Albany Halts Streaking Penguins

Published on January 2, 2009 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Albany River Rats News Release


ALBANY, NY - Justin Peters made 33 saves and Brett Carson scored the game-winner as the Albany River Rats beat the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 3-2 Friday night at the Times Union Center.

Albany's red-hot line of Jakub Petruzalek, Michael Ryan and Yannick Tifu connected for the game's first goal at 17:45 in the first period. Ryan sent a pass to Petruzalek at the top of the left face off circle and the center fired a quick shot back across the body of Penguins goalie Adam Berkhoel and into the top right corner of the net; Tifu also assisted on the tally that tied Petruzalek with Ryan for the team lead in points at 21. Despite being out-shot 11-7 in the frame, the River Rats headed to the locker room with the one goal lead in-tact.

Early in the second period Tim Conboy sent a long pass to Nicolas Blanchard as he emerged from the penalty box, springing the forward on a breakaway. Berkhoel sprawled to deny Blanchard's shot, but no one accounted for Mike Angelidis, who stayed with the play and was rewarded with a rebound put-away for his tenth goal of the season at 3:21. The River Rats made it 3-0 on a Brett Carson slap-shot that bounced off of a leg before beating Berkhoel down-low, with Jerome Samson and Dwight Helminen assisting on the play at 10:22.

The Penguins came out flying in the third period, creating a lot of pressure in the River Rats zone. At 10:41 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton finally got on the board on a Danny Richmond goal from Jon D'Aversa and Luca Caputi. Just 1:34 later Deryk Engelland took a shot from the blue line that headed wide of the net, but took a nasty deflection off the skate of Jean-Michel Daoust and into the goal, cutting the Penguins deficit to one; Daoust was credited wit the goal. The visitors continued to pepper the River Rats goal with shots for the remaining 7:45 of play; a pulled goalie and a late Albany penalty led to a six-on-four power play for the final 26 seconds of play, but Peters and the River Rats held off the Penguins attack to finish off the 3-2 win.

Albany's Justin Peters stopped 33-of-35 shots faced for the win as the River Rats improved to 13-17-3-2 on the season. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's Adam Berkhoel allowed three goals on 20 shots and took the loss as the Penguins fell to 21-12-1-1. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton out-shot Albany 35-20 in the game and went 0-for-4 on the power play; the River Rats were 0-for-3 with the man advantage.

Notes: The River Rats were involved in one transaction today as the Carolina Hurricanes reassigned defenseman Noah Babin to the Florida Everblades of the ECHL. Babin was in the lineup tonight and had two assists as the Everblades beat the Charlotte Checkers 6-3 at Germain Arena in Estero, Florida.

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American Hockey League Stories from January 2, 2009


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