Devils Can't Get Around Penguins

Published on March 31, 2012 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Albany Devils News Release


ALBANY, N.Y. -- Despite fighting back from two goals down, the Albany Devils lost to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, 5-2, Saturday at the Times Union Center. Mike Hoeffel and Matt Taormina each scored for the Devils, who are now 30-29-6-5. The Penguins improve to 41-22-2-5.

"We played pretty well defensively as a corps," said defenseman Matt Taormina, "It's tough when you do get chances and you are outshooting like we did and not at least get a few more. It's tough; their goalie played pretty well. It's kind of disheartening to not get out of there closer than we did."

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton established a 2-0 advantage with back-to-back goals by Alex Grant. The first came at 15:49 of the first on the power play and the second was at 1:41 of the second.

Hoeffel sparked the Devils with a wrist shot from the slot at 3:39 of the second. He received a pass from Joe Whitney and snapped the puck over the glove of netminder Brad Theissen. Kory Nagy was credited with the second helper. For Hoeffel it was his fifth goal of the season and third against the Penguins.

Albany tied the game with a Taormina power-play goal at 9:08. Brad Mills found Whitney at the left point and he worked the puck along the blueline to Taormina for his sixth goal and first since Jan. 27.

Before the end of the period, Paul Thompson fired a shot over the right shoulder of Keith Kinkaid at 14:30. Ryan Craig added to the lead with a man-up tally 55 seconds into the third.

"We were still in the game and they come out and get one right way and that definitely hurt," said head coach Kowalsky. "After that we were a little frustrated and didn't get back to the way we played in the second."

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's Nick Petersen finished the scoring with an empty-net goal with 1:55 remaining.

Kinkaid, who was making consecutive starts for the first time since Feb. 12, 15, made 16 stops on 20 shots. Across the way, Thiessen earned the win with 27 saves in his first AHL game since Feb. 18, which was at Albany.

Next up, the Devils travel to take on the Worcester Sharks Wednesday at 7 p.m. Fans can catch the action on 104.5 "The Team" ESPN Radio or online at ahllive.com.

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American Hockey League Stories from March 31, 2012


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