Season review: Portsmouth Pirates

With the Pirates first round exit of the play-offs to the top-seeded Baby Beefs the Victory franchises season came to a close and it is with the farm team that we begin our annual review.

The Portsmouth Pirates posted 44-28-10 record, good enough to make the post-season party for the second successive year. Goaltending was once again sublime, a combined 11 shut-outs, though the young Nilsson was given more of break with Josh Harding handling most for the games before the young Swede was eased in for the play-off run.

The Pirates were once again all about defence conceding the fourth fewest goals in the league. Mark Pysk shot out of the traps from the blueline but despite a stellar defence the offence were unable to light up the opposition, especially with veteran Owen Nolan back and forth from the patients’ bed. Coach Murray asked Buff to intervene. Mid season several scoring forwards including James Van Riemsdyk, Fabian Brunnstrom, Nazem Kadri and Mikel Boedker arrived to add a considerable amount of firepower to the farm. The moves unsettled the team and a wretched 6 game losing streak pushed the Pirates back into the clutches of the chasing pack. But the team regained its composure with Nilsson in net and stormed back to the final play-off spot.

The Pirates drew the league leading Bedwell Baby Beefs in the first round. After comprehensively winning the first two games away from home (9-2) the Pirates looked set to cause a big upset. However they lost a number of close encounters resulting in a game 7. With only 2 seconds left on the clock in the 3rd period of regulation Austin Watson broke Portsmouth hearts to steal the series.

The team can count itself somewhat unfortunate to be on the golf course. Their three wins were by large margins (5-1, 4-1, 3-0) whilst three losses were all by the single goal (2-1, 2-1, 3-2). Owen Nolan rolled back the years to pot 7 goals in the series whilst Buffs first ever draft pick, Brett Connolly, broke out with 9 points and +8 rating. Lukas Krajicek and rookie Lance Pitlick also had outstanding campaigns from the blueline.

It is hoped that next season with a bit of time all the new forwards will settle in and the Pirates will regroup and make that final push to glory.