WILKES-BARRE, Pa. (AP) – Martin Brochu stopped 25-of-26 shots as the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins defeated the Portland Pirates 2-1 Wednesday night in the American Hockey League.

Michal Sivek and Michel Ouellet scored for the Penguins (7-7-1-2). Graham Mink scored for the Pirates (8-10-0-1).

Sivek took a centering pass from Colby Armstrong and gave the Penguins a 1-0 lead five minutes into the game. Sivek was playing his first game since breaking his left ring finger Oct. 17 in Syracuse.

Ouellet put the Penguins up 2-0 about five minutes later when he took a centering pass from Matt Murley and muscled the puck past the Portland goalie. Ouellet has goals in his last four games. Mink cut Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s lead to 2-1 six minutes into the third period when he beat Brochu after a scrum around the goal line.

Brochu was making his second start of the season for the Penguins.

He allowed four goals on 16 shots and was pulled in the second period of a 6-3 season-opening loss to the Norfolk Admirals on Oct. 8.

Brochu had his most successful season as a professional in a Portland uniform. He went 32-15-6 and was named the AHL MVP for the Pirates in 1999-2000.

AP-ES-11-26-03 2239EST