Maine news, sports, weather from Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram, Portland, Maine

Pirates can't hold lead, lose 5-4 at Bridgeport

From staff reports

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. – Trevor Smith scored his second goal of the game with 8:24 remaining to give the Bridgeport Sound Tigers a 5-4 victory Friday night over the Portland Pirates.

The Pirates got second-period goals from Marc-Andre Gragnani and Philip Gogulla to take a 4-3 lead, but two former University of New Hampshire players rallied Bridgeport in the third period.

Mike Radja scored on a short-handed breakaway to tie the game at 5:33, and Smith converted a centering pass from Tyler Haskins for the go-ahead goal.

Smith opened the scoring 1:29 into the game, jamming his rebound past Pirates goalie J.P. Lamoureux.

Portland defenseman Mike Weber tied it with his third goal of the season at 4:25. Tomas Marcinko capitalized on a turnover by the Pirates in their zone to restore Bridgeport's lead, but Nathan Gerbe knocked in his rebound for his ninth goal of the season to make it 2-2 after one period.

Matt Martin scored a power-play goal for Bridgeport early in the second period.

Lamoureux finished with 26 saves, and Nathan Lawson stopped 28 shots for the Sound Tigers.