HARTFORD, Conn. — The Portland Pirates needed a shootout to beat the Connecticut Whale 4-3 Tuesday night at the XL Center.

Andrew Miele got the clinching goal when the shootout extended to sudden death following a 2-2 tie after five rounds.

The win moved the Pirates two points behind first-place Providence in the Atlantic Division.

Evan Brophey and Rob Klinkhammer also scored in the shootout for the Pirates. Brandon Segal and Brandon Mashinter were successful for the Whale.

Segal tied it at 3 with 23 seconds remaining in regulation after Connecticut pulled its goalie for an extra attacker.

Entering the game 22 of 30 teams in the league on the power play, Portland converted three in the first period, but finished 3 for 8.

Brandon Gormley scored on a slap shot at 6:19. Chris Brown banked a shot off the skate of goalie Cameron Talbot at 10:01 and Chris Connor scored from a tight angle with .9 seconds left before the first intermission.

Connecticut’s Chris Kreider tipped in a shot from Logan Pyett at 14:11 of the first, and moved the Whale to within 3-2.

Chad Johnson stopped 33 shots for Portland.

 

NOTES: Phoenix sent Brown back to the Pirates.

Brown, a 6-foot-2, 215-pound forward, made his NHL debut with the Coyotes Monday night against the Anaheim Ducks, becoming just the fifth player from Texas to play in the NHL.

In 52 games with the Pirates this season, Brown, 22, has 19 goals and 19 assists.

A native of Flower Mound, Texas, he was selected by the Coyotes in the second round in the 2009 NHL draft.