Tom Rowe and Scott Allen had their suspicions about this Portland Pirates hockey team.

The work ethic was there. Same for the skills. But what coaches see in practice and through training camp doesn’t always translate to the ice once the season begins.

Sunday afternoon, the Pirates again beat a quality opponent, handing the Hershey Bears a 5-2 loss before a crowd of 1,664 at Cross Insurance Arena.

The victory completed a weekend sweep for the Pirates (2-1), who won their home opener less than 24 hours earlier against Hershey, 3-2.

“It only solidifies what Scott and I thought,” Rowe said of his assistant coach, “we’re a hard-working team with skill. But you’ve got to work hard to be successful. I thought we got what we deserved.”

After trailing in each of their first two games, including a 6-4 loss at Providence the previous weekend, the Pirates jumped to a 3-0 lead in Sunday’s matinee while sporting black throwback jerseys from their first season in Portland – 1993-94.

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Two of those goals came from Rob Schremp, on a power play in the first period and a four-on-four situation midway through the second.

Shane Harper and MacKenzie Weegar assisted on the first goal, with Rob Flick screening Hershey goalie Dan Ellis.

“(Flick) had the goalie’s eyes,” Schremp said. “I saw a little corner and just shot it there.”

Harper also set the stage for Schremp’s second goal, on a wide-open net after Cameron Gaunce faked a shot and instead fed Schremp.

“We have a lot of good components on that line, with Harpy’s speed and Flick’s body,” Schremp said. “He’s a powerful kid and it’s hard to move him around. So when he gets in those corners, he stops defensemen from getting it out, and then Harps and I get to make plays around him.”

Kyle Rau, playing left wing on the third line, also scored twice from close range. The first goal was early in the second period on an assist from behind the net by Wayne Simpson. The second came late in the period in response to Hershey’s first goal, putting the Pirates ahead 4-1 entering the third. Simpson and defenseman Mike Matheson assisted.

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“I got the rebound (from Matheson’s shot) and no one was around me,” Rau said, “so I had a little time to put it where I wanted it.”

After Hershey cut the lead to 4-2 five minutes into the third, John McFarland iced the victory with a successful penalty shot after being hauled down on a breakaway with three minutes left.

Making his first start of the season, Sam Brittain made 17 saves for the Pirates and was helped by the post in the first period and the crossbar in the second.

“Sometimes they bounce out, which is nice,” said Brittain, who also credited his defensemen. “They didn’t give up any rebound chances. Everything I kicked out, they cleared. I know in the first (period), Cam Gaunce had a huge block on a prime scoring chance.”

The Pirates have a home-and-away series next weekend with Albany, at home Friday night and in New York on Saturday.

After going 0 for 3 on the penalty kill in their season opener against Providence, the Pirates allowed only one power-play goal this weekend. Hershey only had one opportunity Sunday.

“That’s a high-end team,” Rowe said of Hershey. “They have a lot of good players over there. I thought we handled (their late pressure) a little better (Sunday), but we’ve still got a little work to do in that area.”

 


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