Nick Ross has been a good soldier for the Portland Pirates.

The Pirates defenseman has only appeared in one game this season, but hasn’t complained about the lack of playing time.

That’s not to say he’s not frustrated.

“I think if anyone is not playing on a regular basis you’re going to be a little frustrated,” he said, “but the key is not to let it show and just keep working hard. Sooner or later, if you are a good enough player, you’re going to catch a break and something good will happen.”

Ross is expected to be in the lineup tonight and plans to use that frustration to his advantage when the Pirates travel to Hartford, Connecticut for the first this season to face the Connecticut Whale.

“If you’re not frustrated with not playing on a regular basis then you don’t enough passion to play in the league,” he said. “I need to just stay ready and show what I can do when I get put into action.”

Pirates head coach Ray Edwards agreed.

“It’s a tough situation for those guys who don’t play, but that’s the reality of his role,” he said. “You could be eight or nine on the depth chart one day and the next week you’re four or five. There are a lot of stories of guys who have hung in there and have been patient with the right attitude and work ethic and they find way to get into the game and find a way not to be taken out of the lineup.”

“It looks likes that chance might be here so this where he needs to take the bull by the horns and grasp the opportunity and run with it.”

Ross, who was a first round draft pick (#30 overall) of the Pirates NHL parent club, the Phoenix Coyotes, in 2007, has taken part in every practice and has even stayed afterward, getting further instruction from Pirates assistant coach John Slaney, a 19-year veteran who spent two seasons with the Pirates in the early 90’s.

“This is my third year in this league and I’m always going to be ready,” said Ross who has a goal and eight assists for nine points in 81 AHL games. “It’s been a lot of practices and after practice skates, but hopefully when I get that chance I will be ready. I have to keep things simple and be ready when I get called on.”

Ross was a healthy scratch for the first seven games before getting into his only game of the year in St. John’s where he went scoreless, but finished with a plus-1 rating. Edwards wasn’t present to watch the game in person as he was attending to personal matters back at his home in Ontario, but overall was pleased with the game that Ross put forth.

“Based on watching the video he had some really good spurts and there were times when it looked like he was rusty, which is the way we sort of figured it would be with him because he hadn’t played,” said Edwards. “He’s trying to be patient and we’ve been expressing that to him that he needs to get himself ready to play, mentally, physically and emotionally.”

Ross’ return to the lineup comes as a result of several injuries and call ups, which has left the Pirates with only six healthy defensemen.

The Pirates will be without defensemen Nathan Oystrick and Max Goncharov for tonight’s game.

Oystrick is out because of an upper-body ailment, but Edwards said that he’ll be re-evaluated today and could return in time for the weekend as he took part in all practice drills minus any contact, while Goncharov was recalled to the Coyotes on Monday due to several players on the blueline dealing with bumps and bruises.

Mathieu Beaudoin, Brock Trotter and Ethan Werek are all expected to miss time indefinitely with upper-body injuries.

Werek had a little rougher week than expected after taking a high-stick to the mouth in last Tuesday’s game against Adirondack. He skated until the weekend, wearing a full cage when he developed an infection and needed to spend time in the hospital.

“He’s had a hell of a couple of days,” said Edwards. “He’s been in the hospital with an infection and he’ll be out for a little bit.”

The Pirates will also be without Justin Pogge, who is dealing with a lower-body injury and is listed as day-to-day.

“With this particular injury, he’s got to be 100 percent,” said Edwards. “You don’t want him to come back too early, so we’re just going to err on the side of caution. We’re not going to push him into a game or a situation where he’ll take a step back.”