PROVIDENCE, R.I.(AP) – Rich Brennan scored his first two goals of the season as the Providence Bruins beat the Portland Pirates, 4-3, on Friday night.

Brennan, who had missed 15 games with a groin injury, scored both goals in the first period which ended with the Bruins leading 4-2.

His first goal came on a power play at 10:47, when he beat Maxime Ouellet on a wrist shot, and gave Providence a 2-0 lead. Brennan’s second goal came at 13:28 when his wrist shot from just outside the crease squirted through Ouellet’s pads. After Portland’s Mike Pudlick scored a short-handed goal at 17:24, Kris Vernarsky scored what proved to be the game-winner with six seconds left in the period, on a breakaway.

Portland pulled within 4-3 at 4:06 of the second period on a power-play goal by Jason Ulmer. Providence’s Martin Samuelsson score the Bruins’ first goal at 8:16 of the first period and assisted on Brennan’s second goal. Providence goalie Hannu Toivonen made 17 saves for the victory.

AP-ES-11-28-03 2208EST