Devils Doubled up By Sound Tigers, 6-3

Published on April 9, 2010 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Albany Devils News Release


LOWELL, Mass. - Two goals by Michael Swift would be overshadowed by Jesse Joensuu's hat trick as the Bridgeport Sound Tigers defeated the Lowell Devils, 6-3, Friday night at the Tsongas Center. Despite battling back from a two-goal deficit, the Devils missed an opportunity as a win would have clinched their first-ever appearance in the Calder Cup Playoffs.

The Devils cut into a 3-1 lead right as the horn sounded on the end of the second period. Matthew Corrente gathered a Tyler Eckford shot and hit the top corner from the near circle just before the buzzer for his fifth marker of the year.

Three minutes into the third period, Lowell would tie the game at three on the power play after Swift collected the puck in front of the crease and walked it around Bridgeport goaltender Matt Lawson before sliding it in the back of the net. Swift's second goal of the night was his team-leading 23rd of the year.

Bridgeport took back their lead at 8:51 and never looked back in the third period when Joensuu took a pass from Jeremy Reich in the near corner and fired it from the slot past Lowell goaltender Mike McKenna for his second goal of the night.

Trevor Smith would add a goal with 2:27 remaining in the third to make it 5-3, while Joensuu would add an empty netter with 57 seconds left for the hat trick.

Swift allowed Lowell to jump ahead, 1-0, just 3:57 into the game during 4-on-4 play. A turnover by Bridgeport in its zone created a 2-on-1 down low for the Devils with Swift banging home the rebound from Ben Walter's backhander.

The Sound Tigers knotted the match just over three minutes later when Joensuu found a loose puck between the hash marks and flippeda shot over the blocker of Mike McKenna.

Lowell opened the second on the man-advantage, but fell behind, 2-1, 24 seconds in on Mike Radja's shorthanded goal. Bridgeport stretched the lead to two at 6:21 of the same period when Reich redirected a shot from Greg Mauldin inside the near post.

Lawson turned aside 28 shots in the win for Bridgeport, while McKenna saved 25-of-30 shots in taking the loss.

The Lowell Devils travel to take on the Portland Pirates at the Cumberland County Civic Center on Saturday, Apr. 10 at 7:00PM. Go online to AHLlive.com to listen to all of the Devils hockey action live. For playoff tickets to Lowell Devils home games, call (978) 458-PUCK (7825) or visit lowelldevilshockey.com.

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American Hockey League Stories from April 9, 2010


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