Portland, ME – More than four hours after Game 3 began Rob Flick scored of an odd-man rush to give the Portland Pirates a 2-1 victory over the Hershey Bears in Game 3 of the Atlantic Division Semifinals Thursday Night at the GIANT Center. The triple over time contest snapped a 15 year-old franchise record by 64 seconds. The win gives the Pirates a 2-1 edge in the best-of-five series.
Flick accepted the pass from Rob Schremp before one-timing the shot from the right-wing circle that beat Justin Peters at 3:10 of the third overtime period.
For the second straight game it was a goaltenders duel with the first period ending in a scoreless deadlock.
Nathan Walker broke the stalemate converting on a nice feed from Dustin Gazley at 5:27 of the second period to give the Bears a 1-0 lead. That was the only goal Hershey could get past Mike McKenna as the netminder put on a show shutting the bears out over the final 77:43 of the contest.
The Pirates had six power-play opportunities in the frame but were unable find the back of the net.
Portland found the equalizer in the third period after killing of a big 5-on-3 Hershey advantage after Jonathan Racine was called for hooking followed by a Corban Knight infraction for high-sticking.
In his first game since being reassigned by the Florida Panthers on April 27, Greg McKegg beat two Hershey defenders before depositing the puck into the back of the net on a wrap around shot to knot the game 1-1 at 6:28 of the third period. Brett Olson collected his second playoff point on the play with the second assist going to Brent Regner.
Two extra overtime periods and a combined 84 shots wouldn’t be enough as neither team gave up many chances
The Pirates found the back breaker in the third OT when Rob Schremp feathered a saucer pass to Flick’s blade. The forward released the one-timer that banged off the inside right post and in, clinching the 2-1 Pirates win.
McKenna put on an impressive performance backstopping 41 saves to improve his playoff record 2-1. Peters stopped 42 shots splitting his record 1-1.
Portland was 0-for-9 with the man advantage; Hershey was 0-for-7.
At 103 minutes, 10 seconds, the game is now the longest in Portland Pirates history and the 20th longest Calder Cup Playoff game in AHL history. The old mark for longest Portland Pirates game was set on April 15, 2001 at the Cumberland County Civic Center, as the eventual Calder Cup Champion Saint John Flames finished off a three-game first round sweep of the Pirates with a 3-2 win at 2:06 of the third OT.
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