Devils Out Duel Pirates, 7-3

January 9, 2009 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Albany Devils News Release


PORTLAND, Maine - Seven different players scored for the Lowell Devils as they swept a home-and-home series against the Portland Pirates with a 7-3 romp on Friday evening at the Cumberland County Civic Center. Lowell came from behind on Wednesday to defeat Portland, 3-2, at the Tsongas Arena.

Though the Devils trailed early in the first on this night, they would rattle off five unanswered goals to take a commanding lead. The Pirates' 1-0 lead lasted only 1:43 with Nicklas Bergfors working behind the Portland net. Reversing direction and catching the defense looking the other way, Bergfors found Petr Vrana atop the crease for a one-timer inside the far post and his fourth goal of the season.

Lowell pulled ahead for the first time in the game at 8:19 when Vladmir Zharkov criss-crossed with Jon DiSalvatore on a rush into the offensive zone. Zharkov kept the puck himself and had his initial shot saved by Jhonas Enroth, but was able to put back the rebound for his sixth of the year.

The Devils widened the gap in the second period thanks to the first goal of the season by a pair of players and a brief goaltending change for the Pirates.

It was Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Lelond keeping the puck in the Portland zone on the near boards and finding Patrick Davis along the back wall. Davis took a step above the goal line and centered a pass back across the crease to Letourneau-Lelond, who tapped it past the right skate of Enroth at 2:54.

Enroth then came out of the game and was replaced by back-up goaltender Ray Jean. Jean's only shot against eluded him as Matt Spiller fired a slapshot from the point that found the back of the net at 6:44. Jean lasted only 2:18 before Enroth re-entered the contest.

Rod Pelley added his sixth of the season at 17:28 of same period to put Lowell up, 5-1. Nathan Gerbe stopped the bleeding for Portland on a breakaway goal with 1:28 until the second intermission.

Gerbe struck again at 7:32 of third to cut Lowell's lead to two goals, but Brad Mills responded 18 seconds later with his fourth marker this year to make the score, 6-3.

Three minutes later, Michael Swift stepped out the penalty box in time to pick off a clearing attempt and skate in alone before tucking a backhand through the pads of Enroth for a power play goal that finished up the Devils' scoring.

The Pirates broke a 0-0 tie just 2:29 into the first after a faceoff win in the Devils zone. Keith Johnson went down low to retrieve the puck and sent backhand a pass in front that Derek Whitmore chipped over Jeff Frazee. Lowell's goaltender made 39 saves on 42 shots for his 12th win of the season.



American Hockey League Stories from January 9, 2009


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