Buffalo, NY (WGR550)  -- The Portland Pirates welcomed the Rochester Americans into HSBC Arena and snapped the Amerks 11-game winning streak with a 6-3 win Thursday night.

Both netminders stood tall through the first 17 minutes of the first period, but late in the opening both teams got on the board. Mark Mancari started the scoring with a power play goal to give the Pirates a 1-0 lead. Philip Gogulla and Tyler Ennis assisted on the extra man tally. Less than twenty seconds later Jeff Taffe tied the game 1-1. The veterans even strength goal was assisted by Jamie Johnson. Johnson then gave Rochester a 2-1 advantage with less than 30 seconds remaining in the period. Taffe and Jason Garrison were credited with assists.

Paul Byron evened the game at 2-2 with a short-handed goal early in the second period. Cody McCormick was given an assist on the equalizer. Gogulla’s third goal of the season gave Portland a 3-2 lead midway through the second. Ennis and Mancari assisted on the goal. Derek Whitmore upped the lead to 4-2 with his third of the season. Amerks’ starting goaltender Alexander Salak was pulled after allowing the fourth goal and was replaced by Chris Beckford-Tseu.

Beckford-Tseu was rudely welcomed to the game by allowing a goal on one of his first shots faced. Whitmore scored after stealing a pass inside of the Amerks defensive zone. McCormick beat the buzzer to give the Pirates 5-2 lead in the middle stanza. McCormick’s unassisted goal came with 3.5 seconds to go in the second.

Chris Taylor cut into the Portland lead with a power play goal late in the game. Johnson and Mike York assisted on the goal that made the score 5-3 Portland. Kyle Wanvig iced the game with an empty net score to give the Pirates a 6-3 lead, which is how the game would end.

Jhonas Enroth made 23 saves on 26 Rochester shots. For the Amerks, Salak stopped 10 of 14 shots before being pulled in the second period and Beckford-Tseu turned away 8 shots in relief.

The same two teams will meet again at the Arena later in the season, on March 7^th.

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