Worcester, MA- The Pirates finished off their road swing with a 5-3 win over the Sharks. Nathan Gerbe picked up his first career hat trick with three goals, including the game winner. Gerbe also added an assist. Fellow rookie Jhonas Enroth stopped 27 shots to pick up his third consecutive win in the first game of the 2008-2009 Unum Challenge.

The Pirates and the Worcester Sharks will battle through a 10 game series for the Unum Cup, with the Pirates and Unum donating funds to a local charity or community program with each ticket sold. A fan at each game will be named the Unum Fan of the Game and receive a jersey and five tickets to a future game. At the end of the series, one fan from each city who guessed the correct total will be named the Grand Prize Winner, receiving a prize and the chance to help present the Cup to the winning team.

The Pirates started slow in their fourth consecutive road game, as it took Portland nine minutes and 23 seconds to register a shot on goal. It only took the Pirates one shot to register a goal though, as Mark Mancari scored his sixth of the year from Mathieu Darche and Tim Kennedy. The assist gave Darche five points in his last three games, while Kennedy's helper continued his scoring streak. The rookie's league high point streak now sits at 9.

The Sharks would come right back though, as Tom Cavanagh scored a mere 15 seconds later when he beat Pirates goaltender Jhonas Enroth on the glove side for his fourth goal of the year. Cory Larose and Ryan Vesce picked up the assists.

Nathan Gerbe closed the first period scoring around nine minutes later, after the rebound from a Tim Kennedy shot landed on Gerbe's stick on the ride side. The rookie fired it into the top corner for his eighth goal of the season. The goal came on a 5-on-3 power play for the Pirates, as Gerbe scored for the sixth time this year on the man advantage. Tim Kennedy and Mark Mancari picked up the assists.

The Pirates added to their lead 7:41 into the second period, and it was the same three players combining for the goal. Mancari took a cross ice feed from Gerbe on the power play and put a quick wrister behind Greiss from the left wing for his second goal of the night and his 7th of the season. Gerbe and Kennedy picked up the assists.

Worcester responded late in the period, as Steevn Zalewski picked up a rebound on the right wing and put it past Jhonas Enroth, who was out of position from the original save. Mike Morris and Lukas Kaspar recorded assists on the play.

The Sharks wouldn't go away without a fight though, as Mike Morris tied the game at 3 four and half minutes into the final period with his third goal of the year from Ryan Vesce and Steven Zalewski. Portland wouldn't let things stay even for long though. Nathan Gerbe scored his ninth of the year unassisted when he stole a pass moving across the Sharks' blueline to create a partial breakaway. Gerbe put a wrister past Greiss to give the Pirates at 4-3 lead. That would be all they'd need as Enroth made several spectacular saves down the stretch and Gerbe capped things off with a breakaway goal into an empty net with 14 seconds left to finish off his hat trick. Mancari picked up an assist on the last goal of the evening.

Enroth picked up the 5-3 victory with 27 saves and improves to 4-1-0-0. Worcester netminder Thomas Greiss drops to 4-5-0-0 on the year with the loss. Greiss made 20 saves in the losing effort.

Allied Home Mortgage Three Stars of the Game: 1. Mark Mancari (POR) 2. Nathan Gerbe (POR) 3. Mike Morris (WOR)

Notes: Tim Kennedy extended his scoring streak to nine games. Nathan Gerbe registered his first career hat trick and now has 10 goals on the season. Gerbe continued to be deadly on the power play as well with his league leading sixth goal with the extra attacker. Attendance: 2,202.

The Pirates next game is Friday, November 7th when Portland returns home to take on the Springfield Falcons. For tickets visit www.portlandpirates.com or call the Pirates at (207)-828-4665, ext. 350. It will be a Forecaster Friday Family Night, as fans can take the family to the game for only $35 by bringing the coupon from the Forecaster to the Civic Center Box Office.

Fans can also follow the Pirates on U.S. Cellular Pirates Radio Network or watch the game LIVE on the internet courtesy of AHL Live by clicking the icon on the left side of the home page. The U.S. Cellular Pirates Radio Network includes the Pirates flagship station, the Bay 1400AM and 1490AM (Portland) and affiliates WEZR 1240 AM (Lewiston-Auburn), WTME 780AM (Rumford) and WKTQ 1450AM (South Paris).