Devils Weekly #22 â Devils Split Four Games This Week
Published on March 3, 2008 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Albany Devils News Release
Last Week:
Tues 2/26 Devils 7 vs. MANCHESTER MONARCHS 3
Fri 2/29 PORTLAND PIRATES vs. Devils 3
Sat 3/1 DEVILS 5 vs. Norfolk Admirals 2
Sun 3/2 Sound Tigers 3 vs. DEVILS 1
This Week:
Wed 3/5 DEVILS vs. Hershey Bears (32-22-1-5) 7:05 p.m.
Fri 3/7 Devils vs. SPRINGFIELD FALCONS (27-25-5-5) 7:30 p.m.
Sat 3/8 Devils vs. WORCESTER SHARKS (24-26-4-4) 7:05 p.m.
Rewind:
Tuesday, Devils 7 vs. MONARCHS 3
Benoit Mondou (3g, 1a) and Olivier Magnan (0g, 4a) netted four points each in a 7-3 drubbing of the Manchester Monarchs at the Verizon Wireless Arena. The Devils opened the scoring with a three-goal first period led by Mondou's two power play goals. Lowell did itself one better in the second frame with four goals, as Mondou put the finishing touches on his hat trick and Magnan notched all four of his assists. Olli Malmivaara also contributed three points (1g, 2a), while the Devils went 5-for-9 on the power play.
Friday, PIRATES 6 vs. Devils 3
Barry Tallackson's two goals were not enough to overcome a three-goal third period by Portland en route to a 6-3 win for the Pirates at the Cumberland County Civic Center. Tallackson opened the scoring at 7:19 of the first period and later gave the Devils a 3-2 lead with his second of the night, coming at 14:20 of the second. After Bruno St. Jacques tied the score 2:39 later, the Pirates went on to break open the game with a trio of goals in the final frame. Benoit Mondou also potted a goal in the contest.
Saturday, DEVILS 5 vs. Admirals 2
The Devils tied a team season-best when they held the Norfolk Admirals to 18 shots in a 5-2 win on Saturday. The Devils also tied their season-high, firing 44 shots on Admirals goaltender Marc Denis. Tied 1-1 heading into the second, Lowell went ahead on Petr Vrana's goal 1:50 into the period. Rosario Ruggeri then provided the eventual game-winner just over two minutes later with his third goal of the season. Four different Devils players finished the night with two points - Stephen Gionta (0g, 2a), Ivan Khomutov (1g, 1a), Ryan Murphy (1g, 1a) and Ruggeri (1g, 1a).
Sunday, Sound Tigers 3 vs. DEVILS 1
Goalie Mike Morrison's 31 saves were the difference as the Sound Tigers stifled the Devils' offense for a 3-1 win at the Tsongas Arena. Despite outshooting Bridgeport 15-4 in the second period, Lowell was on the wrong side of a 2-1 contest. Tim Jackman's shorthanded goal and Justin Bourne's even-strength marker put the Sound Tigers up by two before Nicklas Bergfors scored with under a minute left in the period. Jackman's second of the night - just 26 seconds into the third - proved to be the backbreaker.
Coming Up
The Lowell Devils play the final contest of a three-game homestand when the Hershey Bears make their sole visit of the season to the Tsongas Arena on Wednesday, March 5. The Bears currently sit in third place in the East Division, but have lost three in a row. Hershey's match against Lowell marks the fifth game of a season-long nine-game road trip for the Bears. The Bears boast one of the top defensemen in the AHL in Sami Lepisto. He ranks tied for eighth with 38 points (3g, 35a), third with 35 assists and leads the league with a +26 plus/minus rating.
The Devils then travel for two matches against division rivals, starting with the Springfield Falcons on Friday, March 7. The Falcons are clinging to the fourth spot in the Atlantic Division, having dropped four of their last six games. Springfield, however, has won four straight against Lowell and eight of nine this season. This will be the final game in the head-to-head season series. The Falcons' power play has had a 27.8% success rate (10-for-36) against the Devils this season.
Lowell will take on the Worcester Sharks the following night on Saturday, March 8. The Sharks sit seven points ahead of the Devils in the division standings, thanks in part to a 3-0-0-1 record in their last four games. Mike Iggulden notched his first hat trick of the season in Worcester's last game - a 5-4 win over Norfolk. The Devils are 3-3-0-0 against the Sharks this season.
Transactions
Center Rod Pelley was recalled on loan today by the New Jersey Devils. Pelley registered two goals, an assist and 18 penalty minutes in 11 games with Lowell.
Promotions/In the Community
- Tuesday, March 4 - Read Across America - 1 p.m.
- Devil Dawg and Director of Media and Team Services, Mike O'Brien, will be reading to the students at the South Lawrence East School in Lawrence, MA.
- Wednesday, March 5 - Devils vs. Hershey Bears, 7:05 p.m.
- Dollar Dawg Night - All hot dogs are just $1.
Thursday, March 6 - Franklin Elementary School - 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
- Devil Dawg will be making a lunchtime visit to Franklin Elementary School in Andover, MA.
Saturday, March 8 and Sunday, March 9 - Larry Fournier Memorial Hockey Tournament
- Devil Dawg will be greeting fans and helping hand out trophies during this weekend's Larry Fournier Memorial Hockey Tournament in Newburyport, MA.
Around the Horns
Dave Caruso is 3-0-1-0 since being called up from Trenton on February 13. He has a 2.00 GAA and a .937 save percentage over that stretch.
Benoit Mondou is on a six game point streak (4g, 5a).
Lowell's penalty kill is clicking at 92.3% over its last seven games (24-for-26).
The Devils have held the opposition to three goals or less in 12 of their last 14 games.
Mondou (3g, 1a) and Olivier Magnan (0g, 4a) each notched four points on Tuesday versus Manchester, setting a team season-high for points in a game.
- Leaders for Lowell:
o Goals: Tallackson (21)
o Assists: Vrana (35)
o Points: Vrana (46)
o PIM: Fraser (87)
o Plus/Minus: Bergfors, Pelley (+1)
o Wins: Doyle (12)
o G.A.A: Doyle (3.03)
o Save %: Doyle (.904)
American Hockey League Stories from March 3, 2008
- Pirates Weekly - Portland Pirates
- Rampage Weekly - San Antonio Rampage
- Rivermen Weekly - Peoria Rivermen
- Lisin Recalled Under Emergency Conditions - San Antonio Rampage
- Phantoms Weekly - Adirondack Phantoms
- Hamilton hosts Manitoba twice this week, including "Kids Day" on Sunday afternoon - Hamilton Bulldogs
- Marlies To Honour Former Captain Marc Moro - Toronto Marlies
- River Rats Weekly - Albany River Rats
- Blackhawks Assign Kontiola And Dowell To Rockford - Rockford IceHogs
- Early Deficits Do Rockford In During Week 22 - Rockford IceHogs
- Sports Memorabilia Highlights Pink In The Rink - Iowa Chops
- Lightning Assign Zbynek Hrdel To Mississippi - Norfolk Admirals
- Smith Named AHL Rookie Of The Month - Bridgeport Islanders
- O'Reilly Named CCM/AHL Player Of The Month - Milwaukee Admirals
- Crunch Players To Sign Autographs At Quickway - Syracuse Crunch
- Sound Tigers' Smith Named Rbk Edge/AHL Rookie Of The Month - AHL
- Wolves Pavelec Earns AHL Goaltender Of The Month Honors - Chicago Wolves
- Wolves' Pavelec Named Rbk X-Pulse/AHL Goaltender Of The Month - AHL
- Milwaukee's O'Reilly Named CCM/AHL Player Of The Month - AHL
- Amerks Kick Off Five-Game Road Trip This Week - Rochester Americans
- Admirals Look Forward To Returning Home - Norfolk Admirals
- Karl Goehring Named Rbk/AHL Player Of The Week - Syracuse Crunch
- Devils Weekly #22 â Devils Split Four Games This Week - Albany Devils
- Crunch's Goehring Named Rbk/AHL Player Of The Week - AHL
- Moose Take Five In Week 21 - Manitoba Moose
- Monarchs Weekly - Manchester Monarchs
- Amerks Announce Equipment Sale - Rochester Americans
- Wolf Pack Weekly - Connecticut Whale
- Aeros weekly update - Houston Aeros
- Sharks Swimming Toward High Water - Worcester Sharks
- Wolves Weekly Notes - Chicago Wolves
- Oilers Recall Marc Pouliot From Springfield - Springfield Falcons
- Griffins community events - Grand Rapids Griffins
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.
