Rats scurry to 5-3 victory in Lowell

Published on February 4, 2006 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Albany Devils News Release


Lowell, Mass. - Ahren Nittel scored twice, including the game winner, to lead the Albany River Rats (17-29-1-2) to a 5-3 victory over the Lowell Lock Monsters (20-23-4-4) at Tsongas Arena on Saturday afternoon.

The River Rats jumped out to a 1-0 lead just over seven minutes into the game. A bouncing puck deflected off the skate of Tuomas Pihlman and past G Craig Kowalski for his seventh of the season. Nicolas Corbeil tied the game for the Lock Monsters with his fifth of the season at 9:23 when he slammed home a centering feed from Frantisek Skladany. But just 15 seconds later, the River Rats jumped back in front. Ahren Nittel redirected a shot home, tipping it past Kowalski stick side to make it 2-1. Alexander Mogilny set up Niklas Bergfors in the low slot for the two goal advantage at 15:52. Lowell had several chances on a late power play but G Gregg Naumenko turned aside 18 of 19 Monsters shots in the frame to hold the 3-1 lead.

Kowalski made a brilliant glove save on Barry Tallackson on a shorthanded breakaway. Meanwhile, on a later power play, Lowell pulled within a goal. Jeff Finger made a deke in tight on Naumenko, drawing him out of position, and slipped in a backhander for his first of the season. Kowalski made a series of saves in the final minute of the stanza to keep it a one-goal game and it paid off. With just 18 seconds left in the stanza the Monsters tied it. On a brief conditioning assignment with the Monsters, Andrew Ladd potted his eighth of the season by finishing a series of passes between linemates David Gove and Keith Aucoin to make it 3-3.

Early in the third the Rats regained the lead. Nittel pounced on a loose puck in front of the Lowell net and chipped in his second of the game on the first shift of the period. The Monsters continued to fire away on the Albany net, trying to get the equalizer. But it never came. Instead, Barry Tallackson put his ninth goal of the season into the empty net for the final margin. The Monsters finished with a 44-40 shot advantage in the game, matching a season high for combined shots.

Monster Memos: For just the second time in franchise history, the Lock Monsters went without taking a penalty in the game. The other occasion was December 19th, 2004 against Springfield... With 1g-1a, Corbeil recorded his first multi-point game in the AHL... Andrew Ladd will rejoin the Carolina Hurricanes tomorrow afternoon in Boston when they play the Bruins.

The Monsters head out on the road tomorrow with an afternoon match in Providence against the Bruins. Game time is 2:05 p.m. Next Wednesday the Bruins come to town for a 7:05 p.m. start at Tsongas Arena. All games home and away can be heard live on 980 WCAP, and viewed through B2 Networks, the official broadband provider of the AHL, with the "Voice of the Lock Monsters" Ryan Johnston. Log on to www.lockmonsters.com to watch or listen online.

Individual tickets start at $10 and are on sale now at the Tsongas Arena box office, which is open from 10:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10:00 - 2:00 p.m. on Saturdays. Flex Packs and group outings are on sale now; contact the Lock Monsters ticket office at (978) 458-PUCK (7825) for more information.

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American Hockey League Stories from February 4, 2006


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