LEWISTON — The Portland Pirates skated with the St. John’s IceCaps for twenty minutes, but the IceCaps turned on the afterburners in the second period en route to a 7-5 victory at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee.

“We got dominated,” Portland Pirates head coach Ray Edwards said. “(St. John’s) were really good, they were fast, they executed, we had no answer for it.”

Veteran defenseman Rostislav Kesla put the Pirates up 1-0 nine minutes in with a blast from the left point for his second of the season. The goal was set up by Brandon McMillan and Jordan Martinook.

Shortly thereafter, the Pirates thought they had a 2-0 lead when a shot rang off the post. They stopped the action to review the play and quickly ruled the game would remain 1-0.

“We knew that wasn’t in,” Edwards said. “I don’t think it affected us from a mental stand point because nobody thought it was in. Sometimes when you think a goal should count it would affect you. Our bench knew right away it wasn’t in.”

Kyle MacKinnion crashed the net 2:29 after the Pirates goal to tie the game up at one. Blair Riley and JC Lipon picked up the assists on MacKinnion’s fifth tally of the year.

St. John’s pulled away in the second period as the Ice Caps scored two goals 61 seconds apart. The first goal came :23 seconds into the period as Andrew Gordon got a piece of Zach Redmond’ blast his sixth goal of the year. One minute later Brandon Kichton blasted in his tenth goal.

John Albert assisted on Redman’s goal and Andrew Gordon picked up a helper on Kichton’s goal.

The Pirates picked up their own power play marker when Andy Miele notched his 20th goal of the year as he was left all alone in front of the net. Chris Brown and Brandon Gormley assisted on the goal at the 2:35 mark.

Eric O’Dell picked up his 13th goal of the year to give St. John’s a 4-2 lead. Carl Klingberg and Kael Mouillierat picked up points on the goal at the 8:37 mark.

Andrew Gordon lit the lamp for the 18th time this season at the 13:17 mark.

Jaffrey notched his second assist of the period.

Lucas Lessio scored his first of the game with 6:23 remaining in the middle frame with Klesa and Chris Summers picking up assists..

Albert capped off the period with two goals.

Lessio notched his second of the game on the power play 8:54 into the third period. Brendan Shinnimin and Daine Todd were credited with the assists.

Portland was 2-for-6 on the power play while St. John’s was 1-for-7.

Brett Hextall put the Pirates within two as Daine Todd found him crashing to the net with 5:58 remaining in the contest. Gormley notched his second assist.

Suspensions handed down

The American Hockey League announced suspensions Tuesday as a result of the line brawl and subsequent fights near the end of Sunday’s Portland Pirates game against the Adirondack Phantoms.

The Phantoms received the bulk of the discipline arising from the melee.

Adirondack center Kris Newbury has been suspended for four games, goaltender Cal Heeter has been suspended for three games, left wing Zack FitzGerald has been suspended for two games, and center Ben Holmstrom and left wing Tye McGinn have been suspended for one game each for their roles in the fighting.

Portland right wing Kyle Hagel has been suspended for two games.

Hagel missed the Pirates’ game Tuesday, and will sit out Saturday at Manchester, as well.

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