MANCHESTER, N.H. — Justin Auger recorded his first multi-goal game, and the Eastern Conference-leading Manchester Monarchs held off the Portland Pirates for a 3-1 American Hockey League victory at the Verizon Wireless Arena on Sunday.
The Monarchs improved to 6-2-0-1 against Portland this year, clinching at least split in the VIP Cup series.
The loss snapped a 10-game point streak for the Pirates, whose last regulation setback came at home on Feb. 22 against St. John’s.
Goalie David Leggio (27 saves) kept it close early for the slow-starting Pirates, who were coming off overtime losses to Hershey on Friday and Saturday at Cross Insurance Arena.
Manchester had a 13-5 edge in shots in the first period, but didn’t beat Leggio until a two-goal flurry late in the second.
Following a bad Pirates line change, Sean Backman put in a slapshot with 2:57 left in the period. Just 1:52 later, Auger scored off Brian O’Neill’s faceoff win.
The Pirates drew within one midway through the third when Jordan Martinook deflected Alexandre Bolduc’s shot past Jean-Francois Berube (22 saves).
Auger sealed it with a shot from the slot with a minute left.
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