ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Mike McKenna not only stopped 45 shots, he assisted on two goals as the Portland Pirates snapped a three-game losing streak Friday night with a 3-1 win over the Lehigh Valley Phantoms at the PPL Center.
McKenna earned a second assist on Rocco Grimaldi’s 10th goal with 2:20 left in the second period and set up Greg McKegg for a short-handed empty-netter with 11 seconds remaining.
Wayne Simpson also assisted on Grimaldi’s goal.
McKenna’s saves total matched the team’s season-best, set by Sam Brittain in a 2-1 overtime win at Providence.
McKenna made 40 saves in a 4-1 win at St. John’s on Jan. 9.
McKenna stopped 20 shots in the second period, during which Chris Connor scored the lone goal for the Phantoms on a power play.
Kyle Rau scored his 16th goal, from Grimaldi and Michael Matheson, 7:57 into the game.
Lehigh Valley outshot the Pirates 46-22.
The Pirates killed off four power plays and were 0 for 1 with the man advantage.
NOTES: The Florida Panthers recalled forward John McFarland and reassigned forward Corban Knight to Portland. The Pirates reassigned forward Steven Hodges to Manchester of the ECHL.
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