SPRINGFIELD, Mass – For those who reside in the northeastern part of the United States, late February brings a collective anticipation. The days become gradually longer and the onset of spring is closer to realization. Such is not the case for a handful of teams in the American Hockey League’s Eastern Conference who aspire to garner entry into the Calder Cup playoffs come season’s end. Time is not an ally. The stark reality of the situation states that each of the remaining games heading into the stretch requires a heightened sense of urgency.
Currently, seven teams are essentially jockeying for spots six through eight for an invite to the postseason table. Human nature would suggest that “what if’s” of games past occupy the thoughts of coaches as the campaign winds down. That’s hardly the case for Portland Pirates coach Ray Edwards who is all about moving forward.
“We know it’s going down to the wire,” said Edwards whose team has experienced the fluidity of hovering between seventh and tenth place on a near nightly basis. “No doubt that we will lose some games along the way now, but we can’t let it snowball, get out of hand.”
As the week reached midpoint, the Pirates, following a 4-3 victory Wednesday night at home over Worcester closed to within one of the Sharks and eighth place Bridgeport who have 55 points apiece. Portland is situated two points ahead of both Albany and Providence who reside in tenth and eleventh respectively.
Following a visit to Providence’s Dunkin Donuts Center last weekend that resulted in an agonizing 6-3 loss to the Bruins, Edwards told Prohockeynews the need to focus on error free hockey is paramount. “We made a number of mistakes that probably gave them four goals. You can not play that type of hockey in February and expect to make the playoffs. We have to get back on the horse and find ways to get points,” he said.
Among the aforementioned teams only Bridgeport and Providence have recently show interest in aiding their respective causes. The Sound Tigers at 8-1-0-1 and the Bruins (6-2-2-0) are the only clubs in the chasing group who have a better than .500 slate over their previous ten outings.
The Pirates tilt with Providence proved to be the first of three consecutive road losses. However, the Pirates power play which has been ranked in the lower tier of the AHL and has been a sticking point all season (21st/15.9 pct.) hinted at a revival of sorts by striking on three of ten opportunities during the skid.
Edwards is insistent that his man advantage unit can get it going in the remaining 20 plus games saying “we have that the guys on the ice that know what we need to do and get it done.”
Edwards proved prophetic in Wednesday’s Portland victory as his club got on track first on a power play marker by blue liner David Rundblad. At 7:16 of the opening period. Rundblad, the Lycksele, Sweden native who was sent down from the parent Phoenix Coyotes on January 13, has reordered 6-4-10 numbers in his 14 games since his move to Portland. Comment@prohockeynews.com
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