PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Sometime before the AHL season ends, the Portland Pirates will score another power-play goal.

The Pirates went 0 for 5 on the power play during a 3-2 loss to the Providence Bruins on Sunday and are now 0 for their last 27 with a man advantage.

Portland’s second-period play underscored its inability to score with a man advantage, as the Pirates (8-8-0) came up empty on three power-play opportunities despite outshooting Providence 20-8.

“We had a bunch of power plays and we didn’t capitalize on them,” Pirates Coach Ray Edwards said. “We had a bunch of shots and a bunch of chances. But I didn’t think we did a good enough job getting in front of the net.

“When we have opportunities like that, one has to find a way to get in there. You try to put people in the right position to capitalize.”

Each team scored a short-handed goal in the first nine minutes.

Portland was a man down when Jordan Martinook stole the puck at Providence’s blue line and beat goalie Malcolm Subban (38 saves) with a high shot at 4:43 for the Pirates’ AHL-leading seventh short-handed goal.

The Bruins, however, answered at 8:59. Craig Cunningham stole the puck in the neutral zone and fed Tyler Randall, who cut in from the left wing and slid the puck under Mike McKenna (29 saves).

“That was a bad play in the half hole and we tried to force the puck,” Edwards said. “We had a lot of momentum and made a mistake.”

Providence took 2-1 lead into the first intermission on a goal by Jordan Caron.

David Pasternak, who was positioned in the left circle, slid a cross-ice pass to Caron, who deflected the puck inside the right post at 14:09.

Providence upped its lead to 3-1 at 7:00 of the second when Randell scored his second goal, this time on a slap shot from the top of the right circle.

Portland sliced the deficit in half at 8:25 of the third when Tyler Gaudet found Brendan Shinnimin in a traffic jam in front of the net and Shinnimin stuffed the puck past Subban.

The Pirates nearly tied the game in the closing seconds when Alexandre Bolduc’s shot got past Subban – after the final buzzer sounded.

“I thought the whole game was managed pretty well,” Edwards said. “We were in the game and had a chance at the end. It always comes down to little things and we made one more mistake than them.”

While the Pirates have struggled on the power play, they killed five Providence power play and have reeled off 18 consecutive penalty kills.

“The guys are doing a good job killing penalties,” Edwards said. “It’s giving us a chance to win games. I’d just not like to take as many (penalties).”

NOTES: Pirates goalie coach Alfie Michaud, who retired as a player after the 2012-13 season, served as McKenna’s back-up after Louis Domingue was injured Saturday in a 2-0 win over Albany.