PORTLAND, ME – Nic Dowd scored two goals, including the game winner in overtime, lifting the Monarchs to a 4-3 win over Portland at the Cross Insurance Arena on Friday night.
It was the first multi-goal game of Dowd’s pro career, and marked the second time this season he scored a game-winning goal in overtime (also, Nov. 28 vs. BRI).
Brian O’Neill had a team-high three points on three assists.
The Monarchs (45-16-6-2) improved to 7-2-0-1 in VIP Cup action against Portland (37-24-6-1) this season. Manchester has won its last three straight and 10 of its last 12 games overall beginning on Mar. 8 (10-1-1-0).
Portland took a 1-0 lead at 6:55 in the first when Brendan Shinnimin scored a shorthanded goal. Jordan Weal tied the score nine seconds later with a power-play strike at 7:04, his 19th goal of the season.
Dowd gave the Monarchs a 2-1 lead when he collected a loose puck in front of Mike McKenna and slipped a backhander past him at 13:41 in the first.
The Pirates scored two power-play goals in the second period to take a 3-2 lead. Shinnimin scored his second of the game on the man advantage at 11:20 to tie the score and Philip Samuelsson gave Portland the lead at 13:27.
Justin Auger knotted the game at 3-3, scoring his 12th goal of the season at 10:55 in the third period. O’Neill and Weal assisted on the goal.
Dowd ended the game during three-on-three play in the extra frame when he stole a pass in the Portland end and beat Mike McKenna at 3:28.
The Monarchs play again April 4 with a 7 p.m. game at Hartford. Manchester returns to the Verizon Wireless Arena on Apr. 10 when they host the Pirates at 7 p.m.
Notes:
- Brian O’Neill (3 assists) collected his 20th multi-point game of the season. It marked his most points in a game since another three-point effort on Mar. 13 at STJ.
- Jordan Weal (goal, assist) is now tied with Michael Cammalleri (168 points) for the fourth-most points in Monarchs team history. He also scored the 21st power-play goal of his career, tied for the seventh-most PP goals in club history with Gabe Gauthier.
- The Monarchs have gone to overtime 16 times this season. They have seven wins, six losses, one shootout win and two shootout losses in those games.
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