Devils Down Sharks in Overtime, 4-3
December 27, 2007 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Albany Devils News Release
LOWELL, Mass. - Jason Ryznar had his first two-goal game of the season, but it was Nicklas Bergfors' game-winner twenty seconds into overtime that clinched the 4-3 win for the Lowell Devils over the Worcester Sharks at Tsongas Arena.
With the Devils holding onto a 3-2 lead entering the third period, Josh Prudden got the game-tying goal at 3:32 when he whacked the puck through a scrum and under the glove of Frank Doyle. Neither team would be able to get the go-ahead tally through the rest of regulation, setting up Bergfors' heroics.
A turnover at center ice sent Bergfors rushing down the left wing into the Worcester zone, where his wrister from the near circle ticked off a stick and under the arm of Shark goalie Thomas Greiss. It was Lowell's first win past regulation in four tries this year and also the first victory against Worcester in the season series.
It took just 27 ticks of the clock in the second for the Devils to go up 2-1 thanks to a power play that carried over from the opening frame. Stephen Gionta broke away from his man to the right circle, took a pass from Noah Clarke and fired a wrist shot that rang off the post and into the net.
Worcester tied the score for the second time in the game at 4:53 of the same period when Dennis Packard banged home a rebound after Prudden clanged his snap shot off of the crossbar. Ryznar registered his second goal of the contest and put Lowell back up by a goal soon after he jumped out of the penalty box. Ryan Murphy was able to send a breakaway pass to Ryznar, who fended off Lukas Kaspar and muscled a quick shot past Greiss for his fifth of the year.
The Sharks opened the scoring at 16:08 of the first on a power play goal by Tomas Pilhal. The Devils responded 2:40 later and made the score 1-1 when Sean Zimmerman had his slapshot blocked, but the bouncing puck found Ryznar alone on the near hash mark for his first of the night.
Doyle stopped 26-of-29 shots for his seventh win of the season. Lowell's special teams went 1-for-4 on the man-advantage and 2-for-3 on the penalty kill. The Devils and Sharks will play again this Saturday, December 30 at the DCU Center.
The Devils take to the road for their next three games, starting with a match versus the Springfield Falcons on Saturday, December 29 at 7:00p.m. Lowell continues on to face the Worcester Sharks on Sunday, December 30 at 4:05p.m. and the Portland Pirates on New Year's Eve at 5:35p.m. Listen to all of the action live on 980AM-WCAP as Ryan Johnston brings you all of the play-by-play. Lowell returns home to battle the Falcons on Dollar Dawg Night on Wednesday, January 2 at 7:05p.m. Call the Devils office at (978! ) 458-PUCK for more information or visit www.lowelldevilshockey.com.
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American Hockey League Stories from December 27, 2007
- Rampage Turn Up the Heat, defeat Milwaukee 5-3 - San Antonio Rampage
- Admirals Trampled by Rampage 5-3 - Milwaukee Admirals
- Bulldogs Defeat Moose - Hamilton Bulldogs
- Wolves Win In Overtime 4-3 - Rockford IceHogs
- Pirates Sink Monarchs Ship In Overtime - Manchester Monarchs
- Griffins Shut Out by Marlies, 2-0 - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Admirals Lose Sixth Straight Game - Norfolk Admirals
- Fists Turn To Goals For Phantoms - Adirondack Phantoms
- Penguins Win Sixth In A Row, 3-1 - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Devils Down Sharks in Overtime, 4-3 - Albany Devils
- Bulldogs Beat Moose 3-1 - Manitoba Moose
- Bruins Keep Back River Rats 3-1 - Albany River Rats
- P-Bruins Defeat River Rats 3-1 - Providence Bruins
- Sharks Fight Back for Point, but Fall in Overtime - Worcester Sharks
- University School, Arrowhead advance in RBC Dain Rauscher High School Hockey Showdown - Milwaukee Admirals
- Micflikier And Farynuk Recalled From The Stockton Thunder - Springfield Falcons
- IceHogs Pick Up Daoust For Tonight's Game - Rockford IceHogs
- Admirals and Susan G. Komen for the Cure Announce "Pink in the Rink" on January 12 - Norfolk Admirals
- Monarchs Assign Jarrett To Reading - Manchester Monarchs
- Marlies Recall Goaltender Todd Ford From Columbia - Toronto Marlies
- Columbus Recalls Lindstrom and Murray - Syracuse Crunch
- Moose, Hockey Manitoba welcome Female Atom Hockey Festival to MTS Centre December 29 - Manitoba Moose
- Panthers Recall Stewart For Fifth Time - Rochester Americans
- Wagner Recalled to St. Louis - Peoria Rivermen
- Greiss' Pink Mask goes for $5,000 for charity - Worcester Sharks
- Ryan O'Marra recalled from Stockton Thunder - Springfield Falcons
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