The Manchester Monarchs wasted an opportunity toward their quest for a post-season playoff berth.

Sena Acolatse tallied two third-period power play goals as the Worcester Sharks upended the Monarchs, 4-1, in an American Hockey League Atlantic Division contest Tuesday night at the DCU Center in Worcester, Mass.

The loss left Manchester (36-32-2-3, 77 points) and the Portland Pirates (34-30-4-5) tied for the eighth and final playoff berth in the Eastern Conference. Both teams have three games remaining in the regular season.

The Pirates will host Connecticut tonight at 6:30. Portland will host the Hershey Bears on Friday at 7 p.m. and will close out the season against the Bruins in Providence on Sunday at 4 p.m.

Manchester doesn't play until Friday when it plays its last road game of the regular season on Friday at 7 p.m. against Connecticut. Manchester will host Hershey on Saturday at 3 p.m. and close out the regular season on Sunday at 3 p.m. hosting Atlantic Division-leading St. John's.

Adirondack (76 points) and Providence (75 points) are also alive for a playoff berth heading into the final weekend of action.

The Monarchs took a season-high 50 shots but only got one past goalie Harri Sateri.

Sebastian Stalberg gave the Sharks a 1-0 first period lead just 5:26 into the contest. It appeared it would hold up for the remainder of the game until Acolatse tallied a power-play goal at the 14:51 mark of the third period.

David Meckler answered with a power play goal at the 17:05 mark, his seventh of the season to cut the lead to 2-1. Pat Mullen and Lindn Vey assisted on the play for Manchester.

But Worcester salted the game away as Acolatse tallied his eighth season goal on the power play at 18:35 followed by an empty tally by Ben Guite in the final 15 seconds.

Manchester goalie Jeff Zatkoff stopped 29 shots, giving up three goals in the loss.

Before the game the Los Angeles Kings announced forward Andrei Loktionov has been recalled from the Monarchs.

Loktionov, 21, appeared in 39 regular season games with the Kings this season, recording seven points with three goals and four assists.

He played in 32 games with Manchester this season, recording 20 points including 15 assists.

Loktionov was originally selected by the Kings in the fifth round (123rd overall) in the 2008 NHL entry draft.