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Portland Pirates Clinch Calder Cup Playoff Spot

By William Grigsby

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Portland Pirates Are In The Calder Cup Playoffs… Just Barely

They waited until the last regular season game to clinch a spot in the playoffs, but they did it! A 5-4 gutsy win on the road vs Worcester did the trick. They finished one point ahead of Springfield, who ironically will be the affiliate team for the Arizona Coyotes starting next season.

The Portland Pirates had to also play catch-up in this game, falling behind 3-1, and 4-2, before scoring three unanswered goals to take the important win. They needed just one point to eliminate the Springfield Falcons from the playoffs.

Season long scoring leader for the Pirates, Alex Bolduc scored the winning goal with just 42.2 seconds remaining in the game. He gobbled up a turnover and tallied his 23rd team leading goal high to the goalie’s stick side, sealing the victory. Henrik Samuelsson collected two goals also, when he tied the game at 6:46 of the third period. He buried a feed from Christian Dvorak, playing in just his second pro game.

Dvorak set up Samuelsson’s 18th goal of the season after he collected a blocked shot off the stick Henrik’s older brother, Philip Samuelsson, and found Henrik in the middle of the slot for a one-timer. The Pirates scored first just 59 seconds into the game when Christian Dvorak netted his first pro goal on a tip-in with assists from Henrik Samuelsson and McNeill.

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Brendan Shinnimin also scored on a slap-shot at 10:52 of the second period to pull Portland to within one goal again. Shinnimin’s 22nd goal of the season was assisted by Dylan Reese and Klas Dahlbeck.

So, it appears that the roster additions the parent Arizona Coyotes supplied Portland paid off with high dividends. Qualifying for the playoffs is why the players play all season long in any professional sport. Christian Dvorak has been a player the Arizona Coyotes want to evaluate, and he showed what he can do at the professional level. It will be interesting to see what he accomplishes in the playoffs.

Klas Dahlbeck was another player sent to Portland to get some additional experience and ice time. He seems to be a player the Arizona Coyotes are high on as well, seeing as how they gave up Antoine Vermette to get him. I like his size and toughness, and that he seems very stable and collected on the blue-line.

Laurent Dauphin was also sent to Portland to get some additional work, and he scored a goal in four games as well.

Getting the playoff experience for all these players will only allow them to hone their skills for the possibility of playing next season, or soon after that with the Arizona Coyotes club.

Now… it’s on to face the Manchester Monarchs in the first round of the Calder Cup playoffs for 2015. The AHL plays this first round as a best of five games scenario, and the Monarchs are a very tough opponent for the Portland Pirates. The Pirates went 5-8 vs the Monarchs during the regular season, but this is the playoffs. And, since I hold no special affection (to the contrary) for the L.A. Kings’ affiliate I wish the Portland Pirates good fortune.

It would be nice to beat them, I gotta say…more as the playoffs transpire.. stay tuned.

GO PIRATES ! ! DETHRONE THE MONARCHS !!!

Next: Portland Pirates Clinging To Last Playoff Spot

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