Devils Rally For 3-2 Shootout Win Over Wolf Pack

February 24, 2008 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Albany Devils News Release


LOWELL, Mass. - Four of the previous five contests this season between Lowell and Hartford have been decided by one goal and Sunday's game was no different as the Devils came back to defeat the Wolf Pack in the shootout, 3-2, at the Tsongas Arena.

Down 2-0 as the two teams headed into the third, the Devils pulled within one at 3:42 when Ryan Murphy fired a turnaround shot from the far circle that snuck by Wolf Pack netminder Miika Wiikman. Less than four minutes later, Richard Mativchuck's first goal of the year knotted the score as his slapshot from the near boards sailed over the shoulder of Wiikman and into the top shelf.

The Devils would head to overtime for the third game in a row, but unlike the previous two, this one would be decided in the shootout. Lowell and Hartford were tied 1-1 after Benoit Mondou and Lauri Korpikoski both converted in the second round. No one would score again until the top of round 11 when Mike Pandolfo beat Wiikman to the near post with a hard wrister. Frank Doyle in turn denied nine straight Wolf Pack shooters, including Korposki in the bottom of the eleventh round to seal the victory. The shoo! tout was the longest in the history of the Lowell Devils franchise.

Despite being outshot 14-7 in the opening frame, the Devils and Doyle were able to keep the game scoreless heading into the first intermission. Lowell rebounded in the second to hold a 14-6 shot advantage in the period, but Hartford struck twice before the break to take a 2-0 lead into the locker room. It started at 17:43 when Mike Ouellette skated in behind the Devils net and hit Artem Anisimov atop the crease for a one-timer that found the top right corner. Korpikoski then started his own breakaway when he picked off a pass at the Lowell blueline and fluttered the pu! ck over the poke check of Doyle with 9.5 seconds left in the period.

Lowell finished 0-for-6 on the power play and 3-for-3 on the penalty kill, while Doyle stopped 27-of-29 shots through overtime. The Devils have now picked up points in five of their last six games (3-1-2-0).

The Devils are back on the road for two games, beginning on Tuesday, February 26 when they play the Manchester Monarchs at 7:05 p.m. Lowell then visits the Portland Pirates on Friday, February 29 at 7:05 p.m. before returning home to complete the weekend. On Saturday, March 1, the Lowell Devils will face the Norfolk Admirals at the Tsongas Arena at 7:05 p.m. Then it's a special Sunday on March 2 when the Devils host the CVS Celebrity All-Star Game at 1:30 p.m. See ! former NHLers like Andy Brickley, Bob Beers, Ken Hodge and Don Sweeney. The first 1,000 fans will receive a special gift bag containing more than $100 worth of merchandise. Your ticket to the Lowell/Bridgeport match that afternoon at 4:05 p.m. gets you into both games. Tickets start at just $10; call the Devils office at (978) 458-PUCK for more information or visit www.lowelldevilshockey.com.



American Hockey League Stories from February 24, 2008


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