PORTLAND – The last regular-season game for the Portland Pirates ended on a bit of a sour note Sunday afternoon.
Nikita Filatov scored three minutes into overtime to give the Springfield Falcons a 2-1 win before a crowd of 7,051 at the Cumberland County Civic Center.
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“I think we wore out there at the end of the game,” Portland Pirates Coach Kevin Dineen said. “That was a tough way to finish.”
It was the seventh game in nine days for the Pirates, who clinched their first Atlantic Division championship since 2006 with a 2-1 shootout victory Saturday night at Albany.
“Seven games in nine days is just a horrendous way to finish (the season), and it showed there at the end,” Dineen said. “What are you going to do? The games are on the schedule, and you have to find a way to play them.”
While the game was meaningless in the final standings, there was no lack of effort on the part of the Pirates, who open a best-of-seven playoff series Thursday night against the Connecticut Whale at the Civic Center.
“We’ve prided ourselves all year long on our work ethic,” veteran Portland center Mark Parrish said. “Whether the game is there or not, whether the plays are there, whether we can’t connect, whatever it may be, that’s something I’m real proud of this team. They come out and show up and compete every night.”
“Obviously, it would have been nice to win this game, and it was unfortunate the way we lost, but our sights are set on Connecticut on Thursday,” Portland left wing Derek Whitmore said. “The guys get a day off (Monday), and they get a chance to get refreshed. This is where the fun starts, and I think we’re excited.”
Portland rookie left wing Jacob Lagace opened the scoring three minutes into the second period. He was credited with his 10th goal of the season when his shot from the slot trickled inside the left post off the pads of goalie Paul Dainton.
Lagace is the 13th player to score 10 of more goals for the Pirates this season.
Portland, which held a 17-11 edge in shots at the end of the second period, carried the lead late into the third.
With 5:41 left in regulation, Thomas Kubalik scored his team-high 24th goal of the season for Springfield.
The Falcons outshot Portland 15-1 in the third period, and Filitov’s winning goal was the only shot by either team during overtime.
NOTES: After skating in the pregame warm-up, Tim Conboy didn’t play for the Pirates, but the veteran defenseman said he would be back in the lineup when the playoffs begin Thursday. … Forward Travis Turnbull, who had been out since Nov. 26 because of a shoulder injury, was in the Portland lineup for the second consecutive game. … A shoulder injury kept forward Dennis McCauley out of the lineup for the fourth consecutive game. … Former UMaine centers Ben Guite, who was playing in his 800th professional game, and Greg Moore, who grew up in Lisbon Falls, each had an assist for the Falcons.
Staff Writer Paul Betit can be contacted at 791-6424 or at:
pbetit@pressherald.com
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