Raymond Goal Lifts Senators Past Pirates 5-3

It was the call the wasn't made that was the difference, as the Binghamton Senatators defeated the Portland Pirates in Game 2 of the Atlantic Division Finals at the Cumberland County Civic Center. Bob Raymond scored the winning goal in transition late in the third period, after a linesman determined he was not offsides. Kaspars Daugavins scored his second goal into an empty

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net with just seconds left as the Senators scored 5 of the last 6 goals of the game to take a 2-0 series lead.

For the second game in a row it was the Pirates taking a 1-0 lead into the first intermission. Derek Whitmore scored 13 minutes in to give the Pirates the early lead. Mark Voakes and Maxime Legault assisted on the goal, and the Pirates were determined to take control of the game early after last night's let dwown. Jhonas Enroth stopped all 10 shots he saw in the period, as he got the start over Dave Leggio after getting sent down from Buffalo when the Sabres were knocked out of the NHL playoffs.

The Pirates extended the lead just over a minute into the second period, as Mark Snapped took a pass from Luke Adam and fired it past Binghamton goalie Robin Lehner. The Pirates kept up the offensive pressure as they had a 5-0 shot advantage through the first 7 minutes of the period.

The Pirates went on the power play 7:32 into the period, hoping to improve on a weak part of their game. They found a way to make a ineffective power play even more so, as Daugavins scored a shorthanded goal midway through the man advantage, cutting the Pirate lead in half. The Senators took the momentum and ran with it, just as they did in Game 1, as they tied it 3 minutes later. Zack Smith took a feed from Corey Locke and fired it past Enroth for the equalizer. It was Smith's second goal in as many games, as he keeps finding ways to put daggers through the hearts of Pirates fans.

After scoring with a man down and even strength, the Senators finished the scoring trifecta as Bobby Butler scored on the power play with under 4 minutes to go in the second period. After such a great start to the game and the period, the Pirates found themselves down a goal heading into the locker rooms. Facing them was a 2-0 series deficit and 3 games away from home to try and extend their season.

The line of Mancari, Adam, and Matt Ellis had a strong start to the third period, as the Pirates were looking to go down swinging in the final 20 minutes. Mancari would smack the Senators right in the mouth midway through the period, taking a shot from between the circles that zoomed past Lehner into the back of the net. The Pirates had some solid chances to take back the lead, as Adam failed to light the lamp on a breakaway with 7 minutes to go, and they couldn't take advantage of Lehner without a stick a couple minutes later.

Raymond did take advantage of a linesman's controversial non-call, as he put the game-winner past Enroth with 4 minutes to go. Pirates coach Kevin Dineen and Mancari both were livid after the game, feeling that the linesman took the game out of their hands. Daugavins added an empty-netter with 3.1 seconds left much to the chagrin of the Civic Center crowd.

It is now a tall task for the Pirates, as they must win 2 out of 3 games on the road to bring the series back to Portland.

Zack Smith was named the #3 Star of the Game after scoring the game-tying goal in the second period.

Mancari was named the #2 Star after scoring twice for the Pirates and playing what he said was a much better game than last night.

Raymond was named the #1 Star after scoring the game-winning goal late in the third period. He won't be Portland Pubic Enemy #1, as that honor goes to the most hated linesman in the Dineen household.

The teams get a day off as the series shifts to Binghamton for Game 3 on Saturday

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Coach Kevin Dineen	Pirates Mark Mancari
Pirates Matt Ellis	Pirates Jhonas Enroth