Loss forces Game 5 on Saturday.
PORTLAND, ME – Francis Wathier scored twice as the Pirates forced a Game 5 in Manchester after beating the Monarchs on Thursday night at the Cross Insurance Arena, 5-0.
It was Manchester’s (2-2) first shutout loss in the playoffs since Game 4 of the 2014 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals at Norfolk.
The Monarchs outshot the Pirates (2-2) 28-19, but went 0-for-6 on the power play. Portland went 1-for-3 on the man advantage.
Wathier, who scored the game-winning goal in Game 3, broke a scoreless tie at 19:05 in the first period. He was set up in front of the Manchester net by Eric Selleck.
Portland took a 2-0 lead at 8:59 in the second period when Brendan Shinnimin’s shot deflected straight up over J.F. Berube and bounced into the Monarchs’ goal. It was Shinnimin’s second goal of the series.
The Pirates made it 3-0 when Patrick McNeill scored on a 5-on-3 power play at 13:11 in the second period. A Ryan Horvat tripping penalty and Brian O’Neill delay of game set up the two-man advantage.
Wathier’s second goal of the game and third of the series came on a slap shot 46 seconds into the third period to extend the lead to 4-0.
Brendan Perlini scored the fifth and final goal of the game at 18:41 in the third. It was the first professional goal of his career.
The decisive Game 5 will be played on Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Verizon Wireless Arena.
Notes:
- The five-goal loss was Manchester’s widest margin of defeat in a playoff game since falling to Hershey 7-2 in Game 1 of the 2007 Eastern Conference Finals.
- The Monarchs have now lost five consecutive postseason games in which they had an opportunity to win the series, beginning in 2011.
- Tonight was the fourth time in team history the Monarchs were shut out in a playoff game.
- The home team has won all four games of this series and the team that scores first is also 4-0.
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