 8; Connecticut 1 / 7.
Goalies-Portland, Leggio 22-9-0 (47 shots-43 saves). Connecticut, Grumet-Morris 11-5-1 (22 shots-20 saves).
A-4,321
Referees-Chris Cozzan (18), Ryan Fraser (14).
Linesmen-David Spannaus (8), Paul Simeon (66).
