PORTLAND (AP) – Andrej Podkonicky scored a hat trick as the Portland Pirates defeated the Lowell Lock Monsters 6-3 Friday and clinched the fifth and final playoff berth in the American Hockey League’s Atlantic Division.

Boyd Gordon scored once and added an assist as the Pirates (30-27-13-8) scored a season-high six goals. Jim Henkel scored a goal and added an assist for Lowell (32-35-6-6).

The loss extended the Lock Monsters’ winless swoon to seven, and kept them out of the playoffs for the second consecutive year.

The teams were tied 2-2 at the first intermission, with Podkonicky and Gordon scoring for Portland, and Garrett Bembridge and Tomas Malec connecting for the Lock Monsters.

In the second period, after Jason Ulmer scored for Portland and Henkel tied it at three, Podkonicky netted the game-winner at 13:42.

Brad Parsons made it 5-3 Portland at 2:16 of the third period, and Podkonicky completed the hat trick by hitting an empty net with 2:17 remaining.