HARTFORD, Conn. – The Portland Pirates had their chances, not just to take control of the game, but to take command of their best-of-seven AHL Atlantic Division semifinal series.

But after Sunday’s 3-1 loss to the Connecticut Whale at the XL Center, the Pirates could only reflect on what could have been: the three posts they hit, and one fruitless penalty shot.

The Pirates outshot the Whale 30-22 and had plenty of quality scoring opportunities in the second period. But the Whale cut Portland’s series lead to 2-1 behind Dov Grumet-Morris’ goaltending and goals by Tommy Grant, Derek Couture and John Mitchell.

“We had quite a few chances,” Portland right wing Mark Parrish said. “But that’s the playoffs. Sometimes you run into goalies that are hot and sometimes you can’t quite find a way to get by them.

“But you’ve just got to keep that even keel and not get frustrated and come back and get them again.”

With the Pirates trailing 3-1, Parrish was awarded a penalty shot with 5:38 left in the third after a Whale defenseman covered the puck in the goal crease.

“I could hear (Jamie) Koharski, the ref, yelling, ‘Penalty shot!’ before he actually signaled for the penalty shot,” Grumet-Morris said. “I knew right away that was coming. From his perspective, it looked like our man was on top of the puck.”

Parrish weaved to the right side of the ice, and Grumet-Morris (29 saves) sprawled to stop the shot, which was low to the right side.

“I certainly knew the situation and what was going on,” Parrish said. “I wanted to score. But it is what it is.”

After applying pressure in the Pirates’ end of the ice early in the game, the Whale took a 1-0 lead at 3:03 when Ryan Garlock’s pass from the right side of the goal banked off Grant’s skate and past Pirates goalie David Leggio (19 saves).

Late in the first, Mark Voakes picked up a loose puck deep in the slot and beat Grumet-Morris with 52.6 seconds left to tie the game.

The Pirates had several prime scoring chances in a second period in which they outshot the Whale 13-5, including a three-on-one in the third minute. A shot by Maxime Legault hit Grumet-Morris square in the chest with less than four minutes left.

“The most important position on the ice is goaltending,” Parrish said. “They know it and they look at the playoffs just like the rest of us do as a time to shine. Both the goalies in the series, I thought, have played fantastic.”

Tangled in traffic in front of the goal with 3:37 left in the second, Couture picked up a rebound and beat Leggio on a backhand to give the Whale a 2-1 lead.

After Couture’s goal, the Pirates couldn’t set up during 1:42 of power-play time at the start of the third period, a carryover from when Pavel Valentenko was called for hooking with 18 seconds left in the second.

“I thought we had good assertive play (in the second),” Portland Coach Kevin Dineen said. “I think we had some confidence and we made a good push.

“We started the third on a power play and that didn’t work out very well. That was a little bit of a turning point in the game.”

At 9:22 of the third, Mitchell scored an insurance goal during a power play.

“We got a couple bounces and they didn’t,” said Grumet-Morris. Certainly, Portland could have tied the game very easily. But it’s a playoff series, and now it’s 2-1.” 

NOTES: The Buffalo Sabres re-assigned right wing Mark Mancari and defenseman Dennis Persson to the Pirates, and both were in uniform. … After going 2 for 5 on the power play in Game 1, Portland has gone 0 for 15 in the last two games.

Staff Writer Rachel Lenzi can be reached at 791-6415 or at:

rlenzi@mainetoday.com