Devils' Comeback Falls Short

Published on December 8, 2010 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Albany Devils News Release


ALBANY, NY -- The Albany Devils' attempt to erase a three-goal deficit came up short as they fell to the Hershey Bears, 3-2, Wednesday night at the Times Union Center. Hershey stalled the Devils' two-game winning streak thanks in large part to a pair of shorthanded goals. The Bears improve to 15-9-0-1 on the year, while the Devils go to 11-14-0-0

The Bears seemed to be heading to the cruise control. They carried a 1-0 lead into the first intermission and then scored two goals in the first 55 seconds of the second period.

"First shifts of the period, last shifts of period and shifts after goals are so important," Anderson said. "It happens and people start hanging their heads and the puck is in the back of your net. It's something we have to learn as a team."

However, the Devils responded near the end of the period with power-play goals from Michael Swift and Matt Anderson to make it 3-2.

"When we did get the puck deep we had success; we just didn't do it enough," said head coach Rick Kowalsky. "We still managed to score two power-play goals."

In the third, Dany Sabourin made five stops to hold on to the win. The Hershey netminder made 21 saves on 23 shots to improve to 6-7-0. For Albany, Jeff Frazee denied 31 of 34 tries and is now 8-8-0 this season.

Frazee entered the game on a two-game winning streak and continued his hot play in the first making 15 stops. He kept the game scoreless eight minutes in with back-to-back sprawling saves while killing a penalty. He had some help form defenseman Rob Davison who denied a shot with his skate on the goal line.

Andrew Joudrey ruined a scoreless first when he cashed in on his own rebound, going right to left at 10:14. Ashton Rome setup the play with a pass into the Devils' end.

The defending Calder Cup champs established a three-goal lead early in the second. First Sean Collins sprung Jay Beagle for a shorthanded, breakaway goal 30 seconds into the period. Twenty-five seconds later on a similar play, Sheldon Souray found a streaking Steve Pinizzotto for another breakaway tally.

Albany got on the board at the latter end of a four-minute power play. Vladimir Zharkov began things, wheeling through the neutral zone. He snuck a pass to Nick Palmieri, who gave it immediately back and started a 2-on-1. Zharkov dished to Swift for a one-timer goal at 11:23.

The goal extended Swift's point streak to three games, while Zharkov now has at least one point in five of the last seven outings. Palmieri extended his streak to two games.

Anderson pushed his point streak to two games with the Devils' second power-play goal. David McIntyre made a pass to Tyler Eckford at the left point and Eckford found Anderson on the near half wall. His wristshot struck the cross bar over the right shoulder of Dany Sabourin and trickled over the goal line.

The Devils were without rookie Adam Henrique who was removed from the lineup moments before the teams took the ice. According to Kowalsky, he was injured in warm-ups. Henrique had registered a point in each of the last three games and at least one point in eight of the last 10. Darcy Zajac dressed in Henrique place.

Next up, the Devils travel to Binghamton on Friday, Dec. 10 for a 7:05 p.m. contest. The Times Union Center reopens its doors on Saturday, Dec. 11 when Worcester comes to town at 7:00 p.m.

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American Hockey League Stories from December 8, 2010


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