Devils Fall in Shootout Again

Published on December 28, 2010 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Albany Devils News Release


ALBANY, N.Y. - For the second-straight game the Albany Devils lost in a shootout. This time it came on home ice to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, 4-3, in front of 3,822 fans at the Times Union Center. Adam Henrique and Chad Wiseman each had a goal and an assist, but Bridgeport rallied in the shootout, outscoring the Devils, 2-1.

"I think so," Henrique said when asked if a shootout loss changes the demeanor when the team doesn't earn the second point. "I thought we played a really good first period; we came out strong and took the lead. The rest of the game we sat back and did exactly what we didn't want to do."

Albany never trailed in the game until the final score. Wiseman and David McIntyre built a 2-0 first period lead and Henrique made it 3-2 after back-to-back second period goals by the Sound Tigers.

"They probably weren't happy with the way they started," said head coach Rick Kowalsky. "Teams respond, but we talked about dictating the play in the first and I we did that in Wilkes-Barre, which is a tough building. We want to build on that and we did in the first. But they up their intensity level, their compete level, in the second and we didn't match it."

Jeff Frazee set the tone early for the Devils, giving the team momentum thanks to a sprawling save four minutes into the game. Frazee got his skate blade on a shot while diving to his left. Moments later, Albany went to work on a power play and Wiseman took advantage.

The Devils worked the puck high and Wiseman's shot from the point bounced off a Sound Tiger and into the back of the net at 5:03. Henrique and Michael Swift earned the assists on the play. For Wiseman, who entered the game leading the team with 0.71 points-per-game, earned his fifth point in eight games.

Swift extended his point streak to a season-long five games with his eighth point in the last 12 games.

It didn't take long for Albany to extend the lead when McIntyre netted his sixth goal of the season. The rookie forward received a pass from Nick Palmieri, skated into the offensive end and fired a wrist shot past the glove of Tigers' goaltender Mikko Koskinen.

In the second, the rink began to slant towards the Bridgeport offensive end. First, Brandon Svendsen snuck a rebound attempt through Frazee's leg at 1:37. Then Jeremy Colliton made it 2-2 with another rebound goal at 7:30.

Henrique had the answer and gave the Devils the advantage heading into the second intermission. Matt Anderson made a pass from behind the net to Henrique for a one-timer at 18:30. The goal was his eighth of the season and the assist was Anderson's team-leading 19th point.

The lead didn't last long as Micheal Haley tied the score with a wrister at 1:51.

In the shootout, Swift scored early for Albany, but Bridgeport countered with fourth and fifth round goals by Rob Hisey and Jess Joensuu.

Frazee finished with 29 saves, while Koskinen had 25.

The Devils return to the ice on New Year's Eve with a 6:05 p.m. contest at Binghamton. After a 7 p.m. game at Adirondack on New Year's Day, the Devils welcome Syracuse to the Times Union Center for a 4 p.m. outing.

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



American Hockey League Stories from December 28, 2010


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central