LOWELL, Mass. (AP) – Harold Druken scored twice to lead the Lowell Lock Monsters to a 4-2 victory over the Portland Pirates Thursday in an American Hockey League game.

Lowell (18-46-7-3) scored on two of its first seven shots to take a 2-0 lead 10:30 into the game. On Lowell’s first goal, Mike Watt hit the right post, but Rustyn Dolyny swept in the rebound. Watt later set up Druken, who scored on a backhand from the slot past Portland goalie Maxime Ouellet (26 saves).

Portland (31-26-12-5) cut the lead to 2-1 when Glen Metropolit circled from behind the net and stuffed a shot past Randy Petruk (34 saves) late in the first period.

Lowell extended its lead to 3-1 with the only goal of the second period, as Daniel Goneau scored his first goal in seven games with the Lock Monsters when he redirected a wrist shot by Steve Halko past Ouellet.

Portland made it a one-goal game when Colin Forbes scored his 22nd goal of the season with the Pirates on a power play at 6:11 of the third period before Druken’s sealed the win with an empty net goal with just under a minute left.

AP-ES-03-27-03 2241EST