Devils Come From Behind to Sink Pirates, 3-2
January 7, 2009 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Albany Devils News Release
LOWELL, Mass. - Tyler Eckford's tally at 11:30 of the third period proved to be the decisive goal in a 3-2 win for the Lowell Devils against the Portland Pirates on Wednesday night at the Tsongas Arena. The win was Lowell's fifth in its last six games and the fourth in a row on home ice.
Down 2-1 after forty minutes of hockey, Nicklas Bergfors tied the contest at 7:11 of the third after a scramble in front of the Pirates' net. With linemates Petr Vrana and Ryan Murphy all pushing toward the crease, the puck caromed over to the near post where a wide-open Bergfors banged home his eighth of the season.
Bergfors then assisted on the game-winner over four minutes later, skating from behind the net and setting up Eckford for a one-timer from the near circle that beat goalie Jhonas Enroth clean to the glove side.
Marek Zagrapan broke a scoreless tie at 7:59 of the second with the first of his two goals on the night. The Portland center trailed into the Lowell zone on a 3-on-2 rush and wristed a pass from Colin Fretter through the five-hole of Jeff Fraze.
Lowell knotted the score less than two minutes after Zagrapan's goal after a turnover by the Pirates in their own zone. Eckford wound up and fired the puck from the blueline, but Enroth's pad save came directly to Alexander Vasyunov for the easy tap-in and his ninth goal of the year.
Portland took back its one-goal edge with 50.5 seconds until the second intermission on a power play goal by Zagrapan.
Frazee made 34 saves for his 11th win of the year. It was also the first time this season that the Devils had rallied for a victory when trailing after two periods and the first loss for the Pirates when holding the lead heading into the third.
• Discuss this story on the American Hockey League message board...
American Hockey League Stories from January 7, 2009
- Wolf Pack Lose to Moose in OT - Connecticut Whale
- Moose Shock Wolf Pack in OT, 3-2 - Manitoba Moose
- Rampage Power Past Wolves - Chicago Wolves
- Sound Tigers Beat Aeros in Shootout - Bridgeport Islanders
- Iowa Wins Defensive Battle With Rivermen - Peoria Rivermen
- Griffins Stave Off IceHogs in Shootout, 6-5 - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Rampage Top Chicago 5-3 on Wednesday - San Antonio Rampage
- Admirals Fall to Bears 3-2 - Norfolk Admirals
- Houston's Dramatic Finish Earns a Point in 4-3 Shootout Loss in Bridgeport - Houston Aeros
- Monarchs Bear Down On Bruins - Manchester Monarchs
- Chops Move Into Sole Possession of 2nd Place with Big 3-1 Win - Iowa Chops
- Hogs Battle Back in Grand Rapids, Fall in Shootout - Rockford IceHogs
- Devils Come From Behind to Sink Pirates, 3-2 - Albany Devils
- 2009 Great Skate Winterfest at Rosa Parks Circle This Weekend - Grand Rapids Griffins
- P-Bruins Fall To Monarchs in Overtime 3-2 - Providence Bruins
- Coyotes Recall Murray from San Antonio - San Antonio Rampage
- Devils Rally Past Pirates 3-2 - Portland Pirates
- Sifers Named To PlanetUSA Team - Toronto Marlies
- Milwaukee Admirals Go for 11th Straight Home Win Thursday - Milwaukee Admirals
- Wolves Bring Back Gherson - Chicago Wolves
- Crunch Players to Sign Autographs at Papa John's - Syracuse Crunch
- Ottawa Recalls Defenseman Matt Carkner - Binghamton Senators
- Kontiola Named All-Star; Hogs face Griffins Tonight - Rockford IceHogs
- Jonas Junland Named to All-Star Team - Peoria Rivermen
- Nikita Filatov Named to PlanetUSA Starting Lineup for 2009 AHL All-Star Classic - Syracuse Crunch
- Donate to Goodwill Night, Get Pirates Tickets - Portland Pirates
- Schneider named starting goalie for PlanetUSA in 2009 AHL All-Star Classic - Manitoba Moose
- Devils' Frazee Named to AHL All-Star Team - Albany Devils
- Gerbe, Kennedy Named to PlanetUSA AHL All-Star Roster - Portland Pirates
- Mattias Karlsson selected to PlanetUSA AHL All-Star team - Binghamton Senators
- Wolf Pack's Sanguinetti Headed to AHL All-Star Classic - Connecticut Whale
- Albany's Michael Ryan Named To AHL All-Star Classic - Albany River Rats
- Wolves Motzko Selected to AHL PlanetUSA All-Star Team - Chicago Wolves
- Ryan Potulny To Represent Falcons At 2009 All-Star Game In Worcester - Springfield Falcons
- Worcester Sharks Captain Ryan Vesce named AHL All-Star for PlanetUSA - Worcester Sharks
- Bulldogs Yannick Weber Named Starter for 2009 PlanetUSA AHL All-Star team - Hamilton Bulldogs
- Kindl and Larsson Named to PlanetUSA AHL All-Star Team - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Taffe, Lovejoy Named to PlanetUSA AHL All-Star Team - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- 2009 PlanetUSA AHL All-Star Team announced - AHL
- Moose announce "Mike Keane Bobblehead" Night - Manitoba Moose
- Aeros reach halfway point, face Bridgeport tonight at 6 p.m. CST - Houston Aeros
- AHL Quick Hits - AHL
- Columbus Recalls Center Nikita Filatov - Syracuse Crunch
- Griffins Entertain IceHogs Tonight - Grand Rapids Griffins
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.